What Lives at the Bottom of Lake Superior?

Written by Niccoy Walker
Updated: October 3, 2023
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Infographic of Lake Superior
The largest of the Great Lakes, the dimensions of Lake Superior are astounding.

Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, is a recreational dream. People spend their summers boating, fishing, and swimming in its crystal-clear waters. If you were to stand on the shore and look out over this massive lake, it might feel like you’re standing in front of an endless ocean. 

Despite its natural beauty, it is shrouded in mystery and death. What is the real reason behind its reputation, and what lives at the bottom of Lake Superior?

What is Lake Superior?

Lake Superior

Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and the world’s biggest freshwater lake by surface area.

©Sorayot Chinkanjanarot/Shutterstock.com

Bordered by Ontario, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, Lake Superior is the largest and coldest body of water in the Great Lakes chain. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and the third largest by volume. It also holds 10% of the world’s surface freshwater.

Lake Superior has an average depth of 483 feet and a maximum depth of 1,333 feet. To better understand just how enormous the lake is, you could fit the entire state of South Carolina inside it.

French explorers first discovered the lake in the 17th century, but the British took control of the region in the 1760s after their defeat in the French Indian War. The French named the lake le Lac supérieur, which means “upper lake” due to its position above Lake Huron. Later, the British anglicized the name to Lake Superior, citing its vast size.

However, the history of this lake didn’t begin in 1700, but in 5,000 BC. Pictographs on Canada’s eastern and western shores confirm that the Shield-Archaic peoples inhabited the area.  

Fast forward to modern times, Lake Superior is a huge tourist attraction where many go for a plethora of outdoor activities. If you were to go on vacation in the area, you might hear about the local folklore surrounding this giant lake. What secrets do its waters hold, and are they true?

Legends of Lake Superior

Many people claim to see ghostly figures and hear odd sounds in the water and islands of Lake Superