“This was a trip that I have wanted to do for many years. This was a great way for vets to interact in a remote wilderness setting. Vets that had never met were able to bond and share and work together immediately. This would be a great way for a veteran looking for a wilderness experience to share a common goal of catching the elusive fish. Not many places left to watch bald eagles catch a fish, watch a sunset without seeing man-made interference, paddle a lake with no sounds of civilization, get away from it all.” – J.V.
All photographs courtesy Hayes Scriven and the Richard I Bong Veterans Historical Center
In July, five veterans of our US armed forces gathered for an Independence Day canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Wilderness. The veterans had never met and most had never paddled before, but they shared a desire to leave civilization behind for a few days, with the promise of peace and serenity and hopefully some good fishing.
They geared up at Canadian Waters Outfitting and spent a night at Veterans on the Lake Resort in Ely MN – a perfect launching spot and uniquely appropriate as a place dedicated to veterans and their families. For a week they camped on Isabella Lake, enjoying time together and time for reflection.
A few of the paddlers shared their experiences with us:
“They came together never having met, but they weren’t strangers. They shared a commonality of each having been part of something larger than themselves, of dedication, pride and the satisfaction of having served their country. Some by their own choice, some by the choice of their country.
They came along on this journey because they were provided an opportunity to venture into the wilderness, to bond once again with others who had shared a common experience, though not in the same times or places, but in the long continuum of the legacy of protecting freedom and democracy, a lifestyle began of freedom and independence. It was fitting that this experience would take place over the week of the 4th of July.
Their ages were twenty something to the mid seventies, service periods ranged from several years to over a decade, from Vietnam to the present. Over the six days there was time to go off alone for solitude to contemplate and many opportunities to share experiences and knowledge.
Weather ranged from calm and sunny, to windy, to a powerful thunderstorm… One angler caught their first ever fish, while the most experienced angler was frustrated by the weather and the lake and didn’t have any luck.
Meals, campfires, sunsets, stars and stories were shared. There was a general feeling of calm and happiness with lots of joviality. At some point each had a very good laugh, with many shared good times. All got along well together and no one worked alone doing camp chores… They will always be together in the memory of a week spent thinking, bonding, sharing, laughing and surviving in the wilderness.” –D.L.
Time to connect
A common thread amongst the group was a feeling of camaraderie and support, regardless of age. A shared history and the backdrop of water lapping against rocks made space for combat stories and of life since the armed forces. Stories of real-life struggles and of hope and survival. For a few days they all took time to listen to nature, to each other, to their inner voice, and put everything else aside.
“After getting out of the Army in August 1968, it took over 40 years for someone to thank me for my service, Commander of the National Guard Choir performing at the Middle school thanked me for my service a few years ago, that was the first time anyone thanked me for my service. It meant a lot to me. The camping trip showed me I was appreciated for serving… We all got along and had a lot of fun kidding each other, it was especially fun to give officers a hard time finally after ‘50 Years’ that was worth the trip alone. ” –T.B.
“I was surprised by how much room there is. The campsites were so far apart. In four days, I think I heard kids laughing at one of the other sites… once. This was my first trip. This truly felt like one of the last remaining wildernesses. Go somewhere else for food and nightlife, come here for peace and quiet.” – B.H.
Beyond saying thank you
Hayes Scriven, Executive Director of the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center has paddled the Boundary Waters with his family for years. The wilderness area is important to him: “I know how recharged, refreshed, and relaxed I get there” he says, and it led him to wonder if there was a way he could “give that experience to our veterans – just to relax” With some deft fundraising, the Center put out a call for applications to join the trip, all expenses paid, and they had more applicants than room in the canoes. Hayes, who led the trip with his grandfather, says the week far exceeded expectations, and the Center hopes to sponsor another trip in the future–to give back to the people who serve, preserve their stories, and help connect veterans with each other and the wilderness.
Watch their video memoir here or for more information, contact:
Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center
https://www.facebook.com/BongVetsCenter/
https://www.bvhcenter.org/
To All Our Veterans –
Thank You
For Your Service.
