As tempting as it may be to explore the undulating ice formations on Lake Michigan off the coast of Grand Haven, public safety officials warn the ice can be deceiving and there is currently no safe ice:
“The snow peaks and the ice shelves look beautiful, but it’s very unstable and unpredictable.” –Nichole Hudson, Grand Haven Public Safety Director Chief
Last weekend a woman was walking around on the ice with her dog when her dog fell through a hole. The woman dove headfirst into the hole to rescue her dog but then became trapped herself. Thankfully three bystanders who saw her go into the ice came to her rescue and pulled her out but there are still people out on that very same ice putting themselves at great risk as evidenced from the below video.
This man was lucky to be able to extract himself after breaking through the ice and walked away with a wet leg. This is a prime example that the Lake Michigan ice is extremely variable in the area with very unstable and unpredictable sections. The ice shelves shift as there is water running beneath them and open holes can easily develop and be covered in snow creating what amounts to potential death traps for anyone walking out on the lake.
Grand Haven Public Safety Ice Warning:
It is imperative for all persons to stay off the pier and ice formations on Lake Michigan. Icy waters present many extremely dangerous conditions and often times fatal accidents occur when people are unaware or ignore such conditions.
