In 1969, a man crossed Lake Michigan in a bathtub. Yes, really.
MANITOWOC – When Vic Jackson’s boss challenged him to cross Lake Michigan in a bathtub 50 years ago, how could he say no?
Jackson grew up in Ludington, Michigan, and was familiar with Lake Michigan. His supervisor at an electronics repair shop, however, knew Lake Huron better. The pair got to talking over coffee about which Great Lake was bigger and the size of craft it would take to cross each one. Neither one of them knew much about boats or anything about navigation.
Still, when Jackson’s boss threw out the $5 bet, he rose to the challenge.
“It was a joke, and neither one of us thought it through,” said Jackson, who was 31 and living in Lansing at the time. “It was very bizarre. I took it as a serious proposition, but everyone doubted I could do it.”
Jackson is likely the only person to have crossed Lake Michigan in a bathtub, and he did it without GPS. Although he took a wrong turn or two, he eventually traveled more than 15 hours to arrive in Manitowoc. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of his notable excursion, Jackson has published a book: “Crossing Lake Michigan in a Bathtub.” He also plans to ride the S.S. Badger from Ludington to Manitowoc on Aug. 24.
Before beginning his unprecedented journey, Jackson had to figure out how to get a tub to float.
A friend helped build his lake-faring vessel, using an old cast-iron bathtub and some barrels to build a raft. The boat had a small outboard motor, so Jackson wouldn’t have to paddle across the lake. A test run to the Straits of Mackinac was a success, and Jackson felt ready to roll.
He chose the Ludington to Manitowoc route (the same the S.S. Badger takes) because he was familiar with the car ferries. Plus, the connection runs through the middle of the lake, so he wouldn’t be cheating by taking a shortcut across.
The adventurer did a few mini test runs, and on July 5, 1969, set out on the mission across. But he didn’t get far before needing to contact the U.S.
Vic Jackson of Ludington, Michigan, bails the bathtub that carried him across Lake Michigan 50 years ago. The tub proved to be barely seaworthy. PROVIDED
Coast Guard for a rescue.
“The waves were huge,” Jackson recalled. “They were washing up over my head. It was very emotional. I thought that was it.”
His failure did not go unnoticed. Radio personality Paul Harvey mentioned Jackson on the air, and the Chicago Tribune published a front-page story about the failed attempt.
“I almost decided I was done,” Jackson said. “But a next-door neighbor to my dad came over and looked at the bathtub. He said I picked the wrong weather and I should go when there’s not big waves.”
So he gassed up again on Sunday, Aug. 24, feeling much more confident.
He made it across, but it was tough going.
The problems started before he even hit the water. This time, he lined up an escort boat to cross with him. These were folks who owned a boat shop in the Lansing area.
When they went for breakfast, Jackson assumed they had already taken off and he would begin his journey and catch up to them. The mayor of Lansing also planned to join him on the trip before deciding there wasn’t room for two in the bathtub.
Alone again on the water, Jackson had a phone patch for his amateur radio, but it did no good when his battery died.
“I was in the middle of the lake and navigated wrong,” he said.
He traveled far north of his destination — about four hours out of his way — before finding his way to Manitowoc. As he approached the shore, he noticed people lined up along the breakwall.
“I thought, ‘Boy, the fishing must be really good, all these people are out,’ ” he said with a laugh. “Then, I realized they were all looking for me!”
The bathtub traveled about 6 mph, he said. Leaving at 6:30 a.m., he figured he would arrive in Manitowoc about 10 hours later. He arrived at about 9:30 p.m., he estimated.
Manitowoc Mayor Robert Rand was on hand to greet him and give him a key to the city. His success story made national news.
“I had my 15 minutes of fame,” Jackson said. “Today, I still have a $5 bill signed by my boss.”
“Crossing Lake Michigan in a Bathtub” is available on Amazon as both a Kindle e-book and in paperback.