Capt. SO and I just returned from a ride out on Lake Michigan with the Aqua RV. At this time of year, the opportunities afforded by Mother Nature for reasonably comfortable cruising are limited and unpredictable. The marine weather forecast can say one thing for the next day and by the time the "next day" arrives, she can have totally changed her mind. Shoot, she can change her mind from hour to hour.
Today's ride was about two hours in length and, Capt. SO reports, we went about twenty nautical miles. Mid-afternoon turned out to be a glorious example of a fall day and I am thankful we were able to take advantage of the sun and relatively tame wind. Of course, cruising down the channel to the Lake is not representative of what one will encounter on Lake Michigan so you had better have done your homework before you stick your boating toe into the Big Pond too far.
I am left with two indelible memories of the afternoon's outing. First, the sun was at just the right angle to see the varying depths and accompanying coloration associated with differing depths. It was like looking at long hair floating on the surface of the water, with lighter-colored aqua tendrils mixed throughout the deeper blue. The contrast was striking and stunningly beautiful - like jewels reflecting in the sunlight.
The second memory of the afternoon's ride is a bit more unsettling for me. The combination of the effect of two days of Lake Michigan wind left the lake with an interesting effect. On the surface, you would say that there was a one-to-two foot chop.....but, underneath that chop were great swells. OK, great to me, but not great by lake measure, I know. The swells were about four feet in height and from my vantage point of the back deck, it looked like even greater height when the bow of the Aqua RV would dip down to the bottom of a void in swells. This was a truly tame ride, on one hand, yet on another hand, it was the first time I was ever aware of how I could be intimidated by a Great Lake and the force behind the water combined with wind. I was aware that it would not take much increase in wind for the swells and chop to quickly turn to outright five-to-six footers - which is not dangerous by any means - but not fun, either.
I don't know if Mother Nature will afford us one more ride on Das Boot before the end of our season, but if not, it was a glorious ride.
Ancora imparo
