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Lk Whatcom 11/25/2021

What we expected, what we saw and what you got
Paul Reavley 11/27/21 #30579
We did all of our app checking for a Thursday noon downwinder to burn calories before our Thanksgiving meal and the signs looked a bit borderline for us for the predicted SE blow on the bay, but it looked pretty good for Lake Whatcom.

Apps showed gusts from low to high 30's, maybe average speeds somewhat less than what we have been looking for on the lake, but not bad. The Smith Creek wind gauge near the North Lake Whatcom trailhead was already registering the same kind of avg. wind speeds and peaks.

So we get to Bloedel Donovan and there is some wave action - it's in the direction we want from right to left looking at it from the parking lot, but it doesn't look big at all… not nearly as good as most of our previous runs that we have enjoyed. But we're committed so we drive to the Southerly Boat Launch by the fire station. It's quite calm there and we can't see any indication of waves out on the lake as far as we can see. Some joking about it's going to be a long, flat paddle, etc. but we're going anyway. As we paddle out eventually we see a little indication of wind over on the far side of Blue Canyon, so we veer a bit to the right. The wind coming out of Blue Canyon isn't real strong but it is sending the waves almost straight west so as we turn left to head up the lake we are angling across the waves to stay right..with a little bit of increasing wave action as we get closer to Reveille Island.

Once we get to the right corner of Reveille there is an abrupt shift and we quickly get into much stronger wind gusts and choppier waves. That's somewhat unsettling, makes us hold onto our paddles more carefully and lasts for a bit, but as we pass by Sudden Valley and get into the center basin of the lake we start to get these long, smooth, rolling, surfable waves. Some of the best that we've paddled on Lake Whatcom. And they continue right up to Strawberry Point. (where once again I am too far left and catch the rebound there, while Denise, farther right, breezes on).

The waves dramatically drop between Strawberry and motel 6, then start to grow again and by the time we get to the Bloedel Donovan boat launch buoys they are rocking (way more than what we saw earlier from the parking lot) and the wind is gusting quite a bit higher than previously during our paddle - making the left turn toward the boat ramp kind of interesting. Too bad my camera batteries didn't last long enough to capture that

Lake Whatcom 11 25
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Reivers Dustin 11/27/21 #30585
holy cow, I've never seen rides like that at Whatcom. Seeing the speedo hang so long around 10mph was awesome. I want that theme song in my head when I paddle…“Balance” hehe.