Coast Guard Rear Admiral Donna Cottrell said Lake Erie should always be treated with respect.

 

“I would say the lake is dangerous all the time, and people underestimate it,” said Cottrell, the Coast Guard commander for the eight-state Great Lakes region.

 

But high water has made the lake more dangerous than ever, Cottrell said. And until recently, the lake water was cold, making it dangerous for people to spend too much time in the water. Alcohol also can make navigating the lake more dangerous, she said.

 

And speaking of intoxication, marijuana may be legal now in Michigan, but when your boat leaves a Michigan dock and goes out on the lake with pot aboard, you’re breaking the law. The surface of the lake is under federal jurisdiction, where marijuana Surviving against the law.

 

The Coast Guard spends much of its time rescuing people and trying to keep them safe. Here are Cottrell’s suggestions for staying safe on Lake Erie when you are having fun:

 

Always wear a life jacket with reflective material when you climb aboard a boat and go out on the lake.

 

“It’s like getting in a car without your seat belt,” Cottrell.

 

Coast Guard sailors are professionals, but they also are required to wear life jackets.

 

It’s also good to have reflective tape on the life jacket. That makes it easier to spot people in the dark.

 

A woman recently was rescued after driving many hours in the water overnight near Put-in-Bay, and authorities said she likely is still alive because she wore a life jacket.

 

When you are planning to go out on the lake, tell your spouse or friend where you are going, and go there, so the Coast Guard knows where to look if you don’t return to shore on time.

 

Sometimes, when a spouse is asked where their missing spouse went to go fishing, they will say, “Lake Erie,” Cottrell said.

 

“Lake Erie is pretty big,” she said.

 

Along with life jackets, it’s a good idea to have safety equipment aboard the boat such as reflective vests, flares, radios, cellphones and a backup cellphone battery or charger.

 

Teach your family members and friends how to run a boat radio, turn off a boat engine, and perform other common tasks.

 

“That would save a lot of people,” Cottrell said.

 

Often, the person who knows how to operate the boat and its safety equipment is the person who has fallen overboard, the admiral said.

 

Pay attention to the weather, which can turn ugly quickly in Lake Erie.