In the unforgiving Icelandic outdoors, the ferocious Arctic elements reign supreme, a harsh test that most people find daunting to endure. Yet, for Tim Latte and his crew, this relentless environment becomes a rugged slice of heaven on Earth, where they embrace the challenges and find beauty amid chaos.

When Tim Latte, daredevil and long-time collaborator of KnowledgeCotton Apparel, sets off on an adventure, the weather dictates the daily destination. Especially when the location happens to be a volcanic island in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean.

– There is something about facing the somewhat unknown. It’s the unplanned path that sparks curiosity within us as we are mere followers of weather and wind. On a journey like this, anything can happen, Tim Latte explains.

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A challenge unlike others

Before he embarks on an adventure, Tim is always caught in the delicate balance
between anticipation and uncertainty. As the crew never really knows what awaits them, there’s usually some debating on what gear to bring. But the beauty of these journeys is that the reward is mostly greater than the challenges, and you can never be fully prepared anyway. Iceland, however, was exceptionally tough.

– I had been there before, but never in mid-winter, and neither had the other guys. Confident that the trip would entail long hours behind the wheel, navigating through
snowstorms, constantly monitoring weather updates, and exhausting our phones
studying the Icelandic coast on Google Maps, we were still unprepared for the harsh reality of the weather conditions.

Initially, they got stuck on the northern part of the island, snowed in for three days with no possible way of getting out – hardly the kind of adventure they had hoped for. The group’s curiosity and desire to roam the island faded quickly, and a good night’s sleep
in a bed, hot food, and a shower seemed more alluring.

– Then I met a truly inspiring man who had escaped the stressful life in the city to find peace closer to nature. He shared the phrase “þetta reddast” with us, meaning it will all work out. And it sure did. Suddenly, there was a brief pause in all the commotion outside, and we saw our escape window for heading towards the stunning black sand beaches of southern Iceland instead.

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A deserted paradise

Following numerous hours on the road, during which the team narrowly avoided a few potentially trip-ending incidents, they finally arrived at their destination. To their delight, southern Iceland welcomed them with clear skies and the first sunlight they had seen in quite some time.

– Not only was the weather cooperating, but when we arrived at one of the many deserted beaches, we could see the waves firing on the horizon with no one around, apart from a few local seals sticking their heads up to see what was happening. We all looked at each other with excitement, and you could feel the shift in emotions that we had finally stumbled upon what we came here for.

Temperatures around –20 degrees Celsius outside didn’t stop the group from living out of two rented camper vans. To Tim, there is simply no better way of discovering beautiful new places and creating memorable moments with people close to you.

– In the end, we were all there with the same urge to rediscover and reconnect with
what we hold dear in life, which is chasing adventure and waves. Leaping into the unknown in search of perfection is every surfer’s dream, and the harsh conditions are part of the charm. Where there’s a will there’s a way.