Ohio River Surfing Magazine - Summer 2022 by Shannon Thomas

Our Mission At the Ohio River Surfing Association our mission is to grow river surfing in the state of Ohio, create lasting and safe river waves, promote river use safety, advocate for the health of the rivers we surf, and foster an inclusive whitewater community. Current OhioRSA Members Eric JeremyTishaShaunJenEricJoeyRosemaryHannahGeorgeNancyShannonKateJonesThomasThomasEnrightMahargSermonsWeltonMaioccoGibsonMcLeodTaitMcCombsHartt Jen CharlesTomMikeMcLeodHarveyOkaBurns Jered Raflik Nikki DaytonRaflikRaflik Jorge Sanchez Continuing the growth and production of new river waves fosters community and environmental stewardship amongst a growing river surfing community all over the state of Ohio. All membership dues and sponsors go toward maintaining the overhead of Ohio RSA and all remaining funds go towards community projects and events. BECOME A MEMBER TODAY! BECOME A SPONSOR TODAY! www.ohioriversurfing.org The Ohio River Surfing Association is a non profit organization run by a board of members on a solely volunteer basis 2

SPRING-SUMMER 2022 ISSUE PUBLISHER Shannon Thomas EDITOR Nancy Enright LAYOUT DESIGNER Shannon Thomas CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Hannah Sermons, Nancy Enright, Eric Jones, Shannon Thomas, Kate Thomas, Jeremy Hartt PHOTOGRAPHERS:CONTRIBUTING Austin Gordan, Shannon Thomas Troy Ball OHIORSA BOARD PRESIDENT: Eric Jones VICE PRESIDENT: Kate Thomas TREASURER: Rosemary Welton MARKETING: Shannon Thomas SECRETARY: Hannah Sermons MEMBER: George Maharg MEMBER: Nancy Enright COVER PHOTO:THOMASSHANNON BACK COVER: JAKE BROWN Photo by AUSTIN GORDON Holy Guacamole, I created a magazine, even if it’s only 40 pages! I’m a straight up 90’s kid who grew up before the internet and I read magazines religiously. I collected them, reread them, plastered the pages of BMX and skateboarding mags all over my walls. I had always wanted to create a magazine and I finally got to create one about my favorite things to do in the world....surfing. We started OhioRSA at the end of the season and were all brainstorming on ideas on how to keep the stoke alive, spread the word about OhioR SA and river surfing in Ohio. Then the childhood dream hit me, and the article ideas just poured out in our weekly board meetings. Thank you to everyone who contributed and all of our advertisers who made this mag azine possible. Hope you enjoy it and are as stoked as we are! -Shannon Thomas 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS INSIDE DAYTON’S FIRST SURF SHOP The Surf Dayton Company LOCAL SHAPER Eric Gibson of Whitewater Surfboards LOCAL SPOT Buck Creek. Springfield, Ohio MIKE HARVEY INTERVIEW REP Whitewater Parks RIVER SURFING IS FOR EVERYONE GREAT LAKES SURFING interview w/ Stevie Dalpe HOW TO: Generate Speed and Carve DAYTON POST SURF SPOTS MEMBER HIGHLIGHT: Nikki Raflik NEW WAVE IN WEST CARROLLTON Dam Improvement Project INTRO TO RIVER SURFING 363432302824221613108 4 8 28

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BADFISHSUP.COM // THE QUIVER FOAMIE EPOXY

TO GET YOU ON THE RIVER INFLATABLE

While many people strolling RiverScape MetroPark may have seen Dayton’s river surfing community shredding the wave, fewer may know about Dayton’s first surf shop, The Surf Dayton Surf Shop. The Surf Dayton Surf Shop specializes in river surf boards and stand up paddle boards along with acces sories such as wetsuits, leashes, t-shirts, and even some skate decks. On special occasions, it hosts events for the surfing community to gather as well. The Surf Dayton Surf Shop opened last year in June 2022. For the first couple of years after its found ing in 2018, Surf Dayton operated out of a 5’ x 8’ enclosed trailer. While the trailer provided enough storage for river surf clinics, all the flatwater standup paddleboards or SUPs had to be stored offsite and storage room quickly became an issue for the growing business, in addition to the logistical issues related to accessing the flatwater boards. Then thieves struck. Surf Dayton’s small trailer was stolen, including all the surfboards. But luck was with Surf Dayton. The trailer was found the next day and luckily, half the stock was still there. Unfortunately, the other half was gone. Surf Dayton’scommunity quickly rallied around it, buying enough merchandise from its webstore that they were

By Nancy Enright

One notable feature is the custom rooftop deck. The summer of 2021 saw many in the surfing community having a slice of pizza or hanging out on the roof deck Not only is it cool, but it is functionally cool. The rooftop deck keeps the inside cooler instead of the sun shining directly only the metal roof and sub jecting the inside to extreme heat.

The summer of 2022 brings more changes for the Surf Dayton Surf Shop. The shipping container will move to its new location at 120 Valley Street along the Mad River in Dayton where it will sit in the courtyard of a planned develop ment that includes an AirBnB lodge and a small scale bar and eatery with an outdoor court yard right on the Mad River. The development is designed to introduce more people to river surfing and SUP, with the ability to support outof-towners with lodging and basic amenities. Says Thomas, “We love Dayton and we love river surfing and we just want to expand on the things we love.”

able to quickly restock the stolen surfboards. Says Surf Dayton co-owner Jake Brown, “We took this as an opportunity to re-evaluate our expansion plans. Instead of buying a bigger trailer, we decided to buy a 20-foot shipping container which would give us more security, more organization, and further in vest in the surfing community.” With the opportunity to consolidate surfboards, flatwater SUPs and Surf Dayton merchandise sold through its website, Surf Dayton realized it was just another step to full service retail. And thus, a river surf shop in Ohio was born!

