MONO LAKE: from calm to CRAZY! (a story of SURVIVAL)

[@bmiller6987]

Great video and you are incredibly lucky the wind was not a tad stronger. Between CA State Parks and Lee Vining Fire Dept, we have recovered a couple of drowned kayakers from Mono Lake over the years--not novices, but experienced paddlers who thought they understood the boundaries of the wind and water. It's not the salinity of the water, but the alkalinity that is a major threat. With a pH of 10, inhaling wind-spray from the surface of Mono Lake can become deadly very fast. It's debatable that rescue would have been able to respond in time if you were in serious trouble/ wind was a little stronger. Glad you are all safe with a sobering and helpful story to tell. Interpretive footnote: those building you saw on Paoha were old, unfinished structures as part of an old resort facility from the early 20th century that was never completed. No TB sanitarium was ever completed or realized though it's possible it was once considered.

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

@@bmiller6987 thanks 🙏! Conditions got a little worse in the middle of the lake, putting us into survival mode, so the camera was off, but I felt ever so grateful that that we weren’t hit with even larger waves. There was a time when 5x 4ft waves hit us consecutively and I had to use my paddle to bail the water out of my inflatable catamaran paddle craft. Also, I don’t give the trolling enough credit. It helped us by not letting us get blown back, but much of the time we were just holding in place, and it was the paddling that was making progress. Without one or the other, we wouldn’t have made it to shore. Thanks for chiming in and sharing all the important info. 🙏

[@richardhare47]

Inflatable kayaks, while cheap and convenient are really only suitable for shoreline kayaking. They are light, large, and stable, but they have a very high wind profile - you are basically paddling a huge sail, especially with the high seats. A genuine sea kayak covers that distance far more efficiently and can deal with the wind and the waves much more easily. The downside is that you need in water training to learn how to re-enter and rescue if you capsize. I kayak frequently on mono lake, and start before 6AM if heading to any of the islands. Even then, we take an overnight kit, with food and water in case we have to wait out a wind event. Glad you made it back safely.

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

Thanks for taking the time to leave your informative comment. I ended up purchasing a Sea Eagle Fast track 385 with a boost fin. This setup is so much lighter, efficient and aerodynamic than what we had in this video. We were able to paddle the water craft with the 62 lb. Trolling motor running at full speed and got it up to 3.8 mph. Our new kayak can be moderately paddled at 4 mph, and with the boost fin it’ll go 5.5 mph (and of course faster if we push it harder). The only problem with the new setup is that it’s not as stable. The watercraft in this video seemed to be unsinkable and untippable, but the new Fast track still has good primary and secondary stability. The baffles are only 9”, so it’ll be susceptible to getting swamped, but I purchased a nice long hand bilge pump.

[@takenpictures]

Hell yeah, Dude! So happy to hear you went full broverlander with the SG3. You didn't want another big screen lol. 100% worth it!!! I hope you're really enjoying it. Thanks for the good footage of that mine!

[@LilBigfootOverlanding]

Look into ORU kayaks, you can also get an attachable motor for it

[@bradenb]

Wow scary!! Glad I missed this one.

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

@@bradenb we were worried about the others that were thinking of joining us. It was an ordeal!

[@heidihall3185]

Albatross? Try Osprey. But thanks for the laugh.

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

@@heidihall3185haha! Whoops! 😂

[@ryancraigrice]

we’re the ones that drove up next to you guys once you got back to your vehicle. totally unreal and so glad you’re all safe. that was wild to hear about it and then see it.

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

Hey man!! Awesome to hear from you!!! We were so glad to be back at our cars. I was kissing the floor before you all rolled up 😂

[@chub589]

Was just there last month and went to Yosemite, that area is just beautiful bro enjoy

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

I love the Sierras. It’s our playground most of the time. Actually heading back out for this Labor Day weekend.

[@DISABLED12-7]

Glad you all made it out okay! How did you take the long exposure at 14:40? Would love to hear the camera and settings you used for that timelapse.

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

@@DISABLED12-7 I actually used a Insta360 X4. The first part was a time lapse, then I did a dissolve transition into a Star Lapse.

[@DISABLED12-7]

@@JonDZ_Adventuring thank you, it came out looking great.

