Apostle Islands |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-2025. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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Monday, July 21, 1986 Incident location: Dock on Otter Island Summary: D.L.B. & L.M. homosexual lovers. Picked up K.N. for affair. Altercation developed. L.M. attacked other two with meat clever & butcher knife. K.N. cut on both sides of throat & other injuries; other cut on head. Rangers called. Off-duty policeman on scene stopped attack & got injured subjects off boat. Rangers found L.M. on boat w/slashed wrists. Transported to hospital. State charges to be filed against L.M. & Ashland County will prosecute.
An as yet undetermined quantity of oil washed ashore on at least two of the Apostle Islands over the past weekend. Numerous patches of old oil in the tarball state were discovered on the morning of the 11th over a quarter to half-mile stretch of beach on the west side of Sand Island and a 250-yard segment of a small cove on the northeast shore of Bear Island. Traces of the oil have also been discovered on the north shore of York Island. The exact extent and origin of the spill have not yet been determined. The park, Coast Guard, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are investigating. Preliminary investigation suggests no immediate threat to wildlife. (John Krambrink, CRM, MWRO, via CompuServe message to RAD/WASO).
A heavy rainfall during the early morning hours of July 1st between eight and ten inches fell in a few hours led to heavy runoff and substantial damage to park areas, including partial undercutting of docks, significant trail erosion, substantial damage to trail bridges and boardwalks, road washouts and extensive flooding of basements and campsites throughout the park. Extensive bluff erosion (slumping of clay banks) occurred and encroached on historic structures, including the Raspberry Island lighthouse. Many trees are down, and significant amounts of debris will have to be removed from around docks and other facilities. Some campsites and sections of trails have been temporarily closed to the public. A damage assessment is being made and efforts are underway to repair damage and reopen facilities. [John Krambrink, CR, APIS, via CompuServe message from Tom Thompson, RAD/MWRO, 7/2]
During the week of June 28th, the park was involved in an extended search for D.V., 37, of Ashland, Wisconsin, who was reported missing to a local sheriff's department on the morning of the 28th. D.V.'s 16-foot outboard runabout was found capsized and adrift by the Coast Guard four miles north of Apostle Islands' Outer Island light at 10:30 a.m. later that morning. Park vessels assisted with a water search, while other park personnel searched the shoreline of surrounding islands for tracks or other signs of D.V.. They were assisted by volunteers from the Headwaters Search and Rescue Association, who employ water-trained search dogs. No trace of D.V. was found, and the Coast Guard has presumed that he drowned. Although the boat was found outside of park jurisdiction, the Service accepted jurisdiction and responsibility for coordinating search efforts because D.V. may have last been scene in the vicinity of Outer Island. On July 1st, active search activities were suspended. A joint investigation by the park and county sheriff's department is continuing. [John Krambrink, CR, APIS, 7/13]
D.G., 15, of Wausau, Wisconsin, was swimming with his father and brother at remote, unguarded Meyers Beach on Lake Superior on July 18th when he dove underwater and apparently struck his head on the bottom. D.G.'s brother found him floating motionless and face down in the water and summoned his father. The two righted D.G. so he could breathe, then pulled him toward shore. Members of a passing Wilderness Inquiry kayaking group summoned assistance via marine radio; meanwhile, a physician in the party stabilized the injury and brought the boy to land. Rangers and the local rescue squad responded. D.G. was evacuated to a regional trauma center by helicopter, and doctors subsequently determined that he'd fractured his fifth cervical vertebra, an injury which typically results in complete quadriplegia. Inspection of the accident scene revealed a plain, sandy bottom, completely free of obstruction. [William Ferraro, Acting CR, APIS, 7/23]
On September 3rd, P.J., 47, of Hinckley, Minnesota, set out on a 12- mile trip to Devils Island in Lake Superior in a seven-foot river kayak. Upon reaching the island that night, he became concerned about the weather and his lack of provisions and decided to paddle back to the mainland. During the night, strong winds and three to four-foot seas took R.J. out into the open lake. R.J. was finally able to reach York Island at 10 p.m. the following evening after a total of 34 hours afloat. He contacted a boater, who in turn notified rangers via marine radio. R.J. suffered from severe windburn and stiffness, but his only concern was that he would be cited for having parked his car in a day-use lot. [CRO, APIS, 9/8]
On August 5th, volunteer lighthouse keepers on Devils Island reported that men on a sailboat anchored offshore were shooting at them with a red and white rifle. Although forced to take cover, the volunteers were able to provide a full description of the vessel, including its name. Rangers intercepted the boat, with backup assistance from the Coast Guard, and discovered that the rifle was in fact a homemade "potato cannon" - a device constructed from PVC pipe which employs combustible hair spray as a propellant to fire raw potatoes with considerable force to a distance of up to 200 yards. C.P., 40, and P.B., 38, both from Minnesota, admitted firing toward the island and were cited for disorderly conduct. Initial research indicates that this may be the first naval bombardment of a shore installation on the Great Lakes since the War of 1812. [Bob Mackreth, DR, APIS]
Seasonal ranger Jeff Field was either thrown from or fell out of a 20-foot Boston Whaler en route to Stockton Island early on the afternoon of August 25th. He was found clinging to a shredded life jacket by a private boater who picked him up and transported him to shore. He was flown to a hospital in Duluth, where he was treated for a dislocated shoulder, severe prop cut to his buttocks, three prop cuts on his left leg, and a broken left leg. He is currently listed in good condition. Additional details to follow. [John Scott, CR, APIS]
Seasonal ranger Jeff Field is in good condition at St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota, recovering from surgery for injuries received when he fell out of his Boston Whaler and was struck by the propeller on its 150 horsepower motor. Surgeons are optimistic that Field will not suffer loss of mobility to his leg, which suffered three deep prop cuts and was broken in two places. He will probably remain hospitalized through the week. Cards and notes can be sent to him at Room 4248, St. Mary's Medical Center, 407 E. 3rd Street, Duluth, MN 55805. Investigators are still looking into the cause of the accident. Field was holding his shredded PFD when rescued, and it's believed that it may have protected him from additional prop cuts to his upper body. A Coast Guard crew was able to stop the out-of-control Boston Whaler before it ran aground by throwing lines in the water in order to foul its prop. The boat was stopped about 30 yards from shore. [John Scott, CR, APIS]
N.M., 14, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, was hiking the Lakeshore trail with his father and brother on August 17th. Seeking access to Lake Superior in order to go snorkeling, N.M. scrambled down a 60-foot clay bluff, lost control on the slippery surface, and free fell the last ten to 15 feet. N.M. landed on a rock ledge at the water's edge and sustained a broken leg. Relatively calm lake conditions permitted an evacuation by boat and precluded the need for a technical raising operation. Visitation to this section of the park has tripled since the spring opening of the first two-mile section of the planned eleven mile trail. This is the first serious incident to occur on the trail. [Bob Mackreth, DR, APIS, 8/18]
