Michigan

Lake Michigan sailors describe dramatic man overboard rescue during storm

Published

2 years ago

July 18, 2024

Lake Michigan sailors describe dramatic man overboard rescue during storm

LAKE MICHIGAN – There’s being in the right place at the right time – and then there’s clearly being prepared for the unexpected.

A man overboard incident during last weekend’s Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac sailboat competition led to a dramatic 20-minute rescue amid a storm that lashed Lake Michigan with some big waves and 46 mph winds.

Boat crews worked together to rescue the sailor who’d been tossed into the big lake at night. Luckily, he was prepared, too. He had a self-inflating floatation device, an emergency beacon and a strobe light.

“He was lit up like a Christmas tree,” said the owner of the boat who facilitated the rescue.

Race organizers gathered all the details of the on-the-water drama. Here’s what they shared:

The tense moments began Saturday night when the severe storms were rolling across Lake Michigan. It was a threat mostly to members of the contest’s Racing Division, which had left Chicago’s Navy Pier earlier in the day for the 333-mile trek to Mackinac Island. The oldest annual freshwater race in the world is known as America’s Offshore Challenge.

Shawn Dougherty, a crew member aboard the Callisto, was helping take the spinnaker down during the storm when a large gust of wind hit the boat and he was knocked into the water.

Dougherty was not tethered to the Callisto. But he was wearing a personal flotation device and a bag that had an Automatic Identification System emergency beacon that allows others to track his position via a distress signal. He also had a good strobe light, a knife and a whistle, race officials said.

Callisto’s owner, Jim Murray, said he saw Dougherty fall into the lake. Crew members hit their man overboard button, which locked in Dougherty’s location for rescuers.

An untimely rudder issue meant the Callisto was not immediately able to return to where Dougherty had fallen into the water.

“As soon as the man overboard (MOB) distress call went out, at least three boats in the vicinity responded to offer assistance, including the Santa Cruz 52 Madcap owned by John and Marian Hoskins,” a race spokesperson said.

The Katana and the Natalie near the finish line of the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac Presented By Wintrust.Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac

At the time Dougherty went into the water, Hoskins was down below on his boat monitoring the radio – a safety habit of his during bad weather.

“Majority of the time it’s a boring job, but it’s important to have that designated person on board, exactly for this reason,” Hoskins said. “The lesson here is I was ready for this call. We quickly established we were the closest boat to offer assistance and my crew jumped into action.”

The Madcap’s crew lowered its sails and motored in the overboard sailor’s direction. The beacon and strobe made him hard to miss.

Dougherty was scooped up about 20 minutes after he fell in the lake.

“Everyone knew exactly what to do. Who’s the spotter, who’s operating the searchlight, who’s in charge of the lifesling. We had our best driver on the helm, so the approach was nothing to worry about,” Hoskins said. “We were able to clearly communicate with Shawn in the water and could tell he was calm, he was not injured and very much in control, which helped to release our tension.

“It was a textbook recovery, thanks to the great preparation and coordinated teamwork.”

Because of the dicey weather conditions, Dougherty ended up staying on the Madcap for the rest of the race, though the rules prevented him from acting as a crew member on board.

It was Dougherty’s third Chicago-to-Mackinac race. “Every single event we go through the same preparation and practice,” he said. “We do so much racing together as a team but we practice this [scenario] over and over again.”

Wind conditions made this year’s running an extremely fast race, with a new record being set by Maverick’s crew.

Maverick racing by the Mackinac Bridge — The Maverick broke a 22-year record in the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac Presented By Wintrust.Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac

But the rescue effort also earned a reward – and lots of cheers once all the crews reached Mackinac Island. Madcap’s crew was awarded the Arthur B. Hansen rescue medal by US Sailing. It recognizes not only outstanding seamanship but good situational awareness that results in a sailor’s rescue.

“We do our best to ensure the sailors and boats are extremely well-equipped and prepared,” said Winn Soldani, chair of the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust. He commended both crews for how they handled the situation. “From required Safety at Sea seminars, man overboard drills and an extensive list of equipment – this is exactly why all of it is worth it.”

“There’s a reason offshore sailors get along so well,” Callisto’s Murray said. “When you go to sea, you’re putting your trust in not only your crewmates, but all the people that you’re racing against.

“Madcap was incredible. You can’t thank somebody enough for something like that. It is one of those things that’s very heartwarming about the sport. And I think it separates sailing from other sports; that this really is a big family out there when you’re on the water together.”

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Michigan

Michigan heatwave on way. See day likely to set a record high

Published

4 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Press Room

Michigan heatwave on way. See day likely to set a record high

Get ready to sweat, Michigan.

The summer’s first big heatwave is expected to start on Monday, bringing a four-day stretch of potential 90-plus-degree temperatures to much of the state, across the Midwest and parts of the East Coast.

The National Weather Service is advising Michiganians to limit time outdoors and stay hydrated in the leadup to Independence Day.

The heatwave is projected to peak on Tuesday, the final day of June, when virtually the entirety of Lower Michigan and surrounding states will be considered at major risk of heat-related effects, according to NWS.

Anyone without access to cooling or hydration or who must engage in prolonged outdoor activity or strenuous labor will face a significantly elevated risk of heat-related illness, including heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

The NWS office in Marquette said above-normal humidity is expected to accompany the high temperatures, elevating the risk.

About 16 people a year die from heat and heat-related illnesses in Michigan, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Relief will be minimal, experts advised. Thunderstorms are unlikely during the heatwave, AccuWeather reported, and overnight lows are expected to drop only into the mid-70s, according to NWS.

‘Heat dome’ bringing near-record temperatures

AccuWeather attributes the warmup to a “heat dome,” which is a high-pressure system that traps hot air and prevents cooling. The weather system will bring above-normal temperatures throughout the central and eastern states. St. Louis could log eight straight days of at least 90 degrees.

Lower Michigan is expected to see this summer’s first consecutive 90-plus-degree days. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are all currently expected to climb past that mark.

Currently, the hottest day on record this year in Detroit was May 18, when the mercury climbed to 90 degrees, according to NWS data.

High temperatures are likely to approach daily records during next week’s heatwave. Detroit’s record highs for June 29 through July 2 are 96, 96, 98 and 99, respectively. The weather service currently projects highs of 91, 97 and 95 for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. A high for Thursday is not yet available.

On average, temperatures during this time of year top out around 81 or 82, NWS data shows.

The high temperatures approach the United States as Western Europe swelters under a record-setting heatwave that is expected to persist through the end of the week. On Wednesday, Britain and France both logged the hottest June days on record, Reuters reported.

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

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Michigan

Body of 13-year-old boy who went missing in Lake Michigan waters recovered by Indiana officials

Published

15 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Press Room

Body of 13-year-old boy who went missing in Lake Michigan waters recovered by Indiana officials

The body of a 13-year-old boy who went into Lake Michigan waters at a northwest Indiana beach and didn’t resurface has been recovered, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

The recovery was confirmed to NBC Chicago Wednesday morning. It comes two days after officials say the boy went swimming at Washington Beach in Michigan City with a group of friends.

No further details on the boy’s identity have been released.

Searches for the boy were suspended Monday night and Tuesday due to “challenging water conditions” and high waves. All day Monday, Lake Michigan beaches in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan were under a high swim risk with a beach hazards statement from the National Weather Service in effect.

The statement warned of dangerous waves as high as five feet, and “life threatening currents.”

The incident unfolded about 5:43 p.m. Monday at Washington Park Beach, with Michigan City police responding to the beach for a possible drowning. Witnesses say they saw a child wearing red shorts enter the water on the east side of the catwalk just south of the lighthouse and then disappear beneath the surface.

Dangerous water conditions “significantly complicated search efforts,” Michigan City police said. About 10:44 p.m., police posted an update saying dive operations had been suspended “due to hazardous conditions that posed a risk to responder safety.”

According to the update, three of the four MCFD divers sustained minor injuries during the search and were transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation. A DNR diver was also injured, police said, and was evaluated on scene.

“Strong currents, changing wave action, and limited visibility beneath the water can quickly overwhelm even experienced swimmers and rescuers,” police said. “We urge everyone to pay close attention to beach conditions, heed all posted warnings, and stay out of the water when hazardous conditions are present.”

According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there have been 23 Great Lakes drownings to date in 2026. 12 of those, the site showed, have been in Lake Michigan.

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Michigan

Michigan basketball champ Yaxel Lendeborg joins Warriors, gets chance to learn from Curry, Draymond Green

Published

1 day ago

June 24, 2026

Press Room

Michigan basketball champ Yaxel Lendeborg joins Warriors, gets chance to learn from Curry, Draymond Green

NEW YORK – Michigan Wolverines national champion Yaxel Lendeborg grew up rooting against Stephen Curry and Draymond Green; now he’ll be learning from them.

The Golden State Warriors selected him with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft on Tuesday night, adding a versatile, defense-first playmaker from a national championship team to a franchise built on championship standards.

“It’s a full-circle moment for me,” Lendeborg said after being drafted.“I’ve been saying this every time I get asked this question, but in 2016, I’m a big Kyrie guy, so I used to hate Steph Curry. So now that I’m actually gonna be on the same team with him, play and actually learn so much from him, it means a lot.”

Lendeborg said Curry’s reputation extends beyond the court.

“I met him a couple of times. He’s a very great guy, genuine person, and it’s gonna be an honor to be able to watch him do what he does in person,” Lendeborg said.

Lendeborg is coming off a breakout season at Michigan, where he helped former coach Dusty May’s Wolverines win a national championship.

He became one of college basketball’s top defenders, earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team while developing into a versatile forward who could impact the game on both ends.

“I feel like what will translate quickly for me would be just my defense, my versatility,” Lendeborg said. “Just the IQ of the game, making the right reads, making the play at the right time.”

In Golden State, Lendeborg will also have a chance to learn from veteran Draymond Green, the longtime Warriors leader and Michigan State Spartans legend, known for defense, playmaking, and voice in the locker room.

One immediate adjustment will be a new jersey number.

Lendeborg wore No. 23 at Michigan, but Green wears it for the Warriors.

Lendeborg joked that his backup choice, No. 3, is also unavailable.

“I think now that I’m stepping into the NBA, I’m going to step in with another number and start a new legacy,” Lendeborg said.

He also carried his Michigan rivalry energy with him on draft night. Asked if he would wear Michigan State gear to convince Green to give up No. 23, Lendeborg quickly said no.

“Nah, I’m not doing that, man,” Lendeborg said. “I hate those guys. I only been there for one year, but I definitely hate those guys.”

Lendeborg pointed to Michigan’s success against the Spartans during its title run.

“They can’t really say much because I went 2-0 against them this year,” Lendeborg said. “They’re gonna be little brother for me forever.”

Lendeborg also said his decision to return to college for another season helped him develop before making the jump to the NBA.

“When I was getting recruited by Dusty, he said he was going to make me a lottery pick,” Lendeborg said. “Evidently, he made me a lottery pick.”

“I went back because I didn’t feel like I was ready yet,” Lendeborg added. “I wanted to become a better person, better player. I wanted to develop pro habits.”

Michigan’s championship group shared draft night moments as several Wolverines were selected in the first round.

Lendeborg said the players stayed connected throughout the process.

“We were all super excited, super nervous,” Lendeborg said. “We were just talking about who we think is going to go first, who’s going where.”

He also joked that Dusty May would leave Michigan for the Dallas Mavericks after the title, then select teammate Morez Johnson Jr. No. 9 overall.

“I’m definitely mad at Dusty right now because we know who his favorite is now,” Lendeborg said.

Despite the banter, he said he was happy for his former teammate.

“I’m super happy for Morez. He definitely deserves it, and he’s going to be a great pro for sure,” he said.

Now Lendeborg heads to Golden State with the confidence of a champion and the chance to learn from champions.

“I’m super excited,” Lendeborg said. “I’m excited to be there and play

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