Contact: Ron Kinnunen, (906) 226-3687; kinnunen@msue.msu.edu; or Carol Swinehart, Michigan Sea Grant, (517) 353-9723, swinehar@msue.msu.edu

6/23/2004

In the past two years, 18 people have died along the shores of Lake Michigan and several more near the shores of Lake Superior.

Rip currents have been known to cause such deaths, and an estimated 100 people drown from rip currents annually in the United States – more people than are killed by tornadoes or lightning.

The Michigan Sea Grant, a collaboration between Michigan State University and the University of Michigan in Great Lakes research, education and outreach, provides life-saving information to state residents and visitors.

What’s a swimmer to do?

Even experienced swimmers can get caught in a rip current. Before wading into the water of a Great Lakes beach, watch for signs that could signal rip currents, such as unusual choppiness and breaking waves; discolored water and sand turning over; and debris and foam moving out into the lake.

Swimmers caught in a rip current should not fight it, but instead should swim out of the current by going parallel to shore, then head toward shore at an angle. If they can’t escape, they should float or tread water, and should call for help or wave for assistance.

Can drowning deaths from rip currents be prevented?

Public awareness is critical to preventing rip current drowning deaths. The Mackinac County Water Safety Team, for example, has distributed brochures, placed signs and created rescue stations, placing wooden boxes containing life saving equipment (life rings, life vests, rescue boards and informational signs) along a seven mile stretch of northern Lake Michigan. Solar-powered cell phones have also been placed in nearby parking lots for quick access to emergency 911 operators.

What forces create rip currents in the Great Lakes?

The best Great Lakes bathing beaches are rich in sand. These beaches also have very well developed near-shore sand bars. These sand bars channel strong wave-generated and wind-generated currents along the shoreline between the bars. This intense flow can rip through the bar system to flow offshore.According to Sea Grant research, a 2- to 3-foot breaking wave on a Great Lakes beach can create a much stronger rip current than a similar wave on a southern California beach. Recent low Great Lakes water levels may intensify the effects of the wind- and wave-driven near-shore currents, according to Sea Grant research.

Why are Great Lakes rip currents especially dangerous?

Great Lakes storms happen quickly, and the rapidly increasing wave heights catch unsuspecting swimmers by surprise. When winds and waves combine to create a rip current, the swimmer may become confused.

It’s vital that beachgoers learn about the hazards of rip currents and heed marine weather forecasts about wind and wave conditions, said Dave Guenther of the National Weather Service.

Contact: Dave Guenther, National Weather Service, (906) 475-5782, Ext. 676.

For additional information on rip currents, visit www.miseagrant.umich.edu/beach/index.html

Michigan Sea Grant is one of 30 Sea Grant programs in coastal states, supported by the National Sea Grant College Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For additional information about Michigan Sea Grant, visit www.miseagrant.umich.edu