Eagles Alarm Ministries

Drama in Real Life

We arrived in northern Quebec on a snowy four-inch morning. Lake Granet was said to have
excellent northern pike and that is what we drove eight hundred miles north form Punxsutawney, PA for. My self with my two boys Max 10 and Clay Farrah 7, Jim Bianco owner of a Pet Store, John Test real estate agent, Jason a local fisherman, Chris Adams insurance broker and his son Cory 16, David Collura window contractor from Pgh, PA, His father noted Phsycologist and author Larry Collura 71 with one leg, a hardy soul, and Joe Vacca Estate planner also from Pittsburgh.

We set up camp for a good weeks fishing in spite of the cold. One good thing, no black flies.
Lake Granet the main area where we were was about three miles wide and twelve miles long on the far south west corner. There are only three cabins on the entire lake and very limited access.
A French couple run the place for the provential government There was a place called the big bay which was not described above. This is an area three times the size of the main lake where we were. The entire lake is dotted with islands and bays which make for good pike fishing and some problems for navigation.

The third day of fishing we had a minor incident, Chris, David and Joe ended up a ground when the engine quit. The waves from the high winds kept the lake in a frenzy most of the long northern days. So when they finally made it to shore the boat was swamped by several large waves. They pulled the boat up as far as they could in order to salvage their gear. The decision was to attempt to walk out. Unknowing they were on a large island. Fortunately after about an hours’ travel through dense under growth, my boat with Jim, Max, Cory, and myself spotted them for the first rescue. Needless to say after discovering how far out they were and that it was surrounded by water and marsh they were extremely happy. We went back and towed the boat and tired hikers home.

The weather never let up all week. The following day David rented a large motor from the French to power their boat. Jim and I would get up at day break and go out fishing until about noon or so and then come home to gas up, eat and take a nap. Six or seven hours in the wind, cold and rain or snow would drain you. This was our routine for the week. This particular day Jim and I had traveled pretty fare exploring the lake and new possible hot spots. Slow on catching we would stop and look for rocks and gold or just to take a break. On going back to our routine of trolling the shore line Jim tied into a far sized pike. On getting him into the boat we saw David, his father and Joe come and asked how we were doing. We showed off the fish Jim had just caught on this new point. David said a French guide had told them of the large bay just up here where we were and that they were going to find where the river entered the big bay. They soon left and had disappeared around the point. Then Chris and Jason stopped and asked the same thing. They said they were going to follow David also and they left. Jim and I were going to hit this area hard because we new this one had a big brother.

Upon several passes we had no further luck. So it was about 12:30 we decided to go and look for the others and head home. We saw Chris searching for the entrance to the river or the large bay. It started raining harder and sleeting. Chris came by and said they we’re getting low on gas.
So we too decided to head back. Our tank was empty on a nine nine motor upon returning about 2:00 p.m.. We gazed up and Chris was floundering in the southern part of the bay. He didn’t come straight back and ran out of gas. Jim said he’d go and tow Chris in. I went in and went to bed. The driver of the boat has the wind, rain and sea spray in his face all day so I was tired. I would sleep sound for several hours each day. As a rule the weather would calm by late afternoon and the Kids would come out with Jim and I for the evening fishing. This day was particularly rough.

I awoke from a sound sleep around 5:30pm started getting dressed to go out. Jim said “where, are you going? “ I told him David’s not back yet right. He’s out of gas somewhere or broke down. David’s Father had several sweaters and a cotton light jacket. With a small baseball hat on.
Every day I wore long johns bib overalls three shirts a heavy Fishermans sweater and an insulated rain coat with wool scarf and double tousle cap. Jim, Chris and I besides the kids were the only ones dressed for this weather and the rough lake conditions. Usually it didn’t get dark until about 9:30pm. This day was much worse and the wind and storms didn’t subside. Jim said he would come and Chris. Jim and I were recently Baptized and born again with the holy spirit. Chris had been for sometime. When we three got to the boat, we prayed for our friends and that the Holy Spirit to guide us. We went with food, clothing and a spare gas container. We searched the wind side of the islands and used binoculars for the coast line on the wind side. The cabin next to us said they saw them earlier in the rivers mouth. We had no idea were that was the only thing we remembered was the big bay. It took about an hour to arrive at what we thought was the big bay.
So as not to get lost we stopped and took a compass reading to be able to find the entrance again. The weather continued and a fog was starting to roll in. We could barely see the far shores.
I said to look for the highest areas thinking that would be were the river entered. Jim and Chris were searching the islands with binoculars and I was driving very slow. We had around a half tank of gas left. I told the guys we could only search about 10 minutes and we would have to start back. With a very small percentage of this area viewed and our gas running low, I told Jim and Chris we have to start back. If we get caught in this fog, we won’t get back ourselves. I turned the boat around and was on the slowest speed. Jim said you don’t want to leave do you? Just than Chris said, “look it’s the Holy Spirit.” Here above us hovering was a sea gual pointed back were we where just searching. Jimmy took a long hard look with the binoculars back where we had just come. “I see smoke above those trees!” Jim said. We all looked about three miles away toward the far shore of a peninsula a streak of blue rising in the white fog. I said “This is our last shot.” It wasn’t until we were about two hundred yards of that we could see their life jackets hung in the trees and a hundred yards until we saw the fire.

They had hit some rocks and started home got lost and ran out of gas. They were hungry, cold, and extremely thankful. We gave them the spare gas and praised God together that they were even found. Loading their gear and refueling the tank took very little time and so we shoved off. David pushing the boat off and adding injury to insult fell in the lake. Jim, Chris, and I were trying all week to convert them to being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Jim yelled back, “Are you guys wet?” David said, “Soaked” Jim shouted,” Than I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

We sang praises to God all the way back. Arriving about 10:00pm, the boys and other guys were waiting on the docks. The French said they could do nothing they were not set up for rescue.
The next day Davids boat was sunk and the weather was so bad we couldn’t get out fishing at all.
They would have been stranded for at least two days or more before another search could have been made. David’s Father Larry is in his seventies with one leg and there was no place to walk to even if they could have tried to walk out. Our prayers were answered even though we gave up. The Holy Spirit guided us through that sea gual.

Those guys refused to go out the rest of the week, we finally talked them into going with us in my boat and the other boat, where we all stayed together in safety. This trip was still an adventure and that is why we went that far north in the first place. I’ll be back next spring.

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