← The Lake

Guides

The freshwater surf knowledge base. From your first paddle out to chasing November storms — everything you need to know about surfing the Great Lakes.

Skill Level Guide

Grom— First Timers
Local— Regular Surfers
Charger— Storm Chasers
Waterman— Year-Round Warriors
Soul Surfer— The Why Behind the Cold
Grom Level15 min read

The Grom's Guide to Lake Surfing

New to freshwater surfing? Start here. Board selection, etiquette, seasons, and your first paddle out on the Great Lakes.

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Local Level18 min read

Reading a Great Lakes Forecast

Wind roses, fetch alignment, buoy data, and swell period — learn to decode the weather and predict when the lake will fire.

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Charger Level20 min read

Storm Chasing & Swell Windows

Pressure maps, the chase timeline, risk assessment, and the art of finding clean waves when the lake goes beast mode.

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Waterman Level22 min read

The Waterman's Gear Guide

Wetsuits, boots, gloves, boards, and the car kit — everything between you and hypothermia, spec'd for Great Lakes conditions.

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Soul Surfer Level16 min read

The Science of Surfing in 38° Water

Cold shock, neurochemical cascades, brown fat activation, and the mammalian dive reflex — what happens to your body when you paddle out into near-freezing water.

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Want to know how we got here?

A History of Great Lakes Surfing