[@WagonWheels707]

Search and rescue here. Other end of the state, but whatever. Glad you're okay. Don't ever be scared to call us. To my knowledge my sar team has never charged anyone and we have helped out some real bone heads. And I believe there is a $1500 cap if you are found to be grossly negligent. I hate that people still think we charge. Take care!

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

That’s good to know! Thanks for the info and chiming in. Just received the new kayak that will handle winds better and we will try to stay out of trouble.

[@RandomGuy-qm3mg]

WOW! Glad you all made it back! I've seen Mono Lake with some crazy whitecaps and really strong wind so glad it wasn't any worse for you. Your group will have to make a stop in Bodie sometime when your in that area.

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

@@RandomGuy-qm3mg it got a little crazier in the middle of the Lake when I had the camera off, but glad it didn’t get worse. There’s so many awesome places around the area. Finally got to visit mono cone, and had some ice cream. 🍦

[@photomaker4502]

Mono Lake is so unpredictable, hence why my husband and I have stopped kayaking on it. Glad you guys made it out safely.

[@pf465]

Oh my god dude I've been watching your channel since that first Mono lake video 8 years ago. that's insane.

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

@@pf465 thanks for all that support!!! 🙏 time flies!!

[@darrylk808]

Come on, Jon, paddle that kayak.😂 It helps to have a motor in winds. I got caught in the ocean on a kayak, and the winds kicked up. Took everything I had to paddle back.🥵 This was years ago. Today, I'd have a heart attack.😱

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

Haha! I was paddling like crazy. When a heavy gust would hit us, I’d put the paddle in, and leaned into the stroke. Felt like I was putting a good 50 lbs. of pressure in and was just holding the water craft in place. Just barely surviving. Excited about the new kayak, I think it’ll be a very good fit. Oceans scare me, I’ve seen enough shark attack videos to not want any part of that 😂

[@darrylk808]

@@JonDZ_Adventuring I grew up in Hawaii and spent my life there in the ocean. I can honestly say that sharks don't want to eat you. They are just curious. The problem is their primary way of contact is with their mouths. A nip from a shark can leave a very big scar. Almost every shark bite, the shark never comes back for more, yuk!😁

[@tombi8112]

What an adventure ,it's nice to have good friends around. 😊

[@youraveragejoeadventures]

Now Grace knows how much you spent on that kayak😂

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

She doesn’t watch my videos 🥺 Hahahhahaha

[@youraveragejoeadventures]

@@JonDZ_Adventuring 😂😂😂

[@OverlandOverloaded]

Whew, close one! Glad you made it out!

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

Thanks! I’m glad too!!!

[@Hảo_Nguyễn_Cuối_Tuần]

oh my god that happened to me too. Was calmed when I paddled board to the island. on the way back, 1/3 to shore the wind picked up kept pushing me back out. Took me about 1-2 hr to get finish that 1/3 stretch. super scary! I follow the bubbles back. I had vest & phone so should have been okay to be blown back to island, but scary!

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

Oh wow! I could only imagine how difficult that would have been. It’s really hard to control a paddle board in high winds, and that sounds ATLEAST TWICE AS SCARY compared to what we went through, even though we went 3x the distance. We saw what we were calling the “bubble road” too! We were following it until we decided that paddling into the wind was becoming too difficult. Thanks for sharing!

[@carloszeigler]

Do you think you will buy the 385ft or the 465ft?

[@JonDZ_Adventuring]

@@carloszeigler I already purchased the Fast Track 385. The 465 comes in at 15 ft. 3 in. Which is longer than the Paddle Ski. I felt the length was already a bit unwieldy, so I made sure to get something shorter. The 385 is 12 ft. 6 in. I also downsized the battery box. It’s half the size now.

[@dogzbestfrnd1]

@@JonDZ_Adventuring Thanks for sharing your adventure... I'm glad for the happy ending! I have a 385 fta and was thinking I might need a Paddleski... that's a really great price! As you said, different boats for different needs. 🙂

[@pnw_element9822]

Kuya my son is in school now to be an X ray tech he’s working at providence hospitals now and learning

[@ryancraigrice]

we’re the ones that drove up next to you guys once you got back to your vehicle. totally unreal and so glad you’re all safe. that was wild to hear about it and then see it.