Interesting and scary thing happened to me this weekend. I was up fishing in a 14 ft motorboat on Snowbank.

We hit the lake early that day and it was almost glass. By 11:00 though, the winds had picked up and waves were pretty darn fierce. We were fishing just off of the west side of the lake by Center Island when we figured we should try a spot on the east side.

We started motoring and got to our spot by Fire Island. Just as I was starting to tie up a line, I glanced over and saw what looked like a dumped canoe midway between the shore and Harri island about a half mile or so away. There were two canoes - one upright and one in the water. The wind was blowing from the N-N/E so right off the tip of the island on the way to the Disappointment portage is where the waves got real bad.

We motored over and sure enough there were two guys clinging to the canoe and packs floating everywhere. The other canoe was part of their party and doing their part to help them. Long story short, we picked up their gear and towed them and the canoe to the shore to the east. The water was very warm and they were doing fine so they clung to the boat as we towed it.

Frankly, I'm not sure how a situation like this in Snowbank-type waves with a swamped canoe turns out if another party isn't around. It's one of those things that seems surreal, but is more serious than we'd like to admit.

They mentioned it was their first trip to the BWCA and they had NO life jackets on. Not even floating in the water - the jackets were floating next to them. That was the first thing we told them to do when we arrived. I don't mention this to be a jerk or rub it in, but more as a teaching moment for others.

If you don't wear your life jackets all the time, then at a bare minimum put them on when you get in hairy water.

If you guys are out there reading this, I'd be curious how the rest of your trip turned out.

For everyone else, has anything like this ever happen to you? Has anyone had to rescue another party in a dumped canoe?

Good thing you were in the area and saw them. Haven't done the rescue manuevers since scout camp a lonnnggg time ago. Good advice on the PFD.

I'm glad you were there to help - maybe they'd have rescued themselves with help from the other canoe of their group, but maybe not. It doesn't sound like the other guys had the experience, knowledge, or skills. It's good it was warm water and weather. I hope everything went well after that for them.

I've never had to rescue anyone in a dumped canoe, not even myself, although I did have an "unusual experience" last fall (see my trip report for details).

I guess any situation can go bad fast but I dumped in Sunday (Q) 10+ years ago - middle of October, first day of 6. Pretty rough with white caps. A newbie and me in a wood and canvas canoe with a lot of rocker - his prize. PFDs not on. We all floated and drifted to shore after 30-45 minutes, made a camp, carried on for the week.

I've rescued several, both in and out of the BWCA. One was a guy who swamped on Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. Had him hang on to the side of the canoe as we brought him in. Fire Department and tv were there before we got him to shore. In that case, I gave the rescued paddler firm directions of what we were going to do....looked at his face and told him where he will hang on to the boat, where we were going, etc. I also told him that if he attempted to climb in our canoe, I'd make sure that didn't happen, because then we'd have two swamped boats. (My language was more direct, to make sure I had his attention. It also gave me an opportunity to assess his faculties, for his safety and mine.)

A couple of other rescues within the BWCA: one time on Caribou Lake (off Lizz) in very rough water we brought two people into shore, again hanging on to the canoe. They had been day tripping, so their canoe was very light, and they troughed. They had tied their dog's leash to the center thwart, so the dog was treading water without much leash. The dog looked terrified.

Another was a bunch of guys (three canoes) fishing on Clove Lake. No lifejackets on. Calm water, but standing in the canoe. Over he went. I had a short paddle out to him, but his buddies had already snagged him. (So not technically a rescue, I'd guess.)

On a bit of a tangent: I've seen a lot of people go into the water, usually at portages or beaver pull-overs. Anecdotally to me, 99% of the time people end up in the water at portages because they're avoiding getting their feet wet. Just happened on my latest solo trip.

Mike

Good thing you were there to help. I actually swamped my kayak yesterday in the local river. Went to adjust my seat and my weight shifted over and in I went. About 5 foot of water. Had to swim about 20 yards to retrieve my paddle which somehow was wrapped with line from my pole so nothing lost except my pride.

I've never been on either end of a swamped canoe rescue, at least not yet. Even with experience, I'm convinced humility is just a second of inattention away. Good thing you were there to help them. I do know the biggest waves I've paddled through were definitely on Snowbank.

Good job in helping them and telling them to get their life jackets on. So often if you tip the canoe goes the other way in a wind and you never catch it. Also if they can't get in the canoe again how long can they hang on? There have been cases where people hold on so long and tire and let go and drown.
Snowshoe lake is a lake to put caution first. Raanks right up there with the biggest waves in or close to the BWCA.

Good job helping.

I don't always wear my PFD, but crossing any good sized lake or approaching rapids or even with another paddler ( I go solo alot) I put it on. Just makes sense. I would hope these people that dumped lived and learned.

quote Podunk: "I don't always wear my PFD, but crossing any good sized lake or approaching rapids or even with another paddler ( I go solo alot) I put it on.
"

Same, its common sense.

We had tripmates swamp on what we later learned from an old BWCA book was the "windswept north shore" of Lac La Croix coming out of the Maligne. We had fought huge breakers and wind for a few hours, and our tripmates refused to hug shore. On land we waved down a fishing boat and they got dragged in, fortunately. The 'windswept' part became a running joke and part of our trip lore.

Daniel

This happened to my friend and I a few years ago on Lynx Lake. We were arguing about this odd low profile shape in the middle of the lake. In time we recognized a swamp canoe with two people clinging to the side in the middle of the lake.

We paddled out to them, tied up a line, and slowly dragged them ashore. All we're wearing pfds and they were able to retrieve most their stuff but they said they lost a fishing pole each. Waves were 1 to 1.5 feet. This instance really made me reevaluate risks in paddling routes when alone. The water was warm in this case, early September. They were camped on the lake so they simply paddled back to changed.

They said it was thinking first time paddling together, rented canoe, and they just leaned wrong I'm the wind.

I know I wouldn't have been able to get in a canoe in those rollers