Summer in Michigan means many of us soon will go swimming. Or at least wade into the water far enough to pretend we’re swimming. It’s all good fun, no matter how deep you venture. But like most good things, getting wet can have a dangerous side.
Drowning is an ugly business. A business that, unfortunately, remains an ongoing concern in Michigan. There were more than 1,400 drownings in the Great Lakes between 2010 and 2025, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Lake Michigan accounts for a large portion of those deaths, partly because it has terrific beaches and lots of beach-goers.
Causes of drowning vary. Extremely cold water. Succumbing to panic in rip currents or big waves. Falling from boats without wearing life preservers. Overestimating personal skill or endurance. Whatever the cause, every drowning is tragic.
Many accidental drownings could have been prevented. Please do what you can to keep yourself and your loved ones safe in the water. Wear a flotation device when appropriate. Be observant of conditions and use wise judgement. Avoid overconfidence in the water. Teach children how to swim. But still keep a close eye on them when they’re in the water.
Water safety is a topic close to my heart. Way back in the 1980s, I was a charter member of the Northern Nevada Dive Rescue Team. To stay in practice, we did public service tasks like cleaning trash from wilderness lakes, patching reservoir covers and locating sunken boats. But our main reason for existence was to help recover bodies after tragedy struck.
One incident in particular sticks in my mind even four decades later.
The dive team was called after a family tragedy occurred in the Humboldt River near a town called Elko.
Primed to begin enjoying summer, multiple generations of the family went on a Saturday morning picnic a few miles from town. While adults chatted and relaxed, kids splashed in the cool water. A few minutes later, a 12-year-old was caught by the current, yelled out, then disappeared from sight. His 16-year-old sister dove in to help. Neither was seen again. Other family members jumped in to attempt rescue, while the elders watched in horror.
By the time local authorities arrived in those pre-cellphone days, all the sheriff could do was call the dive team to attempt body recovery. It took us a few minutes to collect our gear and assemble, two hours on the freeway to drive there. We searched for the bodies using scuba gear, a rowboat and ropes to help us fight the rapid current while we felt our way along rocks and roots in the muddy zero-visibility water.
We scoured the depths of the meandering river for hours. When our supply of air tanks finally ran out, we were more than a mile downstream from where the kids had disappeared. The team gathered on shore, eyes downcast in the disappointment of failure to provide the family some closure.
But on the next bend of the river stood a large tree that looked like it could have roots that reached into the water like an octopus, roots that could entangle a body. A couple of us shed scuba tanks, weight belts, wetsuits, everything but swim trunks, fins and mask, and waded in for one last touch-and-feel search in the silt-laden river. Team members on the bank held ropes and slowly reeled us out like kites as we held on with one hand and felt through the murk with the other. We found nothing.
A week later and 20 miles downstream, nets stretched across the river captured both bodies.
Nevada doesn’t have much water. Many children and adults there never learn to swim. That’s also true in Michigan, where we are rich with water. Every Michigander should know how to swim.
It is likely — if you spend any time at all outdoors in the summertime — that at some point you will find yourself in water, even if you don’t particularly enjoy actually swimming. Most children, whether raised in Nevada or Michigan, love to splash in the shallows on a hot summer day. They should be equipped to deal calmly with a misstep into deep water. Responsible adults should be equipped to respond if needed.
As a former rescue and recovery diver, I think every child should be taught how to swim. And I think every adult should be at least comfortable in the water, so they are able to help anyone struggling.
Michiganders love the Great Lakes. We love our rivers and inland lakes too. For many of us, summer means getting wet for the pure enjoyment of it.
Parents, make sure your kids know how to swim. Teach them to enjoy the water, but also teach them to cast a critical eye on conditions so they don’t venture in beyond their ability. And keep an eye on them no matter how well they can do the backstroke.
Adults, take a few minutes to read up on rip currents and how to escape them (swim parallel to the shore until out of the current, and only then start back toward shore). Be wary of extremely cold water, especially in springtime and early summer. Be aware of your limitations; don’t overextend yourself. Take stock of conditions before you dive in.
Let’s make this a summer with fewer accidental drownings.
Michigan’s water wonderland invites us to wade, swim, body surf, float, or just lounge on the beach and admire nature’s wet masterpiece. Enjoy our water paradise — but be safe.