High winds scatter boats in Apostle Islands area

By RALPH ANSAMI

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A little more than a year after a storm destroyed the Saxon Harbor marina, Lake Superior turned ugly again this week.

High waves and winds on Sunday carried into Monday and Tuesday and left several boats grounded and one partially sunk in the Apostle Islands area.

Capt. Tucker Culberson, of TowBoat U.S. Bayfield, said no one was injured, but he was setting of on a 25-mile jaunt Wednesday to retrieve one of the seven boats that were marooned following six- to eight-foot waves.

Some of the boats had been anchored at the outer rim of Sand, Rocky and Outer islands when a westerly breeze shifted to the north and northeast. As a result, private vessels were blown onto beaches, rocks and into thickets of trees.

The National Park Service supplied rescue efforts, Culberson told the Superior Telegram, while the tow boat handled the salvage.

As many as 14 people were involved.

While six boats were recovered, one boat remained nearly 26 miles away from Bayfield, partially sunk near Outer Island. That vessel was expected to be recovered later in the week.

All of the boats were at least partially damaged.

“This is definitely the most boats we’ve had aground at one time,” said Culberson, who called the Saxon Harbor flash flooding that killed one person a worse event. “We’re lucky nobody got hurt,” he told the Telegram.