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Perched on the crest of a wave, originally uploaded by Go Kayak Now.

On our day downwind from South Haven to Saugatuck we used a lot of edging while on the critical point of the wave. The idea is you wait for your bow to release from the wave, and when you start to feel the beginning of wave power from behind, you edge in the desired direction. In the case of our trip we really had quartering seas from the south west all day so we would edge right to swing the bow out to sea to stay away from land, thus going north rather than north east where the wind was trying to push us. Here john is applying good low brace technique while he begins his edge.

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Paddling in Following seas can be challenging, originally uploaded by Go Kayak Now.

This is one of the best shots of the day with John Fleming in the trough, paddle vertical for positioning.

While under way and in moving water, the best way to ensure you are not wasting energy and stable is to blend strokes. This is what John Fleming is doing by blending his forward stroke into a stern draw to pull his stern around.

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Saugatuck Channel Sea Kayak Wave Play Nov 8th 2008

Because today is the day of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald it is fitting that this post includes a way to kayak rough water in the Great Lakes without getting killed. I had another experience three years ago today that involved kayak surfing on the day of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, that surf session didn’t go so hot.

John Fleming and I made it out to Saugatuck this saturday to paddle Lake Michigan. It was looking like a huge day on the lake with thirty knot winds. Something that honestly is starting to be a pain. 15-20 is great for waves, but 30 is just heinous and makes all the waves flatten out and squash down. You can’t make progress for very long against it. The forecast for Lake Michigan that day was 30 knot winds out of the west, (onshore yuck) with 4-7 foot waves building to 8-10.

This is best put in the words of Homer,

“It is not possible to fight beyond your strength, even if you strive”

John and I drove to the beach anyway to see what we could see. My B-plan was to play in the channel where the waves funnel through to the Kalamazoo river. John and I suited up and began to paddle up river. John is a newer paddler, but also one of the more skilled newer paddlers I have seen. Having seen his roll, his forward and positioning strokes, it seemed like he would do fine. However this was really the first time he had been out on water this textured.

John also was lucky enough to have just received his new Immersion Research paddling suit.
Considering the air temp which was in the low forties, and the off and on hail and freezing rain, this was probably a wise investment for John. I can’t stress enough how nice it is to have a drysuit for this type of paddling. I may groan about having to wear a drysuit on a summer Lake Superior trip from time to time. But when it gets cold in winter and fall, I love wearing my Kokatat Meridian suit. Nothing can put your mind at ease and allow you to focus on your skills than being warm and dry. There is nothing better for force seven winds and 40 degree water temps than wearing a paddling fleece, running tights and smart wool socks under a complete 3-layer gore-tex suit. I know a lot of newer paddler’s eyes pop when they hear the price, roughly $1000. Though the IR drysuit is a steal at $775.00. The availability of affordable immersion protection is a great thing for paddlesports. I love my Kokatat and I do think it is worth the money. That said if you are on a bit of a budget, the Immersion Research looks like a great suit. Maybe John will comment on it’s performance?

John and I approached the channel and looked at the maw of the beast. Sleet was driving in on the twenty-five knot wind, the waves beyond the breakwall looked like a giant washing machine. Massive whitecapped 8-10 foot waves were building on the outside. The wind was beginning to funnel straight down the river mouth.

I knew I could probably get outside, but then what. I could surf in most likely, or try not surf as the case may be in a sea kayak. But what then?… Often I’ve felt compelled to test my limits against the lake, but it seemed (to continue the metaphor) like sticking my head in the lions mouth. Because Saugatuck has a nice westward facing channel and a long Kalamazoo river approach that winds its way west, we are able to paddle right up to the mouth on flat water. I’ve been wanting to try surfing the river mouth on days like this for three years. I figured it would be a great intro to rough water for John. The only thing, and keep in mind this is a big only thing, is the danger of the break walls on both sides. You do not want to surf a sea kayak smack into a break wall, or have a bad capsize and get washed into one. However in the event of a swim that does not end in smashing into the break wall this is where a good quick tow and a rescue would be very important.

The waves cleaned up and ran down either side of the channel with a bit of reflection waves in the middle. In some ways this was the best spot to be. We were somewhat sheltered from the wind, in an area where the cleanest spilling waves could be found. I may actually take a surf boat next time. The waves in the channel were smaller and more manageable, more in the 4-7 foot range. These waves in the channel were also slow moving enough to react to individually.

