It’s often said that the Great Lakes of North America resemble inland seas. They are the largest group of lakes in the world by area and they contain 21% of the earth’s surface fresh water. They provide a vital link between rich natural resources and centers of industry, making them a key driver of economic growth in both the United States and Canada.

Their size, economic importance, and terrifying unpredictability have also made them some of the deadliest waterways in the world. From giant, stateoftheart freighters, to modest cargo ships said to haunt the lakes to this day, here are the stories of 5 ships that vanished on the Great Lakes.

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Sources:
Ghost Ships of the Great Lakes by Dwight Boyer
Great Lakes Shipwrecks and Survivals by William Ratigan
Shipwrecks of the Lakes by Dana Thomas Bowen
https://www.britannica.com/place/Berm...
https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory.c...
https://images.maritimehistoryofthegr...
https://perdurabo10.tripod.com/ships/...
https://www.newspapers.com/image/2758...
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1801...
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...
https://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...

All music sourced from Epidemic Sound: https://www.epidemicsound.com/referra...

Chapters:
00:00 Great Lakes Ghost Ships
00:56 Twins of Doom: SS W. H. Gilcher
6:49 The Seaman’s Lament: SS Clifton
13:07 The Phantom of Lake Erie: SS Marquette & Bessemer No. 2
17:36 One Last Run: SS D.M. Clemson
21:03 The Flying Dutchman of Lake Superior: SS Bannockburn

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