On Sunday, we had an unusually beautiful day here in Kenosha. The temps reached the 80's and people were outside in droves. Whenever the temperature rises that way, the lake front becomes a hot bed of activity. Sunday was no exception. So the lake became a place for families and friends to get together and hang out and enjoy the day. It also became the scene of our first drowning tragedy of the year. A 13 year old girl jumped into Lake Michigan, off the north pier, near the lighthouse. The strong undercurrent grabbed her and pulled her out, under and away from shore. Her friends stood in horror at the place where she jumped in. When she did not emerge within minutes, they called for help. It was too late.
I've lived within 10 miles of Lake Michigan my whole entire life. Even when I lived in Chicago, I was in walking distance of the lake. As a kid, I was a block away and spent many hot summer days at the beach. Today, I am less then 100 yards from the lake. In fact, I can hear the lake right now. In my lifetime, I've known of at least 6 people who have drowned or been injured by the power of Lake Michigan. She is not something to be toyed with.
Lake Michigan never really gets to what I would consider a "swimmable" temperature. She is tolerable around Labor Day and then only for very short periods of time. Mostly, if you do dare to wade in, you are stricken with the realization that your circulation from the knees down shuts off very easily and it's strange how you simply cannot feel anything at all. Yes, she is that cold. Also, there are a couple of designated swimming areas (no lifeguards though) but even then that term is used loosely. The shore of Lake Michigan changes all the time because she is such a volatile beast. If you wade in you may be able to walk a few feet but then you might hit a big drop off of 4 -5 feet. The sudden feeling of their being no earth below your feet is a tad scary to say the least.
Along the lake front, where there is no swimming, the lake is shouldered by enormous rocks which are to keep the lake at bay. The depths of the lake are tricky. It may seem like a good idea to jump off those rocks but beneath that blue surface are more rocks. Years and years worth and they hurt..a lot...if you hit them.
When I was a kid, another kid on our neighborhood jumped into the small boat harbor when he dropped a toy into the water. He never came back up.
When I was a teen ager, another teenager jumped off the rocks on a hot summer's day, he went down, hit his head and got his leg caught between two larger rocks beneath the surface. When they got him out, they managed to revive him but he had a brain injury from lack of oxygen and was unable to walk, talk, or do anything for himself ever again.
When I was in my 20's, a friend of mine from New York thought jumped off the rocks was going to be fun despite my rather loud protests. Luckily, he did not drown. However, his shin hit another rock beneath the surface and he ended up needing 24 stitches.
A couple of years ago, two fisherman were fishing at the mouth of Pike's Creek which opens into the lake. It looks very shallow there but it has possibly the worst undertow there. One of them decided to walk across the creek area. The current pulled him down, into the mouth of the lake, filling his hip waders. He didn't make it back.
Last year, a distraught woman drove her car off the North Pier. They have yet to find her body.
For those who've never seen Lake Michigan it is a daunting sight. Most people think she's an ocean. You cannot see across her shores but rather you see blue for as far as your eye can take it. She moves with the wind, up and down. In the winter, I can hear her roar all night long. She's been known to spout her waves 15 - 20 feet over her shores leaving majestic ice sculptures along her land line and covering the road. In summer, she shines in the sun with a million sparkles like diamonds. She looks inviting, enticing but dangerous. In the moonlight, she is the back drop for a thousand romances. She is, all at once, the most beautiful, alluring sight and she harbors the most deadly secrets.
I love this lake. I'm drawn to this location and it's hard to think about living away from her. But I also know, she demands respect and is not to be taken lightly. I'm sorry that the girl who drowned this week was not made aware of the lake awesome power before she decided to jump in. I hope that her passing will teach others to respect the great lady that is Lake Michigan. She will let you enjoy her waters but never, ever take her for granted.
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