Ice And Irony

Austrian freestyle pro Max Matissek always wanted to visit Iceland and windsurf amongst the icebergs. To make his dream a reality would not be easy though; a test of patience and an ironic twist to the tale, read on as Max tells us more about his mission.

- Max Matissek

There’s something about Iceland, perhaps the remoteness of this island in the North Atlantic seas, that has long stirred a lust to go there and explore. So when my buddy Max Baier and I were offered a trip there to photo shoot for Chiemsee, I didn’t need to think twice. This was my chance, and I wasn’t going to miss it. Immediately I got down to research using my father’s nature books, timeless treasures, saturating my senses. I was on the hunt for those scenic spots that Iceland is famous for. It wasn’t hard. I came across countless pictures of stunning glacier lakes and lagoons that merged with the sea and icebergs just floating around – definitely not a view I get to enjoy every day. There was one particular spot that caught my eye, a lagoon lying at the feet of Jökulsárlón glacier. Immediately I knew that’s where I was going to have the sailing experience of a lifetime. I could just picture myself planing amongst the half-submerged ice cliffs and the electric blue waters. It was time to pack.

LOGISTICS

We all know windsurfing travel can be quite a hassle. Deciding what equipment I’d need was kind of a wild guess since I didn’t know what conditions to expect. What I knew was that I wanted to be mobile, so I packed my 4.8 Idol and 93 Skate, because that combo always works, and naturally enough, my warmest wetsuit!

Getting there was a piece of cake, no issues with customs, which is always a bonus. We arrived at Reykjavik way after midnight and it was pitch dark. In late summer, ‘night time’ only lasts about three hours a day, but we had already decided that wouldn’t be an issue. The long hours between dawn breaking and nightfall meant we could make the most of the 5 days we’d be there. The countdown had started!