what Celia said
Bay faces prevailing winds. Lots of refraction from the shoreline as the waves enter the bay, creating the waves from different directions (shop).
Just came from Lake Azischohos
The lake is notorious for high winds and didn’t disappoint. Last Thursday at our put in, winds were light and sky was clear. 7 miles to our campsite at Lincoln Brook. Last guy trickled in about 3 hours.
The next day 3 of us decided to explore the other side of the lake. Scottb, John Vogt and myself were included, As we paddled across the lake, wind began kicking up, but we were in a long lee. As we came back the same way, wind had kicked up and had produced 3 foot waves. Fun time until John felt very uncomfortable and made a beeline for the far side, parallel to thee wave action. I saw and heard his distress. Scott and I immediately changed our course to follow him. I worked to get upwind of him, which I did. John made it to the other side. Our campsite was downwind of our location. I told him to head straight down and maintain headway. As son as I saw he was ok, I took off and surfed all the way back. Great stuff and I enjoyed the thrill of the speed I was able to reach. Hit 7.2 mph on several occasions.
Fetch can be a pain to paddle against, but at your back it can be a blast.
I’m always a bit apprehensive
because I don’t know what’s coming behind me. It’s the rogue waves that scare me.
Earlier this summer on Lake Michigan I happened to look around at the right time and saw a set of four huge waves headed at me. They were parallel to my boat. Figured if I braced and survived the first one, the second one would roll me because it was the tallest. So I did what beginners do - changed direction and met them head on, hoping I didn’t pitch pole. Didn’t, but was shaky when the rodeo was over.
Had they come from behind, I would have been ground up and spit out. Have not even started to master the surfing learning curve.
you’ll get there
– Last Updated: Sep-27-16 12:37 PM EST –
Getting out in it is the only way. But you've progressed quickly so far, I'm sure this'll just be another step. One day you'll be paddling in it and think, "hey, this used to bother me more!"
If it helps any, my head is on a swivel in chop and clapotis, but it no longer bothers me.
“Hey, this used to bother me”
– Last Updated: Sep-28-16 7:56 PM EST –
I had a minor example of that very thing last week when a group of us paddled to the mouth of the Bois Brule River where it joins Lake Superior. The official boat landing was behind the spit at the river's mouth, but there was quite a brisk wind coming diagonally inland, so naturally I had to paddle my canoe out onto the lake a ways. As I was coming back toward a rocky beach, a curling wave swung my stern around about 45 degrees and then pushed the whole boat sideways at the wave's speed for 10 feet or so before I grabbed some water with the paddle and let the wave go on without me. I hadn't seen it coming, and when it hit me I didn't care, but the thought that went through my head was "If this were me 10 years ago I'd be upside-down right now". Kayakers can do far better than that in tricky waves.
My view
of go or no go paddling has changed quite a bit over the last 20 years. In the right boat, with the experiences I’ve had in high winds doesn’t even give me pause anymore. I rather enjoy the challenge and conditions.