Close call: Watch as massive cliff collapses 50 feet away from kayak tour at Pictured Rocks
The waters of Lake Superior as seen from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Park in Michigan's U.P. (Photo by MARLIN LEVISON/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
MUNISING, Mich. (FOX 2) - A group of kayakers on a tour of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore narrowly escaped injury when a large section of the cliff collapsed near them into Lake Superior.
WLUC-TV in Marquette reports 18 people were on the tour, and none of them were hurt. The section of the cliff fell about 50 feet away from them.
The kayakers were out between Miners Beach and Mosquito Beach, where cliffs reach up to 200 feet high. One of their guides says the moment will change the way he kayaks.
Van Ouellette-Ballas of Northern Waters Adventures, one of the guides, says smaller rocks had fallen near the group Monday before the massive section fell. He says they "thought we were at a safe distance" and were paddling away when the large collapse just barely missed them.
Pictured Rocks is a national lakeshore in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It's known for its sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, inland lakes, deep forest, and wild shoreline along Lake Superior.
WLUC-TV also reports Jon Smithers and Craig Blacklock, two professional nature photographers, captured the moment with a drone they operated from a pontoon boat.
Smithers told WLCU-TV they heard screams and saw the cliff fall, so he flew his drone closer to make sure everyone was okay.
You can see their drone footage of the collapse below, or by clicking here.
Fox 2 reported on this story from Southfield, Mich.
The Associated Press contributed to this report