July 13, Surfrider Chicago had the great pleasure of spending part of a day with OUTDOOR AFRO ("Where black leadership, black people and nature meet!") at Montrose Beach, immersing them in the sport of surfing. OA specializes in creating outdoor adventures for African-Americans. Their recent group activities include camping, biking, SUP, mountain climbing … and now surfing. (A couple summers ago they climbed Mt Kilimanjaro. They are kind of badass.)
It was a battalion of Great Lakes surfer-volunteers who showed up to lend their expertise (Hey, thanks Pat-Rex-Judith-Channel-Amanda-Dave-SteveB-SteveA-Kurt-Mike-Kevin-Ramon-Leah-Gaston!). We had one-on-one teaching, first on the dry sand, then in the water. By the end of the session, everyone was getting launched on boards, experiencing the sensation of being borne aloft on the water (sorry, no waves on this particular day). We covered the basics of water safety as well. Surfrider Chicago loves making new friends, and looks forward to more water adventure with them. (We’ll invite them to come and spectate next time there are big waves – or reconvene for Phase II session featuring smaller waves.)
For Surfrider Chicago, sharing/spreading the stoke, and fostering a LOVE FOR OUR LAKE, are always worthy goals. In Outdoor Afro, we met the perfect group of outdoor enthusiasts, eager for thrills and experience. Surfing the Great Lakes seems like the perfect focus for them. They are ready for the challenge.
Learn more about Outdoor Afro here. And thanks to Kayak Chicago for much necessary ground-water support.
