After 70 plus wilderness adventures to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, I can say with absolute 50% confidence that I am more aware of potential dangers than on trip #1. The other 50% has to do with the unpredictable nature of the wilderness. This is a picture of such danger.
A nice portage trail and entry into the next lake. There is strong current at the edge of the lake that pulls into the river that runs between the lakes. The danger is visibly obvious to those who are watchful and aware of their surroundings. The same danger is hidden to the oblivious. Once past the very last log sticking out, the current is strong enough to pull a canoe down the rapids.
The river is deep, rolling and turns a sharp corner against the rocks and tree roots. Aware canoeists keep to the left side of the lake after pushing out. They stay safe. Those who push the canoe out before looking for one’s paddle will subtly, than swiftly begin to be sucked toward a point of “no return.” One could lose more than their fishing rod going down those rapids.
We watched it happening. A group of teenagers with two adults came across the portage trail where we were about to land. Our small group held back in the lake from docking our canoes on the small landing.
It’s common curtesy to give the first group to the portage their own space to get through the portage. The last canoe in the other group to push out into the lake drifted out beyond the logs but did not pick up their paddles. They were oblivious to danger. Our group expected the adults to take charge quickly, but the adults were unaware of the danger as well.
I took charge.
“Start paddling or the current will suck you down” I yelled. Puzzled looks came from all the canoes of the teen group. “Paddle on the right side” I yelled and kept yelling. The teen had picked up his paddle as he began to realize there was a strong current pulling them sideways into the strong current of river going into the woods. Instantly in panic mode the back paddler grabbed his paddle but only shifted his paddle back and forth from hand to hand, drawing a blank on what to do. …”paddle right side” I yelled. The front paddler grabbed his paddle and dug in on his right side. The back paddler matched his stroke in the current. A couple of hard strokes from both teens and they propelled forward and grounded on an underwater rock but had gone into less current.
They somehow made it out of danger and joined their group. Thankfully they avoided the crashing water frothing on the rocks, twisting and turning through the woods. I have no idea if they knew what they had just avoided. I’m not sure the adults ever got past being angry at me for yelling at their kids.
Our group started debriefing right away. “Wow you sure yelled at those guys” someone said. “Let me explain my yelling” I said. “I once met a group of men on a portage trail who had just lost one of their guys in a stream like this one. Watching them was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. They told me the young man had pushed out in a canoe alone at a landing by a fast stream and didn’t remember to put his paddle in the canoe. The current caught him quickly. In seconds the canoe rolled, and the current pushed him under a log and he drowned.”
“This is real life lesson stuff guys” I said. “We all know someone who didn’t intend to be sucked into the point of no return with life stuff. Lots of stuff in life is like this river current. This little moving water doesn’t look dangerous.
When I see this current, it reminds me how many things in our culture pull us away from God, family and important relationships. The point of no return is sometimes subtle, but closer than anyone thinks. When God yells “paddle right side!” I sure hope I am listening enough to hear that warning. “Preach it Gary” someone said. “Sorry guys…PTSD preaching on adrenaline” I said.
We talked of other life lessons we noticed on our wilderness trip. Later on, as we were meeting friends and family, my grandson told them this story with the life lesson from our BWCA trip. Proud Grandpa here!
As I write this story, now two years and some change later, this experience came to mind. I was right in the middle of my morning reading and prayer. I picked up the phone and sent a text to the grandson, who was my canoe partner on that trip. “Are you keeping your spiritual paddle in the water?” His immediate reply “PADDLE RIGHTSIDE GRANDPA!”
My prayer is to recognize shared life lesson experiences in all my relationships. I want to live, really live, to tell them. I love to hear “grandpa, I told my friend this story and the life lesson!”
Gary
