Lake Superior

Lake Superior is a giant lake between the United States and Canada. It is the largest of the five Great Lakes. In fact, it is the biggest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. The lake is so big that it has waves like the ocean.

A Sea of Fresh Water

Lake Superior holds an amazing amount of water. It has enough water to cover all of North and South America about a foot deep. The water is cold and very clear. In some places you can see 100 feet down. The lake borders three U.S. states and the country of Canada.

Storms and Shipwrecks

Lake Superior can have big storms with huge waves. Some waves have been more than 30 feet tall. Over the years, many ships have sunk in the lake. The most famous one is the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank in 1975. Because the water is so cold, many of these old ships are still in good shape at the bottom.

Fun Facts

• Lake Superior is as big as the state of South Carolina.
• The lake has about 400 islands in it.
• Native Americans call it 'Gitche Gumee,' meaning 'big sea water.'

Did You Know?

Lake Superior is so cold that the bodies of people who fell in long ago have been found nearly unchanged many years later.