Surf Dayton co-owner Shannon Thomas noted that “I did a ton of research on shipping container builds and had already designed and planned to build a shipping container home, but the Surf Shop just made the most sense.” Thomas and Brown got the container leveled and on blocks before cutting out windows, doors, and the bar area. One benefit of shipping containers is that they are already se cure, wind, and water tight, so most of the work is modifying them to suit a particular purpose. The aesthetics needed work, such as cleaning the rust off and a coat of paint everywhere. The duo did most of work themselves, including framing and insulating the inside, installing flooring and creat ing the overall feel and look of the shop. Laughs Thomas, “I ended up with five stitches in my hand during construction, so I literally have put blood, sweat, and tears into the shop!”

Want to visit? Hours currently by appointment only, with pop-up hours during the summer seasoncheck https://www.surfdayton.com/surf-shop or call or text at 937-239-4479. 9

River surfing is unique in the sport of surfing. The fluid dynamics in the river wave change over minutes and hours, not in seconds like an ocean wave. Different river surf board designs provide optimal performance during different parts of the season. From quick release fins to finless, here are some tips from a local favorite, not afraid to get his hands dirty and see what sticks and what stinks. -Eric Jones Who are some of your influences? Donald Brink for his Asym shapes and unique designs. Anyone making boards for art and trying new things really. How experimental are your designs? I’m currently making finless boards and tinkering with different ridges along the tail and working on asym metrical shapes. I play around with max volume in short boards and stick sharp edges on the nose. I hardly ever make the same board twice. Why did you start shaping? I started shaping just to make boards that fit my style. It’s a lot of work but fun. By Eric Jones GIBSON

10 LOCAL SHAPER: ERIC

How do you see the future of river surf board design?

What do you wish you knew then versus now?

What is your favorite part of creating a board?

I wish I knew to only use s-glass. It would have saved me many headaches. Working with carbon, spec tra, and innegra fabric is too time consuming and hard. Starting over, I would just use s-glass and keep it simple. Any tips for would-be shapers?

Favorite part is testing them out! Board building is fun but it’s time consuming. I plan on taking a step back from building this year and doing more surfing and traveling with my family. Would love to help out others who want to build their own boards.

Talk to someone before you shape. There are about 100 things you have to do right, but they are all easy. That and make nice sharp rails. Sanding is probably the most overlooked part of board building.

I don’t know what river surf board design will look like in the future. I think we are going to see a lot more stuff now that river surfing is becoming more mainstream. There are so many unique waves that we need a lot more board options. I would love to see life jackets suited for surfers most of all!

People Work Technology

All the features vary depending on water level but usually are better at a higher flow (around 4 ft. on Plum St. gauge) which makes it a great time with spring rains or in fall when Buck Creek releases from their dam for the winter pool. After a long day on the river, Mother Stewarts Brewhouse, owned by the Loftis brothers, offers a ton of craft beers to quench your thirst on a great outdoor patio with live music playing often. The vibe is all about the outdoor and river lifestyle. They generally have a rotating food truck for nourishment. Another Spring field hidden gem is Speakeasy Ramen which offers Japanese and Vietnamese noodles as well as sushi. Keep an eye on the gauges and spend your next outing in Springfield, paddling or surfing and enjoy this awesome stretch of river!

BUCK CREEK

SPRINGFIELD, OHIO

By Shannon Thomas Surfer: Jake Brown @ Snyder Park, wave #3 Before Dayton got the river features built in 2017, Springfield had some of the only manmade whitewater features in Ohio. Buck Creek, a tributary to the Mad River, flows through the city of Springfield and offers about 10 significant drops or rapids along the way. John and Kevin Loftis were whitewater kayakers who came back home to Springfield after chasing whitewater for years and saw the potential for how whitewater parks could benefit their community.

Starting at the resevoir in Buck Creek State Park, you can put in and paddle 4 miles down to Snyder Park hitting a few natural limestone shelves with signicant drop, the baseball stadium features, then through downtown and hitting the 2 Art Museum drops and then .5 mile down ending at 4 features at Snyder Park!

14 JAKE BROWN AT RIVERSCAPE WAVE PHOTO BY SHANNON THOMAS SWIMMING THE DROP WITH GOPRO IN HAND

When I surf or edit a surf video, I like quick and catchy songs with a lot of break downs that work great for quick snaps or when cutting to slow motion during a spray. These songs live on a playlist anytime I need to get psyched up or listen to when I’m at the gym. I’ve only put 2 of the Royal Deluxe songs on this list but most of their songs are complete fire and great for surf videos! Sure every now and then I’ll have a surf session where I’m more working on fluidity and more longboard style but 90% of the time I’m wanting to carve and spray as hard as possible and this is my personal playlist that fits perfectly for me.

BY SHANNON THOMAS 1. Lion by Saint Mesa 2. Misfits T-shirt by Dreamers 3. I’m Not A Saint by Billy Raffoul 4. Savages by Royal Deluxe 5. Born For This by The Score 6. Legends Are Made by Sam Tinnesz 7. I’m a Wanted Man by Royal Deluxe 8. Safe and Sound by Capital Cities 9. Fire and the Flood by Vance Joy 10. Take Whats Mine by Future Royalty 11. White Flag by Bishop Briggs 12. Live Like Giants by Raphael Lake SHANNON’S INFINITE PLAYLIST

I went to a boarding school south of Cleveland and my advisor was a whitewater rafting guide. He said, “You should come out to the river with me and be a raft guide.” Both sides of my family are from Colorado, so I was already planning to attend Colorado State University. I would have done almost anything to spend the summer in Colorado and this certainly this sounded better than any other plan!

I bought a used Subaru wagon and moved to the Upper Arkansas River Valley 6 days after gradu ating high school in 1993. I landed in Buena Vista, CO and pretty much fell in love with the whole scene. I started whitewater kayaking within 2 weeks and by the end of the summer I was convinced that I was going to do it the rest of my life. After college I settled in Salida, CO with my fiancé. By then, I was a “pro” kayaker by the late 90’s definition and competing in freestyle contests and running hard whitewater. I was totally obsessed, but didn’t want to give up my relationship, so Salida was a compromise to combine a domestic exis tence while paddling as much as humanly possible.

MIKE HARVEY of WhitewaterREP Parks

First off, thanks for taking time to talk to the Ohio River Surfing Magazine. Let’s start with what REP Whitewater is and how you got involved with building whitewater parks.

I realized this plan had some major holes right away. While Salida is paradise in so many ways, it’s also in the middle of the valley which means all the really good whitewater is either upstream or downstream of town. It required a fair bit of driving to maintain my paddling lifestyle. In 1996 the first real public whitewater park in the country was completed in Golden, CO and I had attended some kayaking events there. I figured building a whitewater park in Salida was the solution to my problem. Being young and overly confident I just started trying to figure out how to do that. To be completely honest you could not replicate what I did back then in today’s world. You would get called out by regulatory agencies before you got anywhere near a permit, but somehow I convinced the Army Corps of Engineers to issue a 404 permit for a kayak hole in downtown Salida. Once I had that permit, a local contractor donated all the material and labor. When it came time to do the work in the spring of 2000, I completely freaked out. I might have been young and cocky, but I realized if I messed this up there was a real chance someone could get hurt or drown.

You worked on the waves at Snyder Park, Art Museum, and Ball Park in Springfield, OH. They were some of the first man made waves built in Ohio.

I contacted Gary Lacy who did the work in Golden, and to his credit he agreed to come to Salida and give me some advice. I built the Salida hole and afterwards Gary offered me a job helping manage construction on other projects. That became a 20+ year mentorship and friendship that continues today. I was incredibly lucky to stumble into this work when the industry was really new and we did a lot of experimentation. You’re known for being a Colorado resident, but you have ties to Ohio. Are there some good spots in Ohio? I didn’t learn to paddle until I left Ohio, but I’ve been lucky to spend a lot of time in Ohio through my work. I worked in Springfield on the Buck Creek whitewater projects and then Dayton, in addition to completing studies in other communities. One of the coolest things I did was run the Cuyahoga River near Cuyahoga Falls. There is some world class whitewater on the Cuyahoga and as a Cleveland kid, it was very cool to paddle on the “flaming river”. When I was working for the City of Kent, I really saw that the geology of the Cuyahoga is similar to West Virginia. There are a lot of bedrock drops that lend themselves to creating natural waves and features. There has got to be some surfable waves on the Cuyahoga somewhere.

Springfield was 100% the brainchild of John Loftis and his brother Kevin. They lived in Steamboat Springs, CO in the 90’s and did a lot of kayaking. When they moved back home, they realized Buck Creek had all these dams and that meant whitewater opportunities. I spent a lot of time working with John & Kevin and getting to know the community. They are super tied into the town and were able to foster local relationships and support. It’s been really cool to see everything they’ve built in their hometown over the past 20 years. I am very proud to have had a hand in some of it. One of the coolest features is that you can paddle the length of Buck Creek from the dam to the confluence with the Mad River now. There are really cool limestone rapids along the old International Harvester plant and maybe even a mysto wave at the right flows!

The local community can do a lot to raise awareness. You must remember that local politicians want to build things that show tangible improvements for their community, so reaching out and showing people photos or a basic introduction to the concept can help. Most folks have no idea what a stand ing wave is or how people use (or could use) rivers.

I can’t stress this enough – be inclusive. Rivers are for everyone and whitewater parks, waves, and improving access to rivers is for everyone, too. You might be stoked to shred, but most people just want to dip their toes into the water and hang out. It’s important talk about how all people can benefit from a whitewater park. Can you say more about navigating the bureaucratic hurdles to build waves?

It sounds like community is critical to building features. In my experience, places where whitewater isn’t quite as available as stumbling out your door, you get a more engaged community. Ohio has some of the most committed paddlers and surfers. I think that’s rad! How many people have been introduced to the river from people like Bernie Farley or Jeryl Yantis or Shannon Thomas? I love coming back to Ohio and soaking up the stoke!

You also co-own Badfish, maker of river surf and paddle boards. It’s pretty darn cool to build river waves and the boards to surf them! Do you try to build waves that fit a certain style surf or SUP board? Or do you build waves that can surf everything from high volume SUP to kayaks?

Building whitewater parks or river waves is 80% getting permission from regulatory agencies. Permitting is by far the biggest hurdle. All rivers in the United States are subject to the Clean Water Act. This is a good thing – it improved water quality everywhere, but the bureaucracy around it is multilayered and time consuming. There are federal, state, and local permitting processes and each have lots of questions and hurdles to clear. What are some key points to designing a river wave with more green face rather than a mushy hold? The green wave is the white whale! It’s very challenging to create a predictably green face. A green wave is less hydraulically stable than a hole or a foam pile. Anyone that has spent a lot of time on rivers instinctively knows that there are tons of features that are too flat to surf or too foamy, but a per fect, green steep enough face wave is truly rare. If it’s rare in nature, it’s hard to replicate. As anyone who has surfed the Art Museum wave (in Dayton) knows, it varies with flow. Operable features with hydraulic gates and flaps can help ensure a green wave but they have their own set of challenges. They require a lot of maintenance and performance all the time isn’t guaranteed.

What economic impact have you seen where you built a river feature? How has the community reacted? Whitewater parks have a real, quantifiable economic impact. We’ve seen it all over the country. For example, people used to avoid the Truckee River in Reno, NV and now it is becoming some of the hottest commercial real estate in the area. For the whole of human history rivers have always been central to cultures and economies. Highlighting your unique river, increasing access to it, and creating fun and exciting spaces along a river will have impacts that radiate out into the community. Whitewater parks are a way of reimagining communities towards non-consumptive, recreation-based econo mies. Artwave in progress

I am still learning on every feature we build. I always try to be as critical as possible and ask how we can improve the next project. Designing whitewater features is as much art as engineering and there are so many little things that you can learn from the river if you are really paying attention. It helps that I love to paddle and surf so I’ll spend a lot of time floating around studying what happens at various flows. I love it, but I also love paddling natural whitewater or surfing natural waves so I don’t feel like I am working all the time!

It’s not that precise. You can’t just produce a wave that will be exactly this high, this wide, this fast, etc. Generally, you aim to make something that’s fun for as many different users as possible. Right now, there is definitely more interest in river surfing than traditional whitewater kayaking, but you don’t have choose one over the other. Kayakers like surfing waves too!

Do you think there is growth in the future of river and whitewater parks?

Anything else you’d like to share to our readers?

For sure. We are just finishing the initial phase of the first ever whitewater park in New England in Franklin, New Hampshire. There are literally tens of thousands of low head dams all over the US and most of them are hazards and many are basically useless now. Some of those dams can be convert ed from a community liability to an asset. The features will just get better. People younger and smarter than me will learn from our work and make it better. River surfing is the future. Everyone wants to be a surfer - it’s one of the most iconic archetypes in modern American culture. There’s a reason there’s a Pacsun in every mall in America. So how rad is it that there can be a surf culture in Iowa or Colorado or Ohio that is unique to that community?

There is more whitewater in Ohio waiting to be shredded than people think! I can’t wait to come back to Dayton and surf with you guys! I spent so much time standing out there in the cold with diesel pumps running and concrete trucks flying in and out and not enough time enjoying the place!

In Ohio, the AP study found that 450 of the state’s 1,420 dams are considered high hazard. Of those, state inspectors had rated 124 in poor or unsatisfactory condition as of 2018. Turn Dangerous Dams into Surfable Waves!

I really think that because river surfing is still beginning to emerge from being mostly a niche activity, people assume that it’s not a sport that is accessible and fun for all. How wrong they are! As more water lovers and adventure seekers turn toward rivers for surfing, the more folks will recognize in the sport, a message of community, acceptance, and fun for anyone.

RIVER SURFING: For Everyone and Anyone

by Kate Thomas One of the most common things people new to the idea of river surfing express is, “That’s awesome! But it’s not something I could do. I wouldn’t be able to stand up/have energy/know what kind of gear to use.” Or, “I’m not athletic enough.” Of course, there is a major requirement for water sports – the ability to swim – it’s also great to have a sense of humor and a drive to keep trying. Other than that, being on the river can be a universally positive experience. With the right knowledge and safety precautions, it truly is for everyone.

Surfing is Reciprocal: You Get What You Put in An athletic person carving shoulders on a small fiberglass board is definitely not the only type of surfer. Those surfers are advanced and they have dedicated many sessions to progressing; they have felt those sequential steps to progressing just click until movements are fluid memories for their bodies. Surfers who carve do so because they seek it relentlessly. While waiting in the lineup or pectating from the banks, though, you’ll also find surfers on buoyant inflatable SUPs, easy riders who ferry back and forth across the wave trough, people intent on progressing or perfecting a specific movement or trick, and folks who are smiling widely as they feel more comfortable just standing up right, or even those who boogie board it and feel the wave out on their knees or bellies. It’s all surfing when it’s on a wave! Whatever stage of learning you’re at and whatever energy you put forth into it, as long as you’re out there to feel good in the water and find that feeling of joy only the river can bring, your surfing experience will be fulfilling.

Surfing is for Everyone To surf, whether in the ocean or the river, is to experience a pursuit within yourself, and to have your mind opened to a heightened awareness in a single moment of time. When you reach a point where grace becomes more a leader than effort is where lies the richness of surfing - and that doesn’t mean you are the most advanced surfers in the lineup or that you nailed a formulaic technique, it means you have let your mind go with the water and not with the need to control the outcome. Therein is what binds all surfers together - the draw to feel the grace and natural power of the river or ocean flow within you. I fully believe that is something we all seek and can experience, no matter the level of surfing we are at individually. It’s not only about the technique - it’s being immersed in the elements, forging a community with unique individuals you may not know otherwise, and experiencing a sort of zen that carries with you even back on land.

