Following the recent storm, five Westminster students’ cars were found in Lake Seminole on the Georgia-Florida border. On Wednesday afternoon, students that parked at Turner Gym returned after school to find their cars gone.
Senior Anna Castle was among the students who lost their cars.
“When an unnamed dean of students sent the email instructing students parked at Turner to move their cars, I was in the middle of studying for a math test so I couldn’t do it,” said Castle. “When I went back to Turner after school to get my car, it was gone! At first, I thought maybe it had been stolen, but soon realized that no one else could find their cars either.”
Some students, like junior Emily Bradham, were lucky enough to move their cars.
“I was lucky to move my car to Kent in time,” said Bradham. “I almost got struck by lightning running down to Turner in the storm, but I guess it was better than losing my car.”
Luckily for those who lost their cars, sophomore Ashley Smith found the lost vehicles while she was paddle boarding at her lake house over Easter break.
“I saw some abandoned cars in the water and decided to explore,” said Smith. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the Westminster stickers on them. At first, I couldn’t figure out why they were there, but then I remembered my friend Anna had lost her car in the storm this past week, and, sure enough, I spotted her car a couple meters down on the edge of the lake.”
Further investigation revealed that the cars had been carried downstream by the Chattahoochee River. Unfortunately, the vehicles’ engines were flooded, making them unsalvageable.
Yet, even beauty can be found in this freak accident. When senior John Trent went to collect his belongings, he found that his car had already gained a new purpose.
“I went to the lake to get some things out of my car and found a school of fish living in it,” said Trent.
Furthermore AP environmental science teacher Jane Martin gave insight into this unusual event.
“The recent storm brought unprecedented rainfall, leading to significant flooding of the Chattahoochee River,” said Martin. “As a result, water levels rose rapidly, carrying large debris and even vehicles downstream.”
Martin explained that while it is not uncommon for floods to sweep away objects, the number of cars found in Lake Seminole was remarkable. She emphasized the importance of action when storms like this occur in the future.
“Events like these serve as an important reminder that when an unnamed dean of students sends the email to move your car, you should listen.”
