Remembring wind storm of 2010

[Willy]

It was 13 years ago today that a 26 year old Doctoral student drowned off Ludington's north breakwater. I specifically remember this drowning because I was taking photos at the breakwater when it happened. This was also the time of year when the big wind storm that lasted for days covered Stearns park with sand. Some places of the park were buried under several feet of sand. The clean up was a mess and very expensive. It was a wild weather event. I'm posting this because I came across some photos I had taken of the events and decided to share them. Ludington still does not have lifeguards. I tried to do some research to determine how many people have drowned in Ludington since that wind storm of 2010 but did not find much information or statistics. We've had winds before and since that storm but I believe 2010 was one of the windiest in Lake Michigan's weather history.

Coast Guard boat passing south breakwater on way to rescue/search for drowning victim. Taken 9-6-2010

Friends and bystanders pointing out to Coast Guard where victim ent...

Stearns Park covered with sand. Taken 9-4-2010

[XLFD]

Other than the three who lost their life in 2010 in separate drowning incidences in the latter part of the summer, I can only remember Albrianna Huck drowning at Stearns in 2019.  There have been a couple of near misses reported and we just had a drowning down at Summit Park, but 2010 (the first year Ludington didn't have lifeguards after Mayor Henderson made it a big part of his mayoral campaign in 2001 and installed them back the next year) was the deadly year for some reason.  

Removing the lifeguard program the year before three drownings occurred then never reinstating it should be his lasting legacy as mayor, but he was engaged in a lot of corrupt activity in his last two terms with the city manager, so that may overshadow it.