Harbor County News
5/28/2009 2:39:00 PM
Surf stand up and running at Weko Beach
By Matt Fritz
News staff writer
BRIDGMAN - A little bit of Hawaii has taken root in Weko Beach with the recent opening of Waikiki Jack's surf stand in Bridgman.
Offering beach-goers the opportunity to rent surf boards, skim boards, stand-up paddle boards, and one- and two-person kayaks, as well as lessons in all the above water activities, the surf stand promises to add a little more fun to the hot sunny days in Bridgman.
The stand is owned and operated by surf instructor and South Shore Fellowship Pastor Jack Nordgren, who spent 22 years riding the waves in Waikiki, Hawaii.
With that background, one would expect him to know a thing or two about water sports.
"I think the big advantage that I have is that I already got the stuff down at the beach," he said after completing a kayak rental on May 23. "If you rent from somewhere else, you have to haul the stuff down. I don't know if you've ever tried to put a two-person kayak on top of your car, but it's tough."
Life jackets are required for kayaking, and during colder weather, customers are required to stay close to the shore while using rental equipment.
"Because if you go out far with a kayak and fell off," he said, "and couldn't get back on, and the water was cold, you wouldn't last that long."
With his greatest passions being God and surfing, Nordgren said it was only natural that he would start a business with the latter.
"I was doing surf lessons for Ryan (Gerard of Third Coast Surf Shop) and got the idea that it would be nice to do it up here at Weko Beach," he explained. "My IRA is getting smaller and smaller so I just decided to take money out of my retirement account and give it a shot."
Jack's surf stand also offers rental bogie boards, wet suits, masks and snorkels, and inner tubes.
Forget a beach chair or toys for the kids? No problem. Waikiki Jack's also rents out chairs, umbrellas, volleyballs, water guns and other beach toys and accessories.
Rental prices range from $2 for an inner tube to $15 for a two-person kayak. Surf boards, stand-up paddle boards and kayaks rent by the hour.
"We rent it out by the hour because most people that haven't done it before, after an hour, they'll be done," Nordgren said. "They'll be tired out."
For other rentals, length of rental time varies from two to four hours.
Paddles are included with kayaks and paddle boards.
Lessons start at $30 an hour for kayaking, $50 for surfing and skim boarding, and $70 an hour for stand-up paddle boarding. All equipment is included.
Customers are required to sign a waiver for each rental, and leave either a deposit or a driver's license with the stand's staff.
Waikiki Jake's is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It's closed on Mondays except holidays. It's closed Tuesdays after Monday holidays. For more information, call (808)-927-4548.