Reminder

The lake can be a killer.

This morning, contemplating our day up here on Lake Superior, we consulted the Weather Channel. There we found a rip tide warning specific to our stretch of beach. A rip tide, also known as an undertow, can pull a person off their feet into deeper water, and unless that person knows how to swim out of a rip tide, drowning is the likely result.

We were careful then walking our dogs down the beach, making sure neither of them got too far into the water. I am overly concerned about everything so I called them back if they got up to their knees. Still, one of them galloped down the beach after a flock of seagulls and my husband turned to fetch him. Then we both saw two people in the water. “Should I tell them to get out?” he asked. “No,” I said, remembering a few seasons ago when a group of young men from down below (Michigan’s Lower Peninsula) disregarded his warnings about the too high surf. It was a shouting match that didn’t end well.

But he went down the beach, anyway.

The mom and her son got out of the water right away. They had been standing in the waves far enough out that a rip tide could have pulled them right off their feet. But they came out and said thank you and went about their day. And I can’t help but think that my old man saved a couple of lives today – because he wasn’t deterred by history and didn’t worry about somebody telling him to fuck off.

Lake Superior is a force of nature. It will have its way, not caring about people’s intentions or their joy, oblivious to the sun glistening on the water, and the glorious ride of the waves. I was reminded of that today. This lake – it is a formidable thing.

_____________________

News tonight of a 14-year old boy drowning in Lake Michigan on the Michigan side; last night a 19-year old man drowned saving two children in Lake Michigan on the Wisconsin side. Superior is not the only deadly lake it seems.