Ocean kayaking...when wind direction changes

When ocean kayaking if wind direction changes suddenly and you find yourself needing/wanting to get back to shore but you'll have to paddle a looong distance like crazy into the wind what would be the best course of action?

Not being very experienced, I tried paddling in a "C" shape getting closer to shore as I approached my launch point (ever so slowly!) so I made at least some headway and then when closer to shore fought the head-wind (and growing waves). I had to beach & rest at one point b/c I got so tired but got lectured by a rich dood who didn't like me beaching on his private rocks (heh).

Anyway, I still gotta develop my pics and write up my tr but I got into a convo w/ someone about this who said more or less I should have "waited it out" and not paddled at all. My response was that I didn't know *if* the wind would die down, it was getting later, and I didn't want to get stuck out there at dusk w/ colder water, equal or higher winds, and boats that potentially couldn't see me coming back from their day of fishing and wot-not.

I have a sit-on-top kayak, not sure if that makes a difference either way in handling paddling in a super-high-winds situation. Is this mostly an ocean thing (super hi winds) or do you get this on lakes a lot too?

Sprite

Happens on big enough lakes, too. Especially on the ocean, where you're not bounded by reasonably close land on all sides, I would not "wait it out" unless I was in a harbor or beached somewhere (e.g. island, far shore). Sit still for a minute, figure out what the wind, current, and waves are doing. Figure out where you want to end up. Mentally take a line to that point. Then figure out what the amount and direction of drift from wind and current are going to do to your course. Finally, take the tightest line to that drift-corrected course that you can get away with given the waves (i.e. avoid going broadside in high steep chop, but don't sweat spaced swell).

Two theories: (1) minimize distance/time spent offshore, or (2) minimize distance/time spent paddling. If the conditions dictate that you choose (1), make a beeline for the "closest" shore (where "closest" includes drift-correction) and then coast back to your target nav point. You might end up with a longer paddle in, but at least you will be along shore for a longer time.

Example: I was paddling around the harbor in my slicy whitewater boat the other day. (Silly.) Wind kicked up as I was returning from an island with an abandoned 19th century stone fort. Chop came up to my shoulders, making me nearly invisible and prone to flippage. I decided to use the drift to make it to the mainland about 1 mile from my launch point, then coasted back where it would be easy to self-rescue in the event of a bail. Had I gone directly for the launch, I would have been exposed a lot longer.

Thanks for the advice!

Sprite