Kamchatka and Kuril Islands

Kamchatka and Kuril Islands surf travel guide

Kamchatka

The Northwest Pacific surrounds Russia’s immense Kamchatka Peninsula, which has been surfed thanks to a handful of surf brands sending an expedition to take on the sub-polar climate and travel logistics that will keep this hardcore region a wilderness for a long time. The Kuril Trench exceeds 10km deep just offshore and volcanic black sand beachbreaks are the main attraction. Near the capital Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the 50km long Khalaktyrsky beach is by far the most surfed spot, with a surf school setting up in summer at the end of the main road from town. Waves can peel off fast and pack some punch, with strong currents often making it harder for beginners to get to grips with. Water temps reach 15ºC by August before heading down to -2C in winter. The same beachbreak setups are found to the north throughout Avacha Bay, while cliffs and reefs dominate the coast south to Cape Lopatka. In the summer surf season, the rivermouths sculpt the gravel and black sand with cold snowmelt from the interior, creating transient banks of quality at Poachers Peak, where a massive lake syphons into the sea just past Shipunsky Point. The next major protruding headland shields the south-facing Kronotsky Rivermouth, which has been surfed, but is a favourite feeding ground for the large bear population that roams throughout the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Kuril Islands

The Kuril Islands trickle south to Hokkaido in splendid frozen isolation, with rocky beachbreak on both sides of Yuzhno-Kurilsk, the main settlement on Kunashir Island. Summer S swell exposure isn’t great as offshore islands filter the swell, but the low-lying black sand beaches on the river delta can pick up NE-E swells.