A history of surfing the Atlantic
Surfing in the Atlantic Ocean has a more recent history compared to the Pacific, but it has grown into a vibrant and influential part of global surf culture.
While ancient wave-riding traditions were not native to most Atlantic coastal societies, surfing was introduced by travellers and returning soldiers in the 20th century.
On the U.S. East Coast, surfing began gaining popularity in the early 1900s, with hotspots emerging in Florida and North Carolina. By the 1960s, it had taken firm root, fuelled by the broader American surf boom. Florida became a breeding ground for professional surfers, including legends like Kelly Slater.
Across the Atlantic, Europe’s surf culture took hold in France during the 1950s. Biarritz became the continent’s first major surf town, and the French Atlantic coast is now a major stop on the World Surf League tour. Portugal soon followed, with world-famous breaks like Nazaré, known for some of the planet’s largest rideable waves.
Further south, Atlantic surf communities also developed in West Africa and Brazil. Brazil, though facing both the Atlantic and tropical influences, became a surfing powerhouse by the 1990s.
Today, the Atlantic hosts diverse surf scenes—from cold-water breaks in Ireland to tropical beaches in West Africa—each adding to surfing’s global richness.
