Why Ship Sink on the Great Lakes
By Lynn Celek
By Lynn Celek
Why Ships Sink
on the Great Lakes
Thousands of ships lost on the Great Lakes
My friend Johnny and I were sitting in a pub in Ireland discussing the shyte weather that day. The conversation eventually drifted to shipwrecks on stormy seas. Living on an island, the Irish have plenty of tales about storms dragging ships to a watery grave.
But I wasn’t about to be outdone. So I told him a chilling fact about the Great Lakes:
More than 6,000 ships and 30,000 souls have been claimed by the Great Lakes.
He nearly spat out his pint.
“Naw, Lynn, ar’ ya serious? How can that be? A lake is a wee bit of water compared to the sea.”
And that’s the thing—most people who haven’t seen the Great Lakes can’t fathom how massive they are.
Being from Wisconsin, I know you can’t see across Lake Michigan from the Milwaukee shore. I’ve also seen massive waves form during storms.
But what does surprise me–even as a Midwest native–is that sailors often say they’d rather be on the open ocean than sailing through the unpredictable waters of the Great Lakes.
In the words of my friend Johnny, How can that be? After all, a lake–even a very large lake–is only a wee bit of water compared to the sea.
Thousands of ships lost on the Great Lakes
My friend Johnny and I were sitting in a pub in Ireland discussing the shyte weather that day. The conversation eventually drifted to shipwrecks on stormy seas. Living on an island, the Irish have plenty of tales about storms dragging ships to a watery grave.
But I wasn’t about to be outdone. So I told him a chilling fact about the Great Lakes:
More than 6,000 ships and 30,000 souls have been claimed by the Great Lakes.
He nearly spat out his pint.
“Naw, Lynn, ar’ ya serious? How can that be? A lake is a wee bit of water compared to the sea.”
And that’s the thing—most people who haven’t seen the Great Lakes can’t fathom how massive they are.
Being from Wisconsin, I know you can’t see across Lake Michigan from the Milwaukee shore. I’ve also seen massive waves form during storms.
But what does surprise me–even as a Midwest native–is that sailors often say they’d rather be on the open ocean than sailing through the unpredictable waters of the Great Lakes.
In the words of my friend Johnny, How can that be? After all, a lake–even a very large lake–is only a wee bit of water compared to the sea.
Looking out over Lake Michigan from Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Factors that cause ships to sink on the Great Lakes
1. Great Lakes, Great Big Waves
Unlike the ocean, where waves travel from faraway storms, the waves on the Great Lakes are whipped up by localized storms. These storms can bring winds up to 70mph, creating waves that build rapidly.
So what’s the largest wave ever recorded on the Great Lakes? A terrifying 28.8 feet.
If a storm moves in the same direction as the lake’s shape, waves grow even bigger. That’s why:
Lake Michigan’s north-south shape makes Chicago and Milwaukee prime targets for massive waves when storms roll in from the north.
Lake Superior’s east-west shape explains why it claims more shipwrecks than any other Great Lake since storms commonly move west to east in this region.
But it’s not just the size of the waves that’s dangerous.
2. The waves are too close together
Ocean waves may be taller, but they’re spaced farther apart. That gives ships time to recover between swells.
On the Great Lakes, waves are stacked too close together. This causes major problems:
A ship can be lifted in the middle while both ends sag, causing it to crack in half.
Figure 2.1
Two waves can pick up the front and back of the ship, snapping it in the center.
Figure 2.2
A ship riding down one wave might slam into the next. This can cause the front of the ship to flood with water.
Figure 2.3
See the full illustrations of Figures 2.1-2.3 by Jonathan Devine.
And still, size and frequencies aren’t the only reason the waves on the Great Lakes sink ship.
3. Waves hit from every direction
Storms on the Great Lakes can form fast, with little warning. Sailors can be caught off guard as strong winds stir up the water. Sometimes, multiple storms hit different parts of the lake at once.
This causes waves to crash in from all directions, creating what sailors have called the “washing machine effect.” With waves hitting from every side, it’s hard for ships to stay upright.
4. Shallow waters make waves even worse
Some parts of the Great Lakes are shockingly deep—Lake Superior plunges to 1,332 feet.
But much of the lake floor is shallow compared to the ocean (which is over 35,000 feet). And depth changes how waves behave.
The floors of the Great Lakes have a lot more shallow areas compared to the sea due to their limited shoreline and abundant sandbars.
When waves hit shallow waters:
They slow down, making the waves behind them stack up.
They grow taller as the water has nowhere else to go.
They break violently, hitting ships like a wall of water.
Lake Erie is the shallowest of all, with a max depth of just 210 feet—this makes it especially prone to steep, dangerous waves.
5. Seiches: When the whole lake moves
Here’s something the ocean doesn’t have—seiches.
A seiche (pronounced saysh) is when strong winds push the entire lake’s water to one side, like sloshing water in a bathtub. When the wind dies down, the water rushes back.
The result?
Water levels can rise suddenly on one side of the lake, flooding ships and docks.
The opposite side gets dangerously shallow, causing ships to run aground.
View the above graphic and learn more about seiches.
6. Snow and Ice
Winter storms on the Great Lakes are brutal.
Blizzards can block all visibility. But the real danger? Ice.
Heavy ice buildup makes a ship sink lower in the water, reducing stability.
If ice freezes on the deck, it can make a ship top-heavy, causing it to capsize.
This is what likely doomed the SS Kamloops, which disappeared on Lake Superior in 1927, claiming all 22 crew members.
7. Ships sit lower in freshwater
If you’ve ever floated in the ocean and noticed how much easier it is than in a pool, you’ve experienced the power of buoyancy.
Saltwater is denser than freshwater, meaning it helps ships float higher. The Great Lakes are freshwater, so ships sit lower in the water—making them more vulnerable to flooding and sinking.
Now imagine:
A low-riding ship
Heavy ice forming on deck
Large frequent, close-packed waves
It’s a recipe for disaster.
Sailing is safer today on the Great Lakes
Modern weather tracking has made Great Lakes sailing much safer. But small boats still need to take caution, and even large ships can run into trouble when the conditions are just right (or wrong).
The Great Lakes truly demand the same amount of respect as the ocean.
Commemorate the Great Lakes With a Custom Wooden Map
Despite their dangers, the Great Lakes are stunningly beautiful and beloved by those who live near them.
At MapCuts, we create detailed wooden maps of the entire Great Lakes chain or individual lakes.
🔹 Choose from standard or custom designs
🔹 Mark your home or favorite landmarks
🔹 Personalize the title to make it uniquely yours
Looking out over lake Michigan from Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Factors that cause ships to sink on the Great Lakes
Unlike the ocean, where waves travel from faraway storms, the waves on the Great Lakes are whipped up by localized storms. These storms can bring winds up to 70mph, creating waves that build rapidly.
So what’s the largest wave ever recorded on the Great Lakes? A terrifying 28.8 feet.
If a storm moves in the same direction as the lake’s shape, waves grow even bigger. That’s why:
- Lake Michigan’s north-south shape makes Chicago and Milwaukee prime targets for massive waves when storms roll in from the north.
- Lake Superior’s east-west shape explains why it claims more shipwrecks than any other Great Lake since storms commonly move west to east in this region.
But it’s not just the size of the waves that’s dangerous.
1. Great Lakes, Great Big Waves
2. The waves are too close together
Ocean waves may be taller, but they’re spaced farther apart. That gives ships time to recover between swells.
On the Great Lakes, waves are stacked too close together. This causes major problems:
A ship can be lifted in the middle while both ends sag, causing it to crack in half.
Two waves can pick up the front and back of the ship, snapping it in the center.
A ship riding down one wave might slam into the next. This can cause the front of the ship to flood with water.
See the full illustrations by Jonathan Devine.
And still, size and frequencies aren’t the only reason the waves on the Great Lakes sink ship.
3. Waves hit from every direction
Storms on the Great Lakes can form fast, with little warning. Sailors can be caught off guard as strong winds stir up the water. Sometimes, multiple storms hit different parts of the lake at once.
This causes waves to crash in from all directions, creating what sailors have called the “washing machine effect.” With waves hitting from every side, it’s hard for ships to stay upright.
4. Shallow waters make waves even worse
Some parts of the Great Lakes are shockingly deep—Lake Superior plunges to 1,332 feet.
But much of the lake floor is shallow compared to the ocean (which is over 35,000 feet). And depth changes how waves behave.
The floors of the Great Lakes have a lot more shallow areas compared to the sea due to their limited shoreline and abundant sandbars.
When waves hit shallow waters:
They slow down, making the waves behind them stack up.
They grow taller as the water has nowhere else to go.
They break violently, hitting ships like a wall of water.
Lake Erie is the shallowest of all, with a max depth of just 210 feet—this makes it especially prone to steep, dangerous waves.
5. Seiches: When the whole lake moves
Here’s something the ocean doesn’t have—seiches.
A seiche (pronounced saysh) is when strong winds push the entire lake’s water to one side, like sloshing water in a bathtub. When the wind dies down, the water rushes back.
The result?
Water levels can rise suddenly on one side of the lake, flooding ships and docks.
The opposite side gets dangerously shallow, causing ships to run aground.
View source of above graphic and learn more about seiches.
6. Snow and Ice
Winter storms on the Great Lakes are brutal.
Blizzards can block all visibility. But the real danger? Ice.
Heavy ice buildup makes a ship sink lower in the water, reducing stability.
If ice freezes on the deck, it can make a ship top-heavy, causing it to capsize.
This is what likely doomed the SS Kamloops, which disappeared on Lake Superior in 1927, claiming all 22 crew members.
7. Ships sit lower in freshwater
If you’ve ever floated in the ocean and noticed how much easier it is than in a pool, you’ve experienced the power of buoyancy.
Saltwater is denser than freshwater, meaning it helps ships float higher. The Great Lakes are freshwater, so ships sit lower in the water—making them more vulnerable to flooding and sinking.
Now imagine:
A low-riding ship
Heavy ice forming on deck
Large frequent, close-packed waves
It’s a recipe for disaster.
Sailing is safer today on the Great Lakes
Modern weather tracking has made Great Lakes sailing much safer. But small boats still need to take caution, and even large ships can run into trouble when the conditions are just right (or wrong).
The Great Lakes truly demand the same amount of respect as the ocean.
Commemorate the Great Lakes with a custom wooden map
Despite their dangers, the Great Lakes are stunningly beautiful and beloved by those who live near them.
At MapCuts, we create detailed wooden maps of the entire Great Lakes chain or individual lakes.
🔹 Choose from standard or custom designs
🔹 Mark your home or favorite landmarks
🔹 Personalize the title to make it uniquely yours
