There's a small but passionate surf community in Minnesota. The conditions needed for this type of surf are specific and rare, but there are a handful of winter storms that create waves like this. We make do with what we've got in the midwest. Duluth has great downhill mountain biking despite not having any mountains. We ski on the north shore at Lutsen even those it's a less than 1000' verticle. Everything extreme sports related is "better" out west but there's pride in making things work in your own backyard.
Not sure why anyone would praise low expectations. Seems more positive to hope for the best and except whatever's dealt. I have low expectations for stellar waves in my bathtub. Should I get my board out just in case. My comment is a bit acerbic, sorry, wife and I are not getting along. Mark Henry
Being able to surf and not have to worry about sharks or someone dropping in on you is enough to make you almost forget how cold the water is. Cool video
Back in the day, before TH-cam, we used to surf Lake Michigan in Chicago. People today still don’t understand that those huge lakes have very impressive waves.
Maybe NOW someone will believe me when I say I've seen 25' waves in Lake Michigan. I've lived in Michigan all my life. When I visited the ocean for the first time, it was disappointing. It looked like Lk. Michigan , Huron , or Superior. Except it was cloudy, not as clear. We are really blessed to have our own " inland seas" in the states bordering the Great Lakes!
Superior is a beautiful lake surprisingly ocean like! Just swam in it for the first time this year reminded me of my Hawaii life where I lived for 10 years on the North Shore. 🤙🏾
Alex, you are a class act. From surfing Baja with Gary Linden to ripping the Great Lakes. How you spoke about the locals, the stoke in your voice, bucket list checked, our community is lucky to have an ambassador with surf credentials like you brother. Much Aloha from Ocean Beach San Diego Ca 🤙🏼
@@pcm7315 The jetty was my spot especially the real Rock waves then kick out and get a bounce wave. Now I spend most of my time surfing Newbs 33's it's not such a bad thing being a dinosaur. I was just lucky my mom ran circles with skip Frye, Steve Lis
Lake superior is no joke. Blistering cold huge waves. And just an Erie feeling when I see the big lake. I'm a born and raised michigander I have swam in all the lakes. Except superior.
I guess it's time to acquire a 7/6 wetsuit and head over to Minnesota 🤣 next thing you know, Minnesota Surf Shop and School, Hipster coffee shops and crowded lineup 😅
I was there my first time last October and am from Encinitas (over the top hipster socal coast town). I can confirm this is already happening up this lakes coastline or whatever its called
@@bunt1691 I'm so excited for you that you got such an INCREDIBLE opportunity! Most of my favorite surfing brethren live there. Pipe is starting to fire!! I hope Superior grants you some terrific waves this winter. Stay warm!!!
Great vid Alex. That gracious attitude of yours will see you welcomed everywhere you go. It's rainy season here in Bali, and definitely no wetsuit required.
I've been watching Alex Gray since he was a little stoked grom that reminded me of Pat O' Connell. I never ever turn down a chance to absorb some of the stoking vibes Alex Gray puts out. Sick, proper Superior barrels!! Bucket list items checked and pure stoke and just in case JOB is reading, Psyching out of their minds!!
2016 -2017. I was working in Mishawaka Indiana and meet the owner of the third cost surf shop, I remember seeing his t-shirt. Really, I visited his shop and surfed the lakes. Third coast surfshop New bafloo Michigan. I returned to Southern California and I surf all year long, thanks guys.. Downey California
Too cold! Lol! I walked through snow in South Carolina once. It may have been the biggest perfect waves to ever hit Pawley's Island-bonafide Slabs! BTW, great surfing!
I lived and surfed both coast of Florida for over 25 years .........those waves in the Lake where better than 95% of the waves in Florida ......for sure ! I have however surfed solid 8' top to bottom barrels in the Gulf of Mexico at a rivermouth that hardly ever breaks ......and it was the best surf I had ever seen in Florida ! It lasted about 4-5 hours before a hurricane got a little too close and turned the wind from light to hard offshore ......then dead onshore for the next couple days ! Never saw it get close to that good anywhere in Florida except a couple times at Reef rd back in the 1980's ! Not sure why but Reef Rd used to handle massive swells better than it does now ! I've seen it easily 3x overhead and damn near perfect back then a couple times a winter ! Something changed in the mid to late nineties and I never saw it any bigger than double overhead and good again !