M.V.S., husband of park supervisory resource management specialist J.V.S., passed away on September 26th following a long battle with cancer. M.V.S. worked for the Service's Air Quality Division in Denver and for Midwest Regional Office prior to their move to Apostle Islands. He was also a talented writer and photographer and received the 1999 Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award for his book, "Northern Passages: Reflections from Lake Superior Country." A memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 30th, at the Bayfield Pavilion in Bayfield, Wisconsin. Condolences may be sent to J.V.S. and their two children. [Jim Nepstad, Management Assistant, APIS, 9/27]
On the morning of Monday, March 25th, a park employee discovered that a plexiglas display case housing a pair of antique binoculars had been forcibly torn from the wall and that the binoculars had been stolen. A donation box was also damaged and an undetermined amount of currency removed. The binoculars had once belonged to lighthouse keeper Ed Lane, who tended the Michigan Island lighthouse from 1902 to 1939. They are inscribed with the name of a former owner, Preston C. Hudson, adjutant for the 85th Illinois Infantry, and were reputedly carried by Preston during his service in the Civil War. An investigation is underway, and a $500 reward has been offered. [Greg Zeman, CRM, APIS, 4/5]
S.L., 23, of Saint Germain, Wisconsin died of
hypothermia/cold water exposure at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth on
August 20th following a kayaking accident in the park. S.L. and his
father Leonard departed from Meyers Beach at approximately
9:45 a.m. that morning and paddled their single
person kayaks two miles to the Mawikwe sea caves along the park's
Mainland Unit on Lake Superior. The sea caves are located at the
waterline of a two-mile-long, steep sandstone bluff, and are accessible
only by boat or kayak during calm seas. The National Weather Service
near shore marine forecast for the day included a small craft advisory
for western Lake Superior, with winds estimated at 20 to 25 knots and
waves of from 4 to 6 feet. At noon, the
automated Devils Island weather station recorded wind speeds at 32
knots, with gusts of 37 and an air temperature of 57 degrees. S.L.'s
kayak overturned in strong wave backwash from the sea caves. Both
S.L. and Leonard were wearing life jackets. Large waves prevented
S.L. from reentering his kayak, so Leonard attempted to paddle away
from the caves with S.L. and kayak in tow. S.L. abandoned his kayak
when it filled with water and tried to hold onto his father's craft, but
was rapidly becoming disorientated due to hypothermia. Within minutes,
Leonard was thrown into the water when his kayak overturned after
hitting a large wave. Both S.L. and Leonard were swept inside a sea
cave by the force of the waves. S.L. became unconscious, and, after
more than an hour of fighting large swells, Leonard was unable to pull
his son out of the sea cave. Leonard decided his best chance for saving
S.L. was to swim for help. An unidentified hiker near Meyers Beach saw
Leonard about a half mile off shore and called 911. Bayfield
County deputies, coastguardsmen from Coast Guard Station Bayfield,
and Apostle Island rangers responded. The Coast Guard had the closest
vessel, which was north of Madeline Island, 25 miles to the east.
Rangers responded by land to Mawikwe and Meyers Beach Road. Once ashore,
Leonard was escorted by visitors to an ambulance at the Meyers Beach
parking lot, but he refused treatment and was released. Rangers
established a landing zone at Cornucopia, Wisconsin, for the Saint
Luke's Lifeflight helicopter. At approximately
1:50 pm, the Coast Guard rescue boat reported that S.L. had
been found floating inside a sea cave. With waves at 6 to 8 feet,
a Coast Guard rescuer entered the water to retrieve S.L. and bring him
aboard the rescue craft. S.L. had numerous abrasions and was
unconscious, pulseless, and unresponsive. CPR was begun immediately and
he was taken to the waiting helicopter. Paramedics employed advanced
life support measures and prepared S.L. for the 23 minute flight to
the hospital in Duluth. His body temperature at the time was 77 degrees.
Hospital efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
On the afternoon of August 6th, a group of six young people, including a camp counselor and a guide from Chequamegon Adventure Company, departed the Little Sand Bay on Lake Superior by kayak. Both gale and small craft advisories were posted for the waters along the lake's western shoreline at the time. These warnings were ignored by the company's guide and led to a series of mishaps. While the guide and camp leader were attempting to assist a kayaker with a rudder problem, the group of kayakers became widely separated by waves ranging up to four feet or more in height. National Park Service and US Coast Guard personnel responded in their vessels to a marine radio report of two kayaks in distress just east of the park's mainland unit. They arrived on scene just as two people reached the shore after having capsized their kayaks. At about the same time, ranger Michael Larsen received a radio message from park employees stationed at Little Sand Bay who reported seeing what they thought was a kayak off York Island. They thought that it might be associated with the guided kayak group. Larsen diverted his boat from his original course and went to the aid of the distressed kayaker. He found an unresponsive young man draped over the side of his kayak. Working alone and under rolling high sea conditions, Larsen rescued the kayaker and transported him back to Little Sand Bay. There they met with Red Cliff Ambulance Service personnel, who treated the man for hypothermia. Due to the quick response and a cooperative rescue operation, all parties survived. Chequamegon Adventure Company is currently operating under a new NPS commercial use authorization. The park will conduct a review to determine whether conditions of the permit were met. The guide's decisions will be studied during a pending incident review. The findings may prove beneficial to both the park and commercial use operators in the future. [John Pavkovich, Supervisory Park Ranger]
On the morning of Friday, June 22nd, B.H., 55, and his close friend T.Y., 52, departed from Meyers Beach in single person kayaks during calm lake conditions. The Friday morning forecast, however, called for northeast winds increasing to 10 to 20 knots by late morning, with waves building from two to four feet. The men paddled two miles to the Mainland Seacaves, then eastward along a two-mile stretch of steep sandstone bluffs. Upon their return, the wind increased rapidly and created waves that were three to four feet high. Hofsteadt's kayak overturned in a strong wave backwash from the sea caves. T.Y. tried to assist him, but also capsized due to the rough lake conditions. The high vertical cliffs and extensive sea caves offered no place for the kayakers to land. The two men attempted to swim with their kayaks but soon became separated. T.Y. made it to a submerged ledge at the base of the cliff and was able to stand in chest deep water. B.H. was last seen hanging onto his kayak, drifting southwest along the sea caves toward Meyers Beach. Visitors hiking on the Mainland Trail above the sea caves saw two empty kayaks and a person floating face down in the water. One of them ran back to Meyers Beach and reported the incident to a ranger at approximately 1:30 p.m. Park dispatch notified protection rangers, the Coast Guard, and the Bayfield County Sheriffs Department. One USCG vessel was conducting training at Cornucopia and was able to respond to the scene within six minutes. Crew members quickly located both men. B.H. was floating face down and was unresponsive when pulled from the water, so CPR was begun. The USCG vessel could not approach T.Y. due to violent wave conditions at the base of the cliff, so he was pulled aboard the vessel with a rope tied to a ring buoy. B.H. and T.Y. were transported four miles to Cornucopia, then taken by ambulance to the Ashland Medical Center. Hofsteadt was flown by helicopter to Duluth, but hospital efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. T.Y. was treated and released from the Ashland hospital that evening. Both kayakers were wearing life jackets at the time they capsized but were not wearing either wet suits or dry suits. It's not known if Hofsteadt's life jacket was zipped and fastened properly. At noon that day, the automated Devils Island weather station recorded wind speeds at 12 knots with a recorded air temperature of 45 degrees. The water temperature at Meyers Beach was approximately 41 degrees with waves estimated at three to four feet. When interviewed the next day, T.Y. told rangers that both men were in the water for over two hours. T.Y. said that he'd visited the sea caves on four prior occasions. B.H. was an avid canoeist, but this was his first time in a kayak on Lake Superior. [Submitted by Greg Zeman, Chief of Protection]
On the morning of July 15th, Oak Island volunteer Merle Lang reported that a group of Boy Scouts in kayaks were struggling in the channel between Oak Island and the mainland. Within minutes, Lang reported at least one member of the group had capsized and fellow kayakers were attempting a rescue. Sea conditions at the time were reported at two- to three-foot waves with sustained winds in excess of 20 knots. An adult member of the group had flipped upside down and was unable to release his spray skirt and was trapped underwater for a short period of time. He was righted with the help of one of the guides and other members of the group, but had swallowed several gulps of water and was reported to be dizzy, nauseated, and extremely fatigued. NPS maintenance employee Ken Eklund and park ranger Susan Mackreth aboard the NPS Grebe, who were transporting park VIPs Judy Michaels, a doctor, and Janice Carol, a nurse, were in the immediate area when they came upon the kayakers in distress and were on scene within minutes. They moved the injured adult aboard the vessel, where he was stabilized, monitored and transported to Buffalo Bay marina at Red Cliff. NPS safety officer Steve Witt with park rangers Damon Panek and Jim Dahlstrom in NPS Eagle conducted a quick search to locate the rest of the kayak group with the assistance of park ranger Mike McCoy, who maintained visual observation on most of the group from the Raspberry Island Lighthouse. Two additional NPS vessels assisted in locating the remainder of the group within 30 minutes. A total of 19 kayaks were involved and became separated over a two mile area due to increasing winds and wave conditions. One juvenile member of the group was taken aboard the NPS Eagle due to extreme fatigue and also was transported to Buffalo Bay marina in Red Cliff for observation and later released. The guides, operating under provisions of a commercial use authorization, were issued a citation for not having the required number of guides as required by CUA trip permit conditions. By the end of the incident, winds were in excess of 35 knots and four- to five-foot seas were reported along their intended route. [Greg Zeman, Chief Of Protection]
On the afternoon of July 16th, the US Coast Guard notified NPS dispatch that a 26-foot sailboat was in distress near the park. The vessel had a sail line wrapped around its prop and was taking on water. Waves were running three to four feet and the sailboat was drifting directly toward Madeline Island, which is located outside of the park. Rangers Mike Larsen and John Pavkovich and maintenance employees Steve Witt and Tom Richardson responded aboard the NPS Eagle. They assisted the Coast Guard by transferring two people and their dog off the drifting sailboat and transported them to port in Bayfield, Wisconsin. The Coast Guard then towed the sailboat back to the Bayfield City marina. As park staff were about to clear from this incident, they received a report of a kayaker stranded on Long Island, located within the park. The NPS crew responded and found two overturned kayaks with two men in the water clinging to their vessels a half mile west of Long Island. The kayakers, 56-year-old S.K. of Bloomington, Illinois, and 63-year-old V.B. Jr. of Rockford, Illinois, were in 52 degree water for more than two hours before they were rescued by NPS personnel. Both men appeared to be in mild to moderate stages of hypothermia and were transported to awaiting ambulances in Bayfield. The Bayfield Ambulance Service transported both men to Memorial Medical Center in Ashland, where they were treated and released from the hospital later that evening. S.K. and V.B. were part of a group of seven kayakers that became separated and capsized in three- to four-foot seas. The wind was recorded at 20 mph and air temperature was 60 degrees at the time of the incident. [Greg Zeman, Chief Of Protection]
On the afternoon of Friday, September 10th, two kayakers headed out from the park's kayak launch at Little Sand Bay to paddle to a campsite three miles away on Sand Island. Increasing wind and waves on Lake Superior caused the paddlers to become separated around 4 p.m. One of the paddlers reached Sand Island and radioed the U. S. Coast Guard two hours later to report that his companion, 46-year-old A.K., was overdue. An extensive multi-agency search was conducted that included vessels and staff from the National Park Service, Coast Guard, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Shortly after 7 p.m., rangers found an empty, capsized kayak matching the description of the missing kayak in the waters near Sand Island. The search for A.K. continued unsuccessfully through the evening until deteriorating weather conditions forced its suspension near midnight. The search resumed at daylight on Saturday, with assistance from the Bayfield County Sheriff's Department, a USCG helicopter, and a Canadian Coast Guard aircraft. At 7:30 a.m., rangers spotted a body floating face up in the surf along Justice Bay on Sand Island. The helicopter lowered a rescue swimmer to recover the victim, soon identified as A.K., and transfer him to a waiting NPS vessel. Although A.K. was wearing a life jacket over a full wet suit, the cause of death was determined to be hypothermia. The near shore marine forecast for the Apostle Islands area that day called for east winds of 10 to 15 knots with waves increasing to one to three feet in the afternoon. However, winds at the Devils Island lighthouse from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday were blowing from the east northeast at 19 to 22 knots with gusts to 25 knots. The air temperature was 53 degrees and the water temperature was about 47 degrees. Waves in the search area were observed to be three to five feet during the early evening hours on Friday. [Michael Larsen, Park Ranger]
On the afternoon of October 13th, park staff were notified by US Coast Guard Station Bayfield of a 911 call reporting that a man was stranded on a rock in Lake Superior somewhere between the mainland sea caves and Meyers Beach. The search area included over three miles of cliffs and rugged shoreline at the western end of the park. J.A., 28, of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, was hiking near the Lakeshore Trail with a group when he slipped on loose rocks and slid down a steep slope and over a cliff edge, falling 35 feet into Lake Superior. J.A. said that he pushed himself away from the cliff face when he realized he was going over the edge in order to avoid hitting rocks below and landed feet first in the water. He then swam approximately 30 yards along the cliff face and found and crawled onto a submerged ledge. The water temperature was 50 degrees and the air temperature was 54 degrees. J.A., wearing only a t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes, was in the water for approximately an hour before being rescued by the park's multi-divisional search and rescue team. The team arrived to find J.A. struggling to cling to the ledge as two-foot waves washed into him. The crew of the first NPS vessel on scene gave J.A. a lifejacket, which he immediately put on but was unable to zip due to numbness in his hands caused by the cold conditions. The crew of the second NPS vessel maneuvered close to the cliff face and helped J.A. on board using the vessel's loading ramp. NPS staff immediately began treating J.A. for hypothermia and brought him to an NPS dock at Little Sand Bay. J.A. was then transported by the Red Cliff Ambulance Service to a hospital in Ashland, where he was treated and released. [Michael Larsen]
Four college friends left the Little Sand Bay boat launch on the afternoon of June 7th to kayak to a campsite on Sand Island three miles away. Rangers had advised the kayakers that a small craft advisory had been posted for that area that forecast northeast winds of 20 to 25 knots and waves of from three to five feet. One of the kayaks began taking on water about a mile from the island and soon became submerged, causing the kayaker to abandon his vessel. A second kayaker, K.D., 20, turned back to assist and capsized while doing so. The remaining two kayaker were able to help the first, but soon lost sight of K.D, who they last saw straddling his kayak and holding a paddle. One of them returned to Little Sand Bay and reported the incident to a campground host. The NPS notified the Bayfield County Sheriff's Department and a multi-agency search was begun. There were three- to five-foot-high waves on the lake during the search and the water temperature was in the mid-40s. The two kayakers on Sand Island were picked up by a park boat and returned to short. The crew of a Coast Guard vessel found K.D floating in the water near Sand Point. Efforts to revive him were unavailing. The county coroner subsequently determined that he'd succumbed to hypothermia. [Myra Foster, Acting Chief Ranger]
On Tuesday, July 19th, rangers received a report that two kayakers had capsized after becoming separated from the rest of their party in a storm between Sand Island and the mainland. The nine paddlers consisted of two guides, two adults, and five teenagers. They were taking a day-paddle trip to the Sand Island Lighthouse and were on their way back to the mainland when the storm cell reached them. The wind and waves increased during the storm, causing the two teen paddlers to capsize. The surface water temperature was 47 degrees F. One of the capsized teens was able to get back in his boat after spending approximately five minutes in the lake. The other teen lost contact with his boat and spent 15 to 20 minutes in Lake Superior before he was lifted out and laid across two kayaks lashed together. Both teens were wearing wet suits. The other members of the party paddled back to Little Sand Bay on the mainland and made contact with rangers. Rangers responded by boat and found the two teens and their guide a half mile from York Island, where they had drifted during the storm. The rangers brought all three individuals and two kayaks on board and transported them to Little Sand Bay, where they were treated by the Red Cliff Reservation Ambulance Service and released. [Myra Foster, Acting Chief Ranger]
