On a frigid winter day in 1978, Steven Kubacki went cross-country skiing on the frozen ice of Lake Michigan, and he never came back. Fifteen months later, a motorist in Massachusetts picked up a hitchhiker who asked to be taken to the nearest pay phone. It was Steven Kubacki.
In conjunction with multiple agencies, the Holland State Park offers a livestream that shows the current conditions and attendance at the beach. This can help you determine if it's a good idea to go before you make the trip.
Do you think there could come a time when the National Weather Service and the state put an all-out ban on swimming in Lake Michigan for a period of time? Or do you think the current system using flags to determine whether it’s safe or not will improve over time?