Where on the gulf? I’ve been surfing California the past 8 years, and had to move to Fla. im near treasure island beach. Drove to satellite beach a week ago, and it was pretty good. Good enough to snap my board.
@@sleepinglion1192 The rivermouth is still there on Captiva island ! Technically between Sanibel and Captiva island ! It seems to pick up more swell than anyplace else on the West coast ! AMI and Ft.Desoto would be closer and offer decent surf on the rare occasions when there is swell in the bathtub known as the Gulf of Mexico ! The best you can hope for is a tropical storm or Hurricane that sits in the Gulf for more than just a day or two without hitting the west coast ! When a head high ground swell hits certain spots in the Gulf .......you can find world class waves ! When it's cold front onshore windslop........your lucky if you get 6 hours of clean surf the morning after ! Gotta be on it though because it will be gone with the first tide change ! There are also a couple spots just north of Captiva (like Cayo Costa and North Captiva island) that get really good ......but the currents and sharks are very dangerous even for experienced surfers and you'll need at least a reliable jet ski to even consider ! (And balls of steel because it's known Hammerhead breeding grounds ! Big ones too ! I've been thrown out of the water pushing my luck there !)
@@wisdomoverfear2685 Yeah, it's Blind Pass that separates Sanibel from Captiva Island just west of Fort Myers. It's not classic "river mouth" technically but just a cut through inlet from the Inter-coastal water to the Gulf of Mexico. There's a small bridge that crosses the inlet with paid parking on both sides of the inlet (meter parking). It has to be constantly dredged because it constantly fill in with sand. There's a real short Jetty on the north side of the Inlet with no jetty (just a rounded shore line) on the south side. When the conditions are right, it can produce perfect barrels with a surprising amount of power. It breaks on Tropical Storms and after strong cold fronts with NW winds blowing across the Gulf. Usually the day after a strong cold front in the Winter the spot will produce some nice chest high barrels with the wind switching to N.E. offshore and then weakening over time. Jump on it while it last, because it won't last long. Tropical Storm swells can be ridiculous with head high barrels, glassy conditions, no wind of slight offshore wind. But again, it won't last long so you really have to be there at the right time to catch it just right. It's arguable one of the best (most hallow) tube waves spot on the Florida Gulf Coast when it breaks.
@@wisdomoverfear2685 I believe it. I just saw a video of Alex gray surfing reef barrels on LAKE Superior in Minnesota. And that’s just a lake! , with no hurricanes. So, Gulf of Mexico should certainly offer up some waves with the right hurricane.
Well it depends on where in FL, I use to live in Jupiter (WPB) and the waves there, Reef Road, Delray Beach and other spots on the east coast are just awesome!
Alex you are the super score lord you scored unalaska like no other ,and then you score the lake ,i want to go on a trip with you cause i know your going to score ,thanks for all the double doubles you used to bring to CI carp for all the boys in the factory 🙏
When I first found out about surfing up there, I had just moved back home to be near friends and family but give up surfing. Just think about how many other amazing spots there are up there.
Did you ever hear of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald?" And that's not the only ship that has sunk in the Great Lakes. Of course the lakes have big waves.
After one too many headbutting contests wit da reef in '06 .. that I lost .. baaaadly .. I am just stoked wit all da memories of surfing empty 8 to 10 ft Marconies, 7th Hole Kahuku, Bills Bowl, Crouching Lions n outside Pua'enas and maaaagical Rabbit Island and soo many other spots in town n east side n country. Lucky I wuz BNR in Kailua and here now in da Columbia River Gorge at 59 .. hapuna kine .. an freezing da alas een Decembah .. I would not have thought one could get legitimate barrels .. in Minnesota .. like whaa !? But "proof is in da poi," bra !! Mahalos Alex !!
