Did Jim Dryer make it across Lake Michigan?

Jim is the only person to successfully swim the width of Lake Michigan, which he did in 1998. This year, he hoped to achieve the feat again on its 25th anniversary, and his 60th birthday. “Lake Michigan was relentless... it just landed a flurry of punches. It was really a 25 hour beat down, Jim said.



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It seems incredibly dangerous to walk across a frozen lake as big as Lake Michigan in those conditions. According to the interwebs the distance would be about 59 miles, which would take several days in the elements.

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In 2007, a row of stones paralleling an ancient shoreline was discovered by Mark Holley, professor of underwater archeology at Northwestern Michigan College. This formation lies 40 feet (12 m) below the surface of the lake. One of the stones is said to have a carving resembling a mastodon.

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Swift Currents At Lake Michigan Are The Real Danger The shapes of these waves are what contribute to rip tides, which are one of the most dangerous things swimmers can encounter in the water. Lake Michigan's riptide and longshore tides are unparalleled when it comes to danger among all the Great Lakes.

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Lake Michigan is generally clean and safe for swimming but it can become contaminated with harmful bacteria.

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There are some odd geological finds at the bottom, including a 2007 archeological find that was described as Stonehenge-like, although it was actually more in a V-shape. One of the stones is said to have a mastodon image on it (although it's not fully clear if it was man-made or just a natural formation).

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Mark Holley, a professor of underwater archaeology at Northwestern Michigan University, discovered a prehistoric structure about 40 feet below the surface of Lake Michigan in Grand Traverse Bay. Much like a smaller version of England's Stonehenge, these stones appeared to have been arranged deliberately.

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Approximately 118 miles wide and 307 miles long, Lake Michigan has more than 1,600 miles of shoreline. Averaging 279 feet in depth, the lake reaches 925 feet at its deepest point.

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Lake Drownings are Especially Common It is easier to drown in freshwater than in saltwater. Lake waters are dark and murky – it harder to spot someone who is drowning. Ice on lakes can be thinner than expected, causing someone to fall through and drown.

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Lake Michigan Tunnels The solution was to intake water further offshore through a system of cribs that connected to the water supply via tunnels under the lake. The first tunnel was completed in 1867, connecting to an intake crib two miles offshore to the pumping station at Chicago and Michigan Avenues.

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Singapore's demise Without the protective tree cover, the winds and sands coming off Lake Michigan quickly eroded the town into ruins and within four years had completely covered it. The town was vacated by 1875. Today, Singapore lives on only in the name of the Singapore Yacht Club, which is at one end of town.

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The deepest part of Lake Michigan is over 990 feet. The water at the bottom of that deep pocket is still 39 degrees to 40 degrees.

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The deepest part of Lake Michigan is over 990 feet. The water at the bottom of that deep pocket is still 39 degrees to 40 degrees.

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Those who brave the frigid feat and swim in the winter are nicknamed “ice monsters.” Lake Michigan continuously cools throughout winter, and with March averaging an annual low of 32.9 degrees, it's the chilliest month for open-water swimming.

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