Friday, October 17, 2008

PSF- A Secret Wisconsin Sport

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

We are big sports fans in Wisconsin. Whether it be football, baseball, hunting, hockey, fishing, skiing, or drinking we like our sports. Most people know how big the Packers and the Badgers are in Wisconsin. And now that the Brewers went to the playoffs this year you may even know we have a baseball team too. Have you heard of the Bucks? Because they are our "professional" basketball team.

But there is another sport in Wisconsin that very few people know about. Surfing. Are you surprised? I am every time I think about it. I can't imagine getting in that cold water for hours on end like the surfers do, but there they are every time the waves show themselves. There is actually a large surfing contest held in my hometown every year and we have become known as one of the top fresh water surfing sites in the world.

I have proof. See? Just a few of them on this day waiting for the big waves that were predicted.
This was a relatively calm day, but there are days the waves are huge. Our rip tides are very dangerous because not only will it suck you down but your limbs are half frozen by the cold temperature of the water making it tougher to get out of. We have had many rescues by our local Coast Guard station this year alone though most where for high school kids jumping off the pier or fisherman that had capsized.
The surfers are usually very careful. Although seeing them come out of the water with frozen icicles on their face makes me wonder about their sanity. But I had three boys in less than four years, so who am I to judge?

38 comments:

kimmy said...

I know what you mean...every year on January 1st, they have the Lobster Dip here in Maine. They run into the ocean and then run out! The water temperature must be around 39 degrees! CRAZY!!!!

Kimmy

lime said...

i am shivering thinking about it!

Fire Hunt said...

I would love to go surfing one day but it will be hot if I do it.

Chrissy said...

Ha. That last sentence really puts it in perspective.

Mom24 said...

Wow! I think that's all I've got. Wow! And I complain that the rec center pool's too cold.

imbeingheldhostage said...

Hah! That puts it in perspective, doesn't it :-)
I did NOT know you had surfing, this was an educational PSF for me!

Tam said...

OK yeah I am shocked about the Surfing there....not what I thought of...LOL

Izzy, Emmy 'N Alexander said...

I never would have guessed you could surf in Wisconsin! I learn something new every day!

Thanks for sharing the photos! It looks very cold!!

Please VISIT My PSF. Thank You!

CC said...

Wow. Surfing?? It is so strange to me that a lake can even have tides and waves?! I know a surfer here in NW, where the ocean water comes straight down from Alaska. Brrrrrr!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Who knew?
I would have never guessed that!
It makes me shiver to think of it!

Weeksie50 said...

Brr. Even the pictures look cold..

Jaysi said...

No Way!! I would never. I can hardly stand getting in that lake at the peak of summer!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, I learned something new about Wisconsin. And that last line is just perfect!

Kelly said...

I'm a little chilly after looking at those pictures! Brrr.

I had to LOL at your last line!

JEWELGIRL said...

Okay, I am feeling super chilly over
at my house after viewing these
pictures.......Bbbbrrrrrr!

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

That and the polar bear plunge of course. :)

No way. No how. :)

Wendy said...

Nice post. I have never surfed and live in landlocked Oklahoma so have only been to "big" water 8 or so times. It does look challenging and especially in the cold!

Unknown said...

I honestly had no idea you had surfer dudes up your way! Cool. Literally. ; )

Anonymous said...

Obviously incredibly keen! It is tradition here to go paddling (some swim) in the North Sea on New Year's Day. I've never done it yet.

CJ xx

Tammy said...

How about the Polar Dives on January 1st...now that is a true sport. Too bad the Badgers are sucking it up this year. My son's bedroom is decorated in Wisconsin Sports...minus the Bucks.

Robyn said...

That has to be seriously cold. I've heard of them dong that on Lake Superior and that lake is always freaking cold.

Anonymous said...

That is a whole level of commitment that I appreciate.

Anonymous said...

Brrr. I cannot imagine. I'm a big wuss when it comes to cold water.

Roxy Wishum said...

It never crossed my mind that Wisconsin might have surfing. I am sure the bodysuits keep the core temps up. I would try it! Thanks for the education. It is embarrassing how little I know about the Great Lakes.

Anonymous said...

You forgot a sport: eating cheese. I would love to go there JUST for the cheese. I miss my Scottish cheese.

Great surprise about the surfing, who would have thought?! And...great last line! You crack me up.

Kristen said...

I was going to say that maybe they are the ones who should be seeking sanity?! :)

I remember hearing about Lake Michigan and 6 ft waves. But I too remember how cold the Lake was. Seriously freezing to death in JULY! (I grew up on the east side of the Lake)

Great PSF!

Hannah said...

That's making me cold just imaginging it. *shivvers*

I can't stand being cold... or hot. Unless I'm HOTT-- I like that kind.

Chris said...

That is amazing! I have never heard of fresh water surfing. That's really cool -- and probably cold.

Blessings From Above said...

Three boys in less than four years??? You deserve some sort of MAJOR award!

I live close to Lake Erie and I've never heard of fresh water surfing. It sounds really cool!

Jessa said...

While it doesn't surprise me that people brave Lake Michigan to surf, I had to chuckle that you added drinking as one of the state's sports. As another WI native, I'm in complete agreeance!

Momisodes said...

Wow! I could barely go knee deep in the Pacific in SoCal. These surfers are troopers!

The beach looks amazing though :)

Lindsay said...

Wow - I had NO idea. That's nuts. Know what hubby just said?? WI is aa pretty cool state. Who knew?!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Teenagers!! Crazy.

I love staying at the Dells' water resorts and watching the local kids ride on the surfing machine thingies. You know what I mean, right? The forced water thing?

AMAZING.

david mcmahon said...

They'd love our surf beaches!

Bren said...

Surfers in Wisconsin? Who'd have thunk it?

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

I'm with Bren, who would have thought? Are they wearing wet suits? I'm a wuss, sounds way too cold for me!

Rachel said...

LOL -- I would NEVER have thought there were surfers there. But, then, I didn't expect surfers here in Houston but they're at the beach every time!

By the way, congrats on those gorgeous roses. Those are my favorite type of roses too!

Cecily R said...

GREAT shots...I can't believe people surf in water like that...it makes my headache just thinking about it!!!

Words To Live By

Be grateful for each new day.
A new day that you have never lived before.
Twenty-four new, fresh, unexplored hours to use usefully and profitably.
We can squander, neglect, or use them.
Life will be richer or poorer by the way we use today.
Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could;
some blunders and absurdities crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson