Lake Superior and Northern Michigan/Lake Huron can be one of the most difficult places to sail on. The wind is being funneled by cliffs and shorelines causing sudden wind shears, and steep short period confused waves. I have seen some experienced sailors get beaten around in these conditions. (I'm sure Spaw knows what i'm talking about here)

I am surprised that National Geographic printed that Franz S, they usually research their source material quite well. People forget that the science of meteorology is quite a young science. I wrote an article on Continental Shelf Break (that won a prize)and yet it was not even considered a fact, until modern wave indicator buoys were placed along the Continental shelves for oil and gas exploration in the early seventies. The results of these measurements indicated the waves and swells are higher and more likely to be confused than the open ocean. This fact was recorded for five hundred years in log books and experiences of many countries mariners but not accepted as true until recently.

Yours, Aye. Dave