GRAND PORTAGE, MN — Police in northeastern Minnesota say a frightening incident on Lake Superior points to the need to remain constantly aware of the risks of taking a boat onto the lake.
A man from Duluth was tossed out of a boat and into the frigid water when a wave hit the craft on Friday evening, but he managed to survive by swimming to an island near Grand Portage.
Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen told Newswatch "he claims he swam for two miles."
Eliasen said there's no way to corroborate that, but added "it's a long swim, let's put it that way, in Lake Superior."
He and another Duluth resident had set out from the Grand Portage marina bound for Isle Royale National Park, about 20 miles away.
"Just from reading the (police) report, it sounded like the boat hit a wave. I don't know if he was in a spot where he was going to lose his balance. I'm guessing that's how it happened," the sheriff said.
After making it to the island, a few hundred yards offshore, the man waved sticks and yelled for help before being picked up in a boat by a Grand Portage tribal conservation officer.
Eliasen said "it doesn't sound like" he'd been wearing a personal flotation device.
He said the number one lesson from the incident is to wear a PFD at all times, and number two is to maintain situational awareness when travelling on Lake Superior.
"Awareness of the lake, awareness of your capabilities, and if you have passengers on the boat and you hit a wave hard enough for someone to get thrown out, then you need to make sure you account for everybody on that boat."
The operator of the boat initially was unaware his 41-year-old companion had gone overboard.
Eliasen said it was an unfortunate accident with a fortunate end.
"Nobody got hurt, nobody died, which is very unusual for Lake Superior," he commented.
The Minnesota Star Tribune quoted the man as crediting his mother for signing him up for swimming lessons when he was a child.
