Lake Superior gets the biggest, most powerful waves on the Great Lakes, and the coldest water. Here's what you need to know before you go: when it breaks, where to surf, what to wear and how to stay safe. Below that, Adam Breedon of the Lakehead University Great Lakes Surfing Club tells the story of what one perfect winter session on the North Shore actually took.
Jump to: When to surf Β· Where to surf Β· How cold it gets Β· Safety Β· A winter session on the North Shore
Can you surf Lake Superior?
Yes. Superior is the largest and deepest of the Great Lakes, and its huge stretch of open water lets storm winds build real surf. Most good days are waist-high to overhead, and big fall storms go well beyond that. In October 2017, an offshore buoy near Marquette, Michigan measured a wave of about 29 feet.
When is the best time to surf Lake Superior?
Fall into early winter. October through December brings the strongest storms, including the famous November gales. Surf keeps coming through winter until shore ice and slush make it unsafe. Once ice chunks start forming in the water, the season is over. Summer is mostly flat.
Which wind you need depends on which shore you're on:
- South shore (Marquette and the Upper Peninsula): strong north, northwest or northeast winds blowing across the open lake.
- Minnesota's North Shore (around Duluth): a northeast swell, ideally cleaned up by a northwest offshore wind.
- Ontario's north shore (around Thunder Bay): south and southwest storms build the swell, and a flip to north offshore winds cleans it up, but also brings arctic cold.
Where to surf Lake Superior
Marquette, Michigan
The best-known surf town on Superior. Presque Isle Park ("The Zoo") is the most popular break, and McCarty's Cove and Little Presque Isle also get waves when the wind lines up.
The rest of the Upper Peninsula
Grand Marais, the Munising area (Au Train Bay and Twelve Mile Beach) and Whitefish Bay all see surf on the right storm. Many spots are remote, so plan for long drives and no cell service.
Minnesota's North Shore
Stoney Point, northeast of Duluth, is a rocky reef break that works on a northeast swell with a northwest offshore wind. Watch out for rocks.
Northern Ontario
A small, dedicated crew surfs the rugged north shore around Thunder Bay, much of it reached by snowy trails. Read about the surf club on the northern shores of Lake Superior and the Waasaashkaa Surf Festival.
How cold is Lake Superior?
Superior is the coldest Great Lake. During the main surf season the water is usually in the 30s and 40s Β°F (0β9 Β°C), and even in summer the nearshore water can drop fast after an offshore wind. Plan on a hooded 5/4 mm suit at minimum from fall to spring, and a 6/5 mm with 7 mm boots and mitts in winter. More in our cold water wetsuit guide.
Staying safe on Lake Superior
- Never surf alone. Spots are remote and help can be far away.
- Plan your exit. As the story below shows, the walk back to the car in a wet suit and offshore wind can be the most dangerous part of the day. Frostbite is a real risk.
- Rocks and ice: many breaks are reefs or rocky points. Stay clear of floating ice and shore ice shelves.
- Check the forecast and roads before you go. Lake-effect snow can close roads fast.
More tips in coldwater surfing: how to stay out of trouble and our Great Lakes Surfing FAQ.
A winter session on the North Shore
Like all great surfing stories, before you can score, first you need the perfect storm. Back in mid-January the North Shore of Lake Superior was set to receive a strong Southwest wind overnight, followed by a morning flip to light offshore North winds. A couple of things can be taken from this. Firstly, those strong winds whipping across the lake are being joined by one of the biggest snowstorms of the year, which always makes the search a little more challenging, although the swell that is being promised to come with it will undoubtedly be worth it. Next is that offshore flip. On Lake Superior, offshore winds are a bit of a double-edged sword; it means we are going to get an awesome clean up after the storm, but with it, extremely cold temperatures coming down from the arctic.
With this deadly combination you know the crew is stoked. Everyone tries to figure out work and school schedules so that they can get in on some of the action. Lucky for me, my schedule lined up so I could head to the spot the night before, prior to the arrival of the snow. Others were not so lucky. People arriving just a few hours later experienced undoubtedly the worst driving conditions they have ever faced, and people arriving in the morning did not get it any better. One of my compatriots, Avi, got stuck in a ditch on the way, dug himself out, only to get stuck again on the now snow-covered access trail. We got him out for the second time as the last of the crew arrived and we went on our way to check the spot. It added a little more difficulty to our day, but when we arrived at the spot, I have to say that we were truly rewarded.
You can never go in with too high expectations because you can never really be sure with the lakes, or surfing in general, but itβs safe to say we were blown away. After our walk from the parking spot through the knee-deep snow, the opening to the beach revealed a perfect empty peak set before us.
With the temperatures dropping by the minute, we had to get out there as fast as we could. Everyone suited up, all while not being able to peel our eyes away from the unreal scene unfolding in front of us. I filled my booties and mitts with hot water, pulled them on, and was the first one in the water, taking icy flushes on the way. The first dunk is always a shock to the nervous system as you fight your bodyβs natural instincts to panic. After what seemed like a never-ending battle of both mental and physical nature to get out past the break line, the whole crew made it out and the water in our suits started to warm from the heat of our bodies. The first set rolled through and the waves were just as good, if not better, than how they appeared from the shore. The first wave of the session was caught, and it was on.
Peaks were split, carves were ripped, lips were smacked and the whole crew was stoked beyond belief. Ripping a clean, head high open face with only your crew out is something that canβt be achieved in many places around the world, but lucky for us, this is the common reward for those brave enough to take on Lake Superior in the depths of winter solely because not many are willing to sacrifice their warmth for the icy flushing that has to be endured.
As time went on and ice began to form on everyoneβs suits, it was clear that the temperatures were really starting to drop. Toes and fingers started to numb, and one by one everyone started to call βone more good one and Iβm heading in.β The crew started to disperse with thoughts of warm cars but there was one more dreadful task ahead of us. With the new offshore winds, the trail back to the cars turned into a brutal wind tunnel.
With soaking wet bodies, temperatures now 30 below and howling winds ripping straight through us, patches of white formed on all of our cheeks. We finished the trek, desperately turned on the cars and cranked the heat. Getting the suits off wasnβt even an option at this point due to the masses of ice around our zippers and hoods. We just sat there, defrosting and reflecting on the insanity that just went down.
Once we were able to break through the ice holding us in our suits, we changed back into our dry warm clothes. The drive back to Thunder Bay greeted us with freshly plowed roads, and although we were thoroughly exhausted, it was a much easier drive for everyone. That night we gathered around our living room and looked at all the incredible photos and videos captured by Teigan and Sam, who braved the cold and wind on the exposed, rocky shore. We joked, hollered, and told stories as each image brought back beautiful visions of open faces and blue skies.
Though many obstacles had to be overcome to get there, all in attendance could agree that it was all worth it in the end. As the night came to an end and we all parted our separate ways, we couldnβt help but dream of the next session that would bring us back together on the lake.
Adam Breedon is a student at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay campus, and is Co-founder of the Lakehead University Great Lakes Surfing Club. He is studying Outdoor Recreation and Concurrent Education. Originally from Markdale Ontario, he didn't learn to surf until moving to Thunder Bay and getting out on Lake Superior. He coaches freestyle skiing all winter, plants trees in the summer and surfs whenever there's waves in between. Future plans include becoming a highschool teacher and starting his own outdoor based school. Find him on Instagram.
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Shop the Lake Superior collection, including the Lake Superior Different Water Crewneck and the Edmund Fitzgerald 1975 T-shirt.
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