Third
Coast Surf shop isn't just a place for tourists to pick up a clever
t-shirt. This shop actually carries real gear for real surfers who
don't pay attention to doubters.
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"It's kind of a revolving joke among lake surfers," said Ryan
Gerard, Third Coast Surf Shop owner. " 'You can't surf on a lake,'
because we have people tell us that all the time."
Maverick's may be a famous California surf spot, but the real
mavericks are the growing ranks of great lakes surfers.
"There are hundreds of people surfing Lake Michigan and we really
don't know exactly how many, because there are guys at different
spots," said Jim Hoop, Co-director of the Eastern Surfing Association
Great Lakes District. "When I first started surfing, there were
15 of us and when the waves broke a certain direction, we all met
at the same spot. It didn't matter whether you came from Detroit
or from Wisconsin, we all met at the same spot.
The fascination has grown to the point that you can even find
Midwest surf flicks. Now that we know surfable waves do exist, why
aren't there hoards of surfers on the lake? The answer, in part,
is a matter of seasons.
"Summer we can go weeks without waves," Gerard said. "Then you
get into fall and that's when it gets more consistent. The coldest
I've ever surfed is 20-below wind chill in January and February.
"We come out as long as it isn't frozen solid," Hoop added. "I've
had icicles hanging from my face. I've gone into my van and had
to put my cord [on my wetsuit] in my mouth for ten minutes to thaw
the ice to loosen it up to get the hood off my face."
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