Lake Michigan - Abundant Waves and Aquatic Activities

A luxury retail entrepreneur based in Michigan, Lisa Lemans is active with the Duncan Bay Boat Club and the Cheboygan Yacht Club. Among Lisa Lemans’ favorite free time activities is boating in the Great Lakes.

Windsurfing
Image: pexels.com

A unique attribute of the Great Lakes, which stretch from northern Canada to the Midwestern heartland, is their sheer size and diversity. Like oceans, they have currents and tides, as well as wind-driven waves that can reach a height of six feet. Too wide to see across in most places, the lakes are interconnected, with Lake Michigan hosting the largest city, Chicago. 

As suggested by the nickname Windy City, the lake gets consistent winds from the Midwest plains and this has created picturesque sand dune environments along the southern Michigan and Indiana shorelines. 

This nearly constant wind also encourages a variety of aquatic activities such as parasailing and windsurfing. The cutter vessels often found in the windiest areas of the lake are specifically designed to handle steep, surprise waves that can emerge from nowhere, and are able to flip and right themselves in choppy seas. 

For those who prefer sailing in relatively calm waters, the best time to explore the lake is at the peak of summer, when winds come to a standstill and inland heat makes boating a popular pastime.