The Johnson Journals, Chapter 199

•  Don writes letter to John Blatnik

•  Don writes about increasing lake levels

•  Don stays active on Rainy Lake

5/20/68 To town to pick up Don Knutson’s party of 6 at 10 a.m. All eager to get on water as usual. My letter of yesterday read and re-read, and I decided not to send it. I am in one helluva quandary. I curse myself for not being able to decide on the best course of action. Maybe it is a fault, but by God, if Mr. Hall has given this deal as much thought as I have we would not be in this mess. I am not just sitting tight. I talked to Amicks and Stew Sheldon and Harry Davey. I will keep this pot boiling until either Hall or Johnson gets cooked in it. More than likely it will be Johnson.

5/21/68 Raked, sowed, watered & rolled our new “lawn”. I am not too optimistic but at least it is a try we have contemplated for many years. Norman Selsaas called for details on buoy change. I am glad that he is mad. To town in p.m. and decided to call Parker, asking for a reprieve. He said “these are orders.” What a helluva mess. I rolled and tossed most of last night and it will be the same tonight.

5/22/68 Another miserable night. I lay awake thinking “A year ago I was going thru the tortures of hell trying to decide if I should retire. I made the decision and I have had no reason to regret it. Now another crisis.” There was much more and I finally dropped to sleep to be awakened by 7 a.m. alarm. Today I tried to look objectively at the whole damn mess and decided to let somebody else carry the ball. I have spread the word and I’ll be damned if I am going to worry myself to death. I feel better having made the decision, subject to change any minute! Harry called to say he will carry article on buoys in paper tomorrow.

5/23/68 When we took guests to town, I discovered a flat tire. A series of minor mishap followed and I wound up with a tire wrench that would not fit. Layna had piled the whole gang in her car so I was alone. Finally got into Buck’s car and made out. I am repeating this because thru it all I was very calm, never cursing once. Saw Harry Davey and he showed me editorial he had written regarding Coast Guard. “To Buoy or not to Buoy.” It was a classic.

5/24/68 At noon Layna got the bright idea that we should invite Fred and Lil Williams out for dinner. After she called them and they accepted, I walked out to see Leslie Cleveland standing on his dock. I shouted across and invited him and his mother, Marie. I left at 5:15 to pick up the Williams and as I reached #6 day beacon, I ran out of gas! I swung back toward Keyes Island point to see if anyone there and had to paddle last 200 feet. No one home. While I stood there pondering (and cursing my stupidity) the Lake Survey boat came and landed practically at my feet. I got a gallon of gas from them and met my guests 5 minutes late! Drunkards and fools, the Lord provides for them. Much talk of Mexico at dinner. We all have that common interest.

5/25/68 Up at 6 a.m., made final preparations and off for Kettle Falls alone by 7:15. Actually had plans to comply with new orders but came home pooped at 8:30 without having accomplished a damn thing along those lines other than locate a few rocks I had never seen before. What a goddamn mess I am in with my superiors. I took a trip to Kettle Falls via “A much safer and easier channel.” (Commander Hall) around Oak Island. I got lost and wandered down into Bear Portage Bay. Finally found the Hotel and had a good talk with Charlie Williams. He is damned concerned.

5/26/68 Cloudy with light rain but ADM pilot, John Ferguson, made two trips from Minneapolis with 10 guests. It is an overflow crowd and we need good weather (5 men - 5 women).

5/27/68 Weather still lousy. It rained and blew like mad all night. Guests seem to be having a good time. These west coast people are used to fog, mist and rain.

5/28/68 Buoy job still boiling and I added more fuel today. Wrote long letter to Mr. Hall. Also one to Congressman John Blatnik. The latter to be delivered personally by Joe Jones. We have not seen the end yet - not by far.

5/30/68 Johnny Minter flew me up over area from here to Brule and I spotted a couple of rocks. Fine. The trouble was that it is one thing to see a rock at 2000 feet and another to find it with a boat. I did all right but it took time. Joe Jones called and told Bernice to tell me all OK with Blatnik. We shall see.

6/2/68 Worked on R.L. charts most of morning. What I am trying to do is work up a story to tell Parker on Tuesday. It will be hard to explain how and why I have actually disobeyed orders. Very depressed by noon - the stupidity of the whole deal gets me down. I even tied it in with Vietnam and the Great Society. If all of government is run like this, no wonder we are in such a mess. Let off steam by cutting down a couple of dead trees and burning same. Felt better.

6/3/68 Mr. Parker of Duluth Coast Guard on Kabetogama with George Esslinger. He is due here tomorrow so made last minute preparations to stand inspection, except I have 5 buoys on bank that I must explain. At 6:30 Parker called me and I went in to see him at our house. We went over whole deal and he seemed very understanding and sympathetic. He did not show any displeasure when I told him my reasons for not putting buoys in. He said he thot we would leave buoys much as in 1967. He helped me with my reports until 10:30. He left saying we would leave at 7:30 tomorrow.

6/4/68 Up at 5:30, to island where I made lunch, mixed gas, fixed running lights and back to #265 by 7:30 to meet Mr. Parker. As we ran along on inspection tour, I explained in detail the proposed changes and tried to show the utter folly of the whole damned mess. As he was agreeing to practically everything I said and telling me what could and should be done, I was wondering how a Warrant Officer could counter the orders given by a Lt. Commander in Cleveland. We made the trip to Kettle Falls in good time, home for lunch and finished inspection by 3 p.m. When we got home, Bernice said that Davey had called to say he had word from Blatnik that everything was to remain as is. Joe Jones called to say same thing. Now I am wondering if Parker knew about this before he came or if it was a strange coincidence that caused him and Washington to make same decision at same time. Maybe I will never know. There is no doubt but what this whole deal was a politicians dream. Blatnik will get full credit for bringing Coast Guard to its knees. Well, I will never tell - or even hint- that it might be otherwise. He has had enough trouble with the damned national park. He should get an easy one once in a while.

6/5/68 Off for Brule Narrows alone in Cadillac and 15 hp Johnson. Looks like that little motor will outlast me. Painted 5 buoys, put numbers and Scotchlite on 3 of them and set them in place. Worked the last two hours in a driving rain. It was a labor of love. Lord how I wanted to do just this for the past 3 weeks. Had coffee with Dutchy Oveson and off for home at 5:30. Strong east wind but my little outfit sailed along in great shape. Bobby Kennedy shot by an assassin. What in hell is this country coming to?

6/6/68 Karen home on bus. Layna to meet her. She (Karen) as “happy as a bride.” Full of plans. Well she has her future cut out for her and I hope (and believe) that she has the stuff to face it with.

6/9/68 Only 4 guests left. Art took 2, Jim took 2, and I went with Brian. Off for Cormorant Bay. A good day followed. I had a field day reliving old trips in area. Jim DiOnne, John Erickson, Eisenach. Some spots looked as memory had them. Some completely changed. The mind’s eye plays tricks on me and it is hard to differentiate between a real change, 25 years of growth on trees, for instance, or just lack of a good memory picture.

6/10/68 Heavy rain. The lake is coming up fast. It all goes to show that predicting water level is as foolish a pastime as predicting the lake opening in spring. Both depend on the weather, and who can predict that?