Wauconda Teen Among 2 Saved From Lake Michigan

LAKE COUNTY, IL — A Wauconda teen was among two teens rescued while out paddle boarding on Lake Michigan Wednesday afternoon.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit responded to an area about one mile from the Lake Bluff shoreline at about 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. At that time, deputies on patrol in the area saw two teens on paddle boards that were floating toward the center of Lake Michigan.

The teens were not able to overcome the wind and lake current, which continued to pull them away from the shoreline, authorities said.

The teens were also not wearing life vests and did not have their phones or any other type of communication or emergency devices. Marine unit deputies pulled them from the lake and were also able to retrieve their paddle boards, according to a news release.

The teens were not inured and were safely reunited with family at the Lake Forest marina.

Sheriff John D. Idleburg added, “This is what this Sheriff’s Lake Michigan Patrol Boat is all about – saving lives. I am so grateful we were able to replace our previous Lake Michigan boat that was retired in 2018. This allowed our marine unit deputies to save two young lives within a week of resuming patrols.”

The rescue comes less than a week after the sheriff's office announced it would be resuming patrols on Lake Michigan.

The sheriff's office rebooted patrols after receiving a new Fluid Watercraft Inflatable Patrol Boat this past spring. The boat has two 225 horsepower engines and can carry 14 passengers.

Prior to that, patrol efforts have not been up and running since 2018. At that time, the sheriff's office retired an outdated watercraft due to multiple mechanical and safety issues. Earlier this year, the LakeCounty Board approved the replacement of the watercraft retired in 2018.

The Lake County Board approved the replacement of the watercraft earlier this year.

The new patrol boat has two 225 horsepower engines and can carry 14 passengers.

The new boat is named in memory of fallen Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Gary D. Murphy, who was killed in the line of duty in June of 1976.

Through an ongoing partnership with the United States Coast Guard and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police, the sheriff’s office will coordinate patrols with both agencies.

"This is what this Sheriff’s Lake Michigan Patrol Boat is all about – saving lives. I am so grateful we were able to replace our previous Lake Michigan boat that was retired in 2018. This allowed our marine unit deputies to save two young lives within a week of resuming patrols," Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said.