Down Wind Sports

With a storm a brewin’ today local surfers donned their wetsuits and hit the beaches for some early season sessions.  Hard to believe that just a few short weeks ago the temperatures were in the 80′s and it sure felt like mid summer around Marquette.  Flash forward to today where the snow was flying and the marine forecast was:

NORTHWEST WINDS UP TO 30 KNOTS WITH FREQUENT GALE FORCE GUSTS UP TO 45 KNOTS. SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. WAVES 10 TO 14 FEET BUILDING TO 12 TO 17 FEET.

With the snow just starting to accumulate on the ground local fixtures on the surf scene-  Mike Horton, Nate Longton, Ross Herr and Corey Steinman hit McCarty’s Cove.  This break is located just to the left of one of the most recognizable landmarks in Marquette, the red Light House.  Along Lakeshore boulevard the break runs from the lighthouse to Picnic Rocks offering fantastic rides.

What better way to spend to experience Lake Superior then on a board with good friends!

Our first major snowstorm hit last night blanketing the U.P. in just over a foot of snow!  Most of our employees are shredding the local hills on skis…but a few have hit the big lake for some fresh water surfing!  Why you may ask?  The reason is that the best surfing is found during the months of  October – March. The more volatile weather in these months brings the wave-producing low-pressure systems required to generate the required conditions on Lake Superior.

Between January and March,  Superior has the most frequent and cleanest surf, provided the lake is not frozen. Summer and late spring/early fall have less frequent surf and it tends on the sloppy side.  30 ft waves are not unheard of on Lake Superior, but there is such a thing as “Too Big” and these definitely fall into that category. Surfable waves can reach 10-12 ft in height, but are typically in the 6-8ft range. Waves on the lake are different than ocean waves. The period is much shorter and the waves are typically accompanied by a large amount of wind. Don’t let this scare you… there is some awesome surfing to be had in these parts. 

So while most of us are so excited that this fresh powder is finally here….guys like Ross Herr are battling the white out conditions to find the perfect waves!

ORGANIC COTTON BAG PROGRAM

Want to save 1% on all of your DWS purchases?  Purchase a Patagonia Organic Cotton bag from us.  Bring it in each time you shop and receive 1% off everything you can fit in the bag – for life!  Get one for yourself and give one as a gift that keeps on giving!

Put some cash back in your pocket, or purse with the Yakima Cash Back rebate program!  Buy a new Yakima rack or accessories between December 1st and January 15, 2012 and you’ll get cold hard cash back from Yakima.

Spend $500.00 or more and get $50.00 back

Spend $400.00 or more and get $40.00 back

Spend $300.00 or more and get $30.00 back

Check out the details here!

In our never ending quest to bring the best possible products to the Upper Midwest we are now proud to say we are a ProBar dealer!

PROBAR is the perfect example of necessity giving birth to invention. In the late 1990s, Art Eggertsen, a natural food chef and snowboard fanatic, was living, working and playing at Utah’s famous Snowbird Ski Resort. He had “the life”: a great job, lots of friends, and plenty of deep snow and steep mountains surrounding him. As a natural chef advocating health and good nutrition, Art quickly built a strong reputation and became known as the local “Food Coach”.

Little did he know his passion for whole foods, and supporting others through their nutritional journey, would soon lead to an explosive opportunity. One day while hitting the slopes, Art found himself absolutely starving. He searched his pack only to find bland-tasting, rock-hard energy bars, which he’d sooner chuck to a squirrel than force down his throat. He considered and quickly rejected the next alternative, greasy slope-side-fare of cheeseburgers, fries, and soda. Lucky for us, his empty stomach would not let him continue so famished.

Determined not to let another day of fresh powder go to waste due to hunger, Art took things into his own hands. He needed a better bar – one that not only tastes great, but packs a substantial nutritional punch. He went to his kitchen and started experimenting. He shared each new bar he created, and there were many, with his food-coaching clients. Soon they were begging for more.

