Whipped up Lake Michigan

Black_Diamond

Looking like fall/winter weather today.  11+ footers.  

TonyWalker

The Salt Shaker has had experience on Lake Michigan during our trip of 2010.  Our boat was happy in the big waves.  Turned back on two occasions for the comfort of the crew.  Once back to Charlevoix and the other time back to Frankfort.

I think the waves we experienced were 8 footers give or take.  The wave period was given by the weather bouy as 6 seconds.  That meant they were traveling at 18 knots.  Sure enough at 18 knots (GPS) we were hanging on the back of one of these big rollers.  Added some more power to get over the top and keep the engines from laboring too much.

Tony
Salt Shaker 342

MarkB

Those are big waves. Wow. 

raybo3

Nice picture but I would not want to be out there on a day like that.....

Dream_Inn

yeah, usually the crew can't handle before the boat can't.  I'd certainly not want to be out on a day like that!

TonyWalker

Check this out!  It is a video documentary of the final voyage of the William Clay Ford from Duluth to River Rouge with a full load of taconite pellets.  The wheel house of the vessel can be visited at Belle Isle in the north end of the Detroit River.  The videos of Lake Superior are astonishing.  Captain Don Erickson in command.  It was the WC Ford with Captain Ericson that ventured out looking for survivors when the Edmund Fitzgerald went down. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MsEQwqRtPo

terrypage

I thought lakes were quiet waters.  My 270 would be a submarine.

Black_Diamond

Terry, Lake Michigan is roughly 160km wide and 480km long, add in a nice wind and we can get waves in the 3-5m range, same for Lake Superior too.  This time of year can be great wave watching and we even have surfers fly in when it gets big waves.   Unlike the ocean though, the waves are very steep and close together too.

JC290

Great watching the ice blow in and out of munising Michigan use to set at the vfw hall there in the winter with my ex wife's grandfather. Amazing what the wind can do on the great lakes

terrypage

I guess that's why they call them Great.   I would love to see them one day. 

212rowboat

yeah... i did some reading up on that mess.... the wave frequency is what is concerns the crap out of me, and why you wouldn't see me attempting passage after the summer is over... no sir...

Black_Diamond

Like last weekend: when the CG has gale warnings out and for even commercial shipping to seek safe harbor, you know it's not pleasure boat weather.  If you watched that video, that ship is 750' long and waves breaking over the bow and beam to give you some reference. 

The legendary fear of the big ore carriers on the Great Lakes are the "Three Sisters" waves that either swamp the deck and sink the boat in seconds or pick up the boat out of the water and they split..again sinking in seconds.  Interesting read if you google it.  Got to have respect for them!

raybo3

You guys are babies..................lol (just kidding)

Black_Diamond

Alive babies!  lol

TonyWalker

BD can say much more about this but the State of Michigan has a "refuge harbor" program along its entire shoreline.  During any storm any vessel is welcome In these harbors regardless of how full they are or if the vessel can not pay for any dockage.

RWBLACK6

Thanks Tony ;  Enjoyed the video   

raybo3

I guess we all know the old saying "better to be a live chicken than a dead duck"...lol

JC290

Tony your right on the refuge harbors but some of them are few and far between. Depending on wind direction some can be tricky getting in to. 

Black_Diamond

Up the east coast of Lake Michigan you have ports every 10-15 miles, Leeland is a port of refuge in the northern part as that section of the coast has long runs between harbors (40 miles in some cases).  it is a State harbor.  There are other places to go if you know the wind/storm directions (and places to absolutely not be too).  Otherwise you just need to get into the rivers/lakes to harborage, if it's that bad out, they will work with you.

MarkB

Lake Superior is one big Lake. It takes more than an hour to fly across in a jet. It's basically a mini ocean. 

aero3113

Here is a pic when we flew over Lake Michigan, it's HUGE!!!!

Black_Diamond

Interesting link for any one curious on the lake levels..finally up from some really lean years.   

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/grr/presentations/Elevated_Risk_on_Piers_Due_to_Highest_Water_Levels_in_15_Years_2014-09-24_00-44-55.pdf