With many windy days, paddlers sometimes need to venture in a direction of less wind.    As a general rule, it is better to avoid paddling larger lakes in the wind, but the forecasts predicted less wind to the east so the decision was to drive to Chase and launch the kayak at the boat launch below the bridge over the South Thompson River mouth and paddle northeast up the lake.

There was more wind than forecast but it was out of the east so the nose of the kayak pointed into the waves as I paddled toward the northeast corner of the lake.

Since the forecast was for stronger winds by about 11:00 am, I turned around and paddled back on roughly the same line, the only boat on the lake on this weekday morning.

The goal is rotate the kayaking destination each time.    I have paddled the whole lake in calm conditions, but the cool weather (3 degrees) and persistent winds (<15 kph) made this a half-lake day of kayaking.   A different lake next time…