Surfing is Community

The river provides us with a sense of place and we make meaning in that place. In any surf spot you will find a community where people come together for that special sense of place on the river. The relationships formed in these communities connect all different types of people through a mutual respect for and love of the water. A mosaic of humans bonded by this thing we do on the water. When Dayton’s Arty wave is in on a hot August day, you will most likely find in the lineup surfers ranging from age 13-70, male and female, with all types of athletic abilities and body sizes and abilities on a board. You’ll surf with a high school student and a children’s surgeon and an art teacher. You’ll find short boards for speedy carving, heftier SUPs for learners, and technical SUP boards. Sometimes the vibe is peppy and chatty (sometimes we grill and have music!) and sometimes people are just there to surf and quietly enjoy the session or get out of their head. The beauty of our particular community is that since our waves are newer (built within the last 10 years), river surfing in Dayton really started growing only a few years ago and everyone has seen each other as beginners, learning alongside one another. When new folks start coming around or show interest, it’s really exciting to share with others our passion and welcome more people into our unique community.

PHOTOS BY : SHANNON THOMAS

24 SURF LAKE ERIE with Stevie Dalpe

Q: Surfing on a fresh water lake, how different is it from surfing in the ocean? Because there’s no tides or ground swell, its all wind swells correct? Surfing the lake is a bit different around here because of the lack of power and buoyancy and its all wind driven but on the right days can offer some really good conditions, but growing up in South Florida I was use to small inconsistent and weak waves, but I definitely had to get new boards once I dialed it in around here due to the lack of salinity.

Q: What are some of the best or your favorite Lake Erie spots and why? My favorite spots on Lake Erie are Spitzer’s Lakeside Marina Lorain and Presque Isle Beach one Erie Pennsylvania they’re the most powerful spots on the right conditions around here that really allow you to use a shortboard and possibly work on getting barrelled, which is the holy grail for surfers. I really like Sew er Pipe on the west end of Edgewater park on the nice big West Swells. Edgewater Park in Cleveland too for its longer and easier to play on waves with the right board you can really work on your turns as the wave is a bit slower and not as steep and allows you to think while you’re on it. In the summer months the wave at 1 ft is perfect for a bigger board and you can just have fun and bring the kids as well, it’s also the closest for me so it’s considered my homebreak.

Q: How many surfable days out of the year does Lake Erie offer? I use to track how many surfa ble days a year you could actually surf compared to a few locations in Fl and it was quite interesting that we had more or equal to the same amount of days as in S Fl But places like Sabastian Inlet defi nitely beat us. I was obsessed with that kind of information.

Q: Tell me about the scene there. Is there a good community or crew of surfers, any surf shops? Edgewater is where typically everyone that surfs in Ohio congregates as the wave offers many varieties of waves that suit all skill levels and is in close proximity to the City. There is a surf shop in town Nalu Sup and surf.

Q: You travel quite a bit for surfing, where are some of your favorite places to surf? If you’re a great lake surfer you have to travel if you want to improve your skill set as the consistency here makes it very hard to improve. My favorite places to go are the Outer Banks in the fall months but i’ll also try in the summer, I like traveling to Florida in the spring to get away from the cold and Puerto Rico in the winter when the Lake is Frozen to have some consistency

Q: So Stevie, tell me a little about yourself and how you got started surfing and why you choose Ohio as your home. I started surfing at the age of 11 with my best friend in South Florida around 1990 and moved to Ohio to live with my cousin and her family when my mom passed away in 97. I remember from one of my magazines that talked about surfing lake Erie it was a very small article, So I did some research at that time there wasn’t much to go on but I did come across this site http:// lakeparty.com/surf/.

Q: What’s the best time of year for surfing Lake Erie? Is there a good season? Or is it just whenever a storm rolls in? The best time of year to surf on Lake erie is definitely the months of Sept-Nov those seem to be when the lows start and seasonal change happens then it kinda settles in December and things freeze up late January thru March, But you can definitely surf the rest of the year when the ice is thawed out, I really Like surfing warm water small waves on my bigger with my shorts in the summer months.

Q: What do you look for as far as conditions go? Are there sites or wind directions you look for? Any beta you could give for lake surfing? I’ll check several forecast like http:// lakeparty.com/surf/ to get an idea of any wave activities coming in and follow them up with the buoy reading from NOAA I don’t use Surfline for this area as they’re just using the same data that I can get myself I’ll also check cams in the area to get an Idea of what the condition might be, my most reliable source is friends who are there already checking it. For me I like a bigger swell for conditions, something with some juice that I can get some good rides. preferably with the right wind conditions to create a cleaner face that’s why certain areas work best with wind conditions for example on a big solid E or ENE i know its going to be good at Spitzer ’s and a nice SSW is going to product solid waves in PA.

Q: Thanks so much for taking the time, is there anything else you’d like to add or mention about surfing Lake Erie? Lake Erie is a place where you can still surf if you find yourself as I did myself having to move away from the Ocean and you can still continue to pursue your passion here. The Lake has been good to me.

