Ah, the Life of a Airfaring ROALPS Volunteer
The weather in Grand Marais didn’t look promising. Foreflight said 100 feet overcast with 1 mile of visibility. Hancock much the same. Weather at Windigo, while overcast, was fine. We could follow any flight on Flight Aware if they were to take off. The flat screen at the Visitor Center said “delayed.” That’s all. We checked…and waited…and checked…and waited. Focused on Grand Marais, we missed the flight taking off from what was by then Marginal VFR (Visual Flight Rules) conditions at Hancock. That was, until after we heard an aircraft approach, land, and saddle up to the seaplane dock around 11:00. Heather and Josh rushed to catch their flight. Only it wasn’t their flight. It was going back to Hancock.
We joked, as they appeared back at the pavilion with their bags in tow, remarking that it would be funny if the afternoon flight arrived and took Kevyn but left the morning pair with a cancelled flight. They didn’t laugh.
When we left them, they were contemplating recruiting a day-tripper from the Sea Hunter that might be traveling down the north shore later that day to take them from Grand Portage to their car in Grand Marais. Hope that the afternoon Grand Marais flight would have room for them kept them in place. Kevyn was considering the more pessimistic possibility, with thought to stay in the nearby campground if the weather didn’t clear and his flight was cancelled.
By then the rest of us were back at the cabin. The new crew, who arrived in the middle of all this uncertainty, left their baggage on the boat in case all flights to Grand Marais got cancelled that day. If that were the case, we’d move them on to the lighthouse so there would be room in the cabin. If not, the plan was to stay the night and go to the lighthouse the next day. Ease into it, so to speak, since the weather was predicted to be very favorable for a while.
Text from Kevyn at 2:25 p.m. - “Josh and Heather are off.”
The seaplane company diverted one of their Hancock Beavers (which cannot land on a hard surface runway the way the usual flight in the amphibian Cessna based in Grand Marais can) to pick up Grand Marais passengers to deliver them to Devils Track lake, which is located right next to the airport.
From Kevyn, 5:02 p.m. - “Josh and Heather are on mainland and heading home.”
From me, 5:03 p.m. - “How about you?”
From Kevyn, 5:04 p.m. - “No word. I’m thinking that the Cessna may pick me up on her way back from Rock Harbor?”
How or why the usual Grand Marais shuttle ended up in Rock Harbor, we had no idea. Later we learned that a 10 acre brush fire had erupted near Tobin Harbor, and the Park Service was evacuating campers and hikers from the area. The Cessna did not leave Rock Harbor that afternoon. Kevyn did not leave Washington Harbor that afternoon.
Since he is such good entertainment and such a nice guy, we picked him up so he could avoid the campground, and so we could enjoy his company. He learned from his wife, who had been in touch with the largely indecisive (given the circumstance and weather - understandable) flight service, he was scheduled on the first flight out the next morning, and to be at Windigo by 7:30 the next morning. I woke early to make breakfast and deliver him first to Windigo, and then the crew to the Rock. Checking the most accurate “current conditions” report - by looking outside - I could not see across the harbor for the fog. Foreflight said Grand Marais was LOW IFR, meaning even the ducks were grounded. Hancock similar.
“Sorry buddy, I don’t think you’re going out on time this morning. Why don’t you join me as we take the team out to the Rock to see it one more time, and then I’ll take you in to Windigo. You should get there by 8:30.”
What was he going to say?
Half way to the Lighthouse he said, “a plane just took off from Hancock, headed to pick me up. See?” He showed me the Flight Aware screen.
“Excuse me?” My mind was going through the time-math. My best guess was if I poured the coals to old Rock Hopper, threw the crew and their bags at the dock with nary a dock line, we could make it back to the Windigo dock by 8:30. Just about the same time I figured the Beaver would be landing.
The crew was compliant and in a bit of early morning daze, staring back at us from the dock as we sped away. As we came down the harbor, passing Grace Island, we saw that Beaver fly overhead. A quick radio call to the ranger station with the request that they impound that airplane until we arrived with a very important ROALPS volunteer was met with understanding and a commitment to meet the flight at the dock and let them know.
Rounding the corner of Beaver Island, Windigo in sight, we saw the Beaver airplane (coincidence?) parked at the seaplane dock. Usually, after they disgorge their arriving passengers, they’re quickly loading the departing manifest, throwing doors closed and starting the engine before you can say “preflight.” I went straight for the dock with a sign posted saying “Seaplanes Only. No Docking.” We weren’t going to dock, Kevyn was just going to leap from the boat.
Kevyn waited at that dock with the pilot for two hours, hoping for Grand Marais to clear out. It never happened. Finally the pilot said, “gotta go back to Hancock,” and left Kevyn staring at the departing airplane.
From Kevyn, 10:42 a.m. - “I’m going to catch a ride back on one of the boats. Sea Hunter has room. Will see about Voyager.”
From me, 10:50 a.m. - “Bummer. Standing by.”
From Kevyn, 12:27 a.m. - “I’m all systems go. Voyager II to Grand Portage and then some stoners will give me a ride to the airport in Grand Marais.”
To get there fast, and want to have a good view, go by air. Want to get there for sure, take the boat.
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