Sleeping Bear Waterman Camp awaits
From staff reports
Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak’s seventh annual SBX (Sleeping Bear X-treme) Junior Waterman Camp will take place July 24-28. Waterman camp is a unique freshwater surf camp designed and taught by water enthusiasts to create water enthusiasts. The camp has a strong emphasis on the importance of outdoor activity and helps instill a respect for the environment by utilizing the water and marvelous area that we live in to create greater junior watermen out of our students. Every day a new adventure awaits according to the weather. Dependent on the mood of our lakeshore, the Surf & Kayak staff strive to take advantage of every moment of camp and work to expand the knowledge and proficiency of students in surfing, kayaking, standup paddle boarding, free diving, skim boarding and more.
Whether it be learning to surf on peeling waves in Frankfort, playing dune tag in the Sleeping Bear Dunes, free-diving old ship wrecks, kayaking the lakeshore, skim boarding at North Bar, or racing the Supsquatch, this camp is designed to be adventurous, challenging, and fun! No year is the same, but always just as incredible. That’s why students, and instructors, come back year after year.
The Junior Waterman Camp came to life six years ago via inspiration from a surf camp Ella Skrocki attended in Santa Barbara, Calif., as a junior water-woman. No camp existed that focused on surfing, water safety or the phenomenal freshwater lifestyle in Northern Michigan. So, the idea was molded into the unique, wickedly fun, rewarding and skill building camp that it is today with the help of watermen Frank Skrocki, Rod Robertson and Andy Reick.
Andy, our favorite instructor; a dad, nurse, passionate paddler and kayak surfer; has dedicated time from his busy schedule every year to pass on his knowledge and share his stoke for the activities and lifestyle we promote.
“Waterman camp is very unique. You take each day and the weather it provides to choose what to do with Lake Michigan. We teach the campers where to go for certain wind directions and sometimes that means driving an hour north or south on M22. The journey to get to these spots is part of the experience. Having fun with the water whether it’s surfing on a windy day, standup paddle boarding, kayaking, or hiking on a trail admiring it from a distance; Waterman camp gives you a snapshot of tapping into freshwater surf culture.”
The camp is recommended for ages 12 and above, however, do inquire if you or your child is interested in joining camp, for we may be able to make exceptions.
The last six years of camp have been over the top incredible and the staff looks forward to another successful, fun, stoke and smile filled week. Sign up at www.sbsurfandkayak.com/sbx-waterman-michigan-surf-camp or call 231-326-9283 (WAVE). Registration closes July 16.
