PORT HURON (WWJ) - Thousands of metro Detroiters will be flocking to the St. Clair River on Sunday for the annual Port Huron Float Down.
As many as 10,000 people are expected to take part in this year's event, riding on rafts or floats from Port Huron to Marysville.
Coast Guard Lieutenant Justin Bommer cautions that drownings are up this year because of higher water on local lakes and rivers.
"People should 100% absolutely be wearing life jackets. I mean, the current of the river can be anywhere from three to seven knots but the undercurrent can be much stronger than that. So if you were to fall in the water, it's a very real possibility that you might not be able to pop back up," Bommer told WWJ's Beth Fisher. "With the higher water levels, we're experiencing much stronger undercurrents than normal and it can be very, very difficult no matter how experienced of a swimmer you are to overcome."
Another danger is debris in the water that rafters won't be able to see until it's too late.
"There's a lot of submerged objects that aren't normally submerged. Old pylons and things that used to be apart of docks and things like that are now submerged a few inches under the water where in previous years they're sticking out a couple of feet," Bommer said. "This year it's a real issue, people's boats are hitting them, kayaks and things of the like are being caught up on things that they have no idea are even there until it's too late, unfortunately."
If you take part in the float down, Bommer said you should bring a waterproof container for your wallet, keys, cellphone and most importantly your identification. You may remember, about 1,500 people landed in Canada because of high winds in 2016.
"They washed up on shore in a foreign country and had no identification to prove who they were," he said.
Rafters should also file a float plan with someone who is staying on shore. Make sure they know how long you plan to be out -- the trip usually takes around three hours -- and where you are getting out of the water.
