Re: [Paddlewise] Fresh water lake paddling

Hi Craig,

You wrote:

> However I do have a question about the size of the waves which, I 
> think, are unusual given the wind speed and the fetch. The lake 
> (Moses Lake) is pretty shallow with depths of 12 to 20 feet maximum 
> and I was paddling in waters about typical. I've noticed that winds 
> across this lake tend to produce steep waves that are close 
> together and seem larger than those conditions would produce on 
> salt water. Does fresh water react differently to wind conditions 
> than salt water or is it mostly a result of the shallow water? 

I'd have to go with "depth of water", and other factors...

Though I've paddled in high winds in both saltwater and lakes, the
length of fetch and variations in depth (and current/swell in
saltwater) make it pretty hard to make direct comparisons. I really
don't think that just salt vs. fresh water is going to make any real
difference though. I doubt that even a slight difference in density
would make any appreciable difference with regards to wind wave
conditions.

Perhaps the most frequent salt/fresh water comparison I can make from
my own recent experience (past 12 years) is between North Bay in
Grays Harbor and Lake Quinault. Though Quinault has a bit of fetch,
it's not nearly as long a fetch as in the bay (unless, perhaps, the
wind is blowing almost directly east/west, which is rare for the
bay). The bay also has swell, currents and shoals that combine with
wind to create particular conditions, and Lake Quinault is a very
deep lake. North bay has its deeper spots, but it's also fairly
shallow in places (in addition to the even more shallow shoal areas).
Hmmm...the more I go on, the less I feel I can compare between these
two! :)

Anyway...I've had steep and deep wind wave conditions in both the bay
and the lake, with waves crashing over the deck in both, but the
shallower bay with its longer fetch and opposing currents and wind
wins hands down with regards to the height, steepness, closeness, and
chaos (can produce heavy "clapotis-like" conditions with just
opposing wind, current, and swell--no need for steep cliffs to bounce
off of).

Just a couple weeks ago, I was in the bay with this clapotis-like
condition, and from the crest to the trough, these chaotic little
waves were about two feet over my head when I was in a trough, and
when on the crests, the wind did its best to blow me over in a hurry.
Lots of water crashing over the deck. If the wind is blowing in from
the west, in the shallower area of eastern Lake Quinault (close to
the river entrance, where the incoming flow of the river can oppose
the wind), the waves can get pretty high and steep. Still though,
never nearly as high, steep, or chaotic as the waves the bay can
produce with the same amount of wind.

Melissa
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