President's Day Fishing Tournament at Pyramid Lake
Conditions at Pyramid Lake change dramatically during the winter. These photos demonstrate the difference one day makes. On Saturday the 14th, conditions were calm enough that boats, including the Auxiliary Vessel Shiv'r Me Timbers, could launch. One day later, on Sunday the 15th, wind from the southeast whipped up five foot breaking waves at the Pelican Point Launch ramp washing away the two docks.
This boat washed ashore during the storm on Sunday, February 15th. The wind was out of the southeast giving many miles of "fetch". Fetch is the length of water that the wind blows over. A good rule of thumb is that for each mile of open water, there is the potential for one foot of wave height. Thus, if there were five miles of open water, there would be the potential for five foot waves. At the Pelican Point Launch ramp, southeast winds are the most dangerous since they have many miles of "fetch". Winds from the west have far less potential for problems for boaters launching on the west side of the lake.
Knowing the ramp was washed away, what could this boater have done to weather the storm in his small boat? He could have attempted to cross Pyramid lake to the east side of the lake where the fetch, and presumably the wave height would be less. However, in this small boat it would be dangerous to attempt such a crossing in five foot seas. A more prudent thing to do would be to head towards Pelican Point either directly into the waves or "quartering" them (at an angle of 45 degrees) until the boater could pass around to the "lee" side (downwind) side of Pelican Point. The point would protect him from the oncoming waves. The boater then could safely anchor in shallow water and wait out the storm.
Pyramid Lake is notorious for winter boating mishaps and all boaters should be prepared for these hazards. At a minimum, boaters should wear a life jacket, carry a VHF radio, and have a boat suitable for the severe cold and winter conditions that Pyramid Lake presents.
For more information on winter boating and to take a Boating Safely class, contact a Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla near you.
