Kayaking in High Winds | This was a big decision!

[@billpitkin3259]

Ken, don't shut up! Sharing your decision-making process could save lives. It's also interesting and entertaining. Love your new channel, BTW.

[@BrianScherf]

Keep explaining your decision making process. It is very valuable for new paddlers.

[@slowridephotographyadventu6850]

One part of solo tripping that I really enjoy is the decision making, how you are entirely responsible for every little thing. From deciding which dehydrated meal to eat, all the way to reading wind/weather forecasts and determining if it's paddle time or sitting time. It's all very empowering and a great mental health reset. I have heard it said that camping is a great way to leave the "real world" behind for a while, I have even heard you say that! I've often thought it's the other way round! That when you get out in nature, you are entering the "real world" and leaving the virtual one behind! Always enjoy you videos, keep 'em coming 😀

[@Simon_W74]

These kind of videos are invaluable for those that are looking into taking on a more active kind of Kayaking, getting a breakdown of what leads a paddler to make the decisions they make with a video to show exactly what the conditions are and why your thinking the way do at that time. Something that Experience brings, but very useful for those starting out or with a bit of experience under their belts.

[@johnburns6247]

Your videos are the Rolls Royce of paddling videos. I’d watch any and all of them. Super informative and professional quality.👍😃

[@PaddleTV]

:) Thanks John! I was going for Ferrari though... Rolls Royce will have to do :)

[@trishaharrison6183]

Never stop talking. You are teaching us so much. ❤️

[@PaddleTV]

:)

[@georgemorcom9700]

I like the part where you discuss. I paddle mostly coastal NC. I’ve learned that weather changes, wind can change and even boat traffic causes the unexpected. A million things go through my head when the conditions get worse than expected. It’s good to see how you make your decisions on why and when to go or not go. Thank you for sharing this. Good luck on your shoulder and when you can get back out to more serious paddling, continue to discuss the trips. I like that part too.

[@PaddleTV]

Yup! The NC Coast can get sporty! Glad you enjoyed this video!

[@Urrry]

Thanks for decifiring this - very useful. Two years ago I had to cross a 1.5 km section of a lake in the North of Sweden on a small U-shape ponton boat, which I use to raft down up to class 3 rivers. At the entering to the lake from the river mouth it was windy, but not crazy, so I decided to start crossing, but right in the middle of the lake the wind picked up so much that I couldn't even paddle any longer. I was just jumping up and down sitting on my tiny boat like in a rodeo and the wind kept on trying to turn its side to the wind (the tracking of such boats is literaly 0), which would have sure led to capsizing. The only thing I could do is to immerse my oars into the water and use them to steer. The only good thing was that the wind was taking me directly to the harbor. Don't know how long it took, felt like eternity, but ventually a wave threw me to the shore. My legs were so shaky that even couldn't stand and I couldn't feel my arms anymore. I will never ever forget that feeling of helplesness. The only thing I'm a little bit proud of is that I didn't panic, just tried to sit tight and held on to the oars with all my might.

[@RobertaOrchid1]

As a newer paddler, I appreciate the factors to weigh in the decision process! It helps me think of things I didn’t know would be critical in a successful trip vs a stressful, or detrimental experience.

[@davedave8677]

This is GREAT! Some really valuable learnings for me here ❤

[@PaddleTV]

Cheers!

[@andylowry8439]

Thanks Ken, l really enjoyed your breakdown analysis. It is very enlightening to understand how someone else makes their decisions. I must admit that was some brave paddling and unless ones encountered those type of swells which doesn't always look to bad to onlookers is a whole new ball game when your out in it. Great job keep the videos coming 👍😊

[@carlbreathat9581]

I should have watched this before I commented in your other video. Thanks for the breakdown. This is great info. Definitely would like more of these.

[@patrickh621]

Great to see both the trip as such as well as the decision/experience part in detail! The pictures are inspiring, but the 'theory' part helps to actually plan&do these things by oneself.

[@Leveosaa]

Making good decisions is the key to keeping paddling fun and safe. Please don't stop sharing. Love these types of video, I learned so much. Thank you!

[@PaddleTV]

You're welcome! Happy to share my experience.

[@ericdesanto1831]

Yes! Yes! absolutely yes! It really helps to hear why you make decisions.

[@PaddleTV]

Roger that!

[@StevesRoadTripChronicles]

Risk assessment is the Number One skill to have in any backcountry activity in my opinion. Good explanation of your thinking in making the decision to cross the bay to Cap Chaillon 👍

[@mondayb0y]

Very useful more like this please Ken Thanks

[@PaddleTV]

You got it!

