29 year old Justin Kay surfs Blacks Beach.

Are you a local?

I grew up here, but I live in Chicago now. I’m here visiting my family.

Favorite thing about surfing?

I like the fun of progressing. It’s a technical skill that’s very fun the better you get. It’s very precise and subtle through the differences in technique.

Did it take you a while to master surfing?

It’s weird when you start surfing everyone is like, ‘Just go! Figure it out’. My old boss got me to go to this surf camp with a coach. We would film ourselves and dissect out technique. That was the first time I really thought about how to move my body to do the correct things. Before that I was just like flopping around. I recommend it. In other sports, it’s like, yeah, dude, get a coach but surfing, people are like, figure it out man!

Is it hard being in the Midwest away from the ocean?

Yeah, but I have been surfing on the Great Lakes. I have surfed Lake Michigan. That has been pretty awesome. I mean, it’s not as good, and there are only like five people who do it. Every now and then it is kind of good, and when it is, it’s incredible! I do that in the fall and the winter. I wear a 6mm wetsuit. You get icicles on your face. It’s totally insane.

Advice for newbies?

Find a group of friends that you can suck with. That’s how I did it. We all just went out and ate shit together.

Do you plan on moving back for the surf?

Probably. Either here or San Francisco.