CRAZY MEN IN WETSUITS

beach "It looked like fun" is one of those phrases—like "It seemed like a good idea at the time"—that sets off alarm bells. It's basically an understated, unapologetic way of acknowledging that one has done something a little odd, perhaps crazy, almost certainly reckless. For the phrase to reach its apex of meaning, the storyteller should probably be missing an arm (or a couple of teeth or a bit of self-respect), having lost it in pursuit of what seemed like fun, or at least a good idea at the time.

But really, these are the quibbles of a timid person. Any red-blooded risk-taker is surely willing to spare a few teeth in exchange for something awesome. This perhaps explains the otherwise perplexing fun-chasing of surfers who descend on the island of Torö, off the coast of Sweden, where the waters are frigid, the waves are choppy and the beach is covered with sharp stones. Daniel Månsson, a photographer and surfer, has documented these Vikings in wetsuits in a photo-essay for Intelligent Life. These images manage to convey the addictive, otherworldly beauty of surfing in a remote and unforgiving place.