Cold Water Sisterhood in Lofoten environment / Community
Women’s Surfing Week at Unstad Arctic Surf
We are standing with our wetsuit buckets in the warm changing room at Flakstad Beach in Lofoten. Mountains tower from the sea upwards, lightly covered in snow. Offshore winds are blowing, creating spray from the small peelers rolling in at the scenic beach. We pull on thick 6/5 wetsuits, boots and gloves, preparing to surf above the Arctic Circle. The water is about 7 degrees. There is a certain excitement that cold water brings. The first moment you enter and feel the chill, get the shivers and instantly think, ‘I’m really doing this!’, is amazing.
Even better if you can share that commitment to the cold with a girls’ crew hyping each other up, helping one another into gloves, jumping to get warm, and paddling out together. The wind blows in our faces, each duck dive and turtle roll gives you a brain freeze. It makes you feel alive, present in that moment. The water is clear, seaweed drifts by. From time to time, the head of a seal pops up. There is a seal colony just a few hundred meters out. When you pause and look around, it feels surreal. The raw nature and vivid water make you forget the cold.
We stay in the sea for two hours, catching waves and getting washed, celebrating small improvements and rides. Coming out, we head back to the changing room and put on warm clothes. A warm soup awaits us. We eat and share how the surf felt today.
Unstad Arctic Surf
The drive back is about an hour to Unstad, where we are staying at Unstad Arctic Surf, participating in the Women’s Surf Camp. It’s a week that brings women together from around the world, surfing and immersing in Lofoten culture. After surfing, we take a plunge in the whirlpool. The 40 degrees warming us up as sheep baa in the background. The scenery stretches across a long mountain ridge, ending in waves rolling to shore.
Unstad Bay has two left-handers that peel along the rocks and a right-hander meeting in a beach break. It works on various swells, when it’s big, it delivers solid barrels. The mountains framing the bay are lightly covered in snow. Just a week earlier, everything was white. If there is enough snow, you can surf and ski in one day. But the weather and conditions are unpredictable. “You cannot change it, but have a Plan A, B, and C,” says co-owner Tommy of Unstad. That was also true for the surfs this week, as Unstad was barreling most days and Flakstad offered a good alternative for beginners and intermediates.
In the evening, we sit down at a long table in a cozy room. A crackling fire burns, surf magazines and stunning pictures of Arctic surf and ski tours line the walls. Marion, co-owner and chef, brings out the food she prepared for us, sharing the food culture of Lofoten. On today’s menu is a big salmon from a trusted fisher, fresh, flavorful and vivid in color. “People in Lofoten are crazy about their fish,” she says. And you can taste it. The flavor is rich and the colors are bright. The day before, we had blue mussels so orange like I’ve never seen before. While enjoying the food, we discuss our surfing and the day’s happenings with the girls.
Marion tells that this room is where everything started. The house used to be a school, and this very room was where the family first moved in 23 years ago. Since then, much has changed. Unstad now has several rooms to stay in and a beach house with a direct view of the surf, so you can check the waves from your bed. It’s been 20 years since they gave the first surf lesson in Unstad and since then, many have learned or visited, including pros from all over the world. With the rise of Instagram and visits from Chris Burkhard and the Rip Curl Search with Tom Curren, the place gained fame and fascination in the surf community.
Tommy tells me that in the beginning, you were happy to see even one other surfer, it was so rare. “You wanted to find others.” That has changed today, but except during peak summer, it’s still not crowded. There is also a local girls crew, which is inspiring to see. The vibe in the water is friendly, and as Marion says, it’s a bit of reverse localism:
“Sometimes the real locals need to speak up. When you came here, how was the atmosphere? How were you greeted? And why the fuck are you yelling at the new beginners in the lineup? And I think that’s good. It’s like self-discipline. The whole point of surfing is to be happy, if you’re getting angry in the ocean, you’re missing it. The ocean should heal and cleanse you. When you come up, you should feel renewed.”
That same spirit of renewal and connection carries beyond the lineup it’s turned into something deeper, a sense of sisterhood that stretches across surf communities.
Knitting Sisterhood Nets Across Surf Communities
It is a sisterhood feeling, the kind that gives you confidence and a sense of belonging regardless of place. That was the vision behind the Women’s Surf Camp at Unstad – to create connection and inspiration.
Marion says, “With experienced instructors like Mimi, who has been part of our team for nearly eight years, we wanted to highlight the strength and flow of women both in and out of the water. The idea was to create a space run entirely by women, from the surf instructors to the kitchen crew and DJs, showing how capable and creative our community is. Even though it’s demanding work, the energy is always positive and it reminds us why we do this, to have fun, to learn, and to lift each other up.”
One evening, we hosted a workshop on weaving sisterhood nets across surf communities, starting with a dive into female surfing history. Women have always been part of surfing, from the beginnings in Hawaii until today, yet in many surf books and stories they are missing. But we do have great-grandmothers, grandmothers, mothers, and sisters to look up to, giving us the confidence that we have always belonged in surf culture.
Sometimes taking space feels hard, and that’s when sisterhood nets can really help, sharing struggles, building community, and creating tools to overcome obstacles. That’s what we did, creating our own sisterhood net weaved in Unstad, with women from the U.S., Sweden, Scotland, Germany and other places.
On the last night, we danced, inspired by Marion’s disco moves. The party stopped as we all ran outside to see the dancing green northern lights just above. What a magical ending to an unforgettable week.
Unstad Arctic Essentials & Insights
Gear to bring
● Thick 6/5 or 5/4 wetsuit, boots, gloves (great rentals available , included in the stay, but bring your own swimsuit for sauna and whirlpool)
● Changing robe or Dryrobe for post-surf transitions (available for rent at Unstad)
● Thermal base layers, warm hat, wool socks, fleece mid-layers, and waterproof jacket/pants for unpredictable Arctic weather
● Surfboard, cold-water wax , and reliable leash (there are plenty of nice boards to rent)
Food to Expect:
● Hearty community dinners with Lofoten specialties , featuring fresh local seafood like cod, salmon, shrimp, and mussels
● Best cinnamon buns (heated up perfectly after a cold-water session) and warm post-surf soups
● Visits to local food producers like the nearby goat farm with seaweed & caramel cheese
Vibes:
● Friendly, uncrowded lineups
● Sisterhood energy with a supportive women’s crew
● Cozy evenings by the fire sharing surf stories and watching magical northern lights
Stay and Wellness:
● Cozy beach house, cabins and apartments with nice surf-style interiors
● Plan A/B/C flexibility for weather
● Community workshops and classes like yoga, gratitude workshops, and surf history
Team:
● Legendary owners Marion and Tommy with big hearts and tons of surf wisdom
● Friendly, helpful and skilled crew
Times to Visit:
● Winter: Surf (can be heavier but you can switch to other surf spots beyond Unstad like Flakstad), plus the possibility to ski/snowboard, and a chance to see northern lights , cold but with real Arctic vibes
● Summer (June-Aug): Midnight sun, 9-12°C water temperature, mellower swells, great for hiking and other activities like snorkeling and SUP
● Shoulders (May/Sept): Fewer people, aurora chances, versatile swells
Getting there:
● Leknes Airport (30-45 min drive) or Svolvær Airport (60-70 min drive), ferries from Bodø
● Book via unstadarcticsurf.com and keep your eyes open for upcoming Women’s Camp dates and all-in packages
