Part 3 - The Fury
What occurred was far beyond our wildest expectations. The next 45 minutes were the most terrifying of our lives, with 120 mile per hour winds, canoes pitched about, and seven inches of rain in torrents. But the most frightening were the trees! Every few seconds the roar of the wind was punctuated by a resounding snap and crack as another giant 75 year old pine was split from its trunk and hurled at us. Liked caged stallions awaiting their fate, we dodged from one point to another on our little spit of land to avoid falling trees. The bolts of lightning were so intense and close that we dared not seek refuge under our canoes. After 30 minutes, the trees most likely to take our lives had all fallen and we were able to retreat into the shallow water of Seagull Lake to avoid the remaining trees. Many prayers were said in that 45 minute time frame.
The most destructive storm in Minnesota for almost 400 years had passed. Twenty million trees were broken and catapulted to the ground. Through Providence and quality leadership, Troop 299 was alive and only minimally wounded. Once we realized our good fortune, it now became our duty to do what Scouts do: Help others. Leader John Kovacich and three Eagles took two canoes and began to participate in search and rescue on Seagull Lake. The first camp they found had a family of five that had scarcely averted catastrophe. A pine tree three feet in diameter had destroyed their tent and both canoes. The youngest child was shivering and taken back to the Troop camp where a roaring fire warmed him until the family could be evacuated five hours later.
