Chip,

I know this doesn't directly answer your question, but if you go to the San Juan Islands, pay particular attention to the currents. If the wind and currents oppose each other, the waves really stack up, there are also a lot of shoals there, that make for interesting conditions when the currents are running. All of those islands, give some great swirling water. Dress for immersion, practice your wet re-entry skills, pay attention to currents and winds, and when in doubt, don't go out.

My other advice is to get your skills up to par for the rough water. Did you get out in the rough stuff off the point at R2K3? Do you have a roll yet? If you want to work on these skills, maybe we could revive the Puget Sound Wooden Kayakers. Sometimes we plan trips to work on rough/moving water skills. Let me know if you are interested, I could probably coordinate some monthly trips.

Mike

: This question probaby belongs on the Techniques Board... The wind kicks-up
: pretty bad in the Puget Sound this time of year; I'm told it's the
: convection resulting from temperature differences between land and water.
: Temps on land can get into the 80s some days. The water temps are cold
: (50deg?) depending on water depth, circulation, etc.

: What does everyone else do, paddle in the eary morning? I'm not out on salt
: water that often. I'm putting together a relatively easy overnighter to
: the San Juan Islands this October. Can I count on a lesser convection
: effect off season or on overcast days or should I just plan to do the bulk
: of the paddling at dawn/dusk?

: Thanks,
: Chip