Finding My Tribe in the Surf
Finding My Tribe in the Surf
After years of navigating heteronormative lineups, one traveler discovers that the best waves are shared with community.
Interview with Bastian
Bastian
cheering on the water — Rainbow Surf Retreat
The Call of the Coast
For Bastian, a resident of landlocked Hamburg, the rhythm of his life is dictated by the pulse of the ocean. Surfing is not merely a hobby; it is a pilgrimage. It began in his mid-twenties, drifting through the pine-scented air of Landes, France, before a ten-year hiatus that he now considers his greatest tactical error. When he finally returned to the water, it was a rocky start—a disastrous camp in Fuerteventura that almost derailed his passion entirely. But then, he found the north of Spain, specifically the lush, green slopes of Oyambre. Sitting on his board there, watching the mountains meet the sea, he realized he had found his happy place.
Galicia coastline
The silence of being understood is the greatest wave of all
Rainbow Surf Retreat
Waiting for tides
You do not fight the nature of the sea you simply wait for it
Bastian
Yet, for all the joy those waves brought him, there was a persistent, quiet friction. Bastian spent years traveling, both solo and with his husband, in a world that wasn't designed for them. "Being the only gay in the village can be quite demanding," he admits. He thrived on the stoke of the surf, but by the third or fourth day, his social battery would flicker. He was moving through a heteronormative landscape where, while welcoming, the nuances of his own identity remained unspoken. He was surrounded by people, yet missing the subtle, shorthand connection of a shared reality.
Being the only gay in the village can be quite demanding
Bastian
A New Wave in Galicia
This year, the algorithm—that modern-day oracle—delivered something different. It pointed him toward a queer surf week in Galicia, hosted by the collective Agrado. Bastian, who had already tested the waters of intentional queer travel through retreats in Morocco and Gran Canaria, felt the pull. He had never been to Galicia, a rugged, wild corner of the world, and the prospect of surfing with his "tribe" in el Norte was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.
He arrived in the village of Caión to find a match made in heaven. The house, hosted by the warm and hospitable Patrick and his team, felt less like a commercial operation and more like a chosen family gathering. The structure of the days was deliberate: early mornings with coffee and the rising sun, followed by meditation and yoga that set the tone for the tides ahead. They ventured out, exploring the dramatic westernmost edge of Europe—the "end of the world"—and visiting local shapers who treat their boards like sacred art. The surf itself was a lesson in humility; the summer swells were mellow, and when the waves went flat, it didn't matter. Nature, as Bastian has learned, is a fickle partner. You don't fight it; you wait for it.
Bastian
The Weight of the Board
Surfing has taught Bastian the virtue of patience. Living so far from the coast, he remains a dedicated traveler, squeezing one or two epic trips into a year, his progress slow but steady. He is a self-described "longboard kind of guy," content to test out different shapes while he dreams of one day commissioning a custom board that fits his style perfectly. It is a slow pursuit, but one he embraces with an easy grace.
What truly transformed his experience in Galicia wasn't just the scenery or the yoga; it was the curation of the group. When you are among people who understand you without needing an explanation, the energy shifts. The social fatigue that used to settle in by the end of a trip never arrived. Instead, he left with a group chat that still pings with messages, a tether to a community that makes the world feel a little smaller, a little safer, and much brighter.
THE CONNECTION
When you understand each other, the energy shifts completely.
Rainbow Surf Retreat
Heading Home
Would he go back? The answer is an immediate, enthusiastic yes. He is already dreaming of his next trip, still stoked from the salt and the camaraderie of the Galician coast. If you are a queer surfer looking for your own tribe, Bastian offers a glowing, heartfelt recommendation—though he does add, with a laugh, "Don't steal my spot."
Ultimately, Bastian’s story isn't just about catching waves; it’s about the courage to seek out a space where you can be entirely yourself. Whether you are searching for the perfect swell or just a place to belong, the water is waiting. Go find it.
HOMEWARD
The water is waiting for you to find it. Bastian and his partner found it.
Brisa Surf School
HOMEWARD
The water is waiting for you to find it. Bastian and his partner found it.