OT: A friendly reminder about our Great Lakes
Our lakes are beautiful but Mother Nature is unforgiving.
In South Haven this week enjoying a last hurrah, and I was wandering down the beach when I saw that a young woman had just been pulled out of the water. She was unresponsive and someone started administering CPR. I was standing nearby and a man started gesturing toward the water. I thought he might be pointing out where the woman had gone under, but then the man went in the water with a buddy and started dragging a young man out of the water. Me and one other fella nearby grabbed the young man's legs to get him out of the water and onto the sand. Some good samaritan who knew CPR started administering it to him. As we set him down, the young man's brother recognized who it was and started freaking out. Police and paramedics came eventually to take them away. Not sure if the two made it or not.
Seeing the ghost white face and pale blue lips and vomit coming from that young man's mouth during CPR was absolutely chilling. My wife had our kids nearby and I have been shaken up all day by this. The sound of that kid's mom wailing is something I won't easily forget.
Be incredibly careful with the water. Watch your kids. Make sure they have a life vest on unless they're grown. If you're an adult and it's really wavy, try to have at least one or two people swimming with you. If you're an adult and not a good swimmer, no shame in wearing a life jacket. This was in water where you could stand up and it still happened.
Our lakes are beautiful but they can be incredibly dangerous. Be safe.
I grew up in the east coast and it sure seems like more people drown in the Great Lakes than in the ocean. Not sure if it’s just less lifeguards or less buoyancy in fresh water combined with colder water.
My cousin's best friend drowned in Lake Superior a few years back when she was a student at NMU. Life is too damn fragile.
Wow. What an experience. Glad they're okay (above) and hope you're calmer now.
They just updated the news articles and unfortunately they both passed away
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately both victims have passed on. I'd strongly consider some trauma therapy if you need it; It greatly helped with an awful experience I witnessed in Florida. Much love to you and yours
Thanks for sharing Ypsi, something I'm sure will stay with you forever.
Another safety tip - never chase something floating away from you in the water unless you have a lifejacket on!
My brother was on East Grand Traverse Bay last year and got caught in a freak popup cell that generated a lot of wind. He saw it coming on radar but was too far from the launch, so got as far back as he could and just found a place along the shore to ride it out. After the cell passed he saw a woman on another boat waiving him down, and when he went over she said her boyfriend had swam after their jet ski that had come untied when the wind picked up and never came back. My brother saw the jet ski which had drifted away from shore, went towards it, and ended up finding the guy on the bottom in 15 ft of water. He was able to dive down and bring him up to some guys on a pontoon boat that also got waived down but it was too late, the guy didnt make it. (Adrenaline is amazing - no way I could dive that deep.) He was super grateful for the pontoon boat so he didnt have to put the man on his boat with 3 kids under 10, but has said he'll never forget the girlfriend's absolute shock at how quickly things went south. All because a strong swimmer chased a jet ski that the wind was pushing into deep water without a life jacket.
Great reminder OP.
Being 42 and growing up on Lake Michigan, I am still amazed (and frightened) by the power of that water. I also would say stay the hell off the pears and break waters during the same rough conditions. It takes much less water than one would think to sweep you right off those things. It makes me sick knowing that during red flag days it is all but a guarantee that the news reports a drowning. Now that I have 3 young boys, I’m even more sensitive and my heart literally hurts to hear stories like this one.
August 8th, 2022 at 11:57 PM ^
I live in Holland, not far from the big lake. Govt agencies and news outlets have been more vocal than ever, and are constantly talking about rip currents and respecting red flags, but it all seems to no avail. I’m not sure what it will take to change this. I cringe every time I hear sirens heading out toward the beach. Very sad.
My cousin drowned kayaking in a rather basic river surrounded by others. Kayak flipped in an eddy and he was upside down pressed against a rock. District champion swimmer and he couldn’t right the kayak or free himself so he drowned. Devastating stuff and even the strongest swimmers aren’t always safe from the dangers of water.
I live on Lake Huron and the wind/water can shift so fast, its scary. Thankfully we are in a bay, so we are somewhat protected. That being said Ive been launching, or pulling in, my dock in some nasty water.
August 9th, 2022 at 10:08 AM ^
I love lake Michigan. I don't go in much over my knees. I never learned to swim and most likely won't at 64 years old. Being 6-3 290 pounds I would be a tough and dangerous rescue so I always respect the big lake. My little dog paddle I can do would not cut it in one of the big lakes.
August 19th, 2022 at 1:33 AM ^
Every year its the same. Maybe more signage at big beaches describing how to swim out would help. Probably not.