Lake Michigan in particular is the roughest of the Great Lakes, and poses a major risk to those thinking of taking a dip.
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The Great Lakes are fascinating and a dream come true for swimmers. Yes, we can all swim in the Great Lakes. It's even possible to swim in all five Great Lakes in less than 24 hours!
These lakes are the perfect backdrop for swimming, boating, and other water-related activities. But there can be more danger in these Great Lakes waves than what you'd find in the ocean. The Great Lakes are more than capable of generating waves over 10 feet high, despite being smaller than our oceans.
Lake Superior is the Cleanest and Clearest Great LakeBecause of its somewhat isolated location and long cold winters, not much farming is done along Superior's shores. This means lower amounts of nutrients, sediments, and organic material are floating around the lake.
The quality of Lake Huron water can change dramatically day to day, hour to hour, or even minute to minute with either heavy rainfall, high wave action, or both. The water may have high levels of bacteria that could increase the risk of skin, eye, ear, nose and throat infections or gastrointestinal illness.
Lake Drownings are Especially CommonIt 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.
Lake Michigan wrecks: the oldest and the mostestLake Michigan contains more shipwrecks than any of the other Great Lakes, as well as the oldest recorded one: the French ship Griffon, the first European vessel to sail the Lakes.
Erie is the most southerly, shallow, and biologically diverse of all of the Great Lakes. Its shallow depth makes it the warmest Great Lake and a favourite destination for summer recreationists and migrating birds.
1988: Vicki Keith swims the Great LakesVicki Keith's swam Lake Michigan, and was the first person to swim all of the Great Lakes. Some consider her one of the most successful marathon swimmers in the history of the sport with 16 world records.
Annecy. Regarded as the clearest lake in Europe, Annecy is home to a picturesque town of the same name – sometimes also known as Venice of the Alps due to its numerous water canals.
This means that Lake Michigan has been responsible for around 45% of Great Lakes drownings this year, more than double the death toll of any other Great Lake.
The first recorded swimmer to cross Lake Erie was Pennsylvania teenager Pat Budney in 1975. He swam from Long Point to Presque Isle in Pennsylvania, a distance of 26 miles that took him 26 ½ hours. The state park beach where he finished now bears his name.
Lake Erie has an astonishing 2,000-plus shipwrecks which is among the highest concentration of shipwrecks in the world. Only about 400 of Lake Erie's wrecks have ever been found. There are schooners, freighters, steamships, tugs and fishing boats among them.