Teesside Surfers
Teesside is an immense industrial area in Cleveland, North Yorkshire, North East England. The steelworks form the backdrop to Redcar’s natural grassy sand dunes. Accessed via a private road behind the steelworks, is a man made lagoon known as Paddy’s Hole, named after the breakwater built in 1884 by Irishmen with blast furnace slag. Here the sea flows into the mouth of the River Tees, creating a harbour and a perfect haven for kite surfers. Surfers travel hundreds of miles to experience the weather conditions created by the lagoon’s unique position. Surrounded by chemical plants, oil refineries and a nuclear power station, it’s one of the most extraordinary surfing environments in all of Europe.