[@deaninchina01]

Great video Ken. A mate and I had a similar big decision during a crossing of Bass Strait between mainland Australia and Tasmania. Was the first open ocean crossing of 52km to Hogan Island. We had set a wind limit of 15 knots average happy with gusts to 25 knots. Forecast was for a tailwind of 20 knots average. Really felt the pressure of the clock ticking on the 18 day trip to make the most of the tailwind. We did get up early to make the final decision, in the end we decided if it wasn’t a definite yes it was a no. Wind got to 30 for extended periods and gusts to 42knots. Was a great lesson of sticking to plan and appreciating what exposure you are taking on. A fabulous trip for your bucket list mate!! C’mon down under!

[@PaddleTV]

Wow! Now that's a crossing! 52km!!! Would love to get back down under. It's been 30 years since I paddled there! I was a raft guide on the Tully River in Queensland for a season, and did a bunch of other paddling while there. Didn't get on the ocean though...

[@timfarmer5535]

Thank you. I'm looking to do a Lake Superior adventure, maybe next year depending on the MR340 race and if I can do two week trips. These kind of break down helps me in my own safety evaluations. Please keep them mixed in with your videos.

[@tomeilers1401]

Hello Ken, I'm looking your Kayakvideos since about 4- 5 years and I like them very well! You make very good Videos! I myself is paddling now for 5 years. In this time I made from time to time some paddle- exercises teached by an DKV Instructer. We practice many things like high and low brace, selfrescueing technics, partner rescueing and many things more. I made all these things from time to time when it's possible for me. I'm learning the kayakroll some times in the summer here in the river "Weser" in the north of Germany. I have been paddling with some other paddlers on the Northern- and Eastern See shore for some trips. For paddling on open water our instructer told us a very importent rule: Clean Deck! That means, that the Kayak deck behind the paddler must be "clean"- no baggage. So when you capsize with your Kayak and you get out, the reentry is safe. Why didn't you choose a bigger kayak with 5,3 to 5,5 m length? I think it's better, more safe and convenient to put all your baggage into the bulks! Please excuse my bad english! Sometimes it's very hard for me to understand all what you are saying in the videos! Best wishes from Germany and always good luck on the water! Thomas

[@SteveZihn]

I would someday like to paddle on the Great Lakes, but I'd stay on the US side because I don't want the hassles of international crossing. I have paddled some high planes and mountain lakes and I have had to deal with chop and waves. When I was in the Marine Corps I did some training in inflatable boats, and we paddled in the Pacific Ocean. I can see a large difference in ocean waves and lake waves, but I would guess Lake Superior is more like the waves in an ocean then they are in the smaller high altitude lakes. Wind fetch inland is measured in miles and is seldom more then about 20 of them. Wind fetch on the ocean can sometimes be measured in time zones. Wave intervals on lakes are much closer together from what I have experienced on the Pacific, and a wind of 35 MPH to 40 MPH on Flaming Gorge, Yellowstone Lake and sometimes Boysen Reservoir in Wyoming gives shorter swells then I remember off California, Oregon and Alaska, but white caps seem to develop much faster. And it's choppy, confused and not regular. I have many times been in chop where the water was breaking well over the deck and around my waist and rib-cage about every 5-10 seconds, but the waive height was less then I remember in the Pacific when we were a few miles off shore. 12 foot regular swells with a lot of space in-between never seemed to be a problem, but 4 foot tall breakers and white caps can be frightening. I also have had to turn my stern to the wind and just let it blow me to shore, (LOTS of bracing strokes) knowing there was no way I was going to get any progress into those winds on the lakes. The good thing about remote and much smaller lakes is that you can land in many if not most places, and just wait it out. Not like a huge body of water, or an ocean, where you can get blown "out to sea". "Any land is good land when the water is bad". I had to haul my kayak up a steep rocky bank and tie it off to hold it one time, but setting back into the rocks and putting on more clothing to weather a storm is far better then being on (or in) the water when the waves are about 6 inches to 18 inches taller then my head height, and when my kayak is in the troughs I can't see over them. I touch the tip of my paddle straight up (8 foot long Greenland type) and sight across as well as I can, to "measure" the height of waves. 3 times I have been in conditions where the white caps were past the mid point of that paddle. At those time where I was going mattered a lot less to me then where I was staying. "ANYWHERE BUT HERE" came to mind.

