Monday, October 13, 2008

Surfing Superior

I have to hand it to my friend Pete here....

He excitedly emailed me the other day,

"The mid-superior buoy's are up to 8' and building, definitely a surf day!"

I'm thinking, it's October. The last time I was in Houghton for October, it was snowing. I can't even imagine the wetsuit it would take to get me in Superior in October when I'd lived and swam there for 5 years... and now I haven't been in water cooler than 75deg in another 5 years.. How long would it take me to defrost? How long would I sit and absorb the sauna? Shit, how long would I sit in the sauna now without even going in the Lake?? I have to admit it sounds pretty damn nice tonight! I mean winter's coming to Kaneohe and I was going to have a ginger foot soak tonight (until I got distracted... again)!

Our conversation continues as I comment that I don't know if I've seen 8' swell on the lake ever. I'm impressed he's going out.

"I think it might be a little scary today, I bet it's pretty big. If the wind is just right I can paddle out along the break wall and then drift into the swells away from the wall. The water's still pretty warm (warmer than the ocean was in July after Ronaldo's wedding)."

The 'water is still pretty warm' and inside I laugh at myself and how thin my blood has become. The next day I get the message

"Wow, it was big yesterday. I'm sure some of those waves measured 10' from trough to peak. I haven't been out in the Lake in waves like that before, it was really awesome. I got worked a lot but once I caught the feel of the place I got a lot of great rides. I wish it was big like that more often."

I want pictures! I want to see the waves and see the coldness of it and the crazy water, and little Petey riding the waves all by his lonesome - like a Great Lakes Jeff Clark! Awesome! I didn't have too high of hopes, but I asked anyway..

"It wouldn't have been pretty. I'm so used to Lake Cuddlebunny waves that these took some getting used to and I spent the 1st hour there pretty much getting tumbled and worked. But then I got some really fun rides (still not pretty I'm sure). It wasn't really a storm, just a strong wind right out of the west. It didn't last long but I think it was blowing at 35-40 knots for 8 hours."

But here they are: a few select nibbles of the Lake Superior surf scene... of couse " location is considered TOP SECRET"



PETE!


It's not 8-10' here, but it looks pretty cold and gnarley


Awesome

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