From the Archives :: Surf Culture (April 2009)

Now, we’re digging into the archives for some nuggets from the past 11 years - images from throughout the Great Lakes and beyond, and observations from Ryan as the surf scene grew in front of our eyes. Hope you enjoy it.

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Surf Culture (written 4/10/09)

What is it? Do we have it in the Great Lakes? A surf sub-culture, maybe?

It's kind of neat, whatever it is. People have compared the scene here to Southern California in the '40s...without the consistent surf, of course. Not gonna find too many places these days when you know most (if not all) of the guys in the water every time you paddle out. Every time. That is, if anyone else is even out. Of course, there are more and more people surfing so that is slowly starting to change.

I think it's pretty exciting. Kind of like the tip of something, and you were in on it from the beginning. Our surf may suck a lot of the time, but is it really all about the waves?

I don't mind working for it - working to forecast when the window looks best, working to free myself from obligations to get on it, working to stretch the session out as long as possible, because who knows when it'll be this good again?

Maybe the means are more important than the end, anyways?

Here is my friend Bob Tema, ruler of Minnesota's North Shore (we have one, too!), enjoying the fruits of his labor. Think he gives a shit about surf culture right about now?