You want to do solo day trips from Alton? As a dedicated soloist, I strongly advise you to be aware of the weather forecast, especially the wind. So bring a weather radio.
As you may know, lakes are wind tunnels. The actual wind that you experience on a lake is stronger than the forecast, even if the forecast is correct, and it can often come from a different direction. That's because the lake forms a valley that channels the wind from about a 135-degree (or larger) span. Since Alton is a linear, north-south lake, it will, for example, redirect wind coming from anywhere between west-northwest to east-northeast into a northerly, and possibly from an even broader arc than that, depending on the surrounding terrain.
Your best bet will be to head out as early as possible and travel toward where the wind will be coming from later on, like by 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. Then be prepared for a tailwind. On the way back, stay close to the shore that your campsite is on in order to avoid a potentially hazardous lake crossing. If you end up with a tailwind, keep your stern pointed directly into it and shift your weight slightly aft so the end of the boat doesn't get tossed sideways. If that happens you may well broach and capsize. Do not travel obliquely to the waves coming from astern.
If you have to cross the wind, paddle at a right angle to it. That's right, you paddle parallel to the waves, rising up on the crests and rolling back down into the troughs. This is quite safe provided your boat is a shallow-arch design, you stay on your knees and keep your body flexible. Let the boat find its own stability. This means you move along with it and don't try to keep it level. Your lower back and hips should feel like you're doing the hula. Also, pay attention to the size of the waves. Some of them will toss water in your boat. When they approach, lean the boat away before the wave reaches you (i.e., lift the windward qunwale by putting more weight on your downwind knee) so the wave goes under the boat instead of trying to go over it. If the wind is strong enough you may have to paddle leaned like that all the way across. It's nerve-wracking but once you get the hang of it, you should be OK. I had to do this on Seagull Lake last year. It was hard work at the time but fun once I got on land.
I recommend you practice rocking the boat with your knees to get a good feel for how flexible and loose your lower back needs to be. Also, practice paddling while leaning the boat. If you have to cross the wind you'll be glad you did. Even if you don't have to paddle crosswind, it's a good skill to have. You'll find the boat is more responsive and tracks better, too.
I'm not sure what to tell you if you can't kneel. A sitting position is inherently less stable than kneeling. In that case, I'd say you shouldn't do solo day trips unless the wind forecast is quite mild - no more than 5-10 mph. (For what it's worth, my perspective comes from 14 BW trips - 8 of them solo - and several years as an ACA canoeing instructor.)
And, oh yeah, have fun!
Edited by user Tuesday, September 15, 2015 7:41:15 PM(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified
