ORIGINAL: seibertphd
Sometimes it is hard for me to tell the wind direction on the water, since it tends to swirl around the little bay I am on, but any attempt at crosswind takeoff or landing has ended badly. SO now, before each flying session, I paddle my canoe out a bit to get a sense of the wind off shore and plan my approach accordingly.
Taxi your plane out and let it set in the water at idle and the wind will weather vane it and it will automatically be pointing into the wind.