The issue here is not the ditching part, it's surviving Lake Michigan
for any length of time requires full survival gear. That lake has big
steel freighters on the bottom that have yet to be found after going
down (although amateurs are actively looking).
I flew over earlier this year in a 182, at 12,500 in CAVU conditions
with a brisk tailwind and felt acutely aware of the risk, but it was a
beautiful flight. I think those who fly over down low may not realize
how big it is when they get over the middle. Taking the ferry accross,
there is a period in the middle where you see nothing but water for a
couple of hours...

I volunteer at OSH and I remember a guy in non-electric Champ getting
out (with a parrott no less) from lower Michigan, having flown
directly across at about 2000'. I question the judgement, but he made
it...

The bigger issue remains the bone-heads who have no clue about the
arrival procedure, don't know anything about the NOTAM, and call in at
the 5 mile point on the Class D asking "for clearance" as one Canadian
Mooney last Sunday did (they were not too happy with him, but much to
my frustration the contollers worked with him rather than sending him
off somewhere else. It happens every year (and this year more than
once).

The other issue is those who get mixed up and try to land on the wrong
runway (like landing on 9 rather than the 50 people landing on 27),
which will get you a visit from the FSDO folks REAL QUICK. (which I
witnessed the other day up close).

OR, after landing not following directions and "freelancing" around
the airport with people everywhere, blithly ignoring all the EAA
folks.

SO, there is alot of stupid pilot tricks out there.

-Ryan