LAKE MICHIGAN 2020
My Second Crossing.
I have decided my third great lakes crossing will take place between mid-July and mid-August. Studying the weather forecasts for Two Rivers WI, and Ludington MI areas, I am looking for two back-to-back days where winds are expected to remain below 8 mph, and for an additional day of calm as a safety precaution.
On Tuesday evening, July 14, all the parameters have been met for a Thursday launch. The lake is forecasted to be still on Wednesday with favorable winds on Thursday. I tell myself it’s a go. In advance, I reach out to Two Rivers Chief of Police and USCG to make them aware of my plan. Chief of Police, Brian Kohlmeier, was most helpful as he shares additional insights about the area and offers additional support if needed. Before I launch, I have so much to do, and my greatest concern is the serious stiffness and pain in my lower back. The pain is so great it has nearly brought me to tears. No doubt, this year’s training and conditioning has taken its toll. I keep my eye on the forecast to look for a trend of improvement or deterioration. Wednesday morning, I cancel my planned grand adventure. After just a short period of time the updated forecast looks nothing like it had before. This reinforces my concern about how fast things can change on and around, the lake and my need of a 3-day window of favorable conditions to launch. All jacked about accepting the personal challenge, I have to be self-aware and make sure that I don’t accept paddling conditions which exceed my predefined parameters: Go: Winds less than 8 mph Go with Caution: Winds between 8 - 12 mph No Go: Winds greater 12 mph |
After an emergency massage and heat treatment Tuesday evening, my lower back muscles have relaxed to the point where I can now stand and bend (slightly) without pain. I will continue to apply heat until either the discomfort is gone or when I launch from the west shore of Lake Michigan.
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Two days later, the forecast is favorable for a one way trip on Friday. The second leg is in doubt as the winds are forecasted to be greater than the parameters I have set. I will continue to monitor to see if conditions improve or worsen. The final decision about the second leg of the round trip will likely not be made until moments before launch.
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I wonder, “Will my second solo paddle across Lake Michigan be considered a failure because I didn’t complete the round trip as I originally set out to do, or will it be considered a major accomplishment for what it is by itself?”
That evening before I head to my hotel, I will visit Point Beach Forest State Park and walk around Rawley Point Lighthouse to get my mind in the game. As I near the park, the deer are thick. It seems as if every few hundred yards, there is another family grazing or crossing the road. It makes for a wonderful approach to this scenic wooded area.
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When I pull into the park, I am relieved that the entry gate is open. It’s a cool night with temperatures in the mid-60s, much cooler than I had expected. Also to my surprise is the strength of the wind. It is supposed to be calm tonight, but in the distance I can hear the waves crashing on shore. It reminds me again of how the conditions on a lake are often quite different from that in town.
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I make it to the front desk just before10:00PM and when the hotel staff is about to call it a night. They’re aware of my arrival, my plans, and everything is ready. They tell me where I can park my car until I return the next day, or later. As I make my way upstairs to my room they wish me good luck.
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Before I call it a night I open my bedroom curtains and window to look and listen to the sounds of Lake Michigan just below. It is with mixed emotions that I notice the waves are stronger than expected and for winds reported to be at 0 mph. But, the crashing waves are much less violent than they were just 45 minutes ago. “That’s a good thing.” I tell myself.
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After carrying my kayak and gear to the shore of Lake Michigan, I look over this magnificent and beautiful ‘great lake.’ All I can see is an endless sea with a few boats dotting the horizon. It’s an incredible view. At 6:20AM the conditions are about ideal and all that I could have hoped for.
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I check out the waves breaking on shore. They’re much less violent than the night before. I estimate that once I paddle through the 20 yards of heavy wave action I will be on my way for what will surely be a 12.5–hour great lake grand adventure.
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I think to myself, “How lucky am I to have the health, means and opportunity for yet another once in a lifetime experience.”
I call my taxi service to verify my early morning pick-up time at the hotel for 7:20 AM. This doesn’t give me much time for all that I must do. But, I want to push myself to get on the lake as quickly as possible.
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Shortly after leaving the hotel it is clear my taxi driver, a local resident, doesn’t know where Rawley Point Lighthouse is. I offer her my help. But, the time I had reserved to find that zone to mentally prepare has been replaced with angst and frustration.
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After unloading the taxi of my two days of paddling gear and supplies, I stage all that I have next to my bright red 17’2” open sea NC Kayak. I mentally map out my packing strategy to ensure even distribution of weight and quick access to those things that I will want when I land in Michigan; sleeping gear, My Pillow, dry clothes, and toiletries.
Looking over Lake Michigan, the conditions are better than what they were just an hour earlier. The sun is about to break through the gray cloud-covered sky and the lake is calm. I am feeling optimistic about meeting my goal of crossing the lake in 12.5 hours. With the kayak all packed and pointed toward the lake, I slide in, secure my waterproof skirt, and put on my kayak gloves. It’s the moment of truth. I’m all in and it’s a go! |
After shaking off the effects of the cold water spray to my face, chest, and arms, I shout out,”YAY!!!”
The conditions are near perfect. The moderate chop is easy to manage. But, for some reason, I am finding it difficult to stay on my desired ESE course of 104 degrees. I don’t give it much thought other than needing to improve my focus and shake off my early morning tiredness. |
For some reason I struggle to get on course. As hard as I try, the best I can do is hold due east. If I don’t make a correction soon, I will be getting off the lake well north of plan and closer to Manistee.
