Chansta, the charts you linked on windy.com illustrate an important point--mostly, the wind does not blow at a steady velocity. When wind forecasts are given as a single value, eg, 11, the forecast is usually for sustained wind. I have read three different definitions of sustained wind. Generally, it is an average of wind speeds measured over some period of time--I've seen 2, 3 and 10 minutes as the averaging period. Maybe different meteorologists do it differently, or probably my understanding is incomplete (i.e., I'm wrong).
Most wind-related problems occur during the gusts, which can easily be 2 or 3 times the sustained winds. A nice thing about the windy.com charts is they list the expected intensity of gusts.
In my experience, wind over open water is always greater than the values stated in forecasts for locations on land. Also, it always subjectively feels like there is more wind than what is reported in weather observations, but that's just me.
I've paddled when the gusts stop forward progress and push me backwards. That's okay, as long as I still make progress between the gusts. The waves kicked up by the gusts don't suddenly level out after the gusts, and those waves can be funneled and shaped by bottom and land features. My most disastrous wind experience occurred on a gusty day at a windward spot on the Chesapeake (and it wasn't very disastrous). Winds were in the mid teens, with stronger gusts. I progressed into the wind fairly well until I reached a broad sand bar over which the waves were mounding up. The waves were big enough to come into the boat, and the water was so shallow the paddle didn't get much bite. I ended up swamped and had to abandon the trip. My point is you can stand at the put-in and make a judgement to go, but conditions along your route will probably vary from what you see. So, be conservative and have a bail out plan.
I day paddled Lake Moomow a few years ago. It looks like a great spot for paddle-in camping. It's on my list of things to do!
Most wind-related problems occur during the gusts, which can easily be 2 or 3 times the sustained winds. A nice thing about the windy.com charts is they list the expected intensity of gusts.
In my experience, wind over open water is always greater than the values stated in forecasts for locations on land. Also, it always subjectively feels like there is more wind than what is reported in weather observations, but that's just me.
I've paddled when the gusts stop forward progress and push me backwards. That's okay, as long as I still make progress between the gusts. The waves kicked up by the gusts don't suddenly level out after the gusts, and those waves can be funneled and shaped by bottom and land features. My most disastrous wind experience occurred on a gusty day at a windward spot on the Chesapeake (and it wasn't very disastrous). Winds were in the mid teens, with stronger gusts. I progressed into the wind fairly well until I reached a broad sand bar over which the waves were mounding up. The waves were big enough to come into the boat, and the water was so shallow the paddle didn't get much bite. I ended up swamped and had to abandon the trip. My point is you can stand at the put-in and make a judgement to go, but conditions along your route will probably vary from what you see. So, be conservative and have a bail out plan.
I day paddled Lake Moomow a few years ago. It looks like a great spot for paddle-in camping. It's on my list of things to do!