On Wednesday, August 17th, 13 kayakers associated with a commercial guide trip attempted to paddle from Meyers Beach to the mainland sea caves within Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Two kayakers capsized in three- to four-foot seas and were rescued by a private boater who transported them to Cornucopia. Eight other kayakers from this group began struggling in rough water near the sea caves and requested assistance from National Park Service rescue staff. The remaining three kayakers were able to paddle safely back to Meyers Beach. A small craft advisory had been posted for the near shore waters of western Lake Superior that day and rangers at Meyers Beach had advised kayak groups not to launch due to the current and anticipated hazardous wave conditions. The National Park Service mobilized 15 people and two vessels during this rescue operation. Other agencies involved in the rescue included South Shore Ambulance and the U.S. Coast Guard. [Myra Foster, Acting Chief Ranger]
An 18-year-old Illinois woman gave birth in the Platte River Campground late on the evening of July 22nd. Family members camping with her were unaware she was pregnant and immediately called 911 to request an ambulance. The woman and the near-term infant were transported to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City, where the infant was declared dead the following morning. An autopsy revealed that the infant had died of blunt trauma. The Michigan State Police are leading the investigation and charging the woman with murder. [Phil Akers, Chief Ranger]
Six- to eight-foot waves and high winds on Lake Superior late on Sunday, September 3rd, and into Monday, September 4th, left several boats beached, grounded and even partially sunk in the outer Apostle Islands, where storm conditions persisted into the next day and thwarted salvage efforts. Several boats were anchored on the eastern sides of the islands' outer rim of Sand, Rocky and Outer Islands on Sunday when the prevailing westerly breeze suddenly gave way to strong winds as a line of storms moved through the area. Chris Smith, chief ranger of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, said the intense storms were sudden and unexpected. Boats dragged anchor as winds blew the private vessels onto beaches and rocks and into thickets of trees overhanging the waters of Lake Superior. Winds were reportedly up to 35 mph within the island chain and up to twice as fast out on the lake. The park and Coast Guard responded to the ensuing calamity, which involved eight boats with 17 people aboard. Rangers traveled by boat from one site to another, assessing and stabilizing then moving on to the next scene. Their objective was to prevent further damage and help those who needed it. Some people were holed up below deck on their boats; others camped on shore as their boats were caught in the storm. Seven kayakers were also stranded, pinned down for some time on an island, and two others who were overdue ultimately were accounted for as safe. Source: Duluth News Tribune.
E.F. and his three children, ages three, six and nine, died when their kayak capsized late on August 30th off Apostle Islands. The man's wife, C.M., mother of the three children, survived. The family of five was touring the islands when their watercraft overturned about a mile west of Michigan Island before 8:30 p.m. E.F. apparently attempted to swim to shore with the three children, while C.M. remained at the scene of the capsizing with the vessel and their supplies, sending the text messages to her sister. E.F. and two of the children were found dead in the water after midnight; the body of the third child was recovered near the island on Friday morning. C.M., who had become separated from the rest of the group, was located in the water off Michigan Island just after 10 p.m. Thursday. She was pulled to safety by the crew of the U.S. Geological Survey research vessel Kiyi. High winds and waves were evidently a contributing factor. All five members were wearing life jackets when the kayak capsized. The family had made frequent visits to the Apostle Islands and had experience kayaking. Investigators determined that the family had been vacationing on Madeline Island and left earlier in the day with the intention of touring the lakeshore by kayak. The U.S. Coast Guard, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bayfield Fire and Rescue and National Park Service all participated in the search effort. The head of the Coast Guard rescue effort made an all too familiar observation about the impact on rescuers: "This crew is really hurting. They're really devastated. Crews train for this, to get the call and go out. They have expectations of helping someone and bringing them to safety. So they're pretty discouraged. In this case, there's four members of the same family, and when some of the crew members have children in the same age group, it hits them hard. There are a lot of heavy hearts at the station." Source: Duluth News Tribune.
There's not much new being reported these days, so we'll conclude the year with short follow-ups on incidents previously reported in this newsletter: Apostle Islands NM — The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has released its final report in the investigation of a kayaking accident last August that took the lives of four out of five members of a single family. Investigators have concluded that the accident occurred because of overloaded boats, inexperienced kayakers, hazardous conditions on Lake Superior, and "passenger behavior." Source: Wausau Daily Herald. | |