Author  |  Alex Brown  |  Journalist and Founder of Advanture Magazine

Describing the water as cold just doesn’t cut it. Frozen before even getting in the wetsuit, any sane person would be keeping themself wrapped up in the comfort of their down sleeping bag. But professional surfer and cold water lover, Tim Latte, is already in a focused state of mind weeks before his eyes meet a horizon of icy water of the Barents Sea.

Tim’s early career as a professional surfer looked like many others’. He competed in the World Surf League (WSL) at beautiful, and warm, locations around the world such as Bali and Nicaragua. Now looking back on how things are turning out, it seems like Tim’s story is going in full circle.

Born and raised in Sweden, a location not entirely on everyones’ radar when it comes to an epic surf trip, Tim surely made the most of what was on offer. Sweden is a place where the surf is mostly small, the water is always cold, and a lot of the country spends a great deal of the year in darkness due to its Northern latitude. Despite the drawbacks, Tim trained hard to turn professional.

“After a couple of years on the road, I started to think that if I was going to make a longer living from surfing, why compete with thousands of other surfers that are from these tropical countries? I missed home. Having left Sweden at the age of 15, and living abroad for an extended period of time, it took its toll on me. I thought to myself, I'm going to move home and start surfing the Baltic. After growing up there, I knew what to expect and I knew there was a whole lot of new territory to be discovered. There was just so much storytelling to be done.”

Tim soon found a connection which would point him towards Finnmark, a small region on the very Northeastern tip of Norway and bordering Russia. It was here where he would find the sort of surf he was dreaming about, and the Norwegian law Allemannsretten (everyman’s right), would allow him to pursue the waves while living from the back of his car.

 

 

COLD WATERS IN FINNMARK

 

Cold water surfing has become the sport's new frontier. Tim recalls surfing at Lofoten in the summer, needing to park half a kilometer from the beach due to the line of cars. The allure of the adventure side has been greatly documented for a wide-range of outdoor brands, to showcase their products in some of the most challenging conditions on the planet. But for core surfers - for those who are brave enough to squeeze into 6mm thick wetsuits complete with boots, gloves and a hood, there are numerous uncharted breaks out there to be explored. Places where the crowds can’t venture to easily. Water that is inviting to only the most dedicated cold water surfers.

During the Second World War, many people were evacuated out of Finnmark and into neighbouring countries across Scandinavia. As the story goes, Tim’s grandmother was safely relocated to Denmark. 

“I have a long forgotten heritage up in the Finnmark region, one I didn’t actually know anything about. The generations who were evacuated, they don't tend to talk about it. So I've always been curious about going up there since I was a child. But a couple of years ago when I saw some pictures and found out that there were waves up there, it opened my horizons. I realised that I had to go and put some time and effort into exploring this region.”

Located in such a distant region means that anyone on such a journey needs to be prepared, both for the expected remoteness and for the unexpected changes in weather conditions. The selection of Dometic products were paramount to keeping everything organised and dry, all-while living out of such a small space.

 

 

On every surfers’ checklist are the crucial items; spare fins, board wax, multitools and wetsuit gear. Tim held all of this in a Dometic GO 50L Portable Hard Storage for full protection.

The ultra portable Dometic CFX2 28L Cooler runs on the vehicle's 12v power outlet, allowing Tim to keep a selection of fresh produce such as meat, dairy and vegetables safely refrigerated while on the road. More important than just having something for dinner, the body needs careful replenishment after having used up hundreds of calories from a day in the water. When parked up, Tim would leave the cooler unplugged and outside as the ambient air temperature was low enough to keep all the food cold.

“When the car is packed to the brim with gear, proper organisation of the essentials such as cooking equipment and food, it makes life a lot smoother when hunger sets in. There is nothing worse than having to remember where you put something, resulting in having to drag everything out of the car.”

Another favourite of Tims’ was the PSC 22 Backpack Soft Cooler. When not being used to keep his sandwiches fresh, Tim used the pack as a dry bag to protect camera gear, clothes, and other items that would have to be kept dry and safe during hikes, often in wild weather.

 

 

For Tim, an average day would look like 11 degree celsius air temperature and mild waves. This would compare to a good day which may score quality waves but comes with -15 degree celsius and blizzard like conditions. Having spent so much time in preparation and travel, often Tim will go for days having to squeeze into a frigid wetsuit before paddling out and finally warming up.

It takes a tremendous amount of courage to sit in the icy waters waiting for the next set to arrive, but those moments present time to admire the spectacular scenery of the rugged headands. Much of Northern Norway is made up of vast fjords and mountainous coastlines. Sit in your mind long enough, and you’ll also come to realise there isn’t much if you travelled due North for 2000 kilometers, before reaching the North Pole.

In true spirit, the destination is only part of the story. To reach Finnmark, a drive from Stockholm can take some 24-hours. And the journey is a spectacular one. A trip of this nature may see you spending some 75% of the time driving, sightseeing and keeping both fed and watered. The mental toll really starts to kick in as the days grow shorter, bringing both colder water and more hours of darkness. However, this becomes a worthy payoff for that other 25% of time where you could be the only one within sight paddling into a wave. 

Travelling North out of Stockholm, it takes well over 1000 kilometers before the scandinavian forests give way to the tundra. In these exposed landscapes Tim has two options after peeling off his frigid wetsuit; boiling water for instant noodles inside the car, or getting back outside to find a spot in the wind shadow to get his cooker going and rustle up some much needed dinner. “When it’s time to set up base camp, we take everything out of the car and get to it. I mean, it's kind of grim, when it's like -10 degrees celsius outside and the wind is howling. But I need to eat so I will go for something like an omelet, or fries, maybe even bacon.”

 

 

Motivation surrounding this story should be considered on two levels. Firstly, finding purpose away from a more popular pursuit could often lead to a bigger adventure. And secondly, with the right equipment and mentality, you can pack up and pack down into the space of a small car to achieve that. 

Tim’s exploration of Finnmark is not finished yet. His plans are to continue chasing swell and exploring the vast coastlines over the coming years. Each time he heads North, he aims to put a new pin on the map.

 

Get to know Tim Latte & Max Riton

ABOUT THE TEAM

 

About Timothy Latte

Tim Latte from Stockholm, is surfer and adventurer who has a passion for finding the best cold water surfing spots. Prior to working on personal projects with his sponsors he competed in the World Surf League (WSL), and also represented Sweden on the surf team between 2006-2018. On his most recent project focused on Finnmark, he is incorporating a personal storytelling approach to learn more about the history of the region, as well as it’s hidden potential for being a fantastic surf destination.

Follow Tim's adventures: @timlatte

 

About Max Riton

Max Riton is a Sweden-born photographer, surfer and long time friend of Tim. A vagabond soul who has travelled the world the last 20 years and with a camera in hand. During the last decade he has been documenting surfing, waves and destinations for various international Outdoor brands. 

Follow Max adventures: @maxriton