HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – Gale-force winds lured visitors to the lakeshore today, drawing dozens of people to Holland State Park.
Winding gusting to nearly 40 miles an hour created waves over 20 feet high. They came from Holland, Grand Rapids and Ada. George Ooosterbaan of Grand Rapids said he took a detour on the way back to Grand Rapids from a Holland funeral to see the waves and said they were “nuts.”
Wind sent stinging sand particles at bare faces and hands. Some came just to look. Holland neighbors Brenda Price and Lynn Olsson brought their cameras and lunch.
Price said she knew the waves would be good when she saw the trees in her yard being buffeted.
At least one lake lover did more than watch. Beach visitors Jeremy and Kathleen Lehman of Grand Rapids said they drove out with their dogs and watched someone attempting to surf — only to see the wannabe surfer shooed off the water by an Ottawa County Sheriff’s deputy.
National Weather Service meteorologists expect winds to calm down to just 5 miles an hour by Friday morning.
– Peg McNichol
