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- 08 Feb 2005 -
Water Safety - The Great Lakes Way -

I hung around Chicago one more day, so I could get one last glimpse of The Lake.

I was also promised a tour of some secret points by a Mid-West Surf Star -

Naturally the surf star did not show-up, so I settled for second best - El Presidente of The Great Lakes Surfing Association.

The tour started at their Clubhouse - and then the tour went downhill from there.

Geoff started his safety spiel:

1. "If you're gonna surf the dangerous reef breaks on The Lake - always check the spots at low tide - you gotta know what you're surfing over - BEFORE you paddle out at a higher tide!

2. If you're gonna surf in crowded areas, like it gets here at Crawdad Lounge, you better be able to handle surfing in a very tight take-off zone.

3. Take a look at the layout - there is a short length of beach, bordered by rocky, semi-points at each end - there ain't gonna be no waves in between the rocks - ALL of the action is gonna be right on the reefs - not much room for a screw-up!

4. Because the points jut out and there is a beach between them, there's gonna be at least one nasty rip current between the points - you GOTTA know how to swim in, just in case your KOOK KORD breaks!

5. Now let's go down to the beach - even though access is easy, don't be lured into surfing waves you're not ready to ride - sometimes, one OVER-ESTIMATES one's skill level by about 50000%.

6. Whew - that was easy, but let's take a look at the other end of the beach - another rocky point - BA, what have your learned so far?"

I respond:

a. "I gotta check the layout of the surf spot BEFORE I paddle-out

b. If there are points at each end of a short beach, the currents will be tricky - even in fresh water

c. Easy access to surf spots doesn't mean that the waves will be easy to ride

d. I gotta know my surfing strengths and I gotta know how to SWIM."

Geoff continues:

7. "The reef this guys are using as a fishing hole for sunfish, becomes a Jacuzzi at a higher tide - just check this kid exiting the water - if the surf were any bigger, he'd be in trouble"

The Tour was now winding down, and I was anxious to return to La Jolla, so I could practice what Geoff was preaching -

But - before I could get away, Geoff sez:

"BA, by the way, sometimes the surf gets good on this reef - we call it Butch's Break.

We named it after one of the Little Rascals -

Anyway - check out the hollowness of that wave - it was created by wake of The Edmond Fitzgerald as it cruised by."

Geoff wraps it all up with a final blast:

"I'm glad this stupid tour is over, the kids are ice skating home, and just one more thing -

We heard the sunsets suck in La Jolla, well they do here, too!"

BA

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