More high water

Since last post the lake got yet higher, but on this day was back to about the same.

It was starting to rain (and forecast through next Wednesday) as we launched from Converse Bay and headed south.  Destination Lewis Creek.

A friend had told me she has to wade or row to get from her house on Long Point so I wanted to take a look.  The camera's battery was pretty low, so it died early on, but there are a few pics.

This no-parking zone is on the main drag for the point

From Kayak2011

Paddling down South Road.  You can see the high water mark on the white house.


Oh, last Wednesday evening a couple of us went out on Shelburne Bay.  Saw only one or 2 houses flooded, and one successful defense.  This dike is new.  It was put in to protect the road in front of this house.  Working so far..

More flooded

Since last week's trip onto flooded Lake Champlain, the water has risen another couple of feet to a record high of 102.8 feet.

At the Converse Bay boat ramp there was a guy getting his truck lined up to haul a  boat out who repeatedly warned us how cold the water was and how rough with 5 foot rollers once you got out of the bay and we shouldn't go out in (mere) kayaks.  When it was clear we were still planning to go he was overheard remarking to his mate about bleeping idiots.  My own reaction was that all the cold water deaths in the news this year have been people either in motor boats or whose truck accidentally went in the lake.

When we cleared the point and entered the main lake, we didn't see much of any waves over 1 foot, mostly less.
Lots of floody stuff though, like plumes of brown water from mud that eroded off softer bluffs normally above the water line.

The Charlotte-Essex ferry is closed.  A good idea with the state of the loading area:

From Kayak2011

There were lots of flooded boat houses, and docks under water.






We lunched at Shelburne town beach (what beach?) then headed out into the lake for a straight downwind shot back in the "5 foot rollers" rather than following the shore.