Great Lakes Rip Current Conference

Nationally, over 100 deaths a year are caused by rip currents, and the Great Lakes are not immune. From 2002 through 2003, 18 people died in Lake Michigan alone, and in 2003, a young man drowned in a rip current on Park Point in Duluth.

Many of these deaths could have been avoided by knowing what rip currents are, how to spot them, understanding the conditions in which they form, and knowing how to escape.

The day-long 2009 Great Lakes Rip Current Conference will begin at 9 a.m. June 4, 2009, at the Lafayette Community Center in Duluth, Minn. National experts on rip currents and hypothermia will discuss the mechanics of how, why, and where rip currents form in the Great Lakes; our ability to forecast rip current conditions; the effects of hypothermia and how cold water can affect rescues; and example programs from Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota on educating beach users to recognize and escape from rip currents.

To learn more, go to Minnesota Sea Grant.