The lake conditions begin to change and are near perfect. The sky is nearly cloudless, and the sun is beating down hard. The waves have changed from small chop to peaceful slow rollers, and the slight building wind from the SW is coming across my right shoulder. The wave action is so calming and hypnotic I have to fight myself from dozing off. |
Knowing that I must make a correction to my heading I try taking a hard to turn to my right. But I can’t. The lake continues to fight me and push me north. The best I can do now is hold a true east setting.
It reminds of my trip across Lake Superior, where along the way, the wave action was slow and deliberate. Similarly, I could not change course and had to wait until conditions changed or when the lake decided to release her hold. |
At about four hours into the trip, the calm rolling waves have given away to the small chop that I expected. The wind has begun to shift more toward the south, and intermittent whitecaps are now evident. This is all expected as the forecast was for winds to pick up to around 8-mph as I near Ludington.
I continue to monitor my progress via GPS. Despite my pace feeling the same, the readings are indicating less progress, considerably less. But, the good news is I’m not being pushed any further north, and I am possibly making some gains toward the SE. |
But, as time passed and my progress along the lake was not what I thought it was. I begin to realize why my mother was not smiling as much as I thought she would, my dad seemed to be looking at what was ahead, and my brother had this devilish smile (smirk) on his face.
It was because I was in trouble and I didn’t even know it, not yet. In fact, I wouldn’t know how much trouble I was in until the next morning, after I wake up and realize where I eventually landed. Lake Michigan’s persistent wind had been slowly shifting throughout the day. It began from the southwest, moved to the south, then shifted to the SE. Each with the intent of pushing me further off-course and to the north. |
Unlike my other grand adventures, on this trip the wind and wave action was constant. I never had the opportunity to take a pause, to relax and take in the breathtaking views. Every moment I was forced to keep focus on my paddling and balance. At night, when I expected the wind to ease, it only strengthened. When I wanted to break and take in the view of the brilliant stars above, I simply couldn’t.
I don’t remember exactly when I decided I could no longer ignore my declining forward momentum and lack of southeast progress. But, at one point I made the decision I had to overcorrect and head due SE if I was going to make it to shore anywhere near Ludington’s Big Sable Lighthouse. |
As I entered the shipping lanes near the Michigan side, I was lucky those passing freighters were well ahead and behind me. There was no risk of my being hit or impacted by their giant wake, unlike my 75–mile race on Puget Sound where the giant transpacific freighters took out several entrants and nearly swamped my borrowed kayak.
While it is difficult to judge distance on a great lake during day–time, it is impossible at night. I have also learned from several nighttime trips how the distant lights can be misleading, giving you a false sense of security and hope. I marvel at the skill and courage of our early ocean navigators. As the sun was about to set, I could tell it was going to be a magnificent display of color, and I didn’t want to miss it. When I could feel the incredible redish-orangish burst of light grow behind me, I glanced down to my watch again to determine when it would be best to turn my kayak around to take in this view. |
With it now pitch black, I begin to strategize my final approach. With my strength rapidly depleting, discomfort increasing, and the wind unrelenting, there is little room for error or worsening conditions. I look to my phone to take in my GPS readings. I estimate the distance remaining and recent momentum.
There is no chance I will finish within 12.5 hours and I am thinking it may be closer to 14 hours or nearly 11 PM. I am disappointed and can’t think about it anymore. So I shift my focus back on the basics of paddling, nourishment, and replenishment, and continue paddling. |
I can feel the wind picking up as it is hitting me straight on. After two hours of paddling my GPS readings indicate that not only have I not made any progress, it appears I have lost ground.
This momentum, or lack thereof, is simply unsustainable. I must break through the hold this lake has on me. I take a drink of my electrolyte charged Gatorade and dig in deep. After more than 12 hours of paddling, I have no other choice but to sprint. After about a half hour I take another GPS reading and it’s clear I am making real, measurable momentum. After another half hour of sprints, the landmark lights are brighter, giving me encouragement. |
Looking to my right, I try making sense of the pattern of red lights. I am certain it’s coming from the Ludington breakwater. I can’t be too far from the park’s beach where I will set camp for a few hours sleep before a park ranger notices and wakes me to tell me that camping is not allowed here. I’ll worry about that later, I just want to get off the lake and get a few hours sleep somewhere.
I continue to dig deeper, well into the reserves. After another hour, perhaps more, I can hear the sound of waves crashing on shore. There is a large building just off to my left. It appears to be a public building, perhaps a boathouse for a club or possibly USCG. I don’t remember seeing it before. But, it has been five years since I was here last. |
I wake up about four hours later and look over beautiful Lake Michigan, then scan the beach to learn where I landed.
I am surprised that I am unable to see any discernible landmarks of the Ludington area, such as the breakwater off Ludinginton’s Stern Park and Beach. In fact, I soon learn I am nowhere near the town of Ludington, and have landed seven miles further north. This shakes me up. I realized yesterday’s winds and wave action were much stronger than I had thought and that they had pushed me much further north off course. If I hadn’t so forcefully worked and paddled in a direct SE direction I may very well have landed 20 miles further north and closer to Manistee. |
I think to myself, “Was I lost at sea and didn’t even realize it?” and, “Was I in greater danger than I thought?“”