It's been a tough month of loss in the waters of Lake Erie.

First two swimmers off a disabled fishing boat went under, one trying to safe the other -- their bodies recovered several days later near Walnut Creek access area.

Then on Friday, two teens on a kayak off the Kelso Beach area became swamped in the surf -- one rescued by a resident on a jet ski.  The other, now identified by the coroner as 17-year-old Madison Gallagher from North Huntington near Pittsburgh lost in the water until her body washed up along Presque Isle State Park beach 1 on Sunday.

Luke Walter a waterways conservation officer with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission said Lake Erie conditions can be deceiving.  "So a lot of people  go out that are boating that maybe aren't great swimmers aren't super comfortable being in the water and as you can look out today, it seems pretty nice it's a beautiful day but it's pretty wavy, pretty windy, so if you don't have your life jacket on it can turn into a bad situation fast. 

And using a kayak in Great Lake waters may not go smoothly. "If you get tipped over you can right yourself around so if you go under you can just spin yourself around," Walter said, adding, "it's not easy, it's something that you have to train to do."

Even on a beautiful summer day, the surf and currents can be surprisingly powerful, something visitors here often underestimate.  "When you go out in the water you need to be extra cautious — and I do think they underestimate the power of the lake," said Jodi Fulks who often visits the Lake Erie area with her family.

Fulks also understands the value of a life jacket, and wants everyone else to too. "I think younger people to might not think it's cool to wear a life jacket but you definitely need to have it on -- you just never know when it's going to happen and you just have to take that extra precaution," she added.

Although Lake Erie has plenty of places to swim or do paddle sports, if its in areas where there are no lifeguards, officer Walter said think twice.  "It only takes a split second for something bad to happen and if nobody's around to help you then you're looking at a very bad situation."