You are flying above the deep blue water, like a bird. A gentle breeze passes your ears. Complete silence. You sense that feeling of ultimate freedom, a timeless and dreamlike state. Only this time, it isn’t a dream but reality. You are wing surfing.
Adventure watersports have become extremely popular in the past couple of years, and wing surfing is no exception. This has formed a large and lively community, spending time together at the wonderful beaches along the Finnish coastline. Like one big family, chasing wind and waves for that next epic session.
Wing surfing, sometimes referred to as wing foiling, is a wind powered adventure watersport, where an inflatable hand-controlled wing is used to generate the power to ride a wing foil board at speeds up to 30 knots. A submerged hydrofoil, shaped like an airplane wing, is attached to a mast at the bottom of your board, raising it above the water surface and giving you that sensation of flying.
It doesn’t require a wide beach and steady winds to get going. Equipment is small and easy to transport. There is no hassle with lines, long masts or big sails like in other watersports and it can easily be performed from a boat without touching land. This opens a whole new world of possibilities, a chance to explore new places in the neighborhood or further away from home.
You are woken by the teasing smell of fresh coffee. Friends are enjoying breakfast on deck. The sound of gentle water ripples and the soft breeze entering the cabin puts an instant grin on your face. You are anchored somewhere in the middle of nowhere, just one jump away from excitement.
Finland’s archipelago offers some breathtaking scenery for wing surfing. The clear and deep blue waters of the Hanko Archipelago are a perfect playground for those unforgettable downwind rides. Finnish summer winds are generally weak, especially close to shore. Having the possibility of heading out with your own boat, catching that warm summer breeze is simply priceless.
