Southwest Michigan shorelines see high swim risk on Labor Day

SAWYER, Mich. (WNDU) - Parts of Southwest Michigan were experiencing dangerous swimming conditions Monday, a day that many people are off work and taking a trip to the beach.

Just because the weather is nice and the water is warm, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe to go for a swim.

There have been multiple incidents in South Haven recently as crews are now searching Lake Michigan for a missing 18-year-old.

This comes after four children were rescued from the same beach Thursday, and three more people were rescued on Saturday.

Even with the high swim risk, many people at Warren Dunes State Park Monday decided to test the waters anyway.

“Really what Labor Day is, is the last ’hoorah’ for many people. This is their last day going to the beach. They’re not going to go to the beach for nine months. That’s why it can also be a dangerous day because they’re going to push their limits,” Co-founder of Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project Dave Benjamin said.

The best way to avoid a water emergency is to simply stay on the beach.

But if you find yourself caught in a dangerous current, you should flip over, float to stay above water and then follow a safe path out of the water perpendicular to the current pulling you.

For more information on the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, click here.

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