Mid-winter in the Arctic is not a place you'd think of when dreaming up that idyllic surf adventure. With air temperatures well below -10C degrees, an ocean on the verge of freezing and a wind chill that can kill in minutes if you're unprepared. The Arctic is far from most people’s surfing nirvana. However, for the past couple of years Torren Martyn has found himself chasing waves in what is considered some of the harshest surfing conditions on the planet. This year he was traveling with his girlfriend Aiyana Powell and film maker Ishka Folkwell through the depths of the Western Sahara when I invited them up for the annual Arctic wetsuit product testing trip. We were also joined by Kiwi wave riding enthusiast Johanna Brebner on the trip. Filmed in February 2020, just before the world went into full lock down mode, this short film featuring Torren provides a window into this frozen coastline at the top of the world, where getting to the beach often involves trekking for many kilometres in deep snow and blizzard conditions just to get to the water. Chris McDonald caught up with Torren Martyn last week for a chat about the trip that can be listened to here. Ishka is also working on a separate women's surf film with Aiyana and Johanna from this trip that will be available in the next couple of months. As we move through these crazy and uncertain times it's a good opportunity to reflect and appreciate the beauty of nature and the importance of community. We send love and kindness out to everyone and hope you enjoy this short film and the images below.
needessentials founder and designer
Ryan Scanlon

Northern Reaches Conversation With Torren Martyn

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