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===== Lake Whatcom Rnd 2 =====

**Paul Reavley** \\
Jan 6 2021 #28370

Tuesday afternoon Denise and I did our second Lk. Whatcom downwinder from the southerly boat launch.

Forecast SE wind again this time, but a somewhat different weather/wind pattern than our first Lk Whatcom run 2 weeks ago.

As we approached the convergence of the 2 southern branches of the lake, it was clear that the wind was really funneling through the more easterly south branch to our right. We could see sizeable white caps in the distance coming from the east and we started to get big rolling waves coming from our right and bending into our branch of the lake. In hindsight, we think we should have hugged the right bank starting out to help maximize the length of a run in line with the waves through the convergence to the island, but we started out somewhat left along the shorter path toward the island. Unfortunately as the wind from the branch of the lake to our right joined us, it was pushing us very hard to our left. In my OC I was able to get farther to the right to line up some runs to the island, but Denise was pushed farther toward the left shore and had to work hard back to her right to make it to the gap between the island and the shore. Bottom line - the waves in the section of convergence were the best Lk. Whatcom waves I have seen so far, but the wind gusts there were close to our limit of manageability particularly when having to paddle sideways to the wind.

Afterwards the run was fun and similar to 2 weeks ago. Some wind shadow right after the island. Some hard gusts from Sudden Valley on our back left sides. Then nice bumps most of the rest of the way with some wind build and gustyness at the end making the turn into the Bloedel Donovan docks.

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**Reivers Dustin** \\
Jan 7 #28371

I don't recall ever seeing the lake like that below Reveille island. Wind direction rules. I've seen big, from on shore. And I've been on the lake when it was blowing so hard it was difficult to paddle. But never caught the right scenario for big waves.

So that Easterly component that made it awkward must be the magic ingredient.

**beau whitehead** \\
Jan 7 #28372

Tom S & I used to do a lot of SUP downwind runs from the North Lake Whatcom trailhead, and we'd only do it with a good SE blowing, the more east the better (to a point).
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