"Surfing the Great Lakes" ( Expanded second edition now available!)
An insider's guide to monster waves along North America's fresh coast.
By P.L. Strazz
Photography by John Ruebartsch, Magilla Schaus, Dave Hansen, Brian Stabinger, Ken Furminger
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240 pages |
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250 photos |
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More than 200 surf spots |
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Maps, charts and weather tables |
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Personal stories from real Great Lakes surfers |
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Plus: bodyboarding, windsurfing, kayaking and skimboarding |
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$16.95 U.S. ($22.95 Canada) |
Recently expanded, "Surfing the Great Lakes" unlocks the mystery of freshwater surfing across each of the lakes with 10 chapters of information about freshwater waves, weather systems, surfing techniques and surfing locations. The book also details the 40-year history of the sport, provides insider tips from active surfers, and explores the unique, natural beauty of the Great Lakes water system.
The buzz:
"Predicting surf requires basic knowledge because each lakeshore develops waves under different circumstances. A comprehensive source for this and other information is the book "Surfing the Great Lakes" by P. L. Strazz. It covers everything an aspiring surfer would need, in a simple, entertaining format."
--The New York Times
"Have you ever met a surfer from Sheboygan, Wis.? Did you know Stony Point, Minn., gets head-high and glassy on a northeast swell? Would you have ever thought you could get tubed in Illinois? I wouldn't have believed any of these things had I not experienced the magic of Great Lakes surfing last fall. And now, with P.L. Strazz's new book "Surfing the Great Lakes," you too will have your mind blown by this detailed look at the secret society of inland surfers. Aside from one of the best collections of Great Lakes surf photos ever assembled, there's insightful profiles, classic stories, interviews, maps, charts and tips on how to best adapt to life on the Lakes. If you're part of the land-locked brigade, this book is an absolute must. But even if you're happily coastal, it makes for a great conversation piece."
--Surfer
"Surfing the Great Lakes" documents the waves and core-by-core any measure surfers of the region in lighthearted but encyclopedic fashion. It’s a worthwhile acquisition, and a fun read."
-Surfer's Journal
Perhaps the best parts of Surfing the Great Lakes are the numerous photos of lake surf. It's rare to find quality pics from the region, but Strazz's book contains a multitude of freshwater shots...images of perfect point breaks, hollow sections, and overhead peaks are capable of persuading even the most stringent nonbelievers."
--Eastern Surf Magazine
"Filled with interviews and profiles about area locals, and lots of first-hand accounts of favorite swells and sessions, nearly 30 contributors proudly describe the nuances of a foreign community filled with more strange birds than the Galapagos Islands. The result reads more like an ethnography: one that is for Great Lakes surfers and by Great Lakes surfers... concrete evidence that the Great Lakes surfer not only exists, he thrives."
--Swell.com
"Surfing the Great Lakes! I would have thought...nonsense! ...Strazz makes clear that the facts tell us otherwise...It is a delightful little book packed with information not only about surfing but also about weather and water."
--Buffalo News
"P.L. Strazz has written the seemingly impossible: a book about surfing on Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario...This is a fun book...certainly one of the more unusual titles around."
--Chicago Tribune
"A fascinating overview of the little-known sport....liberally sprinkled
with maps, charts, instructions and photos of Great Lakes surf that
will make believers out of the most skeptical readers."--Detroit News
"One of the most unusual books you're likely to find about the region."
--Ashtabula Star Beacon
"Packed with black-and-white pictures of surfers zooming down head-high waves. The scenes look like they could be in Hawaii or Southern California, except for details that are jarringly Midwestern."
--St. Paul Pioneer Press
"Who needs the ocean?"
--Indianapolis Star
"The 240-page paperback isn't just a technical manual. It is also thick with photographs that provide proof of Great Lakes surfing, along with testimonials from the faithful."
--Waukegan News Sun