Can you paddle across Lake Michigan?


Can you paddle across Lake Michigan? They're called the Great Lakes for a reason, people! Coming in at 118 miles across at its widest point you would think someone would have to be crazy to attempt to cross Lake Michigan with nothing but a paddle board, but would you believe it can and has been done before?!


Why is Lake Michigan so treacherous?

Swift Currents At Lake Michigan Are The Real Danger The shapes of these waves are what contribute to rip tides, which are one of the most dangerous things swimmers can encounter in the water. Lake Michigan's riptide and longshore tides are unparalleled when it comes to danger among all the Great Lakes.


Has anyone ever tried to swim across Lake Michigan?

Dreyer is the only person to swim the width of Lake Michigan between Wisconsin and Michigan, having swum from Two Rivers, Wisconsin, to Ludington, Michigan, in 1998. In the 2023 swim, he was attempting to beat his own record by swimming 25 miles further in the route from Milwaukee to Grand Haven.


How big of a boat do you need to cross Lake Michigan?

If you want to boat on Lake Michigan, any boat 10 feet or larger will do. The bigger the boat, the better. If you want to cross Lake Michigan then be prepared for a long haul, and you ought to be in at least a 25 to 30-foot boat.


Can a rip current occur in Lake Michigan?

(WOOD) — The sound of waves crashing onto Lake Michigan's shore is a staple of West Michigan summers. Beneath those waves are something far more dangerous: rip currents. A rip current is a strong, often narrow current that flows outward into the water. If you think you can outswim a rip current, think again.


Did Jim Dryer make it across Lake Michigan?

Jim is the only person to successfully swim the width of Lake Michigan, which he did in 1998. This year, he hoped to achieve the feat again on its 25th anniversary, and his 60th birthday. “Lake Michigan was relentless... it just landed a flurry of punches. It was really a 25 hour beat down, Jim said.


What is the farthest you can be from a lake in Michigan?

It's true: In Michigan you're never more than a few minutes away from some kind of water, whether it's a river, a lake, or one of the Great Lakes. You are never more than 85 miles from a Great Lake.


Has anyone paddled across Lake Michigan?

How to prepare for 13 hours of paddling. Stout said he's paddled more than 6,000 miles in seven years across Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Superior and several rivers, taking trips as long as 15 hours each.