SOUTH HAVEN, Mich., July 9 (UPI) -- Lake Michigan, while offering some of the Midwest's best sandy shores, also harbors hidden dangers that claim lives each year.
The Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette talked to Robin Abshire, leisure services director for the city of South Haven, who said the strength of Lake Michigan's waters can easily be on the same scale as ocean waters.
"It demands the respect of an ocean," Abeshire said.
The problem, Abeshire said, is that many tourists do not understand the dangers the lake can pose.
Last week in Michigan, a 16-year old Mattawan boy drowned off the shore of South Haven, presumably from 3- to 6-foot waves and a strong undertow. His body was recovered one day later.
South Haven eliminated beach lifeguards in 2001, City Manager Kevin Anderson said, because of liability concerns. Signs on the beach warn that visitors can only swim at their own risk.
