Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Wind Speed
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jwartman59 |
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Savage Voyageur |
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overthehill |
We were halfway to bottle from LLC/Boulder boathouse and suddenly found ourselves quartering into big waves. On our knees. Thankful for the Wenonah Champlain Then..... Another surprise was Bailey Bay . Kneeling again and praying in a Bell North wind. Never been on Snowbank but have heard and read many times that it can get really rough quick . Hopefully both paddlers have a feel for THAT canoe in waves by then. Be Safe. |
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mgraber |
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shock |
quote carmike: "I do alter trip plans if there's a reasonable chance I'll be on a big body of water when there's a big wind. Obviously, I have no forecasts eight days into a trip, so it usually only affects me one or two days in. Other typical weather patterns (like the big northwest wind that often follows a major storm event) will also factor into my paddling decisions.me and my son went down , in true ice out conditions , i'm glad there was another canoe in our group to retrieve the canoe and our items , but we were in the water maybe 120 seconds and my whole chest was already blue , (my son commented on it) all our gear floated except an old cargo bag , that just happen to have loop handles that hung onto the thumbscrew on the yoke pad , crazy that we got all our gear back. but YES once you've gone down in cold water your senses heightens a bit when you see whitecaps ;)(shit my senses heighten the rest of that trip) always have a big mug handy , use one many times , and my point of the mug is dont panic if you get some water in the canoe , been ankle+ deep many times , bail water keep calm you'll make it to the next shoreline/portage/landing , i try to paddle into the waves in a direct line ,when you see some rollers coming , quit paddle roll/glide through those then start stroking again. but with that said i still wouldn't want to be in the middle of snowbank with even a 15mph wind. |
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mutz |
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carmike |
I also frequently trip with people who carry weather radios (I don't have one myself), so if there's a big wind in the forecast, we either get out of camp very early, avoid the big lake altogether by finding an alternate route, or plan a layover day replete with scotch, cards, good books, and not-so-fancy cigars. Plus, having once tipped due to a mix of my own stupidity and an unexpected wind while on a solo trip the first week of May, and finding out first hand how quickly cold water gets dangerous, I'm very cautious of wind and don't take many chances. |
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quark2222 |
quote mnwild: "What wind speed when coming the length of the lake is usually too much to cross a lake like Snowbank? Would it be 20 mph? Obviously everyone's idea of safe is different but any ideas on a general rule of thumb?" I use the sphincter pucker test. If the sphincter is puckering due to fear, it is time to head for shore. I've done that about two times. Once on Alton, and the other on Brule. Lesson was learned. As my good friend Forrest Gump says, "Stupid is as Stupid does". Tomster |
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shock |
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WhiteWolf |
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TomT |
quote Savage Voyageur: "quote pswith5: "Does anyone know the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" What is your quest? |
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billconner |
quote Savage Voyageur: "quote pswith5: "Does anyone know the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" Great questions. |
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jhb8426 |
quote quark2222: "I use the sphincter pucker test. If the sphincter is puckering due to fear, it is time to head for shore. I've done that about two times. Once on Alton, and the other on Brule. Yes, both lakes can get "a bit rough", as they say. And they don't take a lot of wind to do that. |
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nofish |
I'll look at wind direction, the direction I need to travel, what shelter points are between points A and B and how I might be able to hop from one sheltered area to another while keeping the canoe heading in a safe direction relative to the waves. Doing this may allow you to pick apart a large windblown body of water into small manageable chunks. I've been able to do this on Brule on some pretty nasty days, they weren't fun paddling days but we were able to stay safe and bounce for one sheltered area to another which allowed us to rest and prepare for the next leg of the paddle. The route taken in these situations is rarely the shortest or most direct route but its the safest route. Of course the other factors still come into play (loaded or unloaded, skill level, capability of your canoe, etc). |
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egknuti |
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sedges |
I have often packed up in the dark, eating trail mix and raisins, to get across Saganaga or Knife or Basswood in the calm of first light. After getting past the big waters I would stop at an empty campsite and fix a second, hot breakfast. It is also good to remember that winds are "usually" calm in the morning. There are those few times when they are roaring at 5 AM. If that is the case there will usually be a time later in the day when winds ease up, making evening travel possible. I also tell my folks at home to give me at least a whole day after my intended exit before hitting the panic button. I tell them I am not going to risk my life to get out on time. They seem to understand that. |
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andym |
quote pswith5: "Does anyone know the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" Is that while sitting on a SR Q17 or a MN II? |
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LindenTree3 |
Winds TDY |
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Savage Voyageur |
quote pswith5: "Does anyone know the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" An African or European swallow? |
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LindenTree3 |
Interesting point is I've never done it on the water, I will do so next time with my anemometer. Most people have no idea how strong a 15 mph eye level wind (4.5 feet above he ground) feels. My guess/experience is that if you have a couple miles of open water for the wind to catch, a 15 mph eye level wind could whip up 1.5 foot waves, and larger waves as the fetch increases. Keep in mind that wind speed used by the National Weather Service is reported/measured at 33 feet/ten meters. We use a reduction factor to calibrate that down to eye level winds/4.5 feet. |
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sedges |
The thing I consider the most when judging risk in wind and waves is water temperature and distance from shore. If I dump am I going to get hyperthermic before I get to shore. Most of my trips are in June with pretty cold water. I stay close enough to shore to get out fast if something happens in rough water. That means I am sometimes in shallower water with taller waves, but I won't expire in the middle of the lake. Be honest with yourself about your skills and your command of the boat your are paddling. If you are uncomfortable with a situation take the long route close to shore. It will give you a chance to get some experience in rough water without much risk. |
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LindenTree3 |
I've paddled water tandem with my wife who is a strong paddler, that I never would consider paddling solo. I live and paddle in Alaska, a (Solo) spill up here very far from shore would be life threatening. Here is the Beaufort wind scale, again keep in mind that this is ocean related and measured at 33 feet, not eye level where we use a reduction factor. Beaufort Sea Wind Scale Same scale, maybe easier to interpret to smaller inland lakes. |
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mnwild |
Or during the trip sometimes I check the weather radio for the wind predictions. |
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billconner |
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pswith5 |
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jwartman59 |
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mnwild |
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shock |
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Grandma L |
quote shock: "on bigger lakes like snowbank (depending on wind direction) 15 mph can feel like a 20mph , depending on a person experience anything over 15mph should be approached with caution," +1 |