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58-582: Port Crescent State Park is a public recreation area on Lake Huron five miles (8.0 km) southwest of Port Austin in Huron County at the tip of The Thumb of Michigan . The state park covers 640 acres (260 ha) along state route M-25 in Hume Township . The park occupies the site of Port Crescent, a ghost town which once stood at the mouth of the Pinnebog River . The park

116-556: A Récollet missionary , Joseph Le Caron , who would live among the Huron in 1615–1616 and 1623–1624. Another Récollet missionary, Gabriel Sagard , lived there from 1623–34. The French Jesuit Jean de Brébeuf began a mission in Huronia in 1626. In 1639 he oversaw the building of the mission fort of Sainte-Marie, Ontario's first European settlement, at what is now the town of Midland . The reconstructed Jesuit mission, Sainte-Marie among

174-514: A 142-site campground and cabin. Lake Huron Lake Huron ( / ˈ h jʊər ɒ n , - ən / HURE -on, -⁠ən ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America . It is shared on the north and east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south and west by the U.S. state of Michigan . The name of the lake is derived from early French explorers who named it for the indigenous people they knew as Huron (Wyandot) inhabiting

232-477: A 2013 underwater discovery along the ridge. On the eve of European contact, the extent of development among Eastern Woodlands Native American societies is indicated by the archaeological evidence of a town on or near Lake Huron that contained more than one hundred large structures housing a total population of between 4,000 and 6,000. The French, the first European visitors to the region, often referred to Lake Huron as La Mer Douce, "the fresh-water sea". In 1656,

290-475: A distance inland, sites are geographically-temporally stratified in correspondence with water levels. For example, at two sites along Batteaux Creek near modern-day Collingwood adjacent to the south shore of Georgian Bay, the transitional Late Paleo-Indian– Early Archaic McKean site corresponds to the relatively low water ebb of Lake Hough, while the Middle Archaic Rentner site (likely

348-1035: A fierce storm after leaving, Le Griffon ran aground before the storm. The people of Manitoulin Island say that the wreck in Mississagi Strait at the western tip of the island is that of Le Griffon . Meanwhile, others near Tobermory , say that the wreck on Russell Island , 150 miles (240 km) farther east in Georgian Bay, is that of Le Griffon . On November 9, 1913, the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 in Lake Huron sank 10 ships, and more than 20 were driven ashore. The storm, which raged for 16 hours, killed 235 seamen. Matoa—a propeller freighter measuring 2,311 gross register tons —had passed between Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario, just after midnight. On November 9, just after six in

406-580: A freshwater lake. The Trent–Severn Waterway connects Georgian Bay to Lake Ontario, running from Port Severn in the southeastern corner of Georgian Bay through Lake Simcoe into Lake Ontario near Trenton . Further north, Lake Nipissing drains into Georgian Bay through the French River . In October 2004, the Georgian Bay Littoral was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO . Archaeological records reveal an Aboriginal presence in

464-428: A grand celebration, and many women came. Kitchikewana met a woman named Wanakita here. He decided that this was the woman he wanted to marry, and started planning the wedding immediately after she left. But when she was invited back, she told Kitchikewana that she was already engaged. Enraged, Kitchikewana destroyed all the decorations, running to one end of Beausoleil Island and grabbing a large ball of earth. Running to

522-479: A lake). By volume however, Lake Huron is only the third largest of the Great Lakes, being surpassed by Lake Michigan and Lake Superior . When measured at the low water datum, the lake contains a volume of 850 cubic miles (3,500 km ) and a shoreline length (including islands) of 3,827 mi (6,159 km). The surface of Lake Huron is 577 feet (176 m) above sea level . The lake's average depth

580-532: A map by French cartographer Nicolas Sanson refers to the lake by the name Karegnondi , a Wyandot word that has been translated variously, as "Freshwater Sea", "Lake of the Hurons", or simply "lake". Generally, the lake was labeled "Lac des Hurons" (Lake of the Huron) on most early European maps. By the 1860s, many European settlements on the shores of Lake Huron were becoming incorporated , including Sarnia,

638-435: A profound food web change that took place in 2003. Lake trout have also been stocked for decades in an attempt to rehabilitate the species and today are largely self sustaining, especially in the northern half of the lake. Lake Huron has suffered recently by the introduction of a variety of new invasive species, including zebra and quagga mussels , the spiny water flea , and round gobies . The demersal fish community of

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696-475: A result of the almost complete disappearance of the invasive Alewife in the lake). These native species include Lake Trout and Walleye . The Walleye population in Saginaw Bay area of Lake Huron reached recovery targets in 2009. Michigan Ontario Georgian Bay Georgian Bay is surrounded by (listed clockwise ) the districts of Manitoulin , Sudbury , Parry Sound and Muskoka , as well as

754-580: A retention time of only 22 years. By surface area, Lake Huron is the second-largest of the Great Lakes, with a surface area of 23,007 square miles (59,590 km )—of which 9,103 square miles (23,580 km ) lies in Michigan and 13,904 square miles (36,010 km ) lies in Ontario—making it the third-largest fresh water lake on Earth (or the fourth-largest lake, if the Caspian Sea is counted as

812-551: A row in 2020. Historic low water Lake levels tend to be the lowest in winter. The normal low-water mark is 1.00 foot (30 cm) below datum ( 577.5 ft or 176.0 m ). In the winter of 1964, Lakes Michigan and Huron reached their lowest level at 1.38 feet (42 cm) below datum. As with the high-water records, monthly low-water records were set each month from February 1964 through January 1965. During this twelve-month period, water levels ranged from 1.38 to 0.71 feet (42–22 cm) below Chart Datum. The all-time low-water mark

870-464: A true shoreline site) reflects the high water levels of the later Nipissing transgression. At the time of European contact , the Ojibwe and Ottawa First Nations , both of whom call themselves Anishinaabe (plural: Anishinaabeg ), lived along the northern, eastern and western shores of Georgian Bay. The Huron (or Wendat) and Petun inhabited the lands along the southern coast, having migrated from

928-402: Is 32 fathoms 3 feet (195 ft; 59 m), while the maximum recorded (by sonar) depth is 125 fathoms (750 ft; 229 m). It has a length of 206 statute miles (332  km ; 179  nmi ) and a greatest breadth of 183 statute miles (295 km; 159 nmi). A large bay that protrudes northeast from Lake Huron into Ontario, Canada, is called Georgian Bay . A notable feature of

986-614: Is a YMCA summer camp for youth located on Beausoleil Island, in southern Georgian Bay, named after Kitchikewana. YMCA Camp Kitchikewana, or Kitchi for short, has been located in Georgian Bay Islands National Park since 1919. Originally operated by the Midland YMCA, it is now the residential camp for youth from the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka. Wasaga Beach has now passed Collingwood as the largest town on

1044-529: Is about 190 kilometres (120 mi) long by 80 kilometres (50 mi) wide. It covers approximately 15,000 square kilometres (5,800 sq mi), making it nearly 80% the size of Lake Ontario . Eastern Georgian Bay is part of the southern edge of the Canadian Shield , granite bedrock exposed by the glaciers at the end of the last ice age , about 11,000 years ago. The granite rock formations and windswept eastern white pine are characteristic of

1102-576: The Detroit River and Detroit , Michigan; into Lake Erie and thence – via Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River – to the Atlantic Ocean. Like the other Great Lakes, it was formed by melting ice as the continental glaciers retreated toward the end of the last ice age . Before this, Lake Huron was a low-lying depression through which flowed the now-buried Laurentian and Huronian Rivers;

1160-478: The 1850s and are known collectively as the Imperial Towers. Some of the 32 can be toured by the public, some cannot, and some are accessible only by tour boats or private boat. Wyandot legend tells of a god called Kitchikewana, who was large enough to guard the whole of the Georgian Bay. Kitchikewana was known for his great temper, and his tribe decided the best way to calm him was with a wife. They held

1218-488: The Alpena-Amberley Ridge was exposed. That land bridge was used as a migration route for large herds of caribou . Since 2008, archaeologists have discovered at least 60 stone constructions along the submerged ridge that are thought to have been used as hunting blinds by Paleo-Indians . That a trade network brought obsidian from Oregon almost ten thousand years ago to be used for toolmaking was confirmed by

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1276-675: The British schooner HMS Nancy was sunk by three American vessels. Several weeks later, Nancy was avenged when British boarding parties in the De Tour Passage surprised and captured two of the three American vessels. The first nautical charts of Georgian Bay were made in 1815 by Captain William Fitzwilliam Owen , who called it Lake Manitoulin. Captain Henry Bayfield , who made more detailed charts of

1334-613: The Georgian Bay are the traditional domain of the Anishinaabeg First Nations peoples to the north and Huron - Petun (Wyandot) to the south. The bay was thus a major Algonquian - Iroquoian trade route. Georgian Bay has been known by several names. To the Ojibwe , it is known as "Spirit Lake". To the Huron-Wendat , it is known as Lake Attigouatan. Samuel de Champlain , the first European to explore and map

1392-596: The Hurons , is now a historic park operated by Huronia Historical Parks, an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture . Also nearby is the Martyrs' Shrine , a Catholic church dedicated to the Canadian Martyrs , Jesuits who were killed during Iroquois warfare against the Huron around Georgian Bay in the 17th century. The Bay appears on maps of the time as "Toronto Bay". Penetanguishene ,

1450-596: The Straits of Mackinac, La Salle made landfall on Washington Island , off the tip of the Door Peninsula on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan. La Salle filled Le Griffon with pelts and in late November 1679 sent Le Griffon back to the site of modern-day Buffalo, never to be seen again. Two wrecks have been identified as Le Griffon , although neither has gained final verification as the actual wreck. Blown by

1508-670: The United States. Major centres on Georgian Bay include Owen Sound , Wasaga Beach , Collingwood , Midland , Penetanguishene , Port Severn and Parry Sound . Historic high water The lake fluctuates from month to month with the highest lake levels in October and November. The normal high-water mark is 2.00 feet (0.61 m) above datum ( 577.5 ft or 176.0 m ). In the summer of 1986, Lakes Michigan and Huron reached their highest level at 5.92 feet (1.80 m) above datum. The high-water records were broken for several months in

1566-476: The area in 1615–1616, called it " La Mer douce " (the sweet/calm/fresh sea), which was a reference to the bay's freshwater . It was named "Lake Manitoulin" by Royal Navy Captain William Fitzwilliam Owen. In 1822, after Great Britain had taken over the territory, Lieutenant Henry Wolsey Bayfield of a Royal Navy expedition named it as "Georgian Bay" (after King George IV ). Georgian Bay

1624-514: The bay, not long after Collingwood had surpassed Owen Sound . Owen Sound served for a long time as a shipping and rail depot for the Upper Great Lakes . The towns of Midland and Penetanguishene and villages of Port Severn and Honey Harbour are at the southeastern end of the bay and are popular sites for summer cottages, as are the many bays and islands on the eastern coast. Collingwood, Meaford , and Wasaga Beach are located at

1682-571: The bay, renamed it in 1822 after King George IV. His charts are the basis for those in use today. The Canadian Hydrographic Service traces its history back to 1883, when it was originally established as the Georgian Bay Survey, tasked with charting and improving knowledge of the bay after a steamship wrecked there the previous year, killing 150 of its passengers. Over the years, 32 lighthouses were built on Georgian Bay. Six of them were designed with limestone towers; these were built in

1740-426: The highly mobile Paleo-Indian groups of the period were able to migrate northward into this new land. Declining water levels created two distinct lakes in the Huron basin: Lake Stanley and Lake Hough , the latter of which corresponds to the modern Georgian Bay. Lake Stanley drained into Lake Hough through a spillway. While it is sometimes unclear whether some sites were contemporaneous with shorelines or were located

1798-400: The hull. To keep from being pushed aground, they kept their bow into the wind with the engines running half to full in turns, yet the ship still drifted 800 feet (240 m) before its movement was arrested. Waves breaking over the ship damaged several windows, and the crew reported seeing portions of the concrete break wall peeling off as the waves struck it. Meanwhile, fifty miles farther up

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1856-556: The islands and much of the shoreline of the bay. The rugged beauty of the area inspired landscapes by artists of the Group of Seven . The western part of the bay, from Collingwood north, and including Manitoulin , Drummond , Cockburn and St. Joseph islands, borders the Niagara Escarpment . Because of its size and narrowness of the straits joining it with the rest of Lake Huron, which is analogous to if not as pronounced as

1914-434: The lake bed was criss-crossed by a large network of tributaries to these ancient waterways, with many of the old channels still evident on bathymetric maps. The Alpena-Amberley Ridge is an ancient ridge beneath the surface of Lake Huron, running from Alpena, Michigan , southwest to Point Clark , Ontario. About 9,000 years ago, when water levels in Lake Huron were approximately 100 m (330 ft) below today's levels,

1972-437: The lake by the 1930s. The major native top predator, lake trout, was virtually extirpated from the lake by 1950 through a combination of overfishing and the effects of sea lamprey. Several species of ciscos were also extirpated from the lake by the 1960s; the only remaining native ciscoes are bloater and Cisco (lake herring). Non-native Pacific salmon have been stocked in the lake since the 1960s, but are less abundant since

2030-470: The lake include the North Channel and Georgian Bay . Saginaw Bay is located in the southwest corner of the lake. The main inlet is the St. Marys River from Lake Superior , and the main outlet is through the St. Clair River toward Lake Erie . Lake Huron has a fairly large drainage basin covering parts of Michigan and Ontario. Water flows through Lake Huron faster than the other Great Lakes with

