PROTECTING NAYAANO NIBIIMAANG GICHIGAMIIN

The Great Lakes Watershed

- Jit HEINERTH

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean would be faster than travelling the length of the Great Lakes watershed from Duluth, Minnesota, on Lake Superior to the ocean. The watershed is a massive, under-appreciated inland sea covering 94,884 square miles (245,750 km²). For the ambitious soul that wants to make the trip, you'll need at least 8.5 days to cover the west-to-east journey of 2,342 miles (3,769 km). But rather than sailing, I prefer to dive!

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum reports over 6,000 wrecks; however, historian Mark Thompson estimates that there are closer to 25,000 wrecks beneath the surface of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. These wrecks include various vessel types, including schooners, steamships, freighters, and aircraft. Many wrecks date back to the 1800s and early 1900s, and have become habitat for a diverse array of aquatic life.