As the paddling season winds down, I look for calm and mild days to get out for a morning paddle on local lake or on one of the rivers.    I had only paddled once on Lac le Jeune so at the end of the first week of October, I launched my kayak onto the lake on a morning with light winds.   The plan was to paddle the west end of the lake and possibly go under the bridge to the smaller lake.    The water was low and I could not go through the channel under the bridge so I paddled up the south shore to the end of the lake.    I was the only boat on the lake as the sun rose in the east.

There was a light wind out of the west, but conditions were good.    As I finished the paddle, the winds started up, just as forecasted.

As I finished securing the boat on the rack, the winds had arrived in earnest.    A young couple arrived at about 10:30, but at that time conditions were not inviting on the lake.     I use Environment Canada’s forecasts.    We can narrow down the forecast to a specific area on the website/app and we can get hourly forecasts 24 hours in advance.     Generally speaking, there is less wind from sunrise to about 10:30 to 11:00, then the afternoons are windier.    I try to get an early start to paddle in the best conditions.    there are days when strong winds start early in the morning.     Those are the days I hike instead.   I will have paddled over 70 days in 2024, another good year of kayaking.