2088-486: The lake is Manitoulin Island , which separates the North Channel and Georgian Bay from Lake Huron's main body of water. It is the world's largest lake island . A smaller bay that protrudes southwest from Lake Huron into Michigan is called Saginaw Bay . Cities with over 10,000 people on Lake Huron include Sarnia , the largest city on Lake Huron, and Saugeen Shores in Canada and Bay City , Port Huron , and Alpena in

2146-432: The lake was in a state of collapse by 2006, and a number of drastic changes have been observed in the zooplankton community of the lake. Chinook salmon catches have also been greatly reduced in recent years, and lake whitefish have become less abundant and are in poor condition. These recent changes may be attributable to the new exotic species. Some native species, however were beneficiaries of these chances (principally

2204-662: The lake, Matoa and Captain Hugh McLeod had to ride out the storm without a safe harbor. Matoa was found stranded on the Port Austin reef when the winds subsided. It was noon on Monday before the winds let up and not until 11:00 p.m. that night before Captain Light determined it to be safe to continue his journey. Although Manola survived the storm, she was renamed Mapledawn in 1920, and on November 24, 1924, she became stranded on Christian Island in Georgian Bay. It

2262-540: The largest city on Lake Huron. On October 26, 2010, the Karegnondi Water Authority was formed to build and manage a pipeline from the lake to Flint, Michigan . More than a thousand wrecks have been recorded in Lake Huron. Of these, 185 are located in Saginaw Bay, and 116 are found in the 448-square-mile (1,160 km ) Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve , which

2320-531: The location of an Ojibwe village located at the southern tip of the bay near present-day Midland, was developed as a naval base in 1793 by John Graves Simcoe , first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada . In 1814, during the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States, one of the battles was fought in southern Georgian Bay. On August 17, at the mouth of the Nottawasaga River near Wasaga Beach,

2378-626: The more populous counties of Simcoe , Grey and Bruce . The Main Channel separates the Bruce Peninsula from Manitoulin Island and connects Georgian Bay to the rest of Lake Huron. The North Channel, located between Manitoulin Island and the Sudbury District, west of Killarney , was once a popular route for steamships and is now used by a variety of pleasure craft to travel to and from Georgian Bay. The shores and waterways of

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2436-591: The morning, Senator pushed upstream. Less than an hour later, Manola —a propeller freighter of 2,325 gross register tons also built in Cleveland in 1890—passed through. Captain Frederick W. Light of Manola reported that both the Canadian and the American weather stations had storm flag signals flying from their weather towers. Following behind at 7:00 a.m. that Sunday, Regina steamed out of Sarnia into

2494-467: The northern shores of Lake Ontario. Names of islands such as "Manitoulin" (from Gitchi Manitou , the Great Spirit who left the bay as a source of life for the first people) and "Giant's Tomb" are indicative of the richness of the cultural history of the area. Aboriginal communities continue to live on their territories and practise their cultural traditions. The first European to visit this area

2552-421: The northwest gale. The warnings had been up for four hours. Manola passed Regina off Port Sanilac, 22 statute miles (19 nmi; 35 km) up the lake. Captain Light determined that if it continued to deteriorate, he would seek shelter at Harbor Beach , Michigan, another 30 statute miles (26 nmi; 48 km) up the lake. There, he could seek shelter behind the breakwater. Before he reached Harbor Beach,

2610-411: The other end, he tossed it into the Great Lakes. Thus, the 30,000 Islands were created. The indentations left behind by his fingers form the five bays of Georgian Bay: Midland Bay, Penetang Bay, Hog Bay, Sturgeon Bay, and Matchedash Bay . He then lay down to sleep and sleeps there still as Giant's Tomb Island . The town of Penetanguishene now has a large statue of Kitchikewana on its main street. There

2668-466: The region. Hydrologically , Lake Huron comprises the eastern portion of Lake Michigan–Huron , having the same surface elevation as Lake Michigan , to which it is connected by the 5-mile-wide (8.0 km), 20-fathom-deep (120 ft; 37 m) Straits of Mackinac . Combined, Lake Michigan–Huron is the largest freshwater lake by area in the world. The Huronian glaciation was named from evidence collected from Lake Huron region. The northern parts of

2726-471: The same lake'). Aggregated, Lake Huron-Michigan, at 45,300 square miles (117,000 km ), "is technically the world's largest freshwater lake". Lake Superior, at 21 feet higher elevation, drains into the St. Marys River which then flows into Lake Huron. The water then flows south to the St. Clair River, at Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario . The Great Lakes Waterway continues thence to Lake St. Clair ;

