#great lakes

[gluten-free-lap-dances]

Fort Creek

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada 10.2025

[ripeteeth]

50 years ago, on November 9th, 1975, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald left Superior, Wisconsin on a beautiful and unseasonably warm autumn day carrying 29 men and 26,116 long tons of taconite. It was to be the Fitzgerald’s last run of the season before putting up for winter repairs, and it was to be Captain Ernest McSorley’s final run before retiring to spend time with his wife.

The crew was aware of an inbound storm due to roll in overnight, but no one had predicted how two storm fronts, one from the southwest and one down from Canada, would clash over Lake Superior, causing what would be remembered as one of the worst storms of the century. McSorley was respected as one of the best captains on the Great Lakes, a heavy weather sailor who knew how to handle storms. McSorley rarely opted for cautious leeward routes but as this storm began to unfold he chose to keep close to Isle Royale and the Ontario shore. Our last communication from them was a message from McSorley to fellow freighter Arthur M. Anderson at 7.10 pm.

“We are holding our own,” they said.

It’s haunting to know that at this very moment fifty years ago they were probably in great spirits in good water, bringing the ship back on the last run of the 1975 season, looking forward to spending the winter at home.

Tomorrow, on the 50th anniversary of the sinking, the Detroit Mariners’ Church bells will ring 30 times — once for each of the souls lost to the lake and once for Gordon Lightfoot, who brought a somber remembrance and immortality to them all.

[gretchensinister]

Do you have a specific body of water you would let kill you?

Pacific Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

Other ocean/sea (saltwater)

Specific lake you've been to

Specific lake you have NOT been to

Specific river you've been to

Specific river you've NOT been to

A little gal-pond/stream/creek etc.

Some other watery place

I don't have this kind of relationship with any body of water

Voting ended onFeb 27, 2025

This isn't about whether you think it's likely that you'll die in this body of water; it's about which body of water you would give the right to take you.

For example, for me it's Lake Michigan.

Tag discussion encouraged of course

[ladyvandaele]

Journey of the Day

[trophobolene]

Purple Fade

Chicago, Illinois - Jan, 2026

Canon Rebel T3, 18-135mm

[bunjywunjy]

I'm not familiar with American geography, so the little thin threadlike patches of lands dividing the three lakes, are those accessible? Can people go across the lakes via those barely visible land bridges?

these?

those aren't land bridges, they're bridge bridges!

the southern one is the Mackinac Bridge, which is the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere.

it's fucking ENORMOUS. it's about 5 miles long and the deck is 200 feet over the water. the bridge towers are 550 feet tall.

it honestly breaks your brain a bit to look at it, but if you want to cross from Lower to Upper Michigan or vice versa, it's your only choice.

and the northern circle is the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, which is just fine.

(it's pronounced "SOO saint marie")

it takes you to Canada from Upper Michigan if you want to go, so there's Customs at the end. bring your passport, and also your dog's passport.

and that's how we get around up here! if you need to go somewhere in the Great Lakes area and there's one of these big watery fucks in the way, you either take one of these bridges, hop onto a car or passenger ferry, or drive the long way round.

[plains-flora]

july 27, 2016 // temperance river state park, minnesota