2nd swimmer in a month abandons attempt to cross Lake Michigan, blames support boat problems

DETROIT (AP) — The second swimmer in a month has abandoned an attempt to cross Lake Michigan after spending hours in the water.

Bryan Huffman, 49, of Holland, Michigan, began the roughly 50-mile (80-kilometer) swim Saturday morning in Wisconsin, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Huffman successfully swam across the English Channel in 2022 but he didn’t have much luck in the lake. He told the newspaper he gave up after his support boat lost its steering, and he grew cold after battling a lake current. He said he managed to swim only about 12 miles (19 kilometers) in 13 hours.

Jim Dreyer of Grand Haven, Michigan, abandoned his attempt to cross the lake on Aug. 1 after swimming just 10 miles (16 kilometers). He said poor weather conditions forced him to quit.