Neighbors assist in rescue of man after canoe overturns

Cook County Law Enforcement dispatchers frequently receive calls reporting an overturned boat in the waters of Lake Superior. Most of the calls are unfounded, such as the one to which the U.S. Coast Guard responded on July 22. That turned out to be a log in the water, not a man clinging to a canoe. However, on Sunday, July 28 at 3:25 p.m. emergency dispatch received a 911 call from Jenny Erickson from Woodbury, MN stating that she could see her husband, Mark Erickson, also of Woodbury, in the lake after his canoe had tipped over. There was no doubt someone was in distress.

The U.S. Coast Guard was contacted and in the meantime, Justin Mueller who lives on the Croftville Road spotted a canoe adrift while walking with his wife and daughters. Mueller said they watched the canoe for some time, trying to determine if there was someone in it or not. They met some other walkers who were also watching.

Mueller jogged onto a neighbor’s property to get a closer look and still could not tell if the canoe was occupied. He found Dr. Milan Schmidt at home and they decided to investigate. Dr. Schmidt had a canoe in his yard. The two men threw on life jackets and paddled out. “I was mostly expecting to find an empty canoe,” said Mueller.

However, as they got closer, Dr. Schmidt spotted a man attempting to swim to shore. “We paddled up and asked, ‘Is there anyone else?’ He said no. We asked if he had the strength to get into the canoe and he said he didn’t think so,” said Mueller.

The men struggled to paddle through the waves with the extra weight of a fully clothed grown man holding on. They didn’t get far before the U.S. Coast Guard arrived. Coast Guard personnel were able to get him aboard and they headed back to the Coast Guard Station in Grand Marais where they were met by the Cook County ambulance.

He was transported to North Shore Hospital where he was evaluated and released. Erickson was wearing a life jacket and he had a floatation seat to hold on to. Regardless, a law enforcement spokesperson said, “He was a very lucky guy. Very cold, but lucky.”