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Great Lakes Fresh Water Volume

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by CaptEvan, Nov 8, 2010.

  1. CaptEvan, Nov 8, 2010
    #1
    CaptEvan

    CaptEvan Senior Member

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    Someone, quite awhile ago, told me that the volume of water in Lake Superior could cover the contiguous United States with over 6" of fresh water. I thought it total BS until I recently checked it out. Indeed, Lake Superior has nearly 3,000 cubic miles of water to offer just under 3 million square miles of dry US soil. Add the other Great Lakes, and they put another 4" or so over the whole thing.

    Wow!! No wonder my 8-year old son said our sounder was completely screwed up when we were a half mile off shore on the west side of the Kewenaw Peninsula out of Copper Harbor and reading 900+ feet.

    Reminds me of flying into PBW to deliver a yacht and I commented to the woman next to me how big Lake Okeechobee looked out the window. She responded that "Oh my yes, it is so much bigger than the seeming "Great Lakes" you so treasure." Funny, the US map I presented to her in the back of the Delta magazine did not even show Okeechobee. An awkward silence ruled thereafter.

    What an incredible natural asset to cherish and protect, when fresh water around the world is ever more scarce, and bottled water often costs more than gasoline. Seriously, some of you folks need to get up here and cruise these incredible waters when they are soft.;)
    Last edited: Nov 8, 2010
  2. Hattsoff, Nov 8, 2010
    #2
    Hattsoff

    Hattsoff Member

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    Well said. The Great Lakes are indeed very fascinating and beautiful.

    In other Great Lakes news, today north of Chicago in Lake MI they pulled a World War ll plane that had been sitting at the bottom of the lake for nearly 70 yrs. It's a 1930's Birdcage Corsair that had crashed during aircraft carrier training for the war. The cold fresh water makes for a decent enviroment to preserve things that sink. Lot's of history in these lakes. Just looking at the photos of that plane being salvaged give me chills. (chills in a good way)
  3. PropBet, Nov 9, 2010
    #3
    PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

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    You could flood the entire Cont. US 9' deep with the water from the Great Lakes.

    Google will provide several references to the math behind it.
  4. Kevin, Nov 9, 2010
    #4
    Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    LINK

    There's no doubt it's a Corsair. :) They got the years a little wrong though...
  5. mbgator, Nov 10, 2010
    #5
    mbgator

    mbgator New Member

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    We boat on Lake Michigan. You are correct in your statement that more people really need to experience these waters. Lake Superior is so long (East - West) that she creates her own weather.
    Lake Michigan is wide enough (80 miles) that while on the Wisconsin side you will have calm waters and little wind, on the Michigan side we get 6' - 8' seas and 30 knot winds - on the same day!
    They can be beautiful and deadly - but always amazing.
  6. PropBet, Nov 11, 2010
    #6
    PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

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    Indeed.
    We've got good friends in Wisconsin we'll meet up with through the summer.
    We always get a chuckle out of the phone call "Hey, how's the water look over there?"

    Terrible, 6' nasty, and 35kts in the face. How is it on your side?
    Stunning, glass, sunny, and a gentle 4 kts breeze. :mad:
  7. colintraveller, Nov 12, 2010
    #7
    colintraveller

    colintraveller Senior Member

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    Correct me if am wrong that the Great lakes has claimed a great deal of ships over the years .
  8. 61c40, Nov 12, 2010
    #8
    61c40

    61c40 Member

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    Great Lakes

    I believe Bowling Green University in Ohio has a great lakes history data base that documents over a thousand vessels of note that litter the bottom of the great lakes. 40 knots on the lakes is a bit uglier than 40 knots on the deep ocean
  9. PropBet, Nov 12, 2010
    #9
    PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

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    More than both you and I could count in a few days. Small boats, large, and quote large. The most notable, the Edmond Fitzgerald.

    This does provide some outstanding wreck diving for those suited for cold and deep water ( >100 feet) in most cases. Many accessible via compressed air, however many many more for rebreather and tri-mix divers.

    Because the water is a) so cold in many cases and b) fresh water, the wrecks are often surprisingly well preserved considering how long they've sat on the lake floor.

    Google will lead you to several of the dive / wreck preservation and discovery societies in the great lakes area.