Man’s 95 Mile Swim Across Lake Michigan Tracked with GPS
25 Aug 2015On his third day of what was supposed to be an 80-mile swim from Wisconsin to West Michigan across Lake Michigan, Chris Lechner began hearing a voice in his head telling him he was in trouble.
He began struggling with 6-foot waves during his last stretch of solo swimming which he started on Saturday, August 8. Only a quarter of a mile from shore, he began getting pulled by a riptide pulling him south of his planned destination.
He started to become paranoid once he realized that no matter how much he pushed and how hard, he was not getting any closer to shore. What he was doing, however, was swimming in circles.
He claimed he was beginning to lose his ability to make judgements and felt as if his mind was getting fuzzier regardless of how strong he felt.
Lechner called a friend for help using his satellite phone. The friend then alerted the Coast Guard which came and rescued Lechner around 11pm Monday close to Saugatuck Dunes State Park.
By the end of it all, Lechner had ended up swimming 95 miles instead of his intended 80. He set off from Wisconsin on Racine Harbor at the Wind Point Lighthouse with a paddle board attached to him via a tether wearing a cap and wetsuit.
Most of his swim went rather smoothly with the exception of a little bit of choppy water at the beginning and some sea sickness. He kept in contact with his friend by phone who used a GPS tracking system to monitor his location.
Lechner, Wisconsin native but living in Asheville, North Carolina now, comes from a family of devoted swimmers. He followed a two-year regimen which combined swimming, yoga and paddle boarding.
“My goal here was to challenge myself. Can I deal with this long event? Can I deal with the black, cold night alone?” he said.
For his solo journey, Lechner researched technology. He discovered GPS tracking and bought a pair of GPS goggles which had lights attached to them that would alert him if during his swim he veered off course. He also studied sailing and spoke with the Coast Guard before his trip. He packed freeze dried meals for food as well as other nutrients.
Lechner admitted that although he prepared himself for big, cold waters, he didn’t even consider the thought of coming up against riptides. He tried six times to swim through the riptide, but found he was only being turned around. During this time, he was using only a small compass since his batteries died for his GPS goggles.
He was even unable to reach his water and food supply on his paddleboard during that final
stretch due to rough waters.
Once rescued by the Coast Guard, Lechner’s vital signs were checked by Saugatuck firefighters. He did not need any hospital treatment and after drinking down a bottle of Gatorade, said he felt fine.
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