Storm on Lake Coeur d'Alene

The Osprey, the pride of the fleet of six vessels in the Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruise line, was a majestic sight as it departed from the dock, its gleaming white hull gliding through the serene waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene. The sun hung high in the mid-day sky, sending warming rays upon the heads and shoulders of the passengers on the observation deck.

Families and friends gathered in groups on this public tour, sitting at the tables or standing at the railings. A sprinkling of conversations spiked with laughter spread through the crowd, and the smell of popcorn wafted up from the snack bar below.

At the bow of the ferry, two sisters, Cora and Elise, leaned against the railing in front of a row of four chairs lined up against the exterior wall of the captain’s bridge. Cora’s husband, Darrin, had chosen the spot.

“We will be on the shore side the whole way around the lake and won’t miss a single sight.” Darrin announced, proud of his logical choice.

“Can you believe this view?” Cora exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement. “It’s beautiful out here!”

“I can’t wait to capture some photos!” Elise chimed in, rummaging through her bag for her phone.

“This is exactly what we needed—a leisurely little escape.” Cora chattered nervously while running her fingers over the knitted elastic cuffs around each of her wrists for some self-reassurance. With her anti-nausea wrist cuffs, the ones with the rounded plastic button that presses on the P6 acupressure point, in place, she felt sure this would be an uneventful and enjoyable trip.

Their cheerful chatter subsided as Teri entered the scene.

“Is this chair taken?” Teri asked, pointing to the chair at the front of the row under the captain’s window. A cruise passenger who had spent the past few months traversing the country alone, Teri never felt lonely when in the company of fellow travelers. “Can I join you?”

“Of course. Help yourself.” Cora invited, moving her arm in an open gesture. The trio welcomed Teri into their fold, eager to share the moment.

“The beauty of being a solo passenger.” Teri stated, her high-pitched voice showing a bit of shyness. “I can squeeze in just about anywhere.”

“Hey, do you want to take a picture with us?” Darrin offered, motioning for her to join in as he stretched his arm in front of them. “Let’s take a group selfie.”

“A group selfie?” Cora mocked her husband and tickled him in the ribs. “That’s an oxymoron.”

Teri joined in and they all laughed at the contradictory term Darrin used to describe the picture he took. The image captured by the cell phone showed the smiles of genuine warmth spreading between them. As they laughed and joked, Captain Kevin, a seasoned sailor with a confident smile and a twinkle in his eye, called out to the passengers over the intercom.

“Welcome aboard the Osprey. We will begin a 90-minute cruise heading south along the western shore on this beautiful day. Though there is a storm in the forecast, we are predicting smooth sailing. Enjoy the sights and we’ll keep an eye on the skies!”

Cora shivered at the mention of the storm, an echo of unease reaching her heart. This would not be the first time she got on a boat only to have the trip experience intense weather related disturbances. She tried not to think of the whale watching tour where they faced eighteen foot swells and all seven passengers tossed their cookies overboard. Then there was the time when, on a cruise across the bay in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, the rough waves sent all passengers on a ferry boat flounder around the deck, falling off their chairs, and hanging on the sides for dear life. She had gotten so seasick she couldn’t eat upon arriving at the island for the native fire dance dinner show. Cora shared her previous experiences with Teri, who listened empathetically but remained unphased.

“That sounds like quite a collection of incidental boating coincidences. It will be fine today,” Teri assured them all. “The captain knows what he is doing.”

Everyone agreed the non-guaranteed promise of their safety was enough to override Cora's concerns. She relaxed with the others on deck as they sat back to enjoy the ride.

They heard the hull clunking as the captain redirected the fins underneath and when they reached open waters, they could feel the vibration through the soles of their shoes as the throttled engine’s RPMs rose. As Captain Kevin focused on charting their course, the new group of four exchanged some surface information about themselves. The Osprey found its cruising gear and made its way along the shore.

The first hour or the tour floated by, with the boat gliding across the reflective waters. Elise occupied herself with catching the best opportunities for photos, while Darrin, Teri, and Cora chatted about what they were seeing. Mansions and modest homes dotted the steep banks of the lake, half hidden by the towering White and Jefferson pines. Along the water’s edge were the many docks, their bright canvas canopies stretching for miles and miles like a colorful embroidered ribbon.

Captain Kevin steered the boat and gave his informative spiel about the lake and the history of the towns along these shores and all the people that had lived here. Elise scurried along the railing to capture as many shots of the views highlighted in the captain's speech. But just as they rounded a bend at one inlet, the atmosphere shifted.

The dark clouds that had been hanging in the distance rolled in, blanketing the lake in an ominous shadow. Waves that had lapped at the boat's sides earlier swelled and churned the once smooth surface of the lake. Filled with both excitement and a touch of fear, the conversations among the groups subsided and everyone on deck focused their attention on their surroundings.

Cora’s insides did a flip and the hair on her arms rose to standing.

Teri continued chatting with Elise and Darrin, but Cora only listened. Teri shared a weather related story about getting caught on the trail in the high Sierra during a thunderstorm, and Elise recounted her harrowing experience of driving through a blizzard. Occupying their minds and focusing on the conversation eased the tension until a voice came over the loudspeaker. It was not the captain. It was his first mate, Britany.

Was she giving instructions? Her words were being swept away into the wind.

“Hold on tight, everybody!” Captain Kevin’s voice boomed over the growing wind. “We're in for some choppy waters ahead!”

