BWCA Weekend Weather

There is a chance for rain over the weekend but temperatures should reach the high 70’s during the daytime.  Things should clear up for the 4th of July Festivities with temperatures in the low 80’s.  Today has started out like yesterday; cool and windy.  We did receive a significant amount of rainfall over the past couple of days.  Some paddlers were challenged by the windy weather.  It is always best to sit tight when the wind is blowing on a wilderness lake.  You can usually wait out the wind by staying put for a day or at least until evening when winds usually calm down.  I have had a couple of "on the water divorces"  over when we should sit and when we should paddle.  One divorce took place on Baylee Bay in Basswood.  It was a fall Quetico trip and Mike was ready to be done paddling and wanted to make it back to LaTourell’s by nightfall.  I would have been content to set up camp but Mike insisted that we paddle.  The waves were ridiculously high, I was paddling as hard as I could, kneeling in the front of the canoe to get an even better stroke,  and saying a prayer with every stroke when Mike asked for a divorce by saying, "Paddle as hard as you can now."  Needless to say, that didn’t go over real well with me.  He was risking our lives by crossing that bay in those conditions.  The water temperatures are always cold in the canoe country and hypothermia is a real concern when air temperature and water temperature are low.  I’m not sure what was driving him to cross that bay but it definitely wasn’t common sense.  We did make it across safely and the on the water divorce was null and void.  It just always amazes me how campers will travel in treacherous wind and waves just to make sure they get in "safely" a day or two early! My advice is to use common sense and stay put until it is safe enough to paddle.  Take advantage of the extra time you have to spend in the Boundary Waters and let the wind blow…