I’m still thinking they were day-tripping. Madeline Island is served by a ferry and has roads
It’s a popular vacation Island
@kayamedic Looked at the map and came to the same conclusion. No other way to explain the gear against the boat description. The other unfortunate possibility from the camping locations on the map is that they were taking an outside course, on the outside islands and near a channel that likely gets bad if wind comes up the wrong way.
Per a new report today, they were paddling a 13.5-foot tandem sit on top. Only SunDolphin makes such a kayak in that specific length: https://www.sundolphin.com/recreational-kayaks/bali-13-5-tandem/
From their web site…
“Perfect Family Tandem Kayak”
actually several sit on tops are that size. for example , the perception Tribe 13.5
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/perception--tribe-13-5-tandem-sit-on-top-kayak--16956336?recordNum=8
comes with a 3rd seat for a child
@Rookie said:
Per a new report today, they were paddling a 13.5-foot tandem sit on top. Only SunDolphin makes such a kayak in that specific length: https://www.sundolphin.com/recreational-kayaks/bali-13-5-tandem/
500 lb. Capacity which they were probably close to
I’m still wondering how the SOT was “unrecoverable” , as stated in the article. Was it damaged? Or is this another artifact of bad reporting?
Probably sunk
@Steve-in-Idaho and in general
Today’s report, link below, has four useful items. I presume from having more conversation with the survivor.
- They went out intending to make the full crossing to the other island, 4 miles here but at least 3 on the charts.
- A storm was predicted to come up. Did not look at the weather for the details but with proper precautions the risk was known.
- It was an “open cockpit tandem kayak”. I am thinking something like the 13.5 ft Pamlico 135T, a tandem kayak with two seats in one giant open cockpit. When we were running informal self-rescue sessions on a local lake two couples showed with these things, honestly thinking it was a good idea for bigger water, It only took the first time in the water for them to get it, but I have also seen one or two couples in these boats near shore up in Maine over the years. (They said they were staying close, I had to ask.) Two large adults are pushing their luck before you get to the rest of it.
But even if it was a SOT, in sudden steep lake waves and wind the a family of five would have found the situation unrecoverable. - The path of travel was inadvisable, something a consult with a local would have likely found. But these folks were not sea kayakers in a place where that should be the bottom line. So they did not know what they didn’t know.
Moulton Avery of the National Center of Cold Water Safety posted an update, which includes maps. https://www.facebook.com/coldwatersafety/posts/1150998368385920
When I Googled 13.5’ tandems, only the SunDolphin and a 13’ Perception Tribe came up. I don’t know how much flotation is built into SOTs or whether one would sink if both hatches were flooded.
As you can see the Apostle Islands look like risen loaves of bread. There is some elevation to them! When camping on Stockton we were on an esker and did have cell reception ( for some reason I took my phone along though I dont ever use it on the water) but low down at the shore noted I did not.
Because each of these poofy islands presents quite an obstruction , the wind has to funnel between them. Our longest crossing was two miles and thank you that was enough for pucker power even in a sea canoe(designed for the ocean- a MR Monarch) with one person and flotation and spray skirt.
Its a great place to paddle but not for first timers on their own.
So why don’t people get it?
@Rookie said… I don’t know how much flotation is built into SOTs or whether one would sink if both hatches were flooded.
None. Flotation is achieved by full decking. Open the hatch and the boat fills with water. Under the hatch they are open stem to stern.
Map distances are irrevalent if you don’t know the starting point and destination.
However there is a boat ramp on the north east corner of the island.
Its worth reading the next article down about upwelling on the Cold Water Center’s farcebook page. It never fails to amaze me that even some experienced paddlers will go out without immersion protection just because the water is warm when they dip their toes in it, or because the nearest water temperature reading is comfortable. The article shows how water can change dramatically in hours.
But it doesnt have to take that long. You can encounter dramatically different static temperatures within minutes. Warm near shore doesnt mean warm offshore. Warm in the bay doesnt mean warm outside the bay. Warm when itrs calm doesnt mean warm when the wind starts blowing in cold water from elsewhere. Last night I found a patch of water at least 10 degrees colder than most of it was.
I really doubt the “4 miles” drawn on the facebook map was their actual route, because there are no launches or easily accessible beaches on that northernmost corner of the island. There is a beach to the west but its a long walk to carry a kayak. A much more likely put in is at Amnicon Bay, 2 miles to the SE, or Schoolhouse Road around the bend to the se shore, From Amnicon Bay its “only” 3+ miles to Michigan, which would have loomed on the horizon as a tempting destination (to the unwary) from there.
I copied off the National Center for Coldwater Safety FB page:
I never considered actually WEARING a flashlight… I have it in my camping gear… That will change. I share in case others can year. Mother Survives. Father and Three Children Drown In Cold Water on Lake Superior.
By Moulton Avery
On Thursday afternoon, August 30th, a family of five launched their kayak around 3pm from a point on the north shore of Madeline Island, which is part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on Lake Superior.
On board were the mother, Cari A. Mews, 29, the father, Erik D. Fryman, 39, and three children, 3-year-old Jansen Fryman, 5-year-old Annaliese Fryman and 9-year-old Kyra Fryman, of Loyal, Wisconsin.
The kayak was described as an open-cockpit tandem, 13.5 feet long. All five were wearing PFDs and the water temperature was approximately 60F (15C)
Their intended destination was Michigan Island, and the route involved crossing more than 4 miles of cold, open water. Paddling in that direction, Michigan Island presents a relatively narrow target roughly one mile wide.
Both Madeline and Michigan are outer islands on the southeast edge of the Apostle group and they are consequently more exposed to wind and waves coming from the south or east, where the fetch is 18 and 35 miles respectively.
