2 Kids Had To Be Rescued After Underestimating the Power of Lake Michigan

All Michigan waters need to be respected but when you get into the Great Lakes, even more respect is needed as 2 kids found out the hard way in Lake Michigan.

Get our free mobile app

Lake Michigan - The Most Dangerous Lake in the Country

Lake Michigan is one of the most beautiful of the Great Lakes and is filled with some of the best beaches in the state and the entire United States.

I don't think I have ever heard of a bad beach on Lake Michigan and I have enjoyed several from St. Joeseph all the way to Frankfort. Great swimming, boating, water sports, and fishing.

Don't let the beauty of Lake Michigan fool you, she's not as friendly as she might look. Lake Michigan has claimed nearly 300,000 lives and she hasn't been any nicer to ships swallowing nearly 10,000 of those.

A lot of Lake Michigan's danger comes from its shores running parallel which causes unique wave shapes known as rip tides. I don't remember a summer without a riptide taking the life of one or more swimmers in my lifetime.

Lake Michigan is also known for its usually high winds. Just because the waves seem small on the shore, you don't have to go very far until it becomes seriously dangerous even for the most experienced captains. Often during a storm, Lake Michigan can have ocean-like waves and can be very overpowering and not kind to swimmers and boaters. The lake is even more dangerous in the winter because of the frigid water and the risk of hypothermia.

Respect the flag warnings on the beaches and don't take chances on Lake Michigan that you would take on an inland lake because these are two different bodies of water.

2 Kids in a Raft Had to be Rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard

2 kids floating in a raft not far from the Platte River Point had to be rescued with the waves of Lake Michigan pulling them out a little over a mile from shore. The kids had to battle 6-foot waves to try and not capsize and with two small paddles were unable to get near shore. The U.S. Coast Guard Station in Manistee was patrolling the area when they discovered the boys in distress and were able to get them back to shore safely.

It doesn't take long for things to change in Lake Michigan. People need to know their boundaries and parents need to teach their kids the dangers of Lake Michigan and how to respect her temperament because it will save lives by not putting them at risk in the first place.