Q: What’s your thoughts on river surfing standing waves and are there any good river waves near you that you’ve tried surfing? River surfing is definitely something I’d like to pur sue more, I really like doing it, I’ve only done it a few times and can really see why it’s catching on, Watching guys like you shows me you can really work on it and get good with time spent and that is something I definitely need to work on more, I’ve scoped out a few place in my area for waves on my kayak and did find a few that look surfable but its in a location that is hard to get to and no shore on either end and didn’t want to be the only one for safety reasons but also you need the river to be moving for this area so it’s just not as consistent. I’ve surfed a river wave in Tiffin Ohio that was pretty fun but hard to catch for me so I need to work on that skill of catching the wave and dial in a board for the river. There’s a few spots in Akron I’ve heard about so I’m going to be trying to get to this more often.

EXPLORE YOUR WAY ALONG THE GREAT MIAMI RIVERWAY greatmiamiriverway.com

HOW TO: GENERATE SPEED AND CARVE BY KATE THOMAS 28 PHOTOS BY : SHANNON THOMAS

Your body will follow your eyes - get used to looking directly where you want to go - physically turn your head to spot the shoulder. Following your eyes and head are your shoulders, pulling your torso toward the wanted direction, angling your hips too. At the same time, use your arms for power by letting your front arm almost take the lead from your shoulder and propel toward the wave’s shoulder, while your back arm reaches behind. Here is where movements become a bit more subtle and really nailed with repetition – the turning of your bent knees and the rolling inward and outward of your thighs. It’s kind of hard to describe since it’s such a natural response to learn. The best way to describe it is to just be loose and natural and get to know the tendencies of your body movements, and really feel how they correspond with the shape of the wave. Your body should be moving in a way that guides the nose of the board to an angle and even parallel with the mouth of the wave – so that when you do reach the shoulder, you’ll be able to whip your body back to the other direction and carve (and maybe even throw a nice spray).

There are a few key elements to generating speed: using your body to pump and turn, having the right foot placement on the board, and knowing the wave’s shape and where on it you are. To gain momentum, keep your knees bent and shift your weight on the board by pumping energy down through your feet. With the back foot more compressed near the kick er and the front foot nice and agile, pump using the bend of your knees, while also using your arms as balance and leverage for propulsion. Don’t be afraid to move your whole body - engage the torso and arms to bring in energy. You also want to be in a good spot on the wave to do this, where your board has the opportunity to meet your body’s energy with the wave’s power (being tucked right in the shoulder is a great spot). Once you’ve generated some momentum, it’s time for more technical turning rather than ferrying back and forth. This will sustain your speed. When turning, you’ll want to be high on the wave where there is power and speed in the water.

Foot placement is just as important as moving your body. Typically it’s about hip width distance, with your feet nearly parallel with one another and angled at about 45 degrees on the board. You’ll use your toes and heels to alternately apply weight and control on the rails – the power you use in the rest of your body coordinates with the power pushing through the feet to help move you efficiently and smoothly.

The last thing to generate speed is knowing the wave’s shape and the different parts of a river wave. This will help you stay connected to the water’s power. Similar to an ocean wave, the top pocket of the wave holds the most potential for speed and power. This is the steep zone across which your board should move. The next zone that is still good to generate speed and turns is the inside face, sort of the middle green part of the wave. Not quite the same power as near the top lip, but still steeper and with potential. The trough of the “V” river wave shape is the zone with the least potential for moving smoothly and efficiently. It’s a good place on a standing wave to chill, but you should navigate out of it to find your speed.

Honestly, the best way to learn to generate speed and turns is to get out there! The more time in the water brings more agile and intuitive surfing. Yew! - Kate Thomas 29

Local Cantina $ - Another taco spot within walking distance from Riverscape. Great hand crafted mar garitas, fresh chips, and salsa at your disposal. They have a good happy hour menu, and on Tuesdays they have $2 tacos. My go to order – blood orange margarita, grilled fish, and a baja shrimp taco

Ghost Light Coffee $ - A great pre or post surf spot for coffee or tea. The south park location has snacks, as well a nonalcoholic bottle shop! Midtown location has a kitchen and some of the best breakfast sandwiches around. My go to order – iced matcha latte w/ oat milk and a lil’ bit of honey, accompanied by the BLT with vegan mayo.

Mudlick Taphouse $$ – Fried leeks…..need I say more? This spot is literally around the corner from Riverscape, you can pack up your gear and head there on foot. The food is made from scratch, it is not your average bar food, but an explosive twist on American fare. Mindfully curated cocktails and craft brews are on the drink menu for your sipping delight. My go to order - fried leeks, buffalo chicken spring rolls with their grapefruit & elderflower Paloma to drink!

Rusty Taco $ – this is one of my favorite spots, year around. Kid and dog friendly (patio). They have one of the best happy hours around with cheap margs, and great tacos any time of the day. My go to order –black bean taco (vegetarian), grilled baja shrimp taco, and a grilled fish taco with an original margarita on the rocks.

Worked up a post surf appetite or need a pick me up before heading to work? Wanting a local spot to hit before you head back home? Look no further; here are my top places I frequent in the DYT.

Third & Perk $ - A local woman owned coffee shop, and wine bar. With a couple locations around the Dayton area, their closest is 3 blocks from Riverscape. I’ve never had a bad experience here, the custom er service is amazing and I always leave feeling better than I did when I walked in. My go to order – “146” hot tea Tell some friends, and hit one of these local spots pre or post surf together. Hope to see you there. by Hannah Sermons

HANNAH’S “POST SURF” SPOTS IN DAYTON

Fusian $ – It’s like Chipotle for Asian-American cuisine. Build your own roll, or choose one of the pre-created rolls on the menu. They also have bowls, miso soup, pot stickers, salads you name it. Sign up for their rewards app you can get $9 credit first time, and again every $100 you spend. My go to order –BYOR (build your own roll) seaweed, white rice, double shrimp tempura, jalapenos, green onions, cucum bers, with sweet soy and masago on top. Complimented by one of their on tap nonalcoholic lemonades.

