Is Lake Michigan safer than the ocean?

The Great Lakes are more than capable of generating waves over 10 feet high, despite being smaller than our oceans. This lack in size actually increases the danger over the water. This is because the wave period in the Great Lakes (the time between two wave crests) is much shorter than in the ocean.



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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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These are terms that people commonly use to describe dangerous currents. However, since there are no tides in the Great Lakes (needed to form a rip tide) and currents don't pull a person down under the water (undertow), they are a bit inaccurate. Instead, we call these dangerous currents.

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OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. – While tsunamis are most often associated with oceans, they are more common in the Great Lakes than you may expect. Around 106 meteotsunamis are observed in the Great Lakes each year, although many are too small to notice.

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Not only is this lake massive - spanning 307 miles in either direction - but its shores also run parallel, causing unique wave shapes. 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.

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The way to survive is simple. Don't panic as you flip, float and follow. “Flip over onto your back float to see where the current is carrying you and then follow a path perpendicular to the current and back to safety,” said Pratt. A buddy system in the water or someone on shore to watch is also extremely important.

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The answer is no. Being immersed in, rather than atop, cold water feels different. As fall turns into winter and the thermometer drops, the increasingly cold water starts to feel good, even warm. Wetsuits would only get in the way of this descent into conditions that have become delightful.

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Lake Victoria, Tanzania and Uganda. Lake Victoria is referred to as the world's most dangerous lake. Don't let the calm water fool you; more than 5,000 people die in the waters every year.

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One other thing to be aware of if you're swimming in a freshwater lake, especially in warmer climates: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that swimmers in freshwater lakes should assume brain-eating amoeba are present, although actual cases of infection are extremely rare.

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Climate change is fueling more extreme Lake Michigan Water levels, along with stronger winds and heavier storms. These conditions exacerbate erosion, beach loss, and damage along the shore.

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Dreyer successfully swam across Lake Michigan from Two Rivers, Wisconsin, to Ludington State Park 25 years ago, according to previous reporting.

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Lake Michigan is a treasured natural resource that provides Chicago families with water recreation activities such as beach days, swimming, boating and sailing.

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According to the National Weather Service (NWS) Great Lakes Current Incident Database (GLCID), the Great Lakes averages around 12 drowning fatalities per year related to dangerous currents.

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Since Lake Michigan's waves are caused by the wind, when there's a strong wind from the north traveling down the more than 300 miles of Lake Michigan, the waves hitting the south shore can become gigantic.

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Because of their sea-like characteristics, such as rolling waves, sustained winds, strong currents, great depths, and distant horizons, the five Great Lakes have long been called inland seas.

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As of Aug. 15, 2023, 24 people have died in Lake Michigan, which is frequently the lake where the most drownings occur. Across the Great Lakes 56 drownings have occurred.

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