Kayakers escape injury as cliff collapses into Lake Superior

MUNISING, Mich. – Kayakers on a tour of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in northern Michigan narrowly escaped injury when a large section of cliff collapsed near them into Lake Superior.

WLUC-TV reports the kayakers were in an area where sandstone cliffs stand up to about 200 feet (61 metres) above the water.

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 missed them by about 50 feet (15 metres).

MLive.com reports nature photographers Jon Smithers and Craig Blacklock were on a boat and Smithers turned a drone toward the sounds of the collapse in time to record video of it.