The wind had been howling all day and night. At about 3 a.m. on Sunday I woke to hear the shingles being lifted and slammed back into their places. It went on so long I was sure we would be working on a new roof the next morning. My husband was certain that the boat would be levitated off the lift, or that the canopy would take full flight in the night sky. At home I can sleep through sirens, thunderstorms, and car doors slamming. But at the cabin, with my head lying 12 inches from the roof, I am easily awakened. The thumping of shingles did nothing for my beauty rest.
All weekend the wind blew from the east. With our cabin sitting on the northwest shore, we felt its blast all day and night. The waves and whitecaps were plentiful and the water appeared to be a murky brown from the silt being mixed from the bottom.
Over the years windstorms have appeared in the area. The Paynesville Press issue of May 18, 1915, reported one such storm. "The worst wind we have ever seen blew four days in succession last week. At times the air was black with dust. Old settlers say they have seen as bad dust storms, but never saw them last as long as this one did.î
"The Wind Gets Busy" was the headline in the August 1, 1901, New Paynesville Press. A storm had rushed through the towns of Irving and Roseville and headed toward Lake Koronis. In its path were several farms which sustained damage. "At Mr. Libby's the large barn was nearly demolished. Mr. Parker's barn is almost a total wreck. Mr. Parker, who was in the barn separating cream, was cut on the head and otherwise bruised. A valuable horse was also killed at this place." Another farm sustained damage to the roof of the house and demolished a barn. "...killing two horses, one of which was afterwards found in the field tied to a piece of manger." Frank Van Vorst's barn was moved from its foundation. "The next point of attack was the farm of Ole Winter, near Cape Bad Luck, where a large new barn, just completed, was moved from its foundation and badly wrenched." The high winds scattered cut grain far and wide. Noted was that the damage done "foots up in the aggregate to a large amount, with but a very small amount of insurance carried by the owners of the property damaged."
Another gale was reported in the August 22, 1907, Paynesville Press. This particular storm struck Stony Point on a Sunday evening. The force of the winds was so strong that several large trees were lost. "One fell on Sam Brown's boathouse and crushed it like an eggshell. Another big white oak fell over the Peterson boathouse, but happened to break off high enough above the ground to clear the roof. Three persons were inside the building at the time." Two boats were damaged from the wind at the Strobeck camp. "The wind came from the southwest, and was the hardest windstorm on the lake for several years."
In light of what has happened in the past with regard to wind, our weekend was little more than an inconvenience. As with every other patch of bad weather, we know it will pass and once again we'll be able to enjoy a sunny view from the lake.