Conditions: 1-2ft waves. Low energy, but with some nice peaks, occasional 2.5ft standouts and some peeling waves.
I’m back in the midwest for my cousin’s wedding, my high school reunion, and my grandmother’s birthday. It’s nice to have some downtime. We’ve been kayaking on the lake, it’s been good to catch up with friends and family, but MAN. Two weeks is a LONG time to be without a surf sesh.
Back in January I read about surfers in Hammond: http://surf.transworld.net/2009/01/28/indiana-iceberg-session/?show=gallery
Hammond is just a few miles from my parent’s house. After a little searching I found the Third Coast Surf Shop in New Buffalo. The rent boards, keep an eye on the forecast, and seem like all around nice folk.
The surf spot in New Buffalo is at the South Jetty. To get to the South Jetty you walk out on the North Jetty, jump off, swim across the channel and hit the surf:
I walked out on the North Jetty to check conditions. Flat. Headed back to the surf shop, grabbed a board, got recommendations of other sports to check, and headed out.
Miller Beach had some small, mellow, waves breaking on the sandbar. I assumed I’d be lucky to even catch a wave, let alone stand up on such little waves. The water was warm and I’d really wanted to get out, so I jumped in and paddled out.
I had way too much fun. The rides were short and a little wobbly, but the waves were really easy to catch. and I got in ride after ride. Nothing fancy for sure, only picked off a few rights, but as the day went on the waves developed a better shape and built up in size. Good shoulders, some peeling waves, all around fun. It’s exhausting chasing peaks around or I would have stayed out even longer to get the bigger ones.
I highly recommend checking out the Lake Michigan surf spots if you’re in the area. The waves are bigger and cleaner in the winter (hope you’ve got a 7mm wetsuit!) but summer can be fun if you like your rides little and sweet.
