Lake Michigan devours its ignorant- season wrap up

Although Lake Michigan can and sometimes does devour its wounded, it is boater ignorance that often affords it the opportunity. The opportunities for mishaps are sure to increase as recreational access continues to expand around the lake.

During a recent 2000 mile road trip around Lake Michigan I interviewed Coast Guard personnel, marine sheriffs, park rangers, harbor masters, Coast Guard auxilarists, ship captains and others who deal with the Lake Michigan marine environment and water-related recreational activities. All collectively agree- far too many recreational boaters lack basic boating skills.

And it’s not just boaters apparently in need of smarts, beach goers have experienced an alarming number of fatalities. Over the last two seasons- along Lake Michigan’s eastern shore between a 150 mile stretch between Michigan City Indiana and Empire Michigan- 22 people drowned. On July 4, 2003 seven perished near Warren Dunes State Park south of Saint Joseph, Michigan.

Between 2002 and 2003, I know of 72 fatalities associated with Lake Michigan, its bays, rivers, and nearby coastal lakes. Those are fatalities I tracked but the numbers could be higher. The only central reporting source for water related fatalities on Lake Michigan is the Coast Guard and they only record fatalities to which they responded. To acquire non-Coast Guard figures I have to call marine sheriff departments in the four states that border Lake Michigan, if time allows and information sources can be reached.

Do fatalities depict the real story? Perhaps, but I believe lives saved reveal a more revealing story- over the last 15 years the Coast Guard saved 2,233 lives on Lake Michigan, however, these figures do not include lifesaving rescues by other agencies or ‘Good Samaritans ’. I suspect Good Sams may save more lives than all rescue agencies combined- one in three people I ask tell me they know of or have directly experienced a near-death experience in the Lake Michigan marine environment and were saved by a Good Sam.

One in three tells a story worthy of concern especially with a ever growing population with unlimited access to the Lake Michigan marine environment. During my journey around the Inland Sea growth signs stood out even on Beaver Island and in the once less visited northern waters near Saint Ignace and the Straights of Mackinac.

While departing Shepler’s Saint Ignace dock aboard the ferry boat, Hope, Richard Weaver, a senior 15-year captain with the company pointed towards a new public boating ramp built two years ago. “Recreational boating has proliferated,” he said. “It definitely offers a challenge to our captains.”

Captain Dean Hobbs of the car ferry S.S. Badger said he has sounded more danger signals this year at recreational boaters than he has over the last eight years combined.

George Miller, Director of Operations for Eagle lll Brown County Air Rescue Services, Green Bay said: “I’ve seen a horrendous increase in recreational water related activity as a pilot and recreational boater.” He described a nearby lake he once fished. “Now the lake is overrun with all kinds of boaters.” He no longer fishes there– a story echoed around the lake.

Huge public access numbers could explain the seven drownings at Warren Dunes on the 4th of July. According to Mike Terell, the park manager at Warren State Park, approximately 20,000 visitors entered the park that day, and half appeared to be in the water, despite 15 minute warnings over loud hailers, and posted red flags proclaiming dangerous swimming conditions. Authorities have no enforcement power to prevent water access in spite of the conditions or season.

Coast Guard auxiliarists at Escanaba responded to a case last November: two fisherman died in Escanaba Bay during foul weather. Coast Guard auxilarist Dave Schwalback recalls driving up highway 2 along Little De Noc Bay looking out into the bay with snow falling and saying: “Thank God there were no fools out there.” Several hours later he would be pounding across the bay with three auxiliary members under Coast Guard orders to search for three walleye fisherman whose 19-foot open boat had capsized and was reportedly drifting across the bay. “It was so miserable that sea spray crusted my beard and eyebrows with ice, the sleeve of my foul weather coat froze to the cabin hatch.”

The sole survivor, who stayed with the capsized boat, drifted into shallow water was rescued by Delta County Sheriff Sergeant Ed Oswald, volunteer search and rescue member Dale Shirely and Coast Guard auxilarist, Paul Smith. Alcohol was not involved.

Unfortunately, it is in far too many other cases. In August, a jet skier on the Grand River, Grand Haven Michigan slammed into a houseboat at 50 mph. God bless three people aboard escaped injury. Not only was the personal watercraft operator unlawfully operating at an unsafe speed, after dark, but far worse while drunk. He perished on impact.

During the 2003 season, Coast Guard alcohol-related boating arrests skyrocketed. Coast Guard Group Milwaukee and Grand Haven recorded a 250 percent increase from 2002. And those are only Coast Guard cases.

While I was on patrol in August with Manistee Sheriff’s marine deputy, Steve Block, he stopped a boater in the Manistee Channel who had cut across his bow. Block hailed him over. On shore, the operator blew a .22 on a breathalyzer administered by the Manistee police, over twice the legal limit. It was mid afternoon; a mere snapshot of the larger booze and boating problem.

Many officials around the lake believe it’s a boiling pot soon to boil over. As one Coast Guard chief said, “The recreational boating community is a huge unregulated industry that needs to be regulated starting with mandatory boating education and stiffer laws against drunk boaters.”

I couldn’t agree more, especially with mandatory education and hammering drunk boaters. If we don’t, Lake Michigan will continue to devour its ignorant. Boat Smart- beat the odds enroll in a boating safety class this winter.

Note: To test your boating knowledge log onto www.boatsmart.net and click on Boat Quiz located below 1999 Columns. Also check out online courses. Your feedback regarding the column is welcomed: trau@jackpine.com

Share or bookmark this story: