Kayak trip on Lake Superior turns tragic

APOSTLE ISLANDS, Wis. — In the distance, a flashing light appeared in the dark on Lake Superior.

Minutes earlier, ship Capt. Joe Walters had heard the urgent marine message — people were possibly overboard between Madeline and Michigan islands, about 2 miles away.

A woman, her husband and three children had launched their 13 1⁄2-foot, open-top tandem kayak about 1 p.m. Thursday to paddle to Michigan Island, about 4 miles away. Three hours later, the kayak capsized between Stockton and Michigan islands, authorities say.

As Walters began searching the cold, dark water, a crew member spotted the light. He steered toward it and eventually to a woman in the water. She was alone, gasping and hypothermic.

Walters’ crew pulled the woman, Cari Mews-Fryman, 29, of Loyal, Wis., to safety. After the kayak capsized, her husband, Eric Fryman, 39, gathered up their three kids — Kyra, 9; Annaliese, 5, and Jansen, 3. They swam toward Michigan Island while Cari returned to the kayak to retrieve an emergency bag. She grabbed a cellphone and flashlight and swam to try to catch up with her family.

Within 15 to 20 minutes, the waves of Lake Superior separated her from them. Then she lost sight of them, said Ashland County Sheriff Mick Brennan. “She could hear them yelling. She thought they were on shore,” he said.

But they didn’t make it. Their bodies were recovered hours later.

The couple had been married for a year, but together for about nine years, Bobi Mews, Cari’s sister, said Friday night.

They all loved kayaking at the family’s Wisconsin lake cabin. Mews said her sister’s family had kayaked on Lake Superior before.

But Bobi Mews knew there was trouble Thursday when she got a text from her sister about 8 p.m. — “911” and “Michigan Island.” Bobi’s family called authorities.

The Coast Guard received the distress call about 8:45 p.m. and launched a small boat from Bayfield and a helicopter from Traverse City, Mich., said Coast Guard Lt. Daniel Peters. An emergency information message was sent to local mariners.

That was the message Walters heard on his ship about 9:20 p.m. By 10 p.m., he had rescued the woman, who was gripping the flashlight, too cold to speak.

His crew and other search teams scoured the area for the father and children.

Eventually Walters got word that a child’s body had been recovered. He brought the mother to shore. The bodies of the father, the 6-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son were found after midnight.

The search for Kyra continued, although overnight thunderstorms made things more difficult. Her body was found about 10 a.m. Friday by the National Park Service.

“Her entire family was just erased,” Walters said. “And if she didn’t have that flashlight, I don’t think we would have ever seen her. It was black dark.”

Bobi Mews hasn’t been able to talk much to her sister about what happened. Cari is in shock, she said. “Now it’s hitting her pretty hard,” Mews said. “She’s trying to be strong.”

‘Her entire family was just erased. And if she didn’t have that flashlight, I don’t think we would have ever seen her.’ — CAPT. JOE WALTERS