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Nov

15

2012

Feb

28

2013

Nov

15

2013

Feb

28

2014


Hang 10 In Minus 10°C

Published by Kristin Cowles, Editor-in-Chief

Country: United States

The Experience

Gusts of cold air blustering in the winter signals to most a reason to curl up by a toasty fire, but to a select few these chilly conditions lure them to the Lake. To a typical person the thought of spending unnecessary time outside in -20°C weather is absolutely ridiculous, but to snow storm surfers the gustier the gales the better. On these cold days when conditions are right, an adventurous few can be found along the shores of Lake Superior covered from head to toe in a 6 millimeter thick neoprene wet suit, exposed pink faces coated with petroleum jelly to protect against the biting cold. These die hard surfers enjoy fresh water waves up to 20 feet in blizzard conditions that brew across the open waters of Superior. The absence of tides does make the waves harder to predict, but the thrill of uncrowded swells and an unparalleled adrenaline rush continue to draw a bold bunch. Don't be fooled though, the brave who do dare this experience do get cold. A tip from experts is to pour a bottle of hot water down the neck of your wet suit, to help ease you into the water, and of course when ready to get out waiting cars parked with heaters blasting is a must.

Photos

Map

Puzzle

When to Go to Surf Winter

The colder and crazier the weather, the better the chances for good surfing conditions! Anywhere between November to February is your best bet to catch a winter storm that can produce some significant swells.

Odds n' Ends

Stoney Point, between Duluth and Two harbors offers some of the most reliable waves. The deep waters here surrounded by the lake on three sides promises swells that don't freeze easily during the winter.

More Experiences Nearby

Enjoy Belly Laughs at Chicago's Foremost Comedy Club: The Second City!
Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, Mike Myers, Jane Lynch, Steve Carrell, and Stephen Colbert: aside from all being hilarious and talented actors and personalities—what do they have in common? Their careers were all birthed at that hot rock of comedy: The Second City in Chicago. If you've never heard of The Second City Chicago, you're in for a treat as this comedy club is the pinnacle of onstage laughs. The cast performs improvisation, sketches, musical numbers, and more; and if you visit Chicago as a huge fan of the show 30 Rock, you will not be disappointed. ...403 miles away.

Video

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Books and DVDs

The Endless Summer Collection
Thicker Than Water (2000)

Elsewhere on the Web

Superior Surf Club
Surf discussion for western Lake Superior
Great Lakes surfers pay no mind to frigid temps - CityPages.com
Isaacson wanted to surf Lake Superior.
Duluth - LakeCam

Media References

Hanging 10 (Degrees) on Icy Lake Superior - NYTimes.com (newspaper)
BLACK shapes bobbed on big waves out from shore. Through the pine trees off Stoney Point Drive, past parked cars idling with their heaters cranked on, the surfers of Lake Superior waited to catch a wave.
Ice-breakers - TheStar.com (newspaper)
The water temperature is sub-zero, the wind chill is —20C and getting out of the water can be a major problem, but winter surfers say it's an addiction that helps to keep them sane, writes Kelly Toughill

Language Guides

French , Hindi , Indonesian , Italian , Japanese , Lao , Malay , Mandarin , Portugese , Russian , Spanish , Thai , Turkish , Vietnamese are some of the languages spoken in United States. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!

Discussion

Experienced this and have something to share? Experienced something like this somewhere else? Looking for advise or travel companions? Use this space to leave your mark. Our writers and editors are more than happy to help answer your questions.

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