Picture this-
A November gail moves into the rugged Great Lakes region of towering pine forest surrounding the world’s largest freshwaters. Huge waves crash against the sandy, rocky, coast of Lake Superior. 1500-foot steel tankers are tossed around like bath toys. Do you pour warm water into your wetsuit and dive in to chilly waters, or run for cover?
A surprising amount of people choose the former and jump in.
Are you a surfer, or have a desire to learn? Lake Superior, surprisingly, offers some excellent waves. A different kind of north shore pipeline lives here. These unsalted waters break near Great Lakes beaches and have been a favorite of surfers since the 1950s.
History
Strap on your heaviest wet suit and join the brave northland surfers on the world’s largest lake. Waves of over 25 feet have been recorded during early winter swells. Waves turn into pipelines and cold weather adventure begins.
But don’t ask me. After surfing Stoney Point just north of Duluth, professional surfer Alex Gray said “It looked like a reef that you would travel halfway around the world for”. He goes on to report “Never in a million years did I think I’d see a wave like that…That was insane…It’s the most unique surf I’ve ever had”.
“Unsalted”
In 2005 the iconic documentary “Unsalted” was released detailing the exploits of those brave enough to surf the Great Lakes. The summary reads as follows: “One part obsession, one part addiction and unending quest for adventure makes Great Lakes surfers a truly rare breed. Add 40-knot winds, 15-foot waves and rigid temperatures to a storm-ravaged inland sea and they’ll tell you it’s a recipe for fun. Join filmmaker and surfer Vince Deur on a road-trip around five Great Lakes with a cast of pro surfers to meet those who have made surfing these stormy waters a way of life for nearly 40 years”.
