PETRO SURF (NO.7) SYLT
Petro Surf is a perfectly curated blend of oil, sand and soul. Co founded by Ken Hake back in 2018, Petro Surf has turned from a passion project, to a yearly Porsche festival which attracts enthusiasts from all over the world. We’d describe it more like a festival rather than an “event” or “car meet” since it’s a Porsche lifestyle that lasts over an entire weekend. The spirit and uniqueness of Petro Surf is curated through a vibe of California beach life with a touch of Luftgekühlt.
As the sun dipped behind the horizon on Friday evening, Sylt welcomed its first wave of flat-six fury. Just off the ferry, a fleet of air-cooled Porsches rolled onto the island like a coastal invasion - calm, collected, and impossibly cool. This photo captures that exact moment: a clean ivory 911 surrounded by a crowd of curious onlookers and fellow enthusiasts.
There was something surreal about watching these classics disembark - each one carrying stories, style, and unmistakable character. It felt like a swarm of wasps had landed, buzzing through the island. But this wasn’t chaos - it was a ritual. Petro Surf had officially begun.
From the moment you arrived, it was clear: this was air-cooled heaven. Rows of brightly colored 911s, 912s, and a few 356’s were parked like rolling art pieces against the wind-swept dunes. A quirky little patina’d 356 - complete with a rubber duck riding proudly on its roof - summed up the event’s laid-back spirit. This wasn’t about concours polish or ticking spec sheets. It was about stories, surfboards on racks, and the kind of Porsches that have sand in the footwells and soul in the engine bay.
The people were just as special as the cars - artists, surfers and dreamers. It always feels like there is a different type of buzz with the air-cooled community.
Ken Hake, the event’s co-founder, curated a gathering that felt like a living tribute to Sylt’s unique Porsche history - especially considering his father was reportedly the second person ever to bring a Porsche to the island.
Petro Surf #7 reminded us that the Porsche community isn't just about speed or having the most expensive car. It’s about connection, freedom, and the memories you create with these machines. Whether you travelled for the cars or the culture, you left with a love for air-cooled and a new appreciation for what it means to truly drive cool.
What happens outside the festival?
You could wake up in the morning, eat your breakfast and the first thing you see as you hit the road is a young couple in a 964. No matter where you travelled along the island, you would see a classic Porsche hitting the Sylt tarmac. The further north you travel towards a place called “List”, there are some pretty cool roads. If you travel during the evening though, it almost feels a little eerie since the island is that quiet.
