Sleeping Bear Surf

Written by Ella Skrocki & Annabel Skrocki

Summer Issue '24 - Online Shop

There were times this spring when we’d find ourselves rather reluctant to let the puppies frolic, knowing how much sand would get caught up in Lela’s saturated winter fur. But then, our mother’s wisecrackin’ words would come through. 

“Don’t get sandyyy—don’t touch the waterrr,” she would tease.

When we’d let doggo off leash, she’d plunge right into Lake Michigan with absolutely explosive joy. The Lake tends to have that effect. Our Mama knew the power of the water, and the healing nature of sand between the toes. Naturally, “Get your Feet Wet” became the founding motto for Sleeping Bear Surf—our mama Beryl’s cherished vocation, which now 20 years later still exists on the foundation of connecting all walks of life to the Lake.

The year Mom was born, her family cottage was completed; an oasis tucked away on the shores of Lake Michigan in what is now the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This was where Mom’s love for the Lake was born, where she fostered our connection, and therefore, where the story of Sleeping Bear Surf really begins. 

A bit off the beaten path, the cottage serves as a place of connection to the wild, the wind, and the water. It’s there where we’ve fostered our relationships to one another, and to the Lake. Mama Beryl and Papa Frank led the way by pushing the limits on the Windsurfer when the wind was rippin’ and would exclusively take out the Lazer at the lake’s gnarliest, or put those old river-rental kayaks to the test in heavy sandbar surf. Our parents taught us to use the craft, or lack thereof, available to us to embrace the bounty of our backyard, no matter the mood of the Lake. 

They were blown away that they weren’t seeing more people out relishing in it. Mom was absolutely eager to inspire others to discover the pleasure of playing in waves; to indulge in the sight of the mighty Sleeping Bear from the arms of the Lake; and to share what she knew to be true—that indeed, you can surf a lake. A big bucket list item was to master the art of riding waves, upright; dancing. Being that there were no established shops in the Lakes at the time, they fell short on their mission. There was a void yearning to be filled. 

So, in 2004, amidst moving into a brand spankin’ new home with three rambunctious children on their hips, Beryl and Frank went out on a limb and established Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak; Michigan’s first full service surf shop, in the Village of Empire, in the heart of the Great Lakes.

From the moment the doors swung open, Mom swore that she would've been “bringin’ in the big bucks” if she had collected a dime for each time someone called her “crazy,” or confidently claimed “you can’t surf on a lake,” even while waves rolled into Empire Beach. She’d just smile. It was the “it’s about time” from pioneering watermen and passionate water enthusiasts in those early days whose excitement for a gear hub in the community really stoked the mission and strengthened the shop’s foundation. Our fun folks began by offering rentals, surf lessons, and kayak tours in collaboration with seasoned professionals who’d found their way into the family (one of whom walked through the door that very first day and landed themselves both a gig and a living space, at the new, not-quite-finished Skrocki family compound; a testament to Mom and Dad’s open arms/open door policy).

At the time, there were a mere few surfers in Northern Michigan, and we knew of every committed character who rode waves from Duluth to Ontario. Our badass little mama was one of very few women in the scene. Our family expanded from five to many; making fast friends with those who also lived to embrace the wildness and fluidity of the water. Many of our strongest, most enduring relationships were made that first year, all rooted in a deep devotion to freshwater play.

Mom would always greet customers with an animated welcome, immediately making them feel at home. She strove to create space and services for both young families and seasoned surfers to feel a sense of belonging; a space of inclusivity built upon human to human connection. She was itching to learn of a stranger’s story in order to find a common thread. She carried a childlike energy that radiated outward through her genuine kindness and all-love, absolutely contagious laughter. It’s her warmth that propagated the community; that has kept people coming back, year after year. 

They brought people together through weekly Friday night movies, coupled with late night skate seshes, bringing life to the sleepy Village. Movie nights gradually transformed to Wine and Cheese on the wall—a long standing tradition to gather friends, new and old, for sunset cheer by the water. The average night often had, and still includes, group plunges, night surfs, or parking lot skate laps, depending on the state of the Lake and its listeners. The wall at the Empire Beach is where modern day revolutionaries to the boardsports community and OG Empire-ates have collided to bring big fun to life over a beverage and tasty snacks. Now, with a dedicated community to the wall tradition, there are few Friday nights where you won’t find us tailgating with Jenny, Mama’s bright blue 1972 Chevy Cheyenne; a gathering open to one and all. 

Mom and Dad were always looking for more ways to connect with people, and connect people to the water. They held skimboard competitions with “young groovies,” hosted heaps of demo clinics for boards and kayaks, and put on Paddle to the Point races that attendees still reminisce about today. These events always came to life with the support of our brand reps, many of whom naturally have become part of our family as a result of Mom and Dad’s maxing fun-o-meter, and mom’s desire to expand the relationship beyond orders and invoices. 

Every couple of years we’d see many of these fine folk in person, when Mom and Dad would swoop us out of school and haul us all down to Florida for Surf Expo to track down new, innovative products and equipment. At the Walden Surfboards booth in 2007, Mom was introduced to a brand new craft. That summer, they introduced Stand Up Paddleboarding to the Midwest. On bustling days at the Empire Beach, Mom would paddle back and forth along the lakeshore on her new toy, trying to draw attention to this funky idea of standing up whilst paddling. 

Mom always stayed on top of the newest cutting edge technology, challenging the status quo; pushing the limits of what Northern Michigan thought to be possible on the water. She believed in the power of the Lake—in every sense. She inspired our relationship to the water to span greater than one of pure enjoyment. Like everything, she never forced our relationships with the Lake. The connection came naturally. We fell in love with the weightlessness of water, and the free feeling of being carried down the line of a peeling wave. The lake constantly reinforces our zest for life and gratitude for the place in which we grew up. 

Mom’s deep love and connection to the water, and that which she instilled in us, has always gone hand-in-hand with the desire to protect our bountiful freshwater seas. “You protect what you love,” she would say. In the grand part, Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak came to life as a means of giving back to the land and the Lake. It was her hope, that by introducing others to the fun and fulfillment found on the water, it would not only elevate the health and well being of our fellow humans, but inspire protection of our big, blue playground, too! 

We love the idea of “imperfect advocacy,” doing what we can to be better stewards of the world around us. We believe that begins with a connection to place; a pull-on-the-heart-strings reason to really care about our impact, or big issues at large. The shop has provided us an outlet to extend that feeling; and it is an incredible honor to have the opportunity to inspire a freshwater connection in the rising generation and beyond. 

It was always Mom and Dad’s hope that we would take on the business, but there was never any pressure. Mom would always say “if you don’t love what you do you won’t be successful.” We are so fortunate to love what we do. Some days it barely feels like a job. Some days it definitely feels like a job. But dang…the lifestyle, the satisfaction of giving others a taste of the same joy that fires us up…well, that’s almost more gratifying than the joy-inducing act itself. We love teaching; we love getting people on the water for the first time; we love hooking people up with their first fancy new surfboard; we love the conversations we get to share with people just passing through; we love the opportunity to use our creativity to grow the beautiful garden that Mom planted for us.

She began to feel that something was amiss during the summer’s final session of Jr. Waterman Camp. Her diagnosis came just days later. Nonetheless, she continued to show up to the shop to lend her hands and chit chat with her customers, dishing out joy in generous portions; her giggle, the most profoundly happy sound, out into the Village.

She always devoted her energy to lifting others up and bettering the world around her, despite her circumstance, and it shows—through the all encompassing, supportive community that has both shaped us, and held us; from Empire Village to the lineup.

Twenty years on glee oozes out of every crack and crevice of Sleeping Bear Surf. Over time Mom’s presence has become stronger in that space once more, growing with us as we learn how to bear the load of grief.

We are our mother's daughters. She imprinted her joy in the very fabric of our beings. That energy lives on; it’s how Sleeping Bear Surf has always been powered; fueled by the laughter of our mother. Now, Sleeping Bear Surf is how we keep our Mama alive.

BIO

Ella & Annabel Skrocki were raised in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, in the quaint Village of Empire. Their childhood was spent out of doors; where they were taught to embrace the spirit of the Great Lakes and the shifting sands of the mighty dunes. They share a deep & unwavering love and respect of the lake & the land, as well as a yearning sense of adventure, which they strive to share with others through their treasured family business; Sleeping Bear Surf. 

Established when Ella was 9, Annabel 5, and their brother Reiss 7, their devotion to Sleeping Bear Surf has only been strengthened amidst waves of grief after losing their mother, Beryl, in October of 2022. 

Find the Skrocki sisters on the water, or advocating for the Lakes, and join them for surf lessons, camps, retreats, energizing community events, and more at Sleeping Bear Surf.

Summer Issue '24 - Online Shop