GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — An ultra swimmer nicknamed “The Shark” appeared to be back on the beach Wednesday, give up on yet another mission to cross Lake Michigan after more than 36 hours in the water.
A tracker online showed Jim Dreyer returned to Grand Haven, Michigan, where he began his planned 82-mile swim to Wisconsin on Monday night.
He posted on Facebook that he was safe.
“There were only two good hours in this 40-hour swim. If you looked at the tracker, I promise I wasn’t drunk,” Dreyer wrote. “We’ll talk after a sleep marathon. Thank you all for your support, love and prayers.”
Dreyer, 61, has attempted four times since 2023 to swim across Lake Michigan, including one attempt just a few weeks ago, but has failed due to lake conditions or other factors.
He not only swam one of the great lakes this week but also towed a small inflatable boat with supplies.
Dreyer first struck out when he crossed Lake Michigan in 1998, starting in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and finishing in Ludington, Michigan.
In August, sea conditions and hallucinations forced him to give up on the third day. Dreyer lost the batteries in his GPS device and ended up swimming way off course.
“What a blow!” he said.
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