With the electricity of their shared concern, the tension among the passengers became recharged. As the hull of the 65ft vessel groaned with the smacking of waves, the craft rocked and stuttered. The wind howled like a wild beast, sending sprays of water crashing against the Osprey’s bow and sides. The passengers exchanged nervous glances. Cora tightened her grip on the arms of her chair and begged Elise to sit safely in a chair.

"Okay, okay," Elise forced out a laugh, attempting to mask her own rising fear.

Teri, however, felt a surge of adrenaline. Her nomadic lifestyle had exposed her to unpredictable situations before. She steadied herself against the railing, eyes focused on the horizon. She would remain calm—not just for herself, but for the sisters and Darrin, whose faces reflected unease.

Like a pent up beast newly released, the storm unleashed its fury with rain to accompany the wind. The Osprey pitched violently. Captain Kevin’s experienced hands guided the wheel, determining the vessel’s course with precision.

“Just another day at work for me,” he assured them through the open window of the bridge, though his voice displayed an undercurrent of urgency. Then, over the intercom, he announced. “Let’s all get cozy inside. Everyone is welcome to join the folks on the bottom deck.”

The announcement tore through the atmosphere, and panic rose inside Cora. “Was that an order or a suggestion?”

The interconnectedness of the group became palpable as they looked to one another for reassurance. Debating whether to weather the remainder of the trip rolling around on the deck or brave the storm crowded together on the enclosed bottom floor, both Darrin and Cora knew they would feel motion sensitivity even more in the confines below. All the other groups of passengers conferred among themselves and broke away, opting for refuge.

Teri glanced at Captain Kevin, seeking clarity. “Can we stay up here if we’d like to?”

Captain Kevin swallowed hard, the tension clear in his brow. “You’ll be fine up here,” he answered as an unoccupied chair slide past them for ten or twelve feet across the deck until the wind jammed it into the railing. “But everyone needs to stay standing and close to the bridge walls. It’s about to get worse.”

Cora and Elise exchanged determined looks, converting their fears into adrenalin while Darrin and Teri stayed by their sides. The electromagnetic tension of the storm seemed to bind them closer still.

A thrill seeking young man whose party had retreated to the interior joined them, wanting the best version of the action. Cora managed a smile for the new member of the group.

“I’m Justin.” The teenager introduced himself.

“Let’s stick together,” Justin said as the boat jolted with another crashing wave, spinning them around and knocking them into one another. “We’ll ride this out by locking arms.”

They all followed Justin’s advice and stood solidly united as the storm raged. Under the steady hand of Captain Kevin, the boat forged ahead, sliding into a rhythmic dance with the wind and rain. The strange exhilaration settled on the passengers as they shared in the experience.

After what felt like hours, the winds calmed. As quickly as it had descended, the last vestiges of the storm moved on and the boat stabilized. Kevin navigated toward the shore. When they finally docked only ten minutes later than what was on the schedule, wild applause erupted from the relieved passengers below. Cora raised her fists in the air, breathing deeply as joy replaced her earlier anxiety.

“And nobody even got seasick.” Teri laughed and winked at Cora as they made their way down the steep stairs into the very crowded galley on the bottom floor.

The passengers who were cueing up to exit at the loading ramp on the front end of the vessel turned and clapped once again. Justin rejoined his cheering family.

“I guess they are applauding us for staying up top.” Darrin concluded, and they all laughed.

“It wasn’t bad at all up there,” Cora explained to a little white-haired woman with eyes still saucer-round who asked.

Once the boat was moored, the passengers poured out onto the dock and a smaller number of them stayed, exchanging jubilant hugs. Justin’s family thanked them for looking out for him.

“It was Justin who provided a greater sense of calm among us. He’s a remarkable young man.” Darrin complimented the teen.

Later that night, Cora and Elise and Darrin and Teri joined Justin and his family for dinner. The atmosphere was alive with shared relief and warmth, and laughter rolled. They gathered around a table in the banquet room at a local pub. Justin’s father had reserved the room in advance and assured them there was always room for more at his table.

The conversation that evening varied as everyone got to know one another, but all the chit chat seemed to revolve around a central theme; the storm on the lake.

“Hey, that’s us!” Justin shouted above the hum of conversation.

From her seat at the table, Cora could see one of the big TVs above the bar. With aerial footage flashing across the screen, there was the Osprey cruise ship fighting the storm. The announcer read from his script.

“The coast guard paused all vessels on shore because of high winds and dangerous conditions, but the Osprey, navigated by Captain Kevin, stayed their course.”

Everyone at the table cheered again as the video footage showed a close-up of the top deck of the Osprey. The announcer continued.

“These five brave souls dared the storm to take them as they stood, arm in arm, at the railing. In that moment, strangers morphed into allies, a bond forged through adversity.”

"We are famous." Justin exclaimed and his father slapped him on the back.

“Here’s to new friends,” Darrin raised his glass, and then Elise and Cora chimed in, “Cheers!”, echoing their agreement.

“To new adventures!” Teri added, with her glass in hand.

“Hear, hear,” came the resounding reply as everyone raised their glasses.

The storm had come and had passed, leaving in its wake a collective group whose ties will remain. The night was alive with conversations that exposed many connections. As fellow authors, Cora and Teri chatted with Justin’s mother, and Elise, who was an accomplished artist in multiple medias, had a lot in common with Justin’s aunt and grandmother, who loved to quilt. Darrin talked cars with Justin’s uncle and father and they discussed Justin’s future as a student of architecture.

The universal forces that had intervened that day turned a planned ninety-minute lake cruise into something more. Through uniting individuals who probably wouldn’t have crossed paths, the storm transformed the excursion into a celebration of resilience, togetherness, and the beauty of shared experiences, establishing a new community and a chance for connection to last a lifetime.