There's a small but passionate surf community in Minnesota. The conditions needed for this type of surf are specific and rare, but there are a handful of winter storms that create waves like this. We make do with what we've got in the midwest. Duluth has great downhill mountain biking despite not having any mountains. We ski on the north shore at Lutsen even those it's a less than 1000' verticle. Everything extreme sports related is "better" out west but there's pride in making things work in your own backyard.
Maybe NOW someone will believe me when I say I've seen 25' waves in Lake Michigan. I've lived in Michigan all my life. When I visited the ocean for the first time, it was disappointing. It looked like Lk. Michigan , Huron , or Superior. Except it was cloudy, not as clear. We are really blessed to have our own " inland seas" in the states bordering the Great Lakes!
Being able to surf and not have to worry about sharks or someone dropping in on you is enough to make you almost forget how cold the water is. Cool video
Not sure why anyone would praise low expectations. Seems more positive to hope for the best and except whatever's dealt. I have low expectations for stellar waves in my bathtub. Should I get my board out just in case. My comment is a bit acerbic, sorry, wife and I are not getting along. Mark Henry
Back in the day, before RU-vid, we used to surf Lake Michigan in Chicago. People today still don’t understand that those huge lakes have very impressive waves.
Alex, you are a class act. From surfing Baja with Gary Linden to ripping the Great Lakes. How you spoke about the locals, the stoke in your voice, bucket list checked, our community is lucky to have an ambassador with surf credentials like you brother. Much Aloha from Ocean Beach San Diego Ca 🤙🏼
@@pcm7315 The jetty was my spot especially the real Rock waves then kick out and get a bounce wave. Now I spend most of my time surfing Newbs 33's it's not such a bad thing being a dinosaur. I was just lucky my mom ran circles with skip Frye, Steve Lis
Superior is a beautiful lake surprisingly ocean like! Just swam in it for the first time this year reminded me of my Hawaii life where I lived for 10 years on the North Shore. 🤙🏾
I guess it's time to acquire a 7/6 wetsuit and head over to Minnesota 🤣 next thing you know, Minnesota Surf Shop and School, Hipster coffee shops and crowded lineup 😅
I was there my first time last October and am from Encinitas (over the top hipster socal coast town). I can confirm this is already happening up this lakes coastline or whatever its called
@@bunt1691 I'm so excited for you that you got such an INCREDIBLE opportunity! Most of my favorite surfing brethren live there. Pipe is starting to fire!! I hope Superior grants you some terrific waves this winter. Stay warm!!!
Lake superior is no joke. Blistering cold huge waves. And just an Erie feeling when I see the big lake. I'm a born and raised michigander I have swam in all the lakes. Except superior.
Did you ever hear of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald?" And that's not the only ship that has sunk in the Great Lakes. Of course the lakes have big waves.
2016 -2017. I was working in Mishawaka Indiana and meet the owner of the third cost surf shop, I remember seeing his t-shirt. Really, I visited his shop and surfed the lakes. Third coast surfshop New bafloo Michigan. I returned to Southern California and I surf all year long, thanks guys.. Downey California
I lived and surfed both coast of Florida for over 25 years .........those waves in the Lake where better than 95% of the waves in Florida ......for sure ! I have however surfed solid 8' top to bottom barrels in the Gulf of Mexico at a rivermouth that hardly ever breaks ......and it was the best surf I had ever seen in Florida ! It lasted about 4-5 hours before a hurricane got a little too close and turned the wind from light to hard offshore ......then dead onshore for the next couple days ! Never saw it get close to that good anywhere in Florida except a couple times at Reef rd back in the 1980's ! Not sure why but Reef Rd used to handle massive swells better than it does now ! I've seen it easily 3x overhead and damn near perfect back then a couple times a winter ! Something changed in the mid to late nineties and I never saw it any bigger than double overhead and good again !
Where on the gulf? I’ve been surfing California the past 8 years, and had to move to Fla. im near treasure island beach. Drove to satellite beach a week ago, and it was pretty good. Good enough to snap my board.