2784-594: The same time another young interpreter trainee, a youth remembered only as Thomas, who was employed by the French surgeon and trader Daniel Boyer, also likely made it to Huronia, in the company of the Onontchataronon, another member of the confederacy. In 1615, Brulé's employer, the French explorer Samuel de Champlain, made his own visit to Georgian Bay and overwintered in Huronia. He was preceded that summer by

2842-440: The separation of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, Georgian Bay is sometimes called the "sixth Great Lake". If Georgian Bay were considered a lake in its own right, it would be the fourth largest lake located entirely within Canada (after Great Bear Lake , Great Slave Lake and Lake Winnipeg ). With Georgian Bay, Lake Huron is considered to be the second largest of the Great Lakes - if Georgian Bay were excluded, Lake Huron would be

2900-554: The southern end of the bay, around Nottawasaga Bay . Owen Sound, Wiarton , and Lion's Head are located on the Bruce Peninsula along the southern and southwestern shores of the bay, while Tobermory is located at the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula on the Main Channel. The passenger ferry MS  Chi-Cheemaun travels from Tobermory across the Main Channel to South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island. Parry Sound ,

2958-524: The southern regions of the Canadian Shield dating from 11,000 years ago. Evidence of later Paleo-Indian settlements have been found on Manitoulin Island and near Killarney . During the period of deglaciation , a succession of prehistoric lakes in the Huron basin caused shoreline advance and retreat. The former shoreline of pro-glacial Lake Algonquin left behind high ridges which were attractive sites for human occupation. As shorelines retreated,

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3016-421: The third largest (after Lake Superior and Lake Michigan , but still ahead of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario). There are tens of thousands of islands in Georgian Bay. Most of these islands are along the east side of the bay and are collectively known as the " Thirty Thousand Islands ", including the larger Parry Island . Manitoulin Island, lying along the northern side of the bay, is the world's largest island in

3074-443: The winds turned to the northeast and the lake began to rise. It was noon when he reached Harbor Beach and ran for shelter. The waves were so violent that Manola touched bottom entering the harbor. With help from a tugboat , Manola tied up to the break wall with eight lines. It was about 3:00 p.m. when Manola was secured and the crew prepared to drop anchor. As they worked, the cables began to snap from wind pressure against

3132-540: Was declared a total loss. Salvagers were able to recover approximately 75,000 bushels of barley. Lake Huron has a lake retention time of 22 years. Like all of the Great Lakes, the ecology of Lake Huron has undergone drastic changes in the last century. The lake originally supported a native deepwater fish community dominated by lake trout , which fed on several species of ciscos as well as sculpins and other native fishes. Several invasive species , including sea lamprey , alewife and rainbow smelt , became abundant in

3190-549: Was designated a Michigan " dark sky preserve " in 2012. The park's first 124 acres were purchased by the state in 1956. One of the last visible remnants of the vanished town of Port Crescent, the 120-foot-tall Pack & Woods Sawmill chimney, was razed in 1961, despite the objections of residents who felt the loss of the local landmark. The park was expanded with the purchase of an additional 455 acres in 1977. The state park offers swimming, picnicking, canoeing, fishing, 5 miles (8.0 km) of hiking trails, cross-country skiing, and

3248-479: Was eclipsed in January 2013. Lake Huron has the largest shore line length of any of the Great Lakes, counting its 30,000 islands. It is separated from Lake Michigan, which lies at the same level, by the 5-mile-wide (8.0 km), 20-fathom-deep (120 ft; 37 m) Straits of Mackinac, making them hydrologically the same body of water (sometimes called Lake Michigan-Huron and sometimes described as two 'lobes of

3306-443: Was established in 2000. Georgian Bay contains 212 sunken vessels. Purportedly the first European vessel to sail the Great Lakes, Le Griffon also became the first ship lost on the Great Lakes. It was built in 1679 on the eastern shore of Lake Erie near Buffalo , New York . Robert Cavalier, Sieur de la Salle navigated across Lake Erie, up the Detroit River , Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River out into Lake Huron. Passing

3364-719: Was likely Étienne Brûlé , who at age less than 20, in 1610 was sent to live as an interpreter trainee with the Onontchataronon , an Algonquian people of the Ottawa River . They travelled every winter to live with the Arendarhonon people of the Huron-Wendat Nation at the southern end of Georgian Bay, in the area now called Huronia . Brulé returned to the Arendarhonon the following year. At

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