Re: [Paddlewise] Lake Michigan Crossing Article

From: mike dziobak <mdziobak_at_mtu.edu>
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 14:48:54 -0400 (EDT)
Yes, I agree it is a very well written account especially for a non padder
publication. Thanks Jim.

But I wish they had given the day of forecast for south lake Michigan and
their reasoning for taking off on a fifty miler that particular day. I
like to do my great lakes crossings in July mainly because any amount of
side chop, overtime translates into a huge energy drain.

I like to keep track of predicted wave heights and actual lake surface
conditions as a data base to draw on when it comes time to make the go no
go decision. I'm disappointed but not surprised that the wave heights as
discribed by the participants appear to be exaggerated.
It's possible to review conditions for that day at the south Lake Michigan
bouy at:
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/view_text_file.php?filename=45007h2006.txt.gz&dir=data/historical/stdmet

It appears significant wave height for that evening around 7-8pm was
slowly building to 4 to 4.5 feet with about 20-25 knot winds.

No doubt they were in some bad conditions for a crossing of that length
and had some very unfortunate gear failure but I wish these accounts would
not exaggerate sea state conditions. It throws my correlations way off.
-mike

> That is probably the best-written account of a kayak trip, paddlers'
> mentality, and rescue I've ever read. Thanks, Jim.
>
> Craig Jungers
> Royal City, WA
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Received on Mon Apr 02 2007 - 11:49:18 PDT

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