WATCH: Boaters Capture 200-Foot Cliff Face Collapsing Into Lake Superior

By Bill Galluccio

June 29, 2021

GREAT LAKES INVASIVE SPECIES PROJECT - Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Photo: Getty Images

A group of boaters on Lake Superior captured the terrifying moment a cliff face collapsed into the water. Jahn Martin was on vacation and took a pontoon boat out near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

As they approached the cliffs, a 200-foot section came crashing down into the water, sending ten-foot waves towards the boat. Martin said they heard the rocks cracking about a minute before the cliff face collapsed into the lake.

"We could hear the cliff wall popping and cracking, and within 60 seconds, a section of cliff approximately 200 feet wide fell before us," Martin told WLUC. "The splash and swell wave were very dramatic."

Luckily, the boat managed to ride out the waves, and nobody was injured.

Martin shared the dramatic video with the TV station.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE

Pictured Rocks cliff face plummets into Lake Superior (June 26, 2021)

WATCH: A 200-foot cliff face broke off and slid into Lake Superior on Saturday afternoon (June 26, 2021), in the area between Miner’s Beach and Mosquito Beach at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. (Viewer video, with full NSFW audio)

Posted by TV6 & FOX UP on Monday, June 28, 2021

The National Parks Service warns visitors that rockfalls are common due to the soft sand that makes up the cliffs. Hikers are advised to avoid the edges of the cliffs.

"Clifftops are covered with loose sand and gravel. Unsupported overhangs of soft sandstone are common. Rockfalls along the cliffs happen periodically. For your safety, stay away from the cliff edge," the agency warns on its website.

It also says that boating can be dangerous on Lake Superior due to the constantly changing weather conditions.

"Boating and kayaking are great ways to see the Pictured Rocks but can be extremely dangerous due to rapidly changing weather and lake conditions. Only experienced boaters with appropriate skills and equipment should go out on Lake Superior. Take care on the park's inland lakes as well."

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