[@philipoakley5498]

Oooh, that orchestra chasing you was clueful ;-) great imagery

[@PaddleTV]

:)

[@AirOnTheWater]

Thanks Ken for another really interesting video, with the analysis and decision-making involved there. Now to go check out your new channel 😎

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks! Hope you enjoy the full video!

[@bryanb8366]

This is a great video. It reminds me when we crossed lake Erie from Marblehead to peely Island. This summer day two when we tried to go from Pelee Island to peely point, we got into 20 mph sustained winds out of the South with 2 to 4 ft. Following seas. We made it about halfway and decided to come back to the island so we didn't fight the wind on the way back. Same thing. One day three on our way home 18 mph sustained headwinds with 25 mph gusts. We decided to go around the west side of the island to catch the ferry back and ran into 4 to 6 ft waves with the wind. It was a bit nerve-wracking but once you calm down it wasn't bad. It was actually kind of fun. Would you be interested in doing a video on the Great lakes chop or as we call it out of Cleveland the washing machine Rodeo. The Great lakes waves are unlike what you get in the ocean, they can be confused and nasty.

[@PaddleTV]

Glad you enjoyed it. Sounds like you've had your fair share of rough stuff! Great Lakes rough is definitely very different than the ocean. The wave lengths are so much smaller, which makes it feel more chaotic than bigger swell in the ocean.

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

Reminds me a little of a paddle I did late last year. Winds gusting to about 100km/h, sometimes straight into it, sometimes a side wind. At one point it took 30 minutes to cover 100m into the wind paddling flat out. There was no need to worry as it was a sheltered tidal river that I could just walk across, but the return journey of 11km coincided with a change in weather.

[@PaddleTV]

YIKES!

[@billyhsu4567]

Thanks Ken for the video. The thinking behind the decision is invaluable to a new paddler like me .

[@PaddleTV]

Happy to hear it was helpful!

[@JakkeLehtonen-Jagster]

To all europeans who are using m/s that 50 km/h is little shy 14 m/s. My comfort zone is max 8 m/s with 14 m/s gust. And even then only if I really must 😅

[@jeffolsen4983]

Appreciated AND enjoyed.

[@anninwhack1998]

So useful to hear your explanations. Can you please explain your choice to not use a paddle leash in these conditions? Thx for all advice.

[@PaddleTV]

A great question. A paddle leash wouldn't have been a bad idea. I did have a back up paddle on the deck behind me, and so losing the paddle wouldn't have been catastrophic. I don't use a paddle leash because I find them annoying. I know it's a simple and pretty lame answer, but it's the truth. I can get away without using them, because the chance of me swimming is so low, because I have a rock solid roll that I've learned from 35 years of whitewater kayaking. Bottom line... I'm not against paddle leashes. I think they make sense for a lot of people in a lot of cases. The higher the chances someone has of coming out of their boat, the more important a paddle leash is.

[@richardwill935]

Great segment!! Very informative, smart, interesting, and helpful.

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks Richard!

[@guyrichard2030]

Superbe 👌 Thx & Get well soon 🤗🌊✌️

[@PaddleTV]

Merci beaucoup!

[@janinewatt5375]

Thanks for the explanation of your decisions!

[@PaddleTV]

Cheers!

[@joewilson5400]

Excellent video!

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks!

[@karwask1]

Hi Ken, thanks so much for being an amazing person and resource for all of us. So appreciated. I'm so pretty new to kayaking and attempting to do a little more performance-oriented paddling as I also have a surf ski. So, please forgive me if this is a naive question. In light of your shoulder issue, and of course we're all subject to that, to what degree do you use your core and legs when you are paddling? With my attempting to be more performance-oriented in the surf ski of course the leg drive and torso rotation is extremely dynamic. In regular paddling, especially touring, as you are demonstrating now, to what degree are you using your legs and core? Any insight is much appreciated. Thx

[@seekayaker]

Nice video and explanation of your decision making. My goal in paddling a place is to see the scenery so the decision to paddle out and make distance was disappointing, but the explanation of the shoulder pain while sleeping helps, lessor of two evils... I have paddled most of Lake Superior in 1.5-2 week chunks (150-300 miles at a time) and that is one of 2 chunks i have yet to paddle. Maybe this summer.

[@PaddleTV]

Maybe we'll see you out there! I'm definitely heading back to the Lake next summer. :)

[@THE-RIVER-RAT]

Hi Ken, very interesting video hearing about how you made your decisions. It also helps If your skeg box isn't full of sand !!! 😅

[@PaddleTV]

Very true. Fool me once....

