Between the US and Canada border, you find The Great Lakes, a big source of freshwater for this part of the world. Not only are they a source of water and flora and fauna, but also a place where all the nearby residents go for leisure and exploration.
From west to east: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. These five lakes are the biggest freshwater system on Earth, an amazing natural resource and a great destination full of interesting facts. Get to know a little bit more about the Great Lakes before embarking on an adventure with Victory Cruise Lines.
Lake Superior: This lake is the largest and deepest of the Great Lakes. Did you know that Lake Superior contains 10% of all the Earth’s fresh surface water? It is also home to more than 70 species of fish. The deepest point in this lake is 1,333 feet, and it’s also one of the cleanest of all the Great Lakes. This lake has enough water to cover all North and South America with one foot of water.
Lake Michigan: This is the third-largest and the only one located entirely on the United States. Lake Michigan is shared from west to east by Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. It is often referred to as the Third Coast of the United States because of its many beaches. Lake Michigan is also the home of the world’s greatest sand dunes, a great place to visit during the summer.
Lake Huron: This lake is the fifth-largest freshwater lake in the world. Lake Huron is connected to Lake Michigan by the Straits of Mackinac, a narrow strip of water. A lake is a great place for fishing and a great spot during the summertime. According to Pure Michigan, at the bottom of Lake Huron rests more than 1,000 known shipwrecks with some 200 of them off the northeastern shore near Alpena, an amazing place for diving and exploring.
Lake Erie: Lake Erie touches four US states—New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan—and Canada. This lake provides drinking water to over 11 million people. It’s also the warmest of the lakes, which is one of the reasons it has an abundant supply of fish.
Lake Michigan: This lake is the only one entirely located in the United States. Almost four dozen lighthouses stand on the beaches of Lake Michigan. They serve as reminders of the importance of the centuries-old shipping industry. This lake has a water surface area of 22,300 square miles. Did you know that the word “Michigan” was originally used to refer to the lake, and is believed to come from the Ojibwa Indian word mishigami, meaning “large water” or “large lake.”
Lake Ontario: This is the smallest and most easternmost of the Lakes. As an interesting fact, The Niagara River is the main source of the lake’s surface area. The Welland Canal and the Niagara River serve as connections with Lake Erie to the southwest. You’ll find a number of islands on the lake, including the Thousand Islands region, which is an archipelago of nearly 2,000 islands.
Get to know more about our amazing Great Lakes cruises and embark on a thrilling expedition along North America’s historic five Great Lakes and the storied St. Lawrence River to the breathtaking vistas of the Atlantic coast.
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