Finding Your Water Sports Paradise in the Great Lakes

Surfing may have its roots in the ocean—but resourceful surfers (and other water sport lovers) have taken to fresh water to get their fix of surf and sun, perhaps most notably in America’s Great Lakes.

While this destination might be surprising to those who live by the ocean, otherwise landlocked adventurers have long turned toward the famous cluster of lakes for on-the-water entertainment. In today’s blog, we’ll show you why!

A new kind of wave

It’s a complete misconception that lakes can’t have waves, at least the bigger ones—they just form waves a little differently! On a clear day on the ocean, for example, you can surf waves caused by storms or disturbances many, many miles away—completely out of sight. On a lake, however, hopeful surfers depend on localized winds to stir up the swells needed for successful surfing. It requires a different kind of diligence and attention to the weather and lake conditions—but once you get wind of some good waves, it’s an experience that can’t be matched.

Apart from how lake waves are formed, they feel a little different, too—but it’s nothing a bit of practice and adjusting can’t fix. The waves happen with greater frequency—in part because the disturbance that’s creating them isn’t far off—and you need to get back up on your board quickly to ride the next one. Unlike typical surfing on the ocean—which is often characterized by sunny skies and warm, sandy shores—you’ll actually find the best Great Lakes surfing conditions during the cooler months, when winds are more active in the area.

Quieter waters

Looking to surf in peace? Great Lakes surfers form a close community, one that’s always on the lookout for a new storm and fresh waves, but it’s a much smaller group than you would find in surfing circles on the West Coast, for example. Because of this, you’re likely to enjoy a serene surfing experience that can’t be found just anywhere.

Eclectic backdrops

It’s hard to get tired of long, endless shorelines, white sand and the familiar terrain of a favorite coast—but for a chance to switch things up, the Great Lakes offer a change of scenery you might just love. People tend to surf wherever there are waves—so even metropolitan coastlines see their share of action, as do forest backdrops, rocky shores, and just about every kind of landscape the Great Lakes have to offer.

As Great Lake surfers have shown us, you don’t need an ocean to ride the waves! While the Lakes have long been known for their beauty and abundance of fish, their ability to serve as your water sports paradise is just as noteworthy.