[@THE-RIVER-RAT]

@@PaddleTV You will never beat me for making a foolish mistake. I once forgot my Kayak Oops

[@gradyrm237]

I found a local outfitter in Central Pa that offers reentry and roll training in the offseason. It's at an indoor pool setting. Ideal for learning.

[@PaddleTV]

That sounds like a great opportunity!

[@stevesjeep3383]

Awesome! Thee are many previous video segments where you did or thought something that is newbies would have overlooked. If you look at those videos as a different person(not yourself), “why did he do that?” Is what we often think but, to avoid sounding less than professional, don’t ask. Yes! Please elaborate! When you are looking back, what are you looking at?

[@iviewthetube]

A self rescue could be very difficult with a bummed shoulder. My guess is that a wet re-entry and roll would be the best option in this case.

[@CheekyMonkey888]

groenland paddle helps big time in high wind

[@MrSreeji]

Can you review Andes inflatable two person kayak, it's cheaper than intex challenger K2

[@markjones8846]

Great video on an important topic. Do you know what the wind speed was?

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks! 20mph sustained, gusting to 35mph

[@markjones8846]

@@PaddleTV That's on the edge of my comfort zone.

[@paulmartin5889]

Ken…wondering why you didn’t use the P&H Volan on this trip..

[@PaddleTV]

I wanted a plastic kayak, because I didn't know how rough launches or landings would be. A plastic kayak gives me more peace of mind in unknown conditions.

[@jerrys576]

No way would I want to be out there. However any time you can share your expertise pleas do so!. That's what helps us learn.

[@PaddleTV]

Ha! Will do!

[@stevenarseneault1972]

Two concerns would immidiatly show up for me.....leak in the haul and sharks.

[@seekayaker]

No sharks in the Great Lakes...so only one fear left 😊. Personally, when paddling Lake Superior, I worry about landing on rocks in 4'+ breaking surf, but that will be likely to break the kayak. Especially one loaded for camping. Gorilla tape works well to patch leaks, there's still some on my tripping kayak from my last trip.

[@stevenarseneault1972]

Doesn't fish enter channel locks coming from Saint Larence sea way? Even young fish can become big once in the lakes. Perhaps fresh water becomes an issue for some fish so it deters them. Except such big fish as Bullsharks. As for leaks in the haull, I've seen video where one guy off shore fishing in his kayak had a crack in the joint seams in the scupper holes. Pretty much impossible to fix unless you carried a underwater plastic tube repair kit then somehow get rid of the water in the hull. Duct tape won't work. That paddler barely made to shore while half his kayak was at water level. The joint in the scupper hole can be thin and offset. All depends on the quality. What makes thing even worst is those ridiculous kayak trolleys that actually uses pole that goes in the scupper holed. It stresses the joints in the scupper. There are quite a few stories about failures this way. Having dense foams or better yet sealed sections in the hull helps a lot against sinking in these situations but those kayaks are more expensive and not commonly sold. Some people may not think about the need to have a sectioned kayak for going off shore.

[@geschichteundreisen1154]

I don't go not out over 40km/h on the water, there are good wind apps, you can see it. All wind over 30-35 km/h bring me out of my comfort zone. Otherwise at the beach i did with wind about 50 km/h wave riding, that was fun, but on a trip i stay in my tent/ away from water.

[@seekayaker]

There's no cell service along Lake Superior in many places so apps are often useless. There have been many times I wish I could get a better forecast. The VHF offshore marine forecast on the lake covers about half the lake and gives the worst conditions. For example "western Lake Superior winds 5-25kts with waves of 5-7'". It makes it hard to know what to expect where you are. Half the lake is an area of something like a square 150 miles on a side.

[@geschichteundreisen1154]

@seekayaker Good to know. In Germany it is not that wild like in USA or even Canada ☺️ Next year i plan a trip to sweden when all goes well, so than i am going the first time in the real wild.

[@AnthonyWilliams-mz9pc]

Does a small drogue work with a kayak as used on bigger boats with following seas?

[@PaddleTV]

Anglers sometimes you drift socks to slow the speed that wind blows them across the water, but this wouldn't be useful when trying to travel.

[@petougao]

Bushy bay? The he heee.

[@SteveZihn]

What kayak did you paddle for the trip?

[@PaddleTV]

P&H Scorpio HV. I did a full review of the kayak earlier this year that you can check out.

[@AnthonyWilliams-mz9pc]

Dampens that nauseating yaw motion. Just wondering..

[@tedgraves6366]

Direction, duration , and frequency. . . Short sharp waves will kill ya!

[@PaddleTV]

Very true... lake waves are a lot different than ocean waves.