Channel Islands: the British and the US pearls with the same name

Surf the Channel Islands. Is it possible? Where are they located? Interestingly, there are two different Channel Islands where you could surf uncrowded spots.

The European Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, you get the Channel Islands of California, a famous group of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Southern California, along the Santa Barbara Channel in the USA.

Fortunately, in the both cases there's great surfing in these Channel Islands. Despite being mainly inhabited, the British and American Channel Islands offer incredible wave rides.

With the third largest tidal range in world, the British Channel Islands is known for the St Ouens Bay surfing conditions, in the Jersey Island, where you will probably enjoy a memorable surf session.

Alderney, the most northerly of the Channel Islands, is only 12 kilometers away from the French Coast and can also offer outstanding uncrowded surf.

The Californian Channel Islands offer three great alternatives: depending on the swell, surfers often head to Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel, three islands where there is almost one surf spot per rider.

It's not easy to reach the best wave peaks of the US Channel Islands, so you should be prepared to enjoy a remarkable challenge. But it is worth every minute.

The surf quest has been launched. Who will surf both the Channel Islands of the United Kingdom and of the United States of America?

Top Stories

The small fishing town of Bathsheba in Barbados is home to one of the most surprising right-hand reef breaks on the planet. Here's what makes Soup Bowl such an incredible wave.

Kelly Slater and Kalani Miller announced they are expecting a baby. It's a boy.

Surfing is all about working the unbroken wave face and maximizing riding time. But how can you optimize and balance these two goals that cancel each other out?

"I'm at the lake. The wind is forecast to pick up through the day with some moderate gusts, but we have a small weather window to paddle. I think it's fine!" pings a WhatsApp message one late April morning.