What will the new decade mean for Great Lakes surfing?
Undoubtedly, we have seen the most change in surfing here, from a single decade, in the last ten years. Granted, I wasn't around for the previous four decades to see how they evolved, but I'd bet that change in each of those ten year periods was miniscule to what we've seen in the first ten years of this century.
It makes me wonder what the next ten will be like, and the ten after that, and the ten after that.
When I learned how to surf on southern Lake Michigan in the fall of 1998, my surf buddies had mullets, our surfboards were pieces of crap, the waves we were surfing were crappier, and our surf forecasts came from NOAA weather radios and Chicago weatherman Tom Skillings' nightly forecasts. And we were geeked on surfing.
11 years later, the mullets are long gone, our surfboards are better, the waves are way better, and our forecasts come from a computer. And we're even more geeked on surfing.
I'm looking forward to see how we feel about surfing here at the end of the coming decade. Happy New Year!
12/30/09
12/23/09
12/22/09
Michigan Beer
Neccessary, periodic non-surfing blog post...
This beer is good, and it's made in Michigan. If you like a good tongue bruiser, you'll enjoy this 7.5% hoppy delight.
Care of the fine people at Short's Brewery.
This beer is good, and it's made in Michigan. If you like a good tongue bruiser, you'll enjoy this 7.5% hoppy delight.
Care of the fine people at Short's Brewery.
12/18/09
New Posters
California surf art care of Andy Davis now in stock. His doodles make sliding water molecules look really fun.
Four to choose from....here's one:
Click here for our prints & posters page to score some.
Four to choose from....here's one:
Click here for our prints & posters page to score some.
12/17/09
Limited Edition Truckers
Check out these custom Great Lakes surfing trucker hats we are offering as a limited edition, batch run, art-driven series. Designed by Chicago surfer / artist "Captain" Jack Flynn, they are available exclusively through Third Coast Surf Shop's Online Store with a percentage of the proceeds benefitting the Lake Michigan chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.
Pre-order now for a mid-January shipment!
Each one will pay tribute to the unique segment of our surf culture that it represents. Here are the first two of the series...
#2 - North Woods
A classic image of surfing in the northern Great Lakes.
Pre-order now for a mid-January shipment!
Each one will pay tribute to the unique segment of our surf culture that it represents. Here are the first two of the series...
#2 - North Woods
A classic image of surfing in the northern Great Lakes.
12/15/09
A Few More
Here's another batch of photos from last week; Jack's camera is nicer, and it shows.
The size of both waves is much clearer - especially the left point, with a human for perspective.
The size of both waves is much clearer - especially the left point, with a human for perspective.
12/14/09
After The Storm
Here are some photos from our 3 1/2 day trip to the great white north late last week. 1,500+ miles in a beat 208,000+ mile Subaru took it's toll, but it was well worth it.
We had hoped to surf three lakes in three days, and we came close. The one big question mark we had was regarding our southern Lake Superior mission. Jack had scored the spot before but we knew it would be risky. The fickleness (and blizzard) won out and we left empty handed.
However, our first day score proved to be worth the trip alone. We shared overhead lefts on a secluded rock point that rarely gets surfed, and this was by far the best I've seen it. The pic below does not even come close to doing it justice.
These are the trips that make surfing on the Great Lakes so enjoyable. More pics to come.
Crossing the Mackinaw Bridge: a rite of passage for any Great Lakes surfer. This day's crossing was a little hairier than usual.
Gusts of 70+ mph were recorded. Jack was freaked about getting flipped over the edge and plunging to our deaths, something that has happened twice in the past twenty years.
The left was worth the drive. I am still regretting not getting better photos, but we didn't have the right gear and we're too eager to surf. Overhead, offshore, and thundering down the point.
Tools of choice; 6'4 Rusty Hustler and 7'2 Michel Junod single fin pin.
Matt and Mark happened to be there too. Not many people know about this place, but it's funny how you run into those who do on days like this.
Day two, closer to our basecamp. Jack knows this stretch of Lake Michigan coast well and had been eyeing this spot for years. The lower lake water levels had revealed the potential for this right point and we were stoked to surf it, even if under c-grade conditions. We know what to look for, forecast-wise, next time. We call it the atoll - this day was about waist high.
It was cold.
Later that night we arrived at our third lake and immediately found the only open bar in town. Seems most people were hunkered down for the four day storm. The Subie got stuck multiple times but did the job.
The place was packed - Jack, two snowmobilers, and myself. We sampled the three micros they brewed on premise. Not bad for a tiny place in the middle of nowhere.
Then the bartender started pouring shots for all of us out of the kindness of her heart. We didn't want to seem rude (who turns down free shots?), so we gulped them down. Multiple times.
The lady barkeep and her friend. One of the best things about a trip like this is meeting the locals, even if they think your nuts for being there to surf in the middle of a blizzard.
Our motel. Surprised that we were the only ones there?
Don't be...this is why.
And this. Surf check, Upper Peninsula of Michigan-style. That is Lake Superior in the background.
The second best thing about going on trips like these? Going home to a warm wife and dog. Aloha!