It was great to be able to see a new perspective on this pursuit of mine. Watching John’s fearful reaction to the power of the lake funneling down two 6 foot steel and concrete walls right at him made his eyes pop a little, and he visibly tensed when we approached. I gave a few bits of advice I’ve been trying to articulate about rough water paddling.

• Stay Loose: if you tense up and don’t allow the water to move under you- you will lose and go over. I’ve seen many competent paddlers go stiff in steep conditions that may not have knocked them over and ended up swimming anyway. Being relaxed in the hips gives you an edge. You can steer much easier with your hips and your paddle than with your arms alone. Keep your grip relaxed on the paddle, you’ll only wear yourself out trying to crush your paddle in an iron death grip.
• Allow the kayak to settle: In the event of a capsize, allowing the kayak to fully capsize is the best way to make sure you only have to roll up once. By rushing to roll before the kayak is fully capsized and your body is in the setup position, you are more likely to be too far beneath the kayak and then struggling to bring your head up for air. Better to let it settle, hold on for at least a two mississippi count, and then rolling up. In the event of getting tossed around a bit by a wave, wait for it to release you before trying to roll up. This is the hardest mental gymnastics to get down. You just have to stop panicking and wait, wait, wait. Because waiting with no breath for a few seconds is always easier than swimming.
• Visualize your path: this is the hardest for newer paddlers to achieve as they have no ability to conceptualize which way their kayak will travel when it starts to plane out on a wave. If you can picture your kayak lifting at the stern and starting to rush downwave and how you are going to react when the unexpected happens, you will be able to hold on, brace, rudder, or roll. Practice in conditions is the only way to develop this skill

John did really well. He started off a little tense, but proceeded to unwind a little bit when he realized there was a manageable way to predict the waves coming in, and to pick the waves you wanted to turn on, and the waves you wanted to paddle for.

I did see him paddling up a particularly steep face that was at least six feet, I was worried for a second that he might get tossed ass over tea-kettle. He paddled hard and came out on the other side unscathed. He had a few capsizes and managed to roll-up from each.

I caught a few wild rides where I managed to edge off from the wall pretty well. Sea kayaks are so easy to get moving at top speed. It’s funny to switch in between surf kayaks and sea kayaks at times.
A surf kayak will easily turn and spin out from danger, but really needs a quite steep wave to fully plane out. Where as a sea kayak will surf a very small wave very fast, but once you’re headed down wave, forget about carving off in the other direction.

John Fleming hopped out of his kayak and got these shots of me from the south side of the pier. My camera will evidently have to go in to Pentax for service.

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Port Sheldon to Saugatuck Sea Kayak Trip-Nov 15th 2008

The plan overall is as follows:

MEET: @ Port Sheldon Launch off of Lake Shore drive on the north side of Pigeon lake. There is a boat launch (and large parking area) just south of the power plant (south of the rail road tracks, right on Lake Shore Drive. The launch is actually on the river, as it widens into the lake just before going through the channel to Lake Michigan. It is 1/2 to 3/4 mile paddle from the launch to Lake Michigan.

WHEN: Be at the launch at Noon, sort out gear discuss plans and be on the water by Noon-12:00pm.

Distance: 15 Miles + 1.5 up the Kalamazoo River. 4 NM an hour is the average so figure on at least 3 1/2-4 hours. Five is the finish time I was planning on.

Dinner @

Phil’s Bar & Grille
215 Butler Street
Saugatuck, MI 49453
269.857.1555

Car Shuttling.

I am having my wife drop me off with my gear and boat to paddle down to Saugatuck.

Car shuttling can be handled very simply by any non-paddling members of your family. Or if you are coming from Grand Rapids, I recommend talking to one another to discuss the plan. It is also only 15 miles back to Port Sheldon so a bike, or a car drop could be worked into the plan.

View Larger Map

Please Watch These two in the day or two prior to the event.

Marine Weather

Holland Lake Cam

If it is huge and gnarly, 25 knots plus out of the west-northwest, we might have to consider a surf day in Saugatuck or Holland and then dinner. We may have a few extra surf boats and ww boats to play with too.

A word to the wise, this trip even if weather permits will be in cold weather and cold water.
Please dress accordingly and take responsibility for those you bring with you. A drysuit or wetsuit is mandatory, not an option.

I have extras of a lot of stuff so let me know what you need, and there are a lot of people who will be willing to offer good gear to those that can paddle.

Also another word to the wise, if you have a Skin on Frame or other type of folding boat without bulkheads do my hernia a favor and put some float bags in it!!!!

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Sea Kayak Trip Lake Michigan, Saugatuck

After several months of feeling sub-standard, experiencing new low ebbs of my fitness and strength, and consequently feeling very low in spirits; the wind began to blow. Unfortunately it did not howl, but spirited breezes across Lake Michigan were quite enough for me to be getting on with. After being a complete ass and forgetting about dropping off my Isabella at camp (I suck), I negotiated a penitent truce at home. Paddle time with Lori and Doug and getting Isabella off to Van Buren Youth Camp became a settled armistice between all parties.

We paddled out of the harbor and into the wind. This particular day was overcast and the wind was veering from the southwest to due west, to northwest. We made the call to head directly out. We paddled at a steady four knot clip due west for almost two and a half hours. I felt some of my old strength and fitness returning. Nothing ached for once. Lori unfortunately was taking my bad mojo. She was hurting but keeping up.

As we neared the time for turn around the wind had begun to veer completely to the northwest. The waves had been tidied up and began to form tidy swells. The blue green freshwater sea began to hiss as the cat’s paws of white caps skittered across the surface. Mist closed in around the land. My paddle blades caught the wind as we tacked towards land. I dug in for all I was worth feeling the muscles in my back and my abdomen pulse, twitch, and burn.The Foster Silhouette began to plane and surf on the small wind driven waves. I was leaning well forward trying to free the stern and allow it to catch the swells. I began to fly with my old grace again. As my kayak spilled down wave, I was edging hard and allowing the hard chines to catch and then pivot the kayak down wave again.

Doug and I have a tendency to try and ram one another while surfing, I actually parked my Silhouette over the top of his Valkyrie deck on a crossing between North and South Manitou while surfing wind waves between the islands. I tried to keep the distance healthy, but as we surfed, I had to drop a few emergency hanging draws to pull us apart.

I enjoyed feeling the powerful fluid bite of the Werner Ikelos. I found myself using a fairly high cadence for my forward stroke. I would spin hard and then sweep and edge to stay on course and then dig in with a rudder to keep the lighthouses marking the harbor on my bow. Doug and I would trade leading the surge towards land like two motorcycle riders on a starting line, goosing the throttle, he would spin dig his blades deep, spin hard, and then catch a ride. Doug’s Valkyrie would scoot ahead fifty or one hundred yards until he would have to start paddling hard again. Then I would dig and spin until I caught a ride, perhaps even getting on the back of another waves, and then smelling another ride, dig hard to climb over the top and spill down wave again.

As this sprinting continued I forgot about the hernia repair, work, and all problems, and only about the next ride. In some small way this is what being in a sea kayak on open water is about, the distance between land and sea is a thin tether that needs to be broken every once in a while. If I stay too long on land the tether seems to grow in thickness and weight until it becomes hard to bear. Nothing in life that I have done thus far has felt as beautiful or as free as flying before a tail wind 5 miles from land.

We all know surf kayaking is obviously very freeing. It is however a different feeling. Heading out to surf storms has a certain amount of sheer dread with brief moments of pure bliss. The pit of dread in your belly as you break out on a 25 knot wind day from a beach with 10 foot surf is a bit much at times. But that dread is rewarded with a carving green water bliss that you couldn’t top with a shot of heroin in the eyeball. Burt Monro said it best about his motorcycle, “I live more in five minutes on that bike than most people do in their whole lives“. This is especially true of surf kayaking. Sea kayaking wind driven waves is not as thrilling, but it has beauty and grace. It also has a different pace, it is slow enough to be able to enjoy it while you’re doing it. While surf kayaking I am so completely in the moment, I have to think back while in the car on the way home about the rides I caught, rather than while I am paddling out to get the next one. Suffice it to say, I am still in love with both mistresses.