Your Optometrist can help with the flashing.

Sounds harrowing. Glad you are OK. Get back on the horse.

Tomorrow! Tommorow! There's always tomorrow. It's only a day away...

One of the two things I remember from college was canoeing with a group of neophytes down the Pine River in April high water season.

Turned a bend and there was a giant downed tree half submerged traversing the entire river. Next thing I knew I was standing with one foot in one canoe the other in another pulling a woman from the white water whose leg was trapped between them.

Just as I got her out and onto the tree, both canoes went under.

Never did catch her name.

Beautiful country up there though, between Sutter Creek and Stockton. I've gone out on the river delta area. Super scary at night. You could end up dead no problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1tWtwLp2iE

Lots of videos online. Very addictive. Easy to start out in a wide boat. As you improve you will want a narrow boat for the speed. Technique is everything from balance to stroke. Watch a few Olympic K1 sprint kayak videos.

Took the grandson kayaking on the lake last summer. The biggest turbulence was from a pebble he tossed overboard.

My kind of kayaking.

For some reason I read the title as my wife flashed before my eyes.

Boy, I can sympathize...my wife and I got caught in a sudden squall out on a fairly small lake, but far from the dock on our inflatable paddleboards last Summer. The small 100 acre lake connects to lake Erie, and storms travel fast up there.

We went from a calm overcast 75* day, to a howling wind, and 60* with whitecaps in minutes. We were both churning like mad for safety when the pounding lightening started. I was never so glad (and tired/out of breath) as to when I pulled up to the shore....we slept good that night !

With those 30 mph gusts, did you block the channel?

One beautiful sunny and hot September day my best friend (May He Rest In Peace) provided for us an all-day pontoon cruise down the Crooked River to Crooked lake and back as his last wish.

Anyways, we were putt-putting along in the middle of the lake headed toward a picnic area on the far shore when, in literally a matter of seconds, the temp dropped thirty degrees, the calm turned to gale winds and the sky turned black. Not anyone knows where the love of God goes when the gales of September start blowin’.

We gunned it for shore and in the nick of time, dragged the boat on shore, unloaded it and under the pavilion had a fried chicken-dinner picnic with all the fixings surrounded by a hellacious thunder storm.

As we packed up our stuff, the sun came back out, the temp shot up and all became calm again.

We headed back the way we’d come except a little happier.

^^^ What did you do about the life flashing??

The life flashing happened after the event.

It was funny in a way because as we were headed to shore and things kept worsening Joe was barking orders about what each of us were to do when we rammed ashore.

I found out after he passed that Joe was an Eagle Scout and got some kind of award for catching kids jumping out of a burning building in Chicago. His brother brought a newspaper clipping to Joe’s memorial service about it.

Joe had never once mentioned to me 1) that he was an Eagle Scout or 2) that he had saved some kids’ lives.

So in retrospect, I think Joe almost killed us and probably saved us at the same time.

it’s a good lesson. life jacket. phone in waterproof case attached to body. maybe a ship to shore radio. flares. air horn and whatever survival gear you can carry. years ago a couple of my very experienced friends were canoeing on lake ontario when a storm picked up and blew them out to sea coast guard helicopters found them after many many hours, luckily. very scary.

Missinaibi Lake up in Canadia, north of Chapleau, in the middle of the Chapleau Crown Game Preserve (48°20’N 83°45’W) was fly-in only at the time me and two buddies went fishing for three days.

We caught 4 fish. Total.

Anyways, the first day we ran out of gas on the wrong end of the 10-mile lake wearing only t-shirts and shorts. There being a full-moon saved us. The lake is surrounded by granite cliffs with no place to put in. We rowed all night long into a head wind. We each took turns panicking. Luckily none at the same time.

I was too blistered, exhausted and glad to be alive to be angry at running out of gas.

Did you tell them "Get off of my lawn"?;)

I have been one of those kayakers, grateful to get off the water. A guy helped me out of the boat and got everything on his dock and gave me a grand tour of the off grid cabin close to Powel River. Had lunch with him and his wife and was on my way when the water calmed down.
There are good people out there!

I am happy to hear you made it Vash. Your being alone did not help much. If you have a friend go with you it could help reduce the risk? You could be questioning each other as to whether you should be doing something or if things turn bad you can help each other.

A lot of it is luck but good judgement can prevent us from overreaching. But for the grace of God go I.

Cheers, Guy

Good fortune smiled on you Vash. I would say that you used up one of your lives surviving your adventure.
Had a day in the Boundary Waters om Snowbank Lake that sounds close to what you endured; wind came from nowhere. Huge rollers that washed over the gunwales any time that we were even close to parallel to the waves. Paddle hitting only air on some strokes while my mate could only steer in the stern with an occasional stroke. Neither of us are novices and it was a struggle to stay upright. Have avoided that lake ever since as this is not an uncommon experience.
Water and wind are serious stuff and command mucho respect. Toss in lightening for an even bigger pucker factor.

Back in high school a buddy and myself took a ride to Lake Tahoe. My friend immediately strips down to his trunks and swims out maybe 50-75 yard. Me being an idiot followed. Well, besides him being a great swimmer( which I am not) he also is a prankster. I realized when I reached where he was treading water that I was close to exhaustion. As I turned to swim back he grabbed my foot and pulled me under. I came up in a panic with my lungs gasping for air. As my life passed before my eyes my foot hit something. It was a Boulder that I could stand on and get myself together. Long story short it was not my day to die.

We have had two families, in different circumstances, camp on the farm after getting caught in a Spring weather event on the Potomac.

Both times they were in canoes headed to a camp ground on the water a lot of people like a mile plus from us...and had kids with them.

Happy to do it. Trust me, I understand the legal risks but there is a point where you just go with it.

The day trippers are easy...put your stuff on my trailer, off we go to your car at the put in.