On a rainy Friday afternoon early this spring, I spoke with talented surfer and adventurer Heiðar Logi, about his love of surfing and why he lives the life he does. We met at a quiet, softly lit corner table at Kex Hostel in downtown Reykjavík. As I greeted and shook hands with Heiðar, he seemed eager and alert while also relaxed and friendly. We spoke for about half an hour while the rain poured on outside and the murmur of conversation bubbled about around us.
When did you first start getting into surfing?
When I was sixteen years old.
What drew you to it?
I grew up skateboarding and snowboarding when I was young. Seeing photos of surfers online and in magazines, I always dreamt about at least trying it. So first I tried it when I was about sixteen years old, and I just got stuck to it.
You are primarily a cold water surfer. What do you like about cold water surfing as opposed to warm water?
I like the snow, I like and the white mountains. I think it's a beautiful setting. And it is easier to surf in warmer climates, so if you change the weather you get less crowds. I like that cold water has fewer surfers.
Do you have any top favorite surfing spots?
All of our spots are secret spots! I definitely have a few favorites.. But I can't tell you because they are secret.
About the video: The video was a forty day project shot in the Eastern part of Iceland. I can't tell you the exact spots. But if you were to go up there in a car and hunt around a bit, maybe ask some locals, look at your map, you would be able to find the surfing spots. The thing about it is one has to put in the work to find them, and then once you know- you know. Can't just take a shortcut and get the exact locations without earning it! Video by RC Cone. Autmn/Winter 2015.
Do you have any other passions or hobbies in your life that influence your surfing?
Yes. I teach yoga. And along with that, one of my main passions is to live a healthy and clean lifestyle. Pure life. I don´t include sugar in my diet at all. I only eat unprocessed natural foods, and I only drink water.
So no smoking then?
No smoking, no drinking. No candy (laughs).
How long have you been living this way?
I've been on a clean diet for around two years now. It's been a process for years. I quit drinking when I was eighteen, and one or two years after that, I quit using tobacco. I slowly started to focus more on my health and on my body. I always knew that the most important thing was to eat clean and live healthy. It was a drastic change in my life.
Did you grow up in Reykjavik?
No, I grew up in a small place called Sandgerði (fishing village on Reykjanes peninsula) until I was around four or five years old. After that I moved to Reykjavik for one year, and then I moved to Denmark when I was six or seven years old. I lived in Denmark until I was twelve, and then since then I have been living different places around Reykjavik, mostly in the suburbs. I was living in downtown Reykjavík for quite a while until I started traveling around about a year ago.
What attracts you to Reykjavik?
There´s nothing really that drives me to live here specifically. My parents have always lived near cities, so that might be why. But really, I dream about living in a small house outside of Reykjavik.
So you enjoy the lesser crowded lifestyle?
I do, yeah.
The times that you do find yourself here in Reykjavik, where do you end up spending your down time?
I really like a spot called Sólir. It´s a yoga studio. The name means “suns.” I first started learning yoga at Nova Scotia in Canada during a surf trip there a few years back. Now I teach Yin Yoga at Sólir. The place has great atmosphere and it is a beautiful yoga studio space. Even when I'm not doing yoga there, I like to come hangout and work on my computer when I need to get some work done. Although I like to spend some work time at home too, to be to around my people. But If I need some place to go out and spend time at, I go to Sólir.
What are your favorite outdoor areas in Iceland?
Recently I've been going a lot to the Westfjords. The other day I had just returned back to the city from a trip there, and then found myself hopping in a car that very same day with another crew. Did a lot of driving, but it's worth it. More and more I find myself spending time at the Westfjords. There's this one place that I especially like there.. There's a lady called Betty. She lives in this little bay. The roads leading to it are closed during the winter, so she can only drive out of it in the summertime. During the entire winter she needs to get her supplies on snowmobiles. It´s perfect. She's just such a rad woman.
So you just go to chill out there for a while when you're in the area?
Yeah we went there about three days ago on snowmobiles and stayed there for a night. I played cards with her and she told us stories. She has this dog that can just catch a stick forever! It was funny because we were throwing sticks and she was just running back and forth, but we were the ones who got tired, not her. She's super funny. She knows she's not allowed to have big sticks indoors, so she tears them down to little match sized pieces and brings them inside. Very clever.
