James Lasak, a May outdoor recreation and leadership management graduate, developed an interest in sea kayaking after attending a presentation by a Munising outfitter in one of his NMU classes. He made it a year-round passion, whether assisting with tours along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore during summer breaks, or—inspired by local legend Surfer Dan—paddling more impressive waves in a wetsuit during the winter. His post-graduation job is also on Lake Superior, managing an adventure tourism company that offers sea-kayaking tours of the Apostle Islands.
Lasak wrote a blog post about his introduction to sea kayaking at NMU and his winter kayak surfing endeavors. It was featured by Lake and Company, a Minnesota-based lifestyle brand, magazine and retailer. Because Great Lakes waves are wind-generated, Lasak stated, catching ideal conditions requires braving the worst, bitter cold weather. While the number of board surfers dwindles as water temperatures drop, Surfer Dan is an exception.
“Amidst the blistering whiteouts throughout the northern winters, you'll find a ‘Yooper' with a tolerance for cold above the rest, carving up the lake's violent waves with an eloquence akin to that of a ballerina; unwavering to the water he shares with miniature icebergs as he glides by," Lasak wrote. "It was Dan who planted the seed in my mind. If he can be out there surfing waves on a board year-round, surely I can, too.
“The moment I decide to paddle into a wave, and feel the propulsion as I drop down the face of it, I fade into the most present state of mind I can fathom. … All senses go wild—the sharpness of the ripping north wind in my nose; the view of vibrant colors of fall leaves or fat snowflakes that highlight the shore; the sting of water on my face as it turns to ice; and the taste of the purest water. All played to the tune of exploding waves that break over the top of me. A symphony of senses. There is no time to think—only to react and to be.”
He had hit it hard in the fall surf his senior year, Lasak said during an NMU phone interview, but the recent historic winter actually provided too much extreme weather. The conditions prohibited him from getting out on the water after January.
“Once the ice shelves move in, that messes with the wave dynamic. And when it comes to launching a kayak, you need beach; you can't just launch off an ice shelf. I did some cool ice caves kayaking in the Apostle Islands, but I wasn't able to chase winter surf in the Marquette area as long as I would have liked.”
Lasak said the president of the Munising outfitter that employed him wanted to start a similar operation in Bayfield. He helped to get Apostle Islands Kayaking Express started between academic years at NMU, and has returned there to continue the work on a more consistent basis. The company transports kayakers by boat to offshore launch locations near the sea caves of Devil's Island and the stone blocks of Stockton Island.
“I'm always looking to keep learning and find ways to forward my credentials in the outdoor recreation realm,” said Lasak, whose dad is also an NMU alumnus. “I'll keep my certifications updated in sea kayaking and as a wilderness first responder, but I'm taking an EMT course this fall to hopefully upgrade to a wilderness medical technician. This past winter, I got a captain's license. I'm a certified merchant mariner who can drive commercial vessels up to 200 tons. I also hope to get a paramedic certification in the future so I can do something with search and rescue, whether in the front country or back country.”
Watch a previous local TV news report on Lasak's winter sea kayak surfing adventures here. Read his Lake and Company blog post here.
