Iceland's waves of consequence

Iceland is known for its dramatic landscapes and volcanic eruptions. But did you know it’s also a surfing destination? The waves are what made this father and son choose Iceland for along overdue reunion.

- JACQUES MARAIS

Our Dacia Duster was stuck down to its chassis on a black sand beach. And... a volcano was erupting! Clouds of smoke, a few kilometres away, rose above the skyline. It was September 2024 and Iceland was experiencing a period of intense volcanic activity as molten lava spilled from cracks in the earth's crust near the town of Grindavík.

We weren't trying to see the eruption - this was our first day of exploring secret surf breaks along the desolate Icelandic shoreline. But our current situation was, shall we say, less than ideal...

I looked at my son, Robert (19). Predictably, he was looking at his phone. "Uhm... Google showed a track, but it might be further to the left, up beyond those rocks," he said, shrugging in that way teenagers do when they know there's a problem but it's beyond their pay grade.

I got out to survey the scene. There was no other option but to dig out the wheels of our rented Dacia (the same thing as a Renault Duster in South Africa). Half an hour of sweaty labour later, with the wheels now deflated to way beyond the manufacturer's specifications, we were ready for a run at the exit route via a scattering of low dunes. Robert seemed to be enjoying the adventure, but he wasn't the one who had signed the penalty clause with the car rental company...

I sent him ahead, disengaged the traction control and floored the engine. The little diesel was plucky enough, and with Robs pushing with all his might, we made it onto solid ground.