Colorado River's Big Sur

Is a standing wave that only occurs when the flow rate gets above 20,000 cfs.

It has been at about 30,000 cfs recently.

DenverPost reports: Once-in-a-generation wave continues in Debeque Canyon

With waves surging to nearly head high, strong surfers can ride the never-ending wave nonstop for more than an hour on uncrowded days.

[via AdventureJournal]

The article mentions a person who has made the 4-hour round-trip from Vail four times this month.

Message boards indicate people from Utah and Montana are making the trip to experience this wave. Even a person in Connecticut is going west to surf in the Colorado River.

This kind of dedication is why a whitewater park in downtown Traverse City seems like a great idea.

A Great Lakes Experience

Is Unsalted - A documentary on surfing the Great Lakes.



There are people who don't mind driving eight hours for maybe three hours of potential surfing.

Via Adventure Journal: More Core than Core: Surfing the Great Lakes

But a whitewater park provides steady conditions year-round and can be designed to accommodate surfers.

A whitewater park would give Traverse City another destination experience.

The View From Endeavour

On May 28th Astronaut Gregory Johnson (Astro_Box) tweeted from the Space Shuttle:

“A near perfect overflight of Long Lake (Traverse City, MI) from the Cupola yesterday. Very excited!”



I can see my house from here!

Speaking Of The Bigger Picture...

I don't follow this...

Elected officials worked hard to save Pure Michigan.

Senator Walker even introduced a bill to provide permanent funding for Pure Michigan.

Many of the Pure Michigan ads focus on the state's great water resources.



So why would our Senator Walker co-sponsor SB 168, which according to Great Lakes Echo is a proposal that would exempt some road projects from wetlands requirement ?

The Few, The Proud, The Cold Weather Surfers

People who surf the Great Lakes in the winter are different. They are fanatical. They are obsessive. Or as the Lake County News Chronicle from Two Harbors says "the fanatics from the Superior Surf Club who will drop everything to catch good waves". (See: Catching a cold wave)

And this is the value in establishing a whitewater/surf park downtown on the Boardman River. It would create a year-round downtown destination for people from all over the midwest who were in search of getting their wave fix.

This is why I support the Traverse City Whitewater Park.

Build It And They Will Come

Surfers are known as people who will chase waves - going to where they need to be for the experience.

The recent October wind storm brought people to the Great Lakes for the surfing experience. See: High winds bring surfers to city

And a Canadian writer describes their trip to Lake Michigan for some late season surfing. See: Chill thrill: November is the best month for surfing on Lake Michigan

People are obviously willing to travel for the experience of good waves. Imagine what an always available Traverse City Whitewater park would do for tourism!

Why Not Whitewater?

Traverse City Whitewater has a page at Facebook now. Join it. A recent posting indicates they are just about to form a non-profit but need board members and volunteers.

I recently read an article that pointed out how something as simple as a single standing wave can make a city a destination. See MIL: Surfing In Munich

Here's a video from this park in Munich. Why not Traverse City? Look at the crowds watching these people surf. This would be a huge draw for downtown:

The Colorado Town That Grew Around A Whitewater Park

This story is indicative of what Traverse City could do in the Midtown area along the Boardman River.

See GOOD: Urban Pastoral: Taking the city to the suburbs

And doesn't this sound like Traverse City:

Buena Vista gave the go-ahead, to the chagrin of some town old-timers who believed, as Katie used to, that all development was evil. They liked Buena Vista precisely because it never changed, so even smart growth was bad growth in their eyes

The idea of a downtown Traverse City whitewater park is not that crazy. See NorthernExpress: A Whitewater Park for Traverse City?

Water Trails

Many communities across America are considering and organizing water trails for canoers and kayakers. American Rivers calls them "Blue Trails" and have launched a web site to help communities get started.

See: Blue Trails Guide

Welcome to The Blue Trails Guide

The Blue Trails Guide by American Rivers provides step-by-step instructions for developing thriving blue trails, the water equivalent to hiking trails, in your community.

To have a successful blue trail you need to have a healthy river, which is why this guide focuses on river conservation. You will find practical advice on planning, building, and managing for conservation and case studies from experts across the country.

This guide will help your community protect and restore your rivers and landscapes through recreation.

Traverse City Water Festival

DECEMBER 12 - 14,2008

The Water Festival seeks to attract, entertain, educate and activate individuals and communities.The first Traverse City Water Festival will take place at the City Opera House on Friday and Saturday, December 12th and 13th, and at the Grand Traverse Commons on Sunday, December 14th.

The full schedule. However, as I rule I do not attend events featuring group drumming.