Grand Haven Lighthouse
Shore Ice
Icebergette
Gardening
Ice Sculpture
No Pier Jumpers Today!
March 25, 2007 - Summer officially started today with the temperature reaching over 70F. The shore ice has mostly left the lake except in select areas where it reached great thickness during the winter due to especially high waves, such as occur to the south of piers where reflected waves reinforce incoming waves typically rolling in from the southwest.
I launched from the fee-for-use city ramp upstream from the municipal powerplant in the industrialized section of the Grand River. A paddler in a long touring kayak zipped by as I prepared the gear. I met him later on the approach to the piers as he paddled back in from the lake after just a short time out. He suggested the waves to the south may be too big and that I might try the protected north side. I thanked him for the caution and wondered what the lake held in store. Once out the channel I found the southwest wind was light and pushing just half foot waves against the south pier. The clapotis was easily manageable as the kayak shimmied about, but ones quickness of balance is an individual thing. The wishwash did not extend more than a couple hundred yards south. Dun-colored shore ice, shaded by layers of embedded sand, could be seen stretching a mile or two south but none lay north of the piers. Decaying ice left fractures, icebergs, ice sculptures, and ice encircled coves and offered a genuine winter water wonderland version of rock gardening. The bright sun held with just a few clouds for the many people strolling the beach and pier in shirts and shorts ready to put winter behind them.