60-Year-Old Man Ends His Bold Attempt to Swim Across Lake Michigan

Swimming is a great way to beat the summer heat. Many people enjoy taking a dip as a form of exercise or relief from joint pain. What if we told you a man in the Midwest attempted multiple times to swim nearly 85 miles in one sitting?

Jim Dreyer just tried to swim across Lake Michigan for a second time in 2023. He plunged into the water on Labor Day. Some sources say the entire swim would take around 60 hours to complete. 

On Tuesday, September 5, Jim Dreyer, who had been swimming across Lake Michigan, reached land a day after starting his journey. His crew was keeping an eye on the weather. After seeing some rough weather in the forecast, they deployed a boat to alert Dreyer on Tuesday evening before he began returning to land. 

Dryer was traveling alone and hauling a dinghy rather than an escort boat. Swimming in open water for hours on end truly gives your mind a chance to wander. The Michigan man says this about his experience:

“If you let yourself think about the situation you’re in and how it could turn ugly, you could spiral downward.” He had the capacity to ask for assistance and was equipped with unique glasses to help him navigate. 

This swim took place 25 years after an accomplished swim that was around 25 miles shorter. The day Dryer headed out to start his swim, Bradford Beach was crowded with spectators who were supporting him.

Some people saw it as an athletic endeavor, while others questioned his sanity. There’s no word at the time of this post whether or not he’ll make another attempt to swim the 83-mile journey next year. 

How Big Is Lake Michigan?

When compared by water surface, Lake Michigan is the third-largest Great Lake. It is the only one that is totally contained within the United States. 22,300 square miles make up the water surface of Lake Michigan. By volume, it is the second-largest of the Great Lakes. 

The largest lake of the Great Lakes is Lake Superior. Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin are all bordered by Lake Michigan. Along the Lake Michigan shoreline, there are about 12 million residents. 

You’ll find swamps, grasslands, savannas, woods, and sand dunes that can rise to a height of hundreds of feet around this lake. These are all good habitats for various species of wildlife. The Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile-wide strait that connects Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, technically makes these two bodies of water into one lake.