I went there last October and it was pretty dope. From SD had a gf from there and we drove to Canada border up that coast. Fresh water is trippy too I guess
Wow that is killer! I knew there waves on the Great Lakes but not this good! By Christ it looks cold though! At the worst I wear a 4/3 in winter, I don’t think that would cut it in those waters!
You're absolutely less boyant. I would say from the surfers guests 15% less. I ride a 6-ft 9-in board and it used to be a 6 ft 2 inch ship. Pretty identical
I go out when I can. Lake Superior is no joke. Great video. You get used to this in a ,4/3 suit... Stoney will go triple overhead if you get the right day
To be honest, I don't think I will make it in this life, but I would give my left nad to try surfing in a freshwater lake. No salt, bluebottles or sharks. What a surreal experience. You're lucky to live where you can do it. Hell, if I lived in America, I would have a kickass gun as well. Already got the Dodge.
There's a small but passionate surf community in Minnesota. The conditions needed for this type of surf are specific and rare, but there are a handful of winter storms that create waves like this. We make do with what we've got in the midwest. Duluth has great downhill mountain biking despite not having any mountains. We ski on the north shore at Lutsen even those it's a less than 1000' verticle. Everything extreme sports related is "better" out west but there's pride in making things work in your own backyard.
Low expectations but a positive attitude wins the day.
Not sure why anyone would praise low expectations.
Seems more positive to hope for the best and except whatever's dealt.
I have low expectations for stellar waves in my bathtub.
Should I get my board out just in case.
My comment is a bit acerbic, sorry, wife and I are not getting along.
Mark Henry
Being able to surf and not have to worry about
sharks or someone dropping in on you is
enough to make you almost forget how cold
the water is. Cool video
So sick! Some of the best waves I’ve seen filmed in the Great Lakes!
Back in the day, before TH-cam, we used to surf Lake Michigan in Chicago.
People today still don’t understand that those huge lakes have very impressive waves.
Maybe NOW someone will believe me when I say I've seen 25' waves in Lake Michigan. I've lived in Michigan all my life. When I visited the ocean for the first time, it was disappointing. It looked like Lk. Michigan , Huron , or Superior. Except it was cloudy, not as clear. We are really blessed to have our own " inland seas" in the states bordering the Great Lakes!
getting barreled in minnesota must be an exclusive club lol
That’s crazy ! Look the size of these waves ! This is fresh water lake guys ! This is insane ! I’ve never seen that in my life !
Superior is a beautiful lake surprisingly ocean like! Just swam in it for the first time this year reminded me of my Hawaii life where I lived for 10 years on the North Shore. 🤙🏾
Lived at Schofield barracks.
Alex, you are a class act. From surfing Baja with Gary Linden to ripping the Great Lakes. How you spoke about the locals, the stoke in your voice, bucket list checked, our community is lucky to have an ambassador with surf credentials like you brother. Much Aloha from Ocean Beach San Diego Ca 🤙🏼
Surfed OB in the early 70's - south of the jetty with a big board. Small boards were coming on and yes, I was a dinosaur.
@@pcm7315 The jetty was my spot especially the real Rock waves then kick out and get a bounce wave. Now I spend most of my time surfing Newbs 33's it's not such a bad thing being a dinosaur. I was just lucky my mom ran circles with skip Frye, Steve Lis
Wow, thanks you! Stoked you like it! I'll keep em coming!
The kid's on fire.
"honestly i had no expectations" - that's the way to do it!
BEST LAKE SURFING EVER. Well done mate. NZ
Lake superior is no joke. Blistering cold huge waves. And just an Erie feeling when I see the big lake.
I'm a born and raised michigander I have swam in all the lakes. Except superior.
I guess it's time to acquire a 7/6 wetsuit and head over to Minnesota 🤣 next thing you know, Minnesota Surf Shop and School, Hipster coffee shops and crowded lineup 😅
I was there my first time last October and am from Encinitas (over the top hipster socal coast town). I can confirm this is already happening up this lakes coastline or whatever its called
No sharks!
