An infamous anniversary today. Forty two years ago today, the deadliest water disaster in Kansas history. About 60 passengers and crew members were aboard the double decked Showboat Whippoorwill, on Pomona Lake, where guests planned to dine and see a nightly Vassar Playhouse performance of the musical “Dames At Sea”.
The area was under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, but it wasn’t raining. Shortly before 7:00, about 15 minutes into the cruise, the crew saw a small tornado come from the clouds across the Lake. The skipper turned the paddleboat to head for shore, but couldn’t get it out of the way. The tornado capsized the Showboat, killing 16 people on board. The National Weather Service say that this incident shows that all tornadoes, no matter how small or short lived, demand our respect and have the potential to cause damage and death, even if they do not make a direct strike.