Wind and waves increased during the trip, and within an hour the kayak had begun taking on water. It eventually swamped and capsized between Stockton and Michigan Islands.
The family had a cell phone with them but were unable to make a phone call due to poor cell coverage. Cari Mews sent emergency text messages to her sister around 4 pm reading “911” and “Michigan Island”, but the messages weren’t transmitted to her sister’s phone until around 8:00 or 8:30 pm. Complicating matters, the sun set at 7:45 pm and by 8:30 pm, it was dark outside.
When the texts finally arrived, her sister called for help. The Coast Guard was notified and launched a rescue boat from its station in nearby Bayfield, WI. An MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter was also dispatched from the nearest USCG air station, which is located 280 miles SE in Traverse City, MI. At it’s normal cruising speed of 160 mph, the Jayhawk could be on scene in roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The Coast Guard also broadcast an emergency bulletin to mariners and notified their local search and rescue partners. Search participants included the U.S. Coast Guard, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bayfield Fire and Rescue and the National Park Service. Rescue crews worked around the clock, with a relief shift coming in at about 2 am. Conditions were difficult and the search was hampered by both darkness and strong thunderstorms.
According to Cari Mews, after the kayak swamped and capsized, her husband attempted to swim to the shore of Michigan Island with the three children and she became separated from them while retrieving a gear bag from the kayak. In addition to the cell phone, she was able to retrieve a flashlight but because of the waves was unable to reunite with the others.
The flashlight proved to be a crucial piece of gear without which she probably would not have survived. It resulted in her rescue by the U.S. Geological Survey research vessel Kiyi, which pulled her from the water at 10:07 pm off the west shore of Michigan Island.
Captain Joe Walters said it was pitch dark outside and noted that they were able to find her because she was shining her flashlight. He also said that when she was rescued, she was gripping her flashlight and was initially too cold to speak. She was treated on the Kiyi, and also by EMTs on shore, and did not require hospitalization.
Tragically, Erik Fryman and the two younger children, Jansen, 3, and Annaleise, 5, were found dead in the water between 12:15 am and 12:42 am off the west shore of Michigan Island. At that point they had been in the 60F (15C) water for over 8 hours. The body of 9 year old Kyra was found washed ashore at 10 am the following morning by the National Park Service.
This was a very difficult search under adverse conditions and a heartbreaking recovery by rescue personnel.
Article Note: This accident is still under investigation. Some of the information in this preliminary report is based on news media interviews with the Ashland County Sheriff and the U.S. Coast Guard. Click on the attached maps for additional location and rescue/recovery details.
Rescue and Recovery Photo Note: “PIW” refers to Person in Water. Times are in 24 hour format – eg. 2200 is 10 pm and 0042 is 12:42 am. Positions of the kayak and a paddle are noted. The closest distance between Stockton and Michigan Islands is roughly 2.5 miles.
Comment Note: As in most of the incidents that we report, this one involved errors in judgment. Please be sensitive to the friends and loved ones who are struggling to cope with this tragedy and be aware that we will not tolerate victim-blaming in any comments about this tragedy.
I cringe at seeing those giant cockpit tandem rec kayaks that are often offered as rentals, even in coastal areas. At least a fully open sit on top can’t be swamped with enough water to sink it and many have scupper holes to continually drain in-wash. But those semi-decked tandems have huge bow and stern areas that will fill with water and greatly complicate, if not completely destroy, the ability of the paddlers to climb back in after a capsize. You NEVER see rental liveries providing bilge pumps or water displacing flotation bags with these models. Even with bags I would not want to have to try to hand pump out that sort of volume. Here’s one example – though it has a tiny bulkheaded stern compartment, that bow is wide open and you have that gaping space between the seats.
When I advise couples who are asking whether they should buy a tandem or a pair of solo boats, I don’t bring up the “divorce boat” meme (though it is somewhat true that coordination of paddling technique can be a caustic issue for some partners) but rather the safety aspect, if they mostly intend to just paddle as a pair alone. Having both paddlers flushed out of a boat in a capsize leaves nobody above the water to aid in regaining the boat. At least if you are both in separate boats, one can aid the other in getting re-seated, since odds are good that both of you won’t be in the drink at the same time. And it takes far less time to pump out a solo sea kayak than a wider tandem.
I often get in people’s faces when they try to market stupid kayaking gadgets here, but this gives me an idea - no idea if it exists yet.
A light beacon, completely encapsulated in plastic/resin with a ~5 year non replaceable battery. I hate the notion of disposable, but that’s maybe the only way to ensure waterproof when worn on PFD for 5 years or so. Battery would be similar to what’s in a PLB, but likely can be smaller.
Who wants to start the Kickstarter campaign?
I have an LED light/strobe permanently attached to my PFD, a knife, a whistle, and on big water a handheld VHF. I regularly test the battery for the light, and keep the VHF battery charged. I also have a knife, whistle, and LED light attached to my wife’s PFD. On my spare PFDs they have the light and whistle too. I have given several friends these small lights. I keep a stronger water proof flashlight on deck. I am adding a link to the one I use, but there are other lights that work well.
That is good info about the light helping to save the mother. That type of reporting and the things they should have been aware of would go a long way in informing others. This incident has made national news and is reaching a national audience if only they would point out how to be safe in every incidence like this the general public might become more aware. Most of those that report on this dwell on the tragedy, and are no better informed than the general public about the importance of knowing how to stay safe on the water. Perhaps if we emailed or wrote the reporters who report about this informing them then they could hep get this information out there every time this kind of thing happens.
Saddest part is adults make choices. Kids have no choice.