Great Lakes are indeed unpredictable
Posted by: willowleaf
on Sep-26-12 2:18 AM (EST)
Even Lake Michigan, which is on average milder than Superior, can change from placid to deadly in a heartbeat, with no warning, official or otherwise. We lost two family members back in 1993 who were swimming at their hometown beach along the central east shoreline of Michigan when a lovely summer day suddenly turned to black skies and raging wind and waves. Both father and teenaged son were good swimmers but they were swept out and then battered against the breakwater.
I spent summers on that lake for most of my life and I've seen those storms arise, seemingly from nowhere -- you have to be prepared to venture out on these waters. They are truly seas, in all but salt. Weather there can take out large commercial vessels. It's no place for a casual and ill-equipped kayaker.