@@AuRowe don't need a 7/6. A 4/3 works if you keep moving.. lol
A 4/3 does not work in winter. You need a 5/4 at least but most guys use a 6/5 in the middle of winter. Its the wind that’ll get ya
probably the best lake wave i ever seen !
best surfing ive seen on the great lakes
THIS IS SO AWESOME!!!!!!!! Surfing the mighty Lake Superior. And surfable waves, too!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!
This is my home
Learned to surf on the North shore of Hawaii and then I came back home
@@bunt1691 I'm so excited for you that you got such an INCREDIBLE opportunity! Most of my favorite surfing brethren live there. Pipe is starting to fire!! I hope Superior grants you some terrific waves this winter. Stay warm!!!
"It was a proper wave"...indeed! great video! Format, content narration, music. Really good editing!!
Awesome! Sick barrel, what an amazing adventure! Congratulations
Loved seeing you guys up here! Heading up there to do some fishing right now! Hopefully y’all come back!
Great vid Alex. That gracious attitude of yours will see you welcomed everywhere you go.
It's rainy season here in Bali, and definitely no wetsuit required.
I've been watching Alex Gray since he was a little stoked grom that reminded me of Pat O' Connell. I never ever turn down a chance to absorb some of the stoking vibes Alex Gray puts out. Sick, proper Superior barrels!! Bucket list items checked and pure stoke and just in case JOB is reading, Psyching out of their minds!!
One of the best surf videos I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a LOT! Thanks 🙏🤙🏄💛
Amazingly inspiring! Gold can be found almost anywhere ;)
2016 -2017. I was working in Mishawaka Indiana and meet the owner of the third cost surf shop, I remember seeing his t-shirt. Really, I visited his shop and surfed the lakes. Third coast surfshop New bafloo Michigan. I returned to Southern California and I surf all year long, thanks guys.. Downey California
Best lake wave I’ve seen yet.
I would never have expected that... AMAZING 👍
Un-m'fing-salted- thanks for the amazing vid. The Great Lakes are a national treasure. (both Canadian and American)
Awesome!!!!... I surfed flathead lake here in Montana some odd years ago, during a severe storm
Hobo Dave rules! ❤
I was today years old (64) when I learned you could surf on Lake Superior!! SO COOL!!!😮❤
Cool video. Love when he said “and There was no one out” lol yea no shit…because half the lake was probably covered in ice.
Great video ! Thanks for sharing. Kudos to the Great Lakes surfers in the upper midwest.
Thanks for watching!
Nice looking waves. I like Hobo Dave.
Alex is one of my most favorite surfers but he is so lowkey i see a vid of him like once a year haha.
Cool. Cute little wave.
What an amazing thing to do, brilliant
Too cold! Lol! I walked through snow in South Carolina once. It may have been the biggest perfect waves to ever hit Pawley's Island-bonafide Slabs! BTW, great surfing!
I lived and surfed both coast of Florida for over 25 years .........those waves in the Lake where better than 95% of the waves in Florida ......for sure ! I have however surfed solid 8' top to bottom barrels in the Gulf of Mexico at a rivermouth that hardly ever breaks ......and it was the best surf I had ever seen in Florida ! It lasted about 4-5 hours before a hurricane got a little too close and turned the wind from light to hard offshore ......then dead onshore for the next couple days ! Never saw it get close to that good anywhere in Florida except a couple times at Reef rd back in the 1980's ! Not sure why but Reef Rd used to handle massive swells better than it does now ! I've seen it easily 3x overhead and damn near perfect back then a couple times a winter ! Something changed in the mid to late nineties and I never saw it any bigger than double overhead and good again !
Where on the gulf? I’ve been surfing California the past 8 years, and had to move to Fla. im near treasure island beach. Drove to satellite beach a week ago, and it was pretty good. Good enough to snap my board.
