Trip Stories: Canoe Rescue on the Basswood River

By: David D. Cass (camper 1953-1959), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

In 1960, three friends and I took a canoe trip on the Basswood River. We started at Camp Voyageur where we spent one night in cabin 3. The next morning, we had breakfast in the Mess Hall. After breakfast, we packed and loaded our canoes and launched in Home Bay. Sam Stegman and I were in one canoe; Ron and Dave Horn were in the other.

We paddled north through Garden Lake until we reached the falls between Garden Lake and Fall Lake. We paddled through Fall Lake and turned toward Newton Lake, taking a short portage to Newton Lake. We paddled a short distance and camped on an island in Newton Lake. The next day, after breakfast, we proceeded to the portage around Pipestone Falls between Newton Lake and Pipestone Bay. With low winds (unusual!), our paddling north on Pipestone Bay was much easier than we had expected.

We emerged from Pipestone Bay and turned into the Basswood River. We soon came to the top of Basswood Falls and the beginning of the one-mile Horse Portage. We avoided the awesome Horse Portage by taking a much shorter portage and paddling through simple rapids. After another short portage and stretch of easy rapids, we arrived at our intended campsite just above Canyon Falls – a beautiful campsite with a view of the river just above Canyon Falls.

Canyon Falls is a misnomer. There is strong current, but no abrupt drop-off. There is a clear V which canoeists can get through with a few steering strokes to stay in the middle.

After breakfast, we visited with four canoeists who, staying in their two canoes, stopped by to say “hello”. We talked for a while, said “have a good trip” and they departed. Soon we heard shouts from the rapids and saw capsized canoes. We put our fire out, got into our canoes and paddled to the top of Canyon Falls. Both canoes had capsized; the canoeists and their packs were in the water. We maneuvered our canoes so that we could safely rescue the canoeists and take them to shore. They were wet, a bit cold, but uninjured. Then we retrieved their packs and canoes. What happened? They had failed to align their canoes with the V and became sideways in the current. They then capsized!

This was my first ever canoe rescue. I instinctively knew what to do and how to do it. Having been at Camp Voyageur for five seasons, first as a camper and then as a counselor and canoe guide, I was an experienced canoeist who could handle emergencies. Camp Voyageur gave me those skills and many others which shaped my life. I am forever grateful.

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