All life on earth requires clean water. The better we understand this relationship, the better we can stride towards our future with confidence. Surfers are in the water and experience both the fun and the trash or contaminants in the water. This supportive community is full of people who show up with nets to clean litter prior to riding. They ensure that the water is left just a little bit better than they found it. Surfers have reported unlawful dumping to protect the river.

Surfers, such as those in the OhioRSA, are leading the way on advocating and proposing logical infrastructure changes. The OhioRSA is educating our members and the public on the issues of sanitary sewage overflows, filtration for discharges into the rivers, and the need for no mow zones along all Ohio riverways. The Ohio RSA is also collaborating with local cities to transform dangerous low head dams into ecologically sustainable and profitable water features.

3. ORSA Cares for the River

5. Surfers are the future and surfers show up.

4. Surfers advocate for infrastructure change

“Surfing creates a sense of community purpose with tangible benefits, and community trash clean-ups are just the beginning” says ORSA Treasurer Rosemary Seins. In addition to working directly on the river, we advocate for and educate stakeholders on the economic benefit of new surfing waves. Please join ORSA and support our mission. See you on the water!

Surfers build a unique relationship with the water. To live to ride requires that your feet are in the water, that you feel the power of the current and become connected to the wave. The river’s ancient knowledge is accessible to anyone. What people feel connected to, they protect. Among other things, surfing is an op portunity for people to see, feel, and experience the relationship between the land and the water. The more people who love the river, the more people who protect the river.

1. Encouraging People to Fall in Love with Rivers

2. Water builds Community

The surf community welcomes everyone. Whether it’s lending a newbie a board to try, sharing safety tips, or showing up with trash bag in hand to make sure the area is clean. Surfing fosters community. The wave is an opportunity for a diverse group of people to hang out, learn about surfing, and support each other.

5 WAYS OHIORSA SUPPORTS OHIO RIVERS BY ERIC JONES 31

Nikki is an avid river surfer alongside her husband Jered and their children (and she’s one of the first ORSA members!) The Rafliks live in Springboro, Ohio with their new pup Roxy, a golden retriever named after the women’s surf company.

32 OhioRSA Member Highlight: Nikki Raflik by Hannah Sermons

33 PHOTOS BY : SHANNON THOMAS

“Another reason I love surfing is that I can do it with my whole family. While my husband and I have become a little obsessed, we have made some wonderful friends that have practically become fami ly.” Like a family, some in the community are older, many are younger, but it doesn’t matter because everyone gets along. When the Dayton waves aren’t firing, Nikki hosts paint parties and takes her standup paddleboard to Caesars Creek or the Little Miami River for more river time. Catch Nikki any time the Riverscape or Arty waves are firing for more tips or just to hang out!

Four years ago, while enjoying Eastwood MetroPark, Nikki and her husband saw someone surfing on the Mad River. As it turned out, they knew the surfer, Shannon Thomas, the owner of The Surf Day ton Company, through their common interest in BMX biking. They were regulars at the Kings Island FlowRiderTM and went home to get their boogie boards. They didn’t have much success, but after borrowing some river surfboards, they were hooked.

As Nikki’s surfing progressed, she’s surfed a lot of surfboards. Nikki notes, “All the surfboards were my favorite at one time. Now I surf a Badfish 5’6” epoxy Sk8, and it’s so fun – especially at Arty!” (Arty is the wave across from the Dayton Art Institute.)

The inviting and friendly vibe of other surfers just adds to Nikki’s pleasure being in nature and feeling the power of the wave holding her in. She’s part of the crew that gives friendly advice and helpful tips. Maybe because she’s a third grade art teacher, she’s a natural at teaching others. Her advice? “Just take it slow if you don’t have that natural ability to surf. You don’t have to pop up your first try. Get up on your knees first and get a feel for the wave. I didn’t stand for my whole first season. After I got the feel for the river I stood up. It was aaaaaaamazing!”

WEST CARROLLTON DAM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT by Nancy Enright

Low-head dams look small and navigable, but dozens of people are injured or die each year from drowning at low-head dams. Poorly designed low-head dams disrupt the movement of both aquatic wildlife and humans navigating the river. The Nature Conservancy notes that the removal of low-head dams are “a win-win for conservation AND human safety.” In the past decade, several dams have been removed along Ohio’s rivers.

However, the removal or improvement of low dams also creates opportunities to build whitewater waves that capitalize on the existing vertical drop of water which is conducive to supporting waves.

Continuing downstream, the City of West Carrollton has proposed safety improvements to its lowhead dam and plans to capitalize on the pool of water it creates as part of its $7.5 million whitewater park and community gathering space project along the riverfront.

For example, the low dam at Monument Avenue in downtown Dayton was partially removed beginning in September 2016 and transformed into one of the features of the $4 million RiverScape River Run, a river surfing and kayak play area with boating passages that opened in May 2017.

The Ohio River Surfing Association (ORSA) met with City officials to discuss the possibility of adding an adjustable wave as part of the whitewater recre ation. Surfers and kayakers track water flow, often daily, to catch waves at optimal conditions for their respective activities. River wave features, whether natural or manmade, change based on water flow and different wave features in the region are opti mal at different water flows. “An adjustable wave could mean roughly 350 days of whitewater recre ation,” says Eric Jones, ORSA President. “ORSA’s mission is to grow river surfing in the state of Ohio, create lasting and safe river waves, promote river use safety, advocate for the health of the rivers we surf, and foster an inclusive whitewater communi ty. We’re incredibly excited and supportive of West Carrollton’s plans.”