@@sleepinglion1192 The rivermouth is still there on Captiva island ! Technically between Sanibel and Captiva island ! It seems to pick up more swell than anyplace else on the West coast ! AMI and Ft.Desoto would be closer and offer decent surf on the rare occasions when there is swell in the bathtub known as the Gulf of Mexico ! The best you can hope for is a tropical storm or Hurricane that sits in the Gulf for more than just a day or two without hitting the west coast ! When a head high ground swell hits certain spots in the Gulf .......you can find world class waves ! When it's cold front onshore windslop........your lucky if you get 6 hours of clean surf the morning after ! Gotta be on it though because it will be gone with the first tide change ! There are also a couple spots just north of Captiva (like Cayo Costa and North Captiva island) that get really good ......but the currents and sharks are very dangerous even for experienced surfers and you'll need at least a reliable jet ski to even consider ! (And balls of steel because it's known Hammerhead breeding grounds ! Big ones too ! I've been thrown out of the water pushing my luck there !)
@@wisdomoverfear2685 Yeah, it's Blind Pass that separates Sanibel from Captiva Island just west of Fort Myers. It's not classic "river mouth" technically but just a cut through inlet from the Inter-coastal water to the Gulf of Mexico. There's a small bridge that crosses the inlet with paid parking on both sides of the inlet (meter parking). It has to be constantly dredged because it constantly fill in with sand. There's a real short Jetty on the north side of the Inlet with no jetty (just a rounded shore line) on the south side. When the conditions are right, it can produce perfect barrels with a surprising amount of power. It breaks on Tropical Storms and after strong cold fronts with NW winds blowing across the Gulf. Usually the day after a strong cold front in the Winter the spot will produce some nice chest high barrels with the wind switching to N.E. offshore and then weakening over time. Jump on it while it last, because it won't last long. Tropical Storm swells can be ridiculous with head high barrels, glassy conditions, no wind of slight offshore wind. But again, it won't last long so you really have to be there at the right time to catch it just right. It's arguable one of the best (most hallow) tube waves spot on the Florida Gulf Coast when it breaks.
@@wisdomoverfear2685 I believe it. I just saw a video of Alex gray surfing reef barrels on LAKE Superior in Minnesota. And that’s just a lake! , with no hurricanes. So, Gulf of Mexico should certainly offer up some waves with the right hurricane.
Well it depends on where in FL, I use to live in Jupiter (WPB) and the waves there, Reef Road, Delray Beach and other spots on the east coast are just awesome!
Alex you are the super score lord you scored unalaska like no other ,and then you score the lake ,i want to go on a trip with you cause i know your going to score ,thanks for all the double doubles you used to bring to CI carp for all the boys in the factory 🙏
When I first found out about surfing up there, I had just moved back home to be near friends and family but give up surfing. Just think about how many other amazing spots there are up there.
Great vid Alex. That gracious attitude of yours will see you welcomed everywhere you go. It's rainy season here in Bali, and definitely no wetsuit required.
After one too many headbutting contests wit da reef in '06 .. that I lost .. baaaadly .. I am just stoked wit all da memories of surfing empty 8 to 10 ft Marconies, 7th Hole Kahuku, Bills Bowl, Crouching Lions n outside Pua'enas and maaaagical Rabbit Island and soo many other spots in town n east side n country. Lucky I wuz BNR in Kailua and here now in da Columbia River Gorge at 59 .. hapuna kine .. an freezing da alas een Decembah .. I would not have thought one could get legitimate barrels .. in Minnesota .. like whaa !? But "proof is in da poi," bra !! Mahalos Alex !!
Too cold! Lol! I walked through snow in South Carolina once. It may have been the biggest perfect waves to ever hit Pawley's Island-bonafide Slabs! BTW, great surfing!
I went there last October and it was pretty dope. From SD had a gf from there and we drove to Canada border up that coast. Fresh water is trippy too I guess
Wow that is killer! I knew there waves on the Great Lakes but not this good! By Christ it looks cold though! At the worst I wear a 4/3 in winter, I don’t think that would cut it in those waters!
You're absolutely less boyant. I would say from the surfers guests 15% less. I ride a 6-ft 9-in board and it used to be a 6 ft 2 inch ship. Pretty identical
I go out when I can. Lake Superior is no joke. Great video. You get used to this in a ,4/3 suit... Stoney will go triple overhead if you get the right day
To be honest, I don't think I will make it in this life, but I would give my left nad to try surfing in a freshwater lake. No salt, bluebottles or sharks. What a surreal experience. You're lucky to live where you can do it. Hell, if I lived in America, I would have a kickass gun as well. Already got the Dodge.
