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- Apr 1, 2002
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On Sunday morning, May 18 40 years ago , we were conducting a model boat race in Lakewood, Washington. A little after 8:30 we heard a loud boom from the south. A while later someone heard on the radio that Mt. St. Helens had erupted. Several model boaters from the Portland area were attending the race. News on the radio mentioned flooding of rivers coming off the mountain possibly blocking their return home on I-5. We called off the race and our friends from Oregon managed to get home using alternative routes. A mud flow caused by the volcano dammed Coldwater Creek and in time created Coldwater Lake. Coldwater Lake is now a favorite fishing location for my son Paul, who was 8 years old and attending the race when the mountain blew 1,400 feet off its top. I manage to get in a few fishing trips each year with him to the volcano formed lake. I am sure this is the only model boat race that was canceled because a volcano blew its top. Mt. St. Helens is visible from a section of Coldwater Lake. It is a catch and release lake with beautiful rainbow and cutthroat trout.
JD
JD
