Lake Michigan: Undiscoverd Ocean of the North

The Undiscovered Ocean of the North

Author: Matt and Keegan Myers
Published: Nov 2003 issue of Kiteboarding Magazine, www.kiteboardingmag.com

Freshwater waves came crashing into the Point Betsie lighthouse break-wall, waking us up.  It was already going off. Rolling out of the back of the RV, some of the best kiteboarders in the world prepared to blaze a trail across one of the greatest inland sites in North America: Lake Michigan.

This moment was a year in the making. Growing up in Northern Michigan and discovering the state’s epic kiting spots, we started dreaming about setting up a kiteboarding shop and school there. After busting ass for a full year and hooking up with positive people, we established Broneah Kiteboarding in Traverse City and launched this summer trip down the shore of Michigan’s freshwater ocean. Cruising along in our 24-foot motor home with a 16-foot trailer were Niccolo Porcella, Zachary Kleppe, Bri Chmel, Andy Hurdman, Ryan Riccitelli, Tim Blanchard and Joe Bidawid. On the most amazing trip ever to hit the Midwest, our mission was to convince these stars that Michigan is a premier kiteboarding destination.

Day 1-June 28
The crew rolled into the Detroit airport with tons of gear and open minds about what they were getting themselves into. We united at Broneah Boardsports, our sister store in Southern Michigan, to get acquainted and meet some local kiters. After packing the trailer full to the brim with kiteboarding equipment of every type, the riders stuffed themselves into the motor home to start out seven-day road trippin’ adventure. A cross-state trek ended at 3 a.m. at Grand Haven State Park’s sandy beach, with Zach (aka Grom) demanding to sleep under the stars wrapped in his kite quiver.

Day 2-June 29
“Holy s#!%, I cant believe how clear the water is! This is no lake- this looks more like the ocean.” The crystal-clear aqua water of Lake Michigan gets that reaction a lot. We headed to Muskegon expecting wind, but it stayed steady at about 10 knots all day. Thats a little too light to ride, but perfect for chillin’ on the beach. We played a serious game of bocce ball that led us from unsuspecting hottie to hottie. A few local girls picked us up and took us to dinner. Thats right, there’s nothing like Midwestern hospitality. They then made the huge mistake of inviting us to their house for the night to party and hang out. This sick pad had a huge deck overlooking Lake Muskegon, a short canal away from Lake Michigan. A game of flip cup loosened us all up as the mojo spread. Zach was a natural at flip cup, attempting to win the game and become initiated as a rider into the local Michigan Mafia crew, while Hurdman’s mad amounts of effort and determination resulted in “true love,” at least for a night.

Day 3-June 30
We were all stoked to finally be on the water together at Little Point Sable, and incredibly large, open beach on one of the farthest points off the Western Michigan shoreline. A light breeze early on allowed us to ride our surfboards and light-wind gear. Later in the afternoon, the winds picked up to a steady 20 knots and we were all lit and going off, with a picture-perfect backdrop of dunes and sugar sand. After a full day of riding, we continued north. Just as the sun sank, we arrived at Point Betsie, an epic kiting spot in Northern Michigan, where we shared stories with some of the locals over toasted marshmallows.

Day 4-July 1
Point Betsie is a classic wind site, and our crew made the most of it. As the morning breeze started to build, Matt and Ryan took a plane ride to get some aerial photos of the super-lit, sick session that Zach, Andy, Timmy and Keegan had. Andy was busting huge airs and killing it all over. A full morning of kiting gave way to a sunset wakeboarding session in Traverse City. Zach went for a speed record, while Andy impressed us all with his wakeboard and wakeskate skills.

Day 5-July 2
What’s the best place to chill in all of Michigan? Gotta be Mackinac Island. The only way to get around is by foot, horse and, of course, kite. On our way there, we crossed the five-mile bridge that separates Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas and crowded into the cab of the motor home to catch a view of the whitecaps and stiffie Michigan flags. The island turned out to be a pretty epic setting for Niccolo to throw down gnarly kite loops as the Mackinac Bridge, a clone of the Golden Gate, loomed in the background.

Day 6-July 3
As the days of traveling in a tightly packed group in the motor home wore on, we all decided just to stay in our home base of Traverse City. Luck for us, so did the wind. We were able to kite right out in front of our pad all day, with winds blowing southwest around 20 knots. Timmy B surprised us all with raleys and one-handed flat spins, while Grom practiced his handle passes and kite loops. We all rode for about three hours until the winds went down with the sun. That night, we loaded up with Red Bull  and vodka and got lit up in the city, the staged and after-parting in the hot tub.

Day 7-July 4
Nothing says Fourth of July like an independence party. Tons of friends filled the beach and home of Broneah on a perfect sunny day. Who cared that the wind was light wen you’re blessed with beautiful women entertaining you in an afternoon photo session. Of course, later in the afternoon when the wind switched and started to blow, we jumped onto the water. The party-goers turned into a captive audience to watch the athletes bust out. As the day turned into night, the riders rejoined the party, where the music was loud, the campfire huge, the woman abundant and the vibration very chill.

Day 8-July 5
On our last day together, we dragged our hangovers onto a relaxing ride on the Nauti-Cat, a 47-foot catamaran out of Traverse City. As the sun shone down, we talked about the past week – huge smiles all around. The beauty of the Great Lakes impressed everyone with clear water every day, solid wind and fantastic scenery. Niccolo even said he wanted to live in Michigan someday. Zach thought the beaches were just like Florida’s, and the whole scene exceeded his greatest expectations. Hurdman and Kleppe thought the area was so nice that they extended their plane tickets for an extra week to train on the Traverse City waters. Mission accomplished.

SPECIAL THANKS:
Huge thanks to Matt Sr. and Mary Myers fro all the hookups, cooking and hospitality. Dibs to Doug Hoverter of Frankfort Flying Service for the aerial views and to the crew of Nauti-Cat for the cruise. Thanks to the most happening place on Mackinac Island, Village Inn, and to Star Line Ferry for transporting all of us back and forth. And much appreciation to the National Cherry Festival people for supporting our sport.