When stormy weather is forecast I look for opportunities to fit in a hike or paddle.     This often means an early morning start.    I use Environment Canada’s Hourly Weather Forecasts to  look for opportunities.    If kayaking is possible, I try to match the wind forecast (strength and direction) with a suitable location.     Any lake that has a bowl shape and has treed shorelines (like McConnell Lake) is a better choice than a large lake with open water to the prevailing winds of the day.    Edith Lake is a bit open, but it has parts that are sheltered from the wind.    A paddle around the whole shoreline takes about an hour.

The winds were from the southeast so I aimed into the wind.     Keeping the bow into the wind is more stable than paddling 90 degrees to the wind direction.

There are sheltered areas in the back bays too where the winds are not as strong.

Needless to say, there was no one else on the lake and this would probably true for most lakes in the area….