Will South Haven’s Buoy Keep Swimmers Safer This Summer?

This recent blast of warm weather sure has Southwest Michigan residents fired up for summer!

In just a short time the beaches will be filled with locals and tourists alike who are enjoying all the Pure Michigan and the "third coast" have to offer. Here's what the City of South Haven is doing to help keep swimmers safe this summer.

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In case you may have forgotten last summer it seemed like every other week our newsfeeds were filled with stories of tragic drownings, particularly at South Haven's south beach.

In fact, last year was one of the deadliest years for Michigan beachgoers with 43 of Michigan's 101 Great Lakes drownings occurring in Lake Michigan. So how can we avoid a repeat of last year?

South Haven Buoy

South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES), which responds to emergencies on Lake Michigan in and around the South Haven area, announced that a new buoy was placed off-shore ahead of the city's busy tourism season to help monitor water conditions.

Writes SHAES on Facebook,

Attention to safety on the water goes well beyond the beach for SHAES responders...Boaters need to be aware of lake conditions. Since 2014 a state-of-the-art weather buoy has been placed approximately 2.5 miles offshore. This is a project of the South Haven Steelheaders and made possible by generous local contributors

The buoy will remain off-shore throughout the summer to monitor water temperature, wave height, wind speed, air temperature, and more in an effect to help beachgoers and swimmers informed of dangerous water conditions. This is an addition to the color-coded flag system and new life-jacket loaner stations on South Haven's beaches.

Check out current conditions in South Haven and watch the buoy's live stream here. Be sure to add it to your bookmarks/favorites so you can easily check conditions if you plan to frequent South Haven this summer.