Read more: Braving the cold: Surfers hit the sub arctic waves in freezing conditions
On a rainy Friday afternoon early this spring, I spoke with talented surfer and adventurer Heiðar Logi, about his love of surfing and why he lives the life he does. We met at a quiet, softly lit corner table at Kex Hostel in downtown Reykjavík. As I greeted and shook hands with Heiðar, he seemed eager and alert while also relaxed and friendly. We spoke for about half an hour while the rain poured on outside and the murmur of conversation bubbled about around us.
When did you first start getting into surfing?
When I was sixteen years old.
What drew you to it?
I grew up skateboarding and snowboarding when I was young. Seeing photos of surfers online and in magazines, I always dreamt about at least trying it. So first I tried it when I was about sixteen years old, and I just got stuck to it.
You are primarily a cold water surfer. What do you like about cold water surfing as opposed to warm water?
I like the snow, I like and the white mountains. I think it's a beautiful setting. And it is easier to surf in warmer climates, so if you change the weather you get less crowds. I like that cold water has fewer surfers.
Do you have any top favorite surfing spots?
All of our spots are secret spots! I definitely have a few favorites.. But I can't tell you because they are secret.
About the video: The video was a forty day project shot in the Eastern part of Iceland. I can't tell you the exact spots. But if you were to go up there in a car and hunt around a bit, maybe ask some locals, look at your map, you would be able to find the surfing spots. The thing about it is one has to put in the work to find them, and then once you know- you know. Can't just take a shortcut and get the exact locations without earning it! Video by RC Cone. Autmn/Winter 2015.
Do you have any other passions or hobbies in your life that influence your surfing?
Yes. I teach yoga. And along with that, one of my main passions is to live a healthy and clean lifestyle. Pure life. I don´t include sugar in my diet at all. I only eat unprocessed natural foods, and I only drink water.
So no smoking then?
No smoking, no drinking. No candy (laughs).
How long have you been living this way?
I've been on a clean diet for around two years now. It's been a process for years. I quit drinking when I was eighteen, and one or two years after that, I quit using tobacco. I slowly started to focus more on my health and on my body. I always knew that the most important thing was to eat clean and live healthy. It was a drastic change in my life.
Did you grow up in Reykjavik?
No, I grew up in a small place called Sandgerði (fishing village on Reykjanes peninsula) until I was around four or five years old. After that I moved to Reykjavik for one year, and then I moved to Denmark when I was six or seven years old. I lived in Denmark until I was twelve, and then since then I have been living different places around Reykjavik, mostly in the suburbs. I was living in downtown Reykjavík for quite a while until I started traveling around about a year ago.
What attracts you to Reykjavik?
There´s nothing really that drives me to live here specifically. My parents have always lived near cities, so that might be why. But really, I dream about living in a small house outside of Reykjavik.
So you enjoy the lesser crowded lifestyle?
I do, yeah.
The times that you do find yourself here in Reykjavik, where do you end up spending your down time?
I really like a spot called Sólir. It´s a yoga studio. The name means “suns.” I first started learning yoga at Nova Scotia in Canada during a surf trip there a few years back. Now I teach Yin Yoga at Sólir. The place has great atmosphere and it is a beautiful yoga studio space. Even when I'm not doing yoga there, I like to come hangout and work on my computer when I need to get some work done. Although I like to spend some work time at home too, to be to around my people. But If I need some place to go out and spend time at, I go to Sólir.
What are your favorite outdoor areas in Iceland?
Recently I've been going a lot to the Westfjords. The other day I had just returned back to the city from a trip there, and then found myself hopping in a car that very same day with another crew. Did a lot of driving, but it's worth it. More and more I find myself spending time at the Westfjords. There's this one place that I especially like there.. There's a lady called Betty. She lives in this little bay. The roads leading to it are closed during the winter, so she can only drive out of it in the summertime. During the entire winter she needs to get her supplies on snowmobiles. It´s perfect. She's just such a rad woman.
So you just go to chill out there for a while when you're in the area?
Yeah we went there about three days ago on snowmobiles and stayed there for a night. I played cards with her and she told us stories. She has this dog that can just catch a stick forever! It was funny because we were throwing sticks and she was just running back and forth, but we were the ones who got tired, not her. She's super funny. She knows she's not allowed to have big sticks indoors, so she tears them down to little match sized pieces and brings them inside. Very clever.
Read more: Braving the cold: Surfers hit the sub arctic waves in freezing conditions
