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Diving accident shows dangers


Diving accident shows dangers
Victim in critical condition
Dan Ray of Negaunee returns from a walk on the Lower Harbor breakwater in Marquette this morning. A weekend accident at the breakwater was a tragic reminder of the dangers of diving along the Lake Superior shore. (Journal photo by Andy Nelson-Zaleski)

By STEVE BROWNLEE, Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — An accident on Marquette’s Lower Harbor breakwater is a tragic reminder of the danger inherent around one of the largest bodies of freshwater in the world.

Brian Bradley, 25, of Munising dove head-first early Saturday morning from the breakwater and hit his head on the shallow bottom, according to Detective Capt. Mike Angeli of the Marquette City Police Department.

Bradley was listed in critical condition Wednesday afternoon at Marquette General Hospital.


ANGELI
Bradley and at least one companion from the Munising area walked about 200 yards from shore along the breakwater around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Angeli said.

Bradley was reported to have jumped from the higher part of the concrete structure, about 12 feet above the water’s surface, landing in water that was only about two feet deep because of the sand that has drifted up to the structure, Angeli said.

“The bottom, especially on the shore (west) side of the breakwall, can be very variable,” Angeli said. “You have to remember that these breakwalls are not diving platforms in any shape or form.”

Bradley apparently was knocked unconscious and was floating face down in the water before his companion pulled him from the water, Angeli said. A 23-foot-long utility vessel from the nearby Coast Guard station brought Bradley to shore, where an MGH ambulance took him to the hospital.

A Marquette Coast Guard officer also pointed out the dangers of diving along the shore, even though signs placed by the Army Corps of Engineers near Great Lakes breakwaters mainly warn about walking on these structures during adverse weather conditions. At the time of Saturday’s incident, the weather was nearly calm, according to the National Weather Service.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sign, left, cautions people to keep off the breakwater during storms and high seas as Dan Ray of Negaunee, right, returns from a walk on the Lower Harbor breakwater in Marquette this morning. (Journal photo by Andy Nelson-Zaleski)
“Diving into Lake Superior off any structure, whether it is rocks, bridges or other kinds of structures, is never a good idea,” Marquette Coast Guard Petty Officer Joe Zrelak said. “We’ve unfortunately had many cases over the years of people being injured along the shore.”

He mentioned the black rocks at Presque Isle Park and Picnic Rocks as two dangerous areas just within the city of Marquette.

Breakwaters can be particularly dangerous for walking or diving because of uncertain footing, submerged rocks and changing depth of the bottom.

“We can only guarantee the depth of the water 50 feet from the breakwall for navigation purposes,” Zrelak said. “An area closer in that was deep enough one day can quickly change by filling in with sand or debris, after a storm, for instance.”

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