09/12/2026
As kayak season starts winding down in Door County, surf season is just getting started🏄
We’re always watching the wind to make sure conditions are safe to kayak. But on days like yesterday when southern gusts hit 20+ mph, we trade the paddles for surfboards and head to Whitefish Dunes State Park!
Unlike the ocean, Great Lakes surfing is extremely weather-dependent. Lake Michigan has a shorter “fetch,” or distance for wind to travel over open water and build waves, than an ocean. South winds get almost the entire length of the lake to build before reaching Door County, creating surfing conditions on the peninsula.
We caught these on a warm September evening after work, but Door County’s surf season actually gets better as it gets colder (yes, people here surf in the dead of winter)!
Same lake, different way to play🤙