The inclusion of a 900-foot whitewater channel around the South Montgomery Low Dam would support competition level whitewater features for kayaks and wave surfing, in addition to safety modifications aimed at improving the low dam’s safety. The re-establishment of a small craft dock and marina area will support increased use and access to the river for recreational boating, floating, and paddling with ramps and parking lot access. “People already fish and boat along the river. The proposed development really “di als-up” our existing assets, and makes the riv er a centerpiece,” said Mike Lucking, Econom ic Development Director for West Carrollton.

The City of West Carrollton has committed $1.5 million, or 20%, in matching funds for the project in addition to establishing a tax increment financing (TIF) district for 21 acres. It is seeking additional investments from the State of Ohio’s capital budget as well as federal earmarks among other sources. The City approved a contract for the McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group (MWDG) for preliminary design. According to the MWDG’s Step-by-Step Guide for building waves, during the preliminary de sign work phase existing site conditions are studied in greater detail including soils, environmental issues like contamination, detailed topography/bathymet ric survey mapping, land ownership, assessments of natural resources, habitat, and wildlife, wetland delineations, and existing infrastructure (dams, util ities, etc.). Project design is developed to a level of detail required for permit applications and more accurate costs within 30% contingencies. Following the preliminary design phase, the project could begin permitting. Typically, after permits are issued,, the final design can be prepared for use in bidding and construction. According to MWDG, the actual construction phase may be 4 to 12 months, on average. Upon the completion of construction, waves require start-up and tuning to optimize wave performance. Experts will observe the new wave to look for opportunities to optimize recreation and safety. The addition of the West Carrollton whitewa ter features to the Dayton area’s existing whitewa ter features on the Great Miami River at Eastwood MetroPark, RiverScape River Run, including near the Dayton Art Institute, locally known as “Arty”, could make the Dayton region a premiere destina tion for Midwest paddlers and surfers.

The planned whitewater park is integral to the broader “West Carrollton Riverfront Development,” a proposed $70 million mixed-use development which includes residential units and housing along the Great Miami River at the I-75 West Carrollton interchange at Exit 47. The City has already ac quired 35 acres adjacent to the riverfront along Marina Drive.

Trying River Surfing for Yourself Shannon and Jake taught me the basics of surfing at the lesson, but once I was able to stand up, I moved on to pumps and carving. Also, one fantastic thing that I love about surfing is the community. Other surfers are always so helpful and willing to throw out helpful tips to not only beginners, but expe rienced surfers as well. I’ve gotten tips on dropping into the wave standing up, 360s, and catching the second wave - the smaller, harder to catch, wave that follows behind the first. We love surfing so much, our family vacation in 2021 was river surfing in Colorado. We just can’t stop!

In the fall of 2019, my family biked to the Outdoor Experience at Eastwood MetroPark where we no ticed the Surf Dayton booth where the owners, Shannon Thomas and Jake Brown, convinced us the entire family could river surf. At first, we couldn’t believe surfing in Dayton, hundreds of miles from the coast, was a real thing. Then we saw Shannon and Jake surf at the exhibition and we knew we had to Firstsurf.

River Surfing Safety

The Great Miami River is a great place to surf and kayak/canoe, however, without the proper safety precautions, things could easily turn upside down. If you’re on a vessel that is under 16 feet in length, Ohio law requires you to wear a life jacket. Life jackets are necessary because with such quick mov ing water and how the water changes in direction, it can be very tiring and difficult to stay above the water without a life jacket. And I like to save my energy for surfing, not swimming. There is no law on helmets, but they are highly recommended because it’s possible to hit your head on a rock, surfboard, or even a kayak. Also all surfboard leashes should be quick release because they can get caught on objects in the river that you can’t see. Buying a Surfboard

The best surfboards for beginners are large, buoyant inflatable boards. A larger board is easier to catch the wave, stand up, and balance. Inflatable boards are also less prone to damage. My first board was a Badfish IRS, which stands for Inflatable River Surfer. The IRS is perfect for beginners, but once you get comfortable and start to progress, smaller boards are more fun. I personally love the Badfish SK8 5’0” HV, HV meaning high volume. The SK8 is a fiberglass board that is perfect for digging into the wave and generating speed and carves. Both the IRS and SK8 can be bought from Surf Dayton. I was lucky that both Surf Dayton and other surfers let me try their boards before committing to a smaller board.

The next summer, my mom booked a Surf Dayton lesson for me, my brother, and Dad at Riverscape on the Great Miami River. Surf Dayton supplied boards and safety equipment, gave us detailed safety instructions, and we were in the water. Shannon and Jake filmed us surfing and showed us the recordings to give tips which helped so much - and we got to keep copies of the videos and photos. After that first lesson, my mom and I knew that surfing was our thing.

Surfing Lesson

I’m a 13 year old grom who loves shredding my surfboard, skateboard, or most recently, a snowboard.

SURFER: JAKE BROWN PHOTO BY: SHANNON THOMAS by Jeremy Hartt

KATE THOMAS BY AUSTIN GORDON ERIC JONES BY AUSTIN GORDON JEREMY HARTT BY TROY BALL

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