The buzz was contagious. The talk caught the attention of one of Art’s entrepreneurial friends, and before Art knew it he was blending up his first big batch of bars in a local test kitchen. PROBAR was born.

Made from whole, organic, raw foods, and 100 percent vegan, PROBAR is a natural alternative to other nutrition bars which contain unrecognizable, hard-to-pronounce ingredients. Not only are Art’s creations nutritious, but also they actually look appetizing – like real food! Just to top it off, they taste delicious too!

The reason for ProBars success is simple – Integrity. Compared to other bars, PROBAR tastes better and contains high quality ingredients. From the beginning, PROBAR has remained committed to convenient, natural, high-performance nutrition. PROBAR is Art’s project and has never strayed from the integrity of his original recipes.

Never had a ProBar?  Stop by and see all of the fantastic flavors we have including Jeff’s favorite: Halo S’mores!

Well last night was exciting!  With wind speeds recording up to 69 miles per hour in Copper Harbor and 20 foot plus seas on Lake Superior it is really starting to seem like fall around here!  Many communities throughout the Upper Peninsula lost power last night and some are still waiting for the lights to come back on.

The inclement weather didn’t discourage the surfing crowd as 6 dedicated surfers hit the break at Presque Isle this morning to get in a quick session before work.

Hopefully this weather pattern will stick around for the folks coming up next weekend for the Gales- A Storm Gathering, a sea kayaking symposium dedicated to paddling in rough water!

It’s that time of year again!  Twice a year staff from Down Wind Sports attends Outdoor Retailer, which  is a buying show located in Utah.  All of the leading outdoor manufacturers gather to show off their latest gear and clothing at the Salt Palace in downtown Salt Lake City.  There is also a unique opportunity to test stand up boards, kayaks, and various camping gear at the on water demo .  It is a unique opportunity because it allows us to test the gear so that we are able to select what we think would be the best equipment for our customers for the 2012 summer season.  All week Todd, Melanie, Heidi and I will be looking for the hottest  new gear and clothing.  What companies or gear would you like us to bring into Down Wind for the upcoming 2012 summer season?  Check in as we will be posting our reports all week long!

If you have ever traveled to Marquette…my guess is that at some point  you found your way to “the island”.  Presque Isle- or the “island” as true yoopers call it, is located on a 323-acre forested oval-shaped peninsula which juts into Lake Superior just minutes from downtown Marquette.   Designed with guidance from Frederick Law Olmstead, the park was home to the last chief of the local band of Ojibwe people, Charli e Kabagum and it has been a favorite destination since the settlement period of Marquette.  Without a doubt, Presque Isle Park is Marquette’s most beloved attraction, offering residents and visitors year-round outdoor recreation opportunities literally minutes from town!

The park’s jagged shoreline is more than two miles long and contains some of the oldest exposed rock formations in the world. Most of the park is undeveloped woodland including white birch and maple stands, accented with areas of virgin white pine and huge hemlock trees. After renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead visited Presque Isle in September 1891, he wrote:

“A park on this site can have certain natural advantages possessed by no other that I have seen.”

Early residents of Marquette traveled by boat to Presque Isle, since there was a large bog north of the City, and the Dead River to cross just south of Presque Isle. Originally designated as a federal lighthouse reservation, through the efforts of Marquette founder Peter White, the Island was deeded to the City of Marquette by the U.S. Congress on July 12, 1886. White then led the construction of a road to the park that same summer.  Five years later a streetcar line was extended to the park. Presque Isle Park is now connected to downtown Marquette by a bike path which is heavily used in warmer months.

The park supports over 100 species of native plants and diverse landscapes including pebble beaches, rocky coves, high cliffs, bogs, and old-growth forest.  If you keep an eye out you’ll be sure to spot one of the parks friendly deer!

What I love about Presque Isle is the vast number of high quality recreational opportunities it provides.  Want to go bouldering?  The Traverse is a boulder problem located on the black rocks and is a challenging problem situated above the  crashing waves of Lake Superior.