@@sleepinglion1192 The rivermouth is still there on Captiva island ! Technically between Sanibel and Captiva island ! It seems to pick up more swell than anyplace else on the West coast ! AMI and Ft.Desoto would be closer and offer decent surf on the rare occasions when there is swell in the bathtub known as the Gulf of Mexico ! The best you can hope for is a tropical storm or Hurricane that sits in the Gulf for more than just a day or two without hitting the west coast ! When a head high ground swell hits certain spots in the Gulf .......you can find world class waves ! When it's cold front onshore windslop........your lucky if you get 6 hours of clean surf the morning after ! Gotta be on it though because it will be gone with the first tide change ! There are also a couple spots just north of Captiva (like Cayo Costa and North Captiva island) that get really good ......but the currents and sharks are very dangerous even for experienced surfers and you'll need at least a reliable jet ski to even consider ! (And balls of steel because it's known Hammerhead breeding grounds ! Big ones too ! I've been thrown out of the water pushing my luck there !)
@@wisdomoverfear2685 Yeah, it's Blind Pass that separates Sanibel from Captiva Island just west of Fort Myers. It's not classic "river mouth" technically but just a cut through inlet from the Inter-coastal water to the Gulf of Mexico. There's a small bridge that crosses the inlet with paid parking on both sides of the inlet (meter parking). It has to be constantly dredged because it constantly fill in with sand. There's a real short Jetty on the north side of the Inlet with no jetty (just a rounded shore line) on the south side. When the conditions are right, it can produce perfect barrels with a surprising amount of power. It breaks on Tropical Storms and after strong cold fronts with NW winds blowing across the Gulf. Usually the day after a strong cold front in the Winter the spot will produce some nice chest high barrels with the wind switching to N.E. offshore and then weakening over time. Jump on it while it last, because it won't last long. Tropical Storm swells can be ridiculous with head high barrels, glassy conditions, no wind of slight offshore wind. But again, it won't last long so you really have to be there at the right time to catch it just right. It's arguable one of the best (most hallow) tube waves spot on the Florida Gulf Coast when it breaks.
@@wisdomoverfear2685 I believe it. I just saw a video of Alex gray surfing reef barrels on LAKE Superior in Minnesota. And that’s just a lake! , with no hurricanes. So, Gulf of Mexico should certainly offer up some waves with the right hurricane.
Well it depends on where in FL, I use to live in Jupiter (WPB) and the waves there, Reef Road, Delray Beach and other spots on the east coast are just awesome!
I'd love to experience that one day, very cool nice waves.
Greetings from Oz 🇦🇺
here's your open invite to SToNeY PoiNT...best waves come in the worst blizzards.....e.
Dudeee you guys scored! Sick edit! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Love this! 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻
Very cool! Nice barrel!
Id just add. He wasn't alone out there. 4-6 locals also hit those sets up
Correct we have a surf community
Incredible!!!
Alex you are the super score lord you scored unalaska like no other ,and then you score the lake ,i want to go on a trip with you cause i know your going to score ,thanks for all the double doubles you used to bring to CI carp for all the boys in the factory 🙏
Lake Superior❤️✨ love her so much🌬🌊
Wow such a sick video!!
When the winds of November come early
Nice video. I had absolutely no idea that there is a "Creature From The Black Lagoon" in Lake Superior. Wow, how many are there ?
When I first found out about surfing up there, I had just moved back home to be near friends and family but give up surfing. Just think about how many other amazing spots there are up there.
That was amazing
Love this content. Just randomly showed up on my feed. Subscribed!!! Can't wait for the next episode!!!
Ъйлаовбси
3ЭЖ РОФВПГП
OK, this is officially the best Great Lakes surf vid I have seen so far (a TH-cam habit of mine).
SO STOKED YOU LIKED IT!!!!!
Did you ever hear of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald?" And that's not the only ship that has sunk in the Great Lakes. Of course the lakes have big waves.
