Eisbach
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The Eisbach (German for "ice brook") is a small man-made river in Munich. It flows through the Englischer Garten and is a tributary of the Isar River.
Just past a bridge near the Haus der Kunst art museum the river forms a standing wave about 1 metre high which is a popular river surfing spot. The water is cold and shallow, making it suitable only for experienced surfers. Being a standing wave it can be surfed for as long as one's balance holds, and in busy times a queue of surfers forms on the bank. In the past surfers tied a leash to the bridge to hold onto, but a sign announces that this is both dangerous and forbidden.
The local surfers have forced the wave to break more cleanly, with increased height, by attaching ropes to the bridge which trail submerged planks, creating two large "U"-shapes.
A better wave for beginners is up in Flosslände near the Thalkirchen U-Bahn station, it's wide enough to take a few surfers at a time. Both waves have been surfed since 1972 and surfing competitions have even been held.
A third standing wave in Munich forms on the Isar itself near the Wittelsbacher bridge, but only when the river floods, and a flood brings dirt, manure and objects like tree branches down with it.
[edit] References
- Surfing at Eisbach by Markus Matern
- River Wave, Munich at surfxchange.net
- Isar River Surf die Eisbach Wellenreiter am Haus der Kunst at ganz-muenchen.de (translation by google)
- Surfing the Eisbach, on kayaking
