This Michigan ‘Rite of Passage’ Is VERY Illegal and Dangerous

Growing up on the lakeshore, I spent a lot of time at Holland State Park, and as a kid, I would always jealously watch all the other kids jump off the pier and into the water, swim around the side, and climb up the ladder. You would hear from classmates in school or see people online jumping off the pier as a sort of Michigan "rite of passage", and you wanted to be able to say you jumped off the pier, too.

My parents never let my siblings and me do it, even when we got older, and I never understood why. What's so dangerous about jumping into the lake where we were just swimming along the beach? Well, now that I'm older, I understand what makes this activity not only dangerous but also illegal. 

Pier-jumping in West Michigan

As fun and seemingly safe as pier-jumping at the beach is, for many, it ended up being the last thing they ever did. Lake Michigan was recently named the deadliest lake in America, and the reason why is directly attributed to the biggest danger that comes with pier-jumping. Landing on rocks is a concern for jumpers, but a more unnoticeable danger persists.

READ MORE: The Easy Way to Check How Busy Holland State Park Is |

Rip currents can pull a swimmer under the water and lead to drowning. A 2021 story from the West Ottawan recounts a family in pain after their 5-year-old was pulled deep into Lake Michigan by these currents. Even the state of Michigan discourages pier jumping.

Pier Jumping Violates Federal Law

Bills have been introduced in the past to make pier jumping a federal offense that would result in a $500 fine, but a statewide law was never passed. But that hasn't stopped cities from enacting and enforcing their own ordinances to deter jumpers.

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South Haven passed a city ordinance in 2022 that gave the city the ability to "close beaches and piers when conditions are unsafe", carrying a $1000 fine. This extended to people caught diving and jumping from a pier. This wasn't an empty threat either, as the city made headlines in recent years for fining four people $1000 each for jumping off the North Pier.

However, this is the only city that fines for jumping. Most places have safety measures in place to deter jumping. Whether there is a red-flag warning or not, currents can drag even the strongest swimmers under or further out into the Lake.