Click on photos to enlarge
I'm still on vacation but, got a call asking if I could help out at work. They were short one person . No problem and glad to help out. Another twenty minutes and I would have been out of cell range on the lake. I left work an hour early and had full intentions of doing a two hour canoe paddle but, I thought of the dogs hanging out at home in the heat. I had to go get them. Believe me; I'm glad I opted out of the canoe ride.
So; we're here along the East Coast Tellico Hiking Trail watching a storm brew on the horizon.
The dogs are in the water more than not. Douglas actually swam beside the trail for about an eighth of a mile never exiting the water. He's moving to the right in the picture below. He's in the center of the shot.
Can you find him in the shot below? He's there. Its a trick photo.
That rain is coming on pretty fast. The heat of day is quickly being replaced by the cooler air of the coming rain. It is a glorious feeling, this between hot and cold; calm and turmoil. The wind is really picking up. We'll not linger out here much longer.
The sky is really taking on the aspects of a storm. We better move. All of a sudden the wind increases its force and it sounds like a roar quickly growing closer and louder. From the main channel I can see a repeat of the day at Calderwood Lake where the wind shear came down the lake and hit the canoe. The Calderwood shear was so forceful that it blew the waves flat. This one coming now isn't near as bad as the Calderwood shear but, it pretty impressive.
Gotta get Douglas out of the water and on the trail back. He hates to leave.
"Douglas; get up here.!"
The water is taking on the washboard look from the wind blowing on it. You can see it behind Douglas.
I hope we can make it to the truck.
The wind has instantly increased to a very wild state. The water is reflecting the wind's force.
This is why I'm happy I opted out of the canoe ride tonight. I don't think I could handle the boat in this. The photo above is only the start. Look at the following two shots.
Ya; I can see me out there now. Check out the next one.
I'm sorry but, this child ain't goin out there in no canoe! Can you imagine getting caught in that situation while crossing a large lake? It makes me rethink the Boundary Waters canoe trip to Minnesota. That's big water up there. Anyway; lots of thunder and lightning and a few drops of rain fell before we reached the truck. We got a deluge on the way down the highway. I'll never forget how fast this weather change occurred and how quickly the calm water turned nasty. Glad I was on that hiking trail. I almost took the canoe tonight.
