Photos 2 - 2005
I started surfing Lake Michigan in 2000. When I first started, I imagined this was similar to the early years of surfing on the coasts. There were only a handful of surfers in the different towns scattered around the Lake, and everyone seemed to know one another. Most every break welcomed new surfers into their line-ups. The “Aloha Spirit” was alive and thriving here. The line-ups have gotten more crowded, but that spirit is still alive and well.
Photos 1 - 2003
The majority of people don’t think about surfing on the Great Lakes. Surfers have been riding lake waves for years. I don’t see it as a destination for surfers, but for those of us who live here, we take advantage of what the lake has to offer. There has been a crew surfing here on the west side of Lake Michigan since the mid-1960s. These are locals who grew up in Wisconsin and learned to surf lake waves when wetsuits weren’t as efficient and flexible as they are today. This was a small crew of surfers who welcomed me, a transplanted surfer, into their community. I cherish the hospitality and friendships they have shared with me and the other surfers who share their line-up.