After one too many headbutting contests wit da reef in '06 .. that I lost .. baaaadly .. I am just stoked wit all da memories of surfing empty 8 to 10 ft Marconies, 7th Hole Kahuku, Bills Bowl, Crouching Lions n outside Pua'enas and maaaagical Rabbit Island and soo many other spots in town n east side n country. Lucky I wuz BNR in Kailua and here now in da Columbia River Gorge at 59 .. hapuna kine .. an freezing da alas een Decembah .. I would not have thought one could get legitimate barrels .. in Minnesota .. like whaa !? But "proof is in da poi," bra !! Mahalos Alex !!
Mind blown 😮
I went there last October and it was pretty dope. From SD had a gf from there and we drove to Canada border up that coast. Fresh water is trippy too I guess
Cool, very very cool!
Pura Vida! 💯% stoked… Aloha braddah!
Sick man!
Wow didn’t expect that .sick
So good, stoke is universal
excellent videography,,surfing skills top of class, Lake Superior!
Thank you very much!
You didn’t make this lmao, this is stolen. It’s like 5 years old
@@FreshwaterFloof i shot this 5 years ago for Surfer, but thanks anyways
Incredibly sick
This is absolute science fiction !!!
Definitely a proper wave
So sick!!
Perfect edit!
Thanks!
Amazed. Legit.
It’s basically a San Diego wave, just a little colder and minus the bum piss.
outstanding -
Dope dope dope !
lake surfing is so cool
Yep!!!! Still a Lake!!! :)
Righteous!!
Impressive.
Well you definitely scored !!! Don't ya knoow 😄
I take my hat 👒 off to you guys ...takes a lot of skill to surf 🏄♀️ 🌊 #courageous 😅
Wow!!!
How to beat the winter blues!
Nice solid 4 footers 🤙🏽
There's a crowd there!
Is there a difference between surfing in fresh water compared to salt water?
Cold asf but no sharks 🦈
In most videos i see them surf in winter conditions over there?. Aren't there good waves in summer ?
...awe...he'e nalu turtle island...maika'i... Aloha nui loa...
Subbing, amazing
My lord its going offff
so sick how was that first wave
that's a great wave.... how often like that? i imagine pretty rare, but super special....
It’s been a stormy winter. There were a bunch out there yesterday before the blizzard… I see them pretty regularly
@@Gotprivacy-noyoudont nice
Wow that is killer! I knew there waves on the Great Lakes but not this good! By Christ it looks cold though! At the worst I wear a 4/3 in winter, I don’t think that would cut it in those waters!
We wear 4/3s in the fall, but getting into late November it's time to put on a 5 or 6
4/3 is our standard.
It's very cold unless we get lucky and get a summer storm
Baltic surfs next? 🤘🏄♂️
Oh and great song by “Hobo Dave”!?
Grew up in Michigan and did not know the waves could get that good.
It was amazing to document!
Didn't you ever visit the beaches??
come through to Marquette !
Amazing. I just read it is freshwater. Is it true? Is the board less bouyant?
I think you can ride your normal PU board, just adjust volume for how much neoprene youre wearing!
You're absolutely less boyant. I would say from the surfers guests 15% less. I ride a 6-ft 9-in board and it used to be a 6 ft 2 inch ship.
Pretty identical
I go out when I can. Lake Superior is no joke. Great video.
You get used to this in a ,4/3 suit... Stoney will go triple overhead if you get the right day
To be honest, I don't think I will make it in this life, but I would give my left nad to try surfing in a freshwater lake. No salt, bluebottles or sharks. What a surreal experience. You're lucky to live where you can do it. Hell, if I lived in America, I would have a kickass gun as well. Already got the Dodge.
Wow I surfed with a guy named ti,in cape Hatteras he work at the surf shop he was from there he was a good surfer to ✌🌎
To me, decent surfable waves in small fetch bodies of water is super intriguing and just as exciting as surfers chasing 100 ft waves at Nazare!!!!!
That's my take but I live here and a 7-2 board
I live on lake Superior. It's very rare that we get good waves but we always get waves
watch out for those northern pikes.. they are known to take off peoples toes ;) ... that looked fun.. but COLD AF.