We had hoped to surf three lakes in three days, and we came close. The one big question mark we had was regarding our southern Lake Superior mission. Jack had scored the spot before but we knew it would be risky. The fickleness (and blizzard) won out and we left empty handed.
However, our first day score proved to be worth the trip alone. We shared overhead lefts on a secluded rock point that rarely gets surfed, and this was by far the best I've seen it. The pic below does not even come close to doing it justice.
These are the trips that make surfing on the Great Lakes so enjoyable. More pics to come.
This is what we awoke to on the first morning, with a three hour drive ahead.
Crossing the Mackinaw Bridge: a rite of passage for any Great Lakes surfer. This day's crossing was a little hairier than usual.
Gusts of 70+ mph were recorded. Jack was freaked about getting flipped over the edge and plunging to our deaths, something that has happened twice in the past twenty years.
The left was worth the drive. I am still regretting not getting better photos, but we didn't have the right gear and we're too eager to surf. Overhead, offshore, and thundering down the point.
Tools of choice; 6'4 Rusty Hustler and 7'2 Michel Junod single fin pin.
Matt and Mark happened to be there too. Not many people know about this place, but it's funny how you run into those who do on days like this.
Day two, closer to our basecamp. Jack knows this stretch of Lake Michigan coast well and had been eyeing this spot for years. The lower lake water levels had revealed the potential for this right point and we were stoked to surf it, even if under c-grade conditions. We know what to look for, forecast-wise, next time. We call it the atoll - this day was about waist high.
It was cold.
Later that night we arrived at our third lake and immediately found the only open bar in town. Seems most people were hunkered down for the four day storm. The Subie got stuck multiple times but did the job.
The place was packed - Jack, two snowmobilers, and myself. We sampled the three micros they brewed on premise. Not bad for a tiny place in the middle of nowhere.
Then the bartender started pouring shots for all of us out of the kindness of her heart. We didn't want to seem rude (who turns down free shots?), so we gulped them down. Multiple times.
The lady barkeep and her friend. One of the best things about a trip like this is meeting the locals, even if they think your nuts for being there to surf in the middle of a blizzard.
Our motel. Surprised that we were the only ones there?
Don't be...this is why.
And this. Surf check, Upper Peninsula of Michigan-style. That is Lake Superior in the background.
The second best thing about going on trips like these? Going home to a warm wife and dog. Aloha! Lake Superior, Ontario
Lake Superior went richter with last week's storm, as witnessed by the photos that can be seen at Bob Tema's Lake Superior Surf Club Forum.
This one was shared by Eric of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Looks worth braving below zero wind chills to me.
This one was shared by Eric of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Looks worth braving below zero wind chills to me.
12/8/09
The Perfect Storm
It looks like winter is coming in with a bang.Tom Skilling, Chicago's go-to weatherman and underground lake surfing hero, compared it to the storm that sunk the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975 on last night's telecast. You can hear the smacking of lips throughout our sweetwater surfing community, as these are the types of systems we wait all year for. And yes, the maps are lighting up with the possibility of a five day swell and wave heights reaching 20+ feet on certain Great Lakes.
More than a few of us are ditching work and giving chase. Jack and I will be trying for three lakes in three days; the models for each look insane...
Lake Huron: waves 10+ feet and winds offshore
Lake Michigan: waves 8+ feet and winds side-offshore
Lake Superior: waves 10+ feet and winds offshore
These are expected wave heights at the beach - offshore wave heights will be much bigger. We'll snap some photos and share our findings.
Good luck those on the hunt!
12/7/09
Party Pics
Here are a few pics from our little Shindig on Saturday. Thanks to everyone who came out!
12/2/09
TCSS Holiday Party
Third Coast Surf Shop is having our annual Holiday Party this coming Staurday, December 5. Everything in the store will be on sale: 25 - 50% off. Hours are 10-6 EST.
We will also be screening a surf film at 6pm EST in the Shop. BYOB, and help us pack this place.
There's nothing like a good old fashion surf hootenanny :)
We will also be screening a surf film at 6pm EST in the Shop. BYOB, and help us pack this place.
There's nothing like a good old fashion surf hootenanny :)
12/1/09
Chicago Tribune Article
The Chicago Tribune ran a piece on lake surfing a few days ago, with accompanying video clip.
We had gotten together to honor our recently fallen friend, Magilla Schaus, and there happened to be waves so the guys went surfing. This day represents well what makes our small surfing community special; these were probably the worst waves most of the guys (and girls) had surfed in a long time, but we were there for a good reason and it was the right thing to do.
The Tribune guys asked me if I thought the average Great Lakes surfer was tougher than the average coastal surfer. I said Yes.
We had gotten together to honor our recently fallen friend, Magilla Schaus, and there happened to be waves so the guys went surfing. This day represents well what makes our small surfing community special; these were probably the worst waves most of the guys (and girls) had surfed in a long time, but we were there for a good reason and it was the right thing to do.
The Tribune guys asked me if I thought the average Great Lakes surfer was tougher than the average coastal surfer. I said Yes.
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