🏄‍♂️ Surfs Up

A Hypothermic Hang Ten: Surfing Wisconsin's Wintery Third Coast

When most folks hear the words hang ten in Wisconsin, they usually think of the 10-point buck hanging in their brother's garage.

What they don't think of is the different kind of thrill that attracts folks to our great state:

Surfing.

That's right, located thousands of miles from either of the admittedly more well known coasts, Wisconsin is graced to have a surfeable coastline of its own - AKA Lake Michigan.

And while there are plenty of freshwater surf spots along our great lake, none appeals to the surf savant like Sheboygan in the wintertime.

Sheboygan, the Bratwurst/Freshwater Surfing Capital of the World

Forget the coconuts, sun burns, and salted seas - for the past 50 or so years, surfers from all over the world have made the pilgrimage to Sheboygan, WI to surf the famed breakwaters of its beaches, earning its moniker "The Malibu of the Midwest." 

Ya see folks, what makes Sheboygan so special (besides those delicious bratwurst) is the way the wind whips up around its beaches. Deland Park, which is hailed as the "Best Sconnie Surf Spot," juts out out into Lake Michigan not unlike your Aunt Susan's cheek boil, creating perfect conditions for sometimes 7+ foot waves.

It's all about timing

Although you can technically surf in Sheboygan (and other spots on Lake Michigan) any time, the best season is from August to April, with the peak landing right in the middle of winter.

When the cold winter air mixes with the warmer lake air along the shoreline, powerful winds manifest great surf conditions. And unlike oceanic surf spots, which are aided by rising and lowering tides, Lake Michigan surfing is purely dependent on these winter winds.

It's not uncommon to spot surfers in sub-zero temps, scrambling across icy beaches in wetsuits, just to catch an ideal weather window (which don't last too long).

The brother's quest

Though the surfing itself is pretty rad, the culture of freshwater surfing is just as appealing, which is in part because of the two Sheboygan-native brothers who pioneered this cold water pursuit.

Back in the 60's, Lee "Water Flea" and Larry "Longboard" Williams, upon realizing that it takes a bit of doe (and not the furry kind) to surf California and Hawaii, figured why not master the waves off the shore of their hometown Sheboygan?

Into their adulthood, this question became a focused pursuit, chasing after freshwater waves at famed spots like The Elbow.

Their passioned vision of Wisconsin's surfing potential helped kickstart the surf culture that thrives in Sheboygan today, a legacy that is championed through Facebook groups and local surf shops.

So next time you're thinking about taking it tropical, consider a 'staycation' in Wisconsin's own surfing mecca. Support surf shops like EOS or Lake Effect, check out a flick on freshwater surfing, heck, even forward this email to your friends.

Whatever it takes to - you guessed it - get out 'der.