I was at the Brule Lake put-in point getting ready to launch a 3-day family canoe trip with my wife and 7-year old daughter when the storm hit on Sunday afternoon. It was warm, cloudy, and still, and the mosquitoes were active, as we loaded our ton of stuff- everything from the 14-pound tent and the cooler of fresh food to the teddy bears and camera gear. We had just chatted with some people who had come in, when I looked up at the sky again and saw the low, ominous green swirling squall line approaching. Oh oh, I got the others back in to the car, and was covering the canoe with a tarp as the winds hit with sheets of blowing rain. The tarp became mostly unmanageable, and the canoe started to fill with water. I pretty much always use waterproof kayak bags for canoeing, so the gear was safe, and I grabbed one of the camera bags and retreated to the car. It was difficult to walk and the car was swaying in the wind. 1 to 1 1/2 foot waves had built up in the small bay as horizontal blasts of rain obscured all but the immediate scene. Lightning was blasting down all over and the trees were rocking, but we were in a bit of a low area, away from the larger stands of older trees. The car windows began to fog up and I lost sight of the canoe, so I staggered out to find that the wind had blown the loaded canoe with four inches of water in it- perhaps 300 pounds- about 50 feet across the gravel boat ramp. Since I was already soaked and most of the lightning had moved on, I just stayed out to baby sit the canoe, pumping it out with the kayak bilge pump I had along. Eventually the wind and rain eased up, and I got the canoe emptied and checked for damage- only some long scratches and a few gel coat cracks- thank goodness for expedition Kevlar layups. Walking around, we found dozens of downed trees and a toppled information sign. Two rangers from a nearby cabin came by and said there was another storm cell moving into the region. advising us not to venture out for awhile. At that time, they, and we, did not know how thoroughly blocked the access road to the south was. After hanging out a bit, a couple returned to the landing by canoe, seeking help. The man had gotten clobbered in the head by a falling tree at their campsite, and had some memory loss. We helped them load what gear they were able to recover, and the woman was able to drive, so I gave her directions to the Grand Marais hospital, and they took off, not knowing that the road was blocked. Soon, a party of three guys returned- they had been blown into the shore at the east end of the lake, lost some gear, and their solo canoe had been partially crushed. The portage trail they were approaching had been completely blocked. A third party returned from a camp on the lake and had lost a tent and some gear, hopelessly buried by a huge downed white pine. A fourth group, of fishermen, showed up with the first load of their stuff, after their site was demolished, but no one was hurt. Three hours after the storm first hit, the whine of chain saws got louder, and the first vehicle made it in from the south with news of all the surrounding devastation. After the weather settled down for a while, we elected to go out to try to find a campsite. After talking to several more canoeing parties in the area, we headed for a site on an island I knew was relatively free of large trees. The lake- the highest elevation large lake in Minnesota- was full flating debris. After setting up, I had to use the trusty Swen-saw to cut through about five downed trees to reach the campsite biffy. My daughter thought it was all in good fun as she hunted for water bugs and had hot chocolate. After dark, however, several lines of thunderstorms moved through all night, with a constant barrage of lightning and about four inches of rain. In the foggy, drizzly morning, we decided enough was enough, and to call it quits. On the drive out to Hwy. 61, there were over a hundred clumps of downed trees, each with a narrow chain saw cutout allowing the width of one vehicle through. The storm was worst in a thirty-mile long area from the Ely area over to the central Gunflint. The evening TV news showed areas of completely flattened trees caused by rapid downbursts of 120 mph winds, in the estimation of the meteorologists. 80-mph winds were common over a wide area. Helicopters are searching for more remote parties that may be in need of help. Many campsites and entry points will probably be closed for some time. I would guess that volunteer help may be needed for some of the work that lies ahead. I have only seen a storm of similar intensity once before, on Lake Superior, with similar winds that sheer off the tops of building waves and blast horizontally with a fire-hose like power that makes anything but hunkering down for dear life impossible. Lightning is the major hazard- stay away from tall trees and other large objects if possible- which unfortunately means going to the lowest, wettest, buggiest spots. Falling trees are a problem in the BWCA where the soil is a thin veneer over bedrock and tree roots are shallow, and the forest is aging. Keep that in mind when seeking shelter or choosing a campsite. Above all, be aware of the dangerous stages of thunderstorm and squall line development and the resulting cloud types, and be prepared to get off the water and seek shelter well before it's too late. Nature can be relentless, and your only real line of defense is to always anticipate the worst and be ready to take protective action. -Andy Knapp back in Minneapolis *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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