Maybe Stand Up Paddling it your thing.  SUP Paddling around the island offers a unique perspective as you gaze down 30-40  feet of crystal clear Lake Superior water at the rocks and lake bottom.

In the fall as storms kick up on the big lake, local surfers and kite boarders don their wetsuits and head out the the “zoo”.  The prime surfing area is located at middle bay close to where there was an old zoo on the island.  For the best rides, surfers stay near the rocky shore to 100 feet parallel with the shore.  After each ride they simply walk the shore back to get into position again.  This is the cleanest break in around Marquette.

In my opinion the most aesthetically pleasing climbing in the U.P. is at the Pinnacle located on the north side of the island.  Fluid moves on a slightly overhanging wall that rises out of the largest fresh water lake in the world….throw in a climb at sunrise and you’ll see what I mean.

Convenience.  That pretty much sums up the trail running and hiking at Presque Isle.  The island is laced with trails that circumnavigate and criss cross the middle of the island.  Peaceful morning runs or walks can easily take place before work because it’s so darn convenient!

Want to paddle into the perfect sunset?  Presque Isle certainly offers the kayaker the opportunity to do just that!  Launch at Middle Bay and explore the many caves and coves located on the island.

Locals have been cliff diving off of blackrocks for decades.  Located on the north end of the island the diving site will have dozens of people looking to cool down on hot summer days by jumping into the cool waters of Lake Superior.

When the wind and waves kick up you can be sure that a good portion of Marquette residents head to the island to see the action!  Presque Isle is the perfect spot to witness how powerful Lake Superior is.

Currently the park is a national competition and is ranked 20th out of 100 finalists in the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2011 This Place Matters Community Challenge.  You can help in securing funds for the island by voting for Presque Isle!  To find out more information and to vote click here

From skiing, snowshoeing, scuba diving, fishing, walking, picnics, and napping there is something for everyone at the island.  So if you are traveling to Marquette this summer make sure you take time out to visit and recreate at Presque Isle, it truly is the gem of Marquette!

Pete making his way back to the beach…

Not a whole lot to say here… with all the wind yesterday we had some pretty good waves on the east side of the Keweenaw. So, last night we headed out to Big Traverse to check out the conditions… and did we ever find conditions!

Enjoy the pics!

Pete paddling out past the breakwall…

Cameron (I think) getting a good long ride…

Mr. Mancini bringing out the SUP…

Those big Stand Up boards can be a little difficult to handle in 25-35 mph winds… John makes it look easy

Yeah… it’s a little like that!

Towards the end of last week my friend John Mancini and I were looking at the wave forecasts for Lake Superior. On Saturday the conditions were looking decent with forecasts calling for 3-5 foot waves on the east side of the peninsula. Nothing huge, but a great opportunity to take out our Demo Bic Stand Up Paddle Board and see if we could have some fun. On Saturday we woke up with a couple of inches of snow on the ground. Fortunately, that’s not uncommon around here and everyone was well prepared. We headed out to Big Traverse and when we arrived things weren’t looking good. The lake was looking pretty calm with maybe some 1-2 footers. But, wait… what’s that… sets of waves? Really? Now, all waves come in sets. But here on the lakes we are used to so much calm water between sets. It usually just fluctuates between big chop and slightly less big chop. So, John suited up and out he went.

John Mancini paddling out of Big Traverse…

It was a little chilly with some snow in the air and a recently not frozen Lake Superior…

Getting lower on the board makes punching through waves a little more manageable…

Once out there were some great waves and some good long rides to be had…

It doesn’t always go perfectly… When surfing you want to get back on the board to keep the nose up… but not too far back!

John getting the hang of it, making some turns, having fun…

Waiting for the next set…

Surfing on Lake Superior… believe it!

Remember to always surf with a partner. Here in the U.P. conditions tend to be pretty extreme and if something goes awry it’s good to have someone on hand… to take photos. FYI – equipment being used: Patagonia R4 Hooded Wetsuit, Bic 11’4″ ACS SUP, Werner Carve Paddle.