Ryan and the Mattson 3.

Jared

Jonathon

Stoked

I use to build surfcraft in the olden days.

Just another backyard hack, pretty much, but it is something I enjoy doing. Funny how moving, starting and running a business, buying and remodeling a house, and other responsibilities eat up your time. I haven't put planer to plastic in almost five years now, but I have a crappy old shed out back that is beckoning when the time is right.


This was a 6'0 stub hull I made about six or seven years ago. It came out alright overall, I think. Of course, we don't have much of the stretch in a wave in the Lakes a board like this enjoys, so I've only surfed it a handful of times. The acid splash came out kinda neat.

Blow, cat, blow!

New art via Captain Jack. 100% organic cotton T via American Apparel.

The two flattest months of the year in the Great Lakes are probably May and June. I say probably because I haven't taken the time to research historical data. This is strictly from my own experience, and some may think differently.

It's pretty simple to understand why. We need wind to make waves - a sustained minimum of 15 knots or more. Wind is typically associated with bigger weather systems like low pressure, cold fronts, and other fun meteorological phenomena. Those systems are more frequent in fall, winter, and early spring, which is why we get more surf in those seasons. They are not as frequent in May and June.

Sure, it sucks to not have surf for days or weeks at a time. It can be frustrating. Some might call it a form of torture.

But, maybe it can be a blessing in disguise, too?

The joy of hooking into a decent peak after after not surfing in what seems like forever is where its at. For better or for worse, we know that feeling pretty well here.

I am proud to say that we have been recycling all office paper, cardboard, glass/plastic bottles, and cans at the Shop for the last couple years. Here is a pic of our latest batch being dropped off at the bin...


And we have recently found a place that accepts plastic bags for recycling, which we see too much of from our manufacturer's. It's called Walmart.

It's up to all of us to do what we can to keep this crap out of our lakes, rivers, and oceans!

Hello, my pretty...

Alien spaceship via Manuel Caro. For more eye candy: http://www.mandalacustomshapes.com/

What is it? Do we have it in the Great Lakes? A surf sub-culture, maybe?

It's kind of neat, whatever it is. People have compared the scene here to Southern California in the '40s...without the consistent surf, of course. Not gonna find too many places these days when you know most (if not all) of the guys in the water every time you paddle out. Every time. That is, if anyone else is even out. Of course, there are more and more people surfing so that is slowly starting to change.

I think it's pretty exciting. Kind of like the tip of something, and you were in on it from the beginning. Our surf may suck a lot of the time, but is it really all about the waves?

I don't mind working for it - working to forecast when the window looks best, working to free myself from obligations to get on it, working to stretch the session out as long as possible, because who knows when it'll be this good again?

Maybe the means are more important than the end, anyways?


Here is my friend Bob Tema, ruler of Minnesota's North Shore (we have one, too!), enjoying the fruits of his labor. Think he gives a shit about surf culture right about now?
:)

Is SUP cool or not? I don't care.

When you live far from coastal surf heaven (or hell), and don't get to surf as often as you want, I like the idea of stand up paddling for a lot of reasons. Which is why I do it.

Come to think of it, even if I got to surf every day I would still do it. As one funky dude once said, "Open your mind and your ass will follow." The same might be said about surfcraft and the quiver you choose to keep.

If I listened to many surf hipsters, ripsters, and posers I might not SUP. They don't think it is rad. Many of them won't ride shortboards because they are on a loggin' trip, or dis longboards because they aren't shreddable.

It seems like opening yourself up to new experiences is the spice of life. Sometimes I laugh at some of the stuff I read in the surf porno mags! I guess you have to.

As Gerry Lopez once said, "Waves are where you find them." Luckily for landlocked Midwesterners, we can find some pretty decent ones in the Great Lakes.



Some of the guys can surf, too - Rich Nix (above) lives in Plymouth, Indiana. For a few more shots from this day, visit photographer Guy Rhodes' blog at http://www.guyrhodes.com/blog/.

Third Coast Surf Shop ventures into the blogosphere.

Thanks for having us.