Quoting Keith Wrage <keith.wrage_at_charter.net>: > FYI - a paddler died yesterday in a sea kayaking accident in sea caves in > the Apostle Islands NL. According to a local kayak shop, there were "gale > force winds and the ferry was even having trouble getting out to Madeline > Island" when the two paddlers set out (winds of 43 mph according to the > story below). Apparently they went into or were drawn into the sea caves > under these high wind conditions. > > Story below: > http://www.ashlandwi.com/placed/index.php?sect_rank=1&story_id=180628 I checked the historical data from the Devils Island weather station. At the time the pair put in, the wind was blowing out of the WSW at about 28 mph, later reaching sustained speeds in the 30s, and gusting at one point to 44 mph. They probably would have had some partial protection from the wind at their put- in and, with a relatively short fetch, fairly small waves, which may have deceived them, but once out in Squaw Bay they would have encountered the full force of the wind and increasing wave size. Paddling toward the caves, they would have had the wind at their backs. How they expected to return to their put-in point, I have no idea. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Aug 23 2004 - 10:43:28 PDT
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