Record Rainfall hits Midwest

The rain started on Thursday and didn’t stop until Monday. Kalamazoo experienced significant flooding in some downtown areas. I was biking through mud puddles up to my knees on Monday morning. Consequently my bike shoes smell very funny. I suspect they always will.

I managed to drive out to Lake Michigan on Sunday to paddle towards the South Haven Lighthouse.

Deer Lick Creek which is normally about 3 feet wide even at the mouth, was around 40 feet wide and running as a class II/III rapid. I managed to get my sea kayak into the creek and surf a standing wave!

Here is a picture in low water:

From Family Trip to Lake Michigan

Here is the creek in high water:

From Rainy Lake Michigan Day

The storm drain that rests between Deer Lick Creek and the Lighthouse was putting out a record amount of water. The lake waves were being held back by the current from the spout. I surfed my Silhouette in on the lake waves, and then spun behind the spout, and was spat back out to surf in again. I did this about ten times for fun!

The only downside was with the biblical amount of rain and fog, it was hard for the eye and therefore the inner ear to get a good idea of what was up and what was down and I was getting seasick if I wasn’t surfing.

Check out the videos and the pictures in the PicasaGallery.