Lake Michigan: glassy, cold and peeling

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INDIANA ICE SESSION

Photos: Writing+Photos: Mike Killion/Great Lakes Surfer Magazine

January 28, 2009

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Preparation for January 24th, 2009 started like any other day of winter surf in the Midwest.

Watching the wind reports, checking the mornings forecast, and praying for the ice to melt away just enough for us to safely enter and exit the water.

After receiving a call from Burton Hathaway of Racine, WI letting us know the ice was starting to clear up north two days before the swell hit, getting waves seemed promising. It wasn't until another Chicago surfer, Curtis Mann, had called and filled us in that our favorite break just south of Chicago was ice free and beginning to see waves the night before.

Packing up the 6/5mm, booties and gloves, along with plenty of hot water and towels to change in and out of your suit in the freezing temperatures is a definite must.

As the wind died off overnight, we were met with a WNW groundswell that couldn't have been glassier. Giant icebergs the size of cars floating off in the distance along with the slushy thick water at takeoff helped form our clean waves: both a benefit and a disadvantage.

Yet we'll take what we can get -- we could be iced in tomorrow. The swell lasted for only a few short hours peaking just after sunrise. Some locals braved the icy waters for up to three to fours hours, while others were less fortunate and were forced back to their cars to get warmth. With a high of only 17F and a low of -2F, it's no wonder everyone flocked to California instead.

Being landlocked for about a month without waves, watching over the mountains of ice built upon the shore as perfect A-frames slowly rolled in, Great Lakes surfers couldn't have been more thankful for a day of surf. For now we're just hoping for a quick de-thaw and spring to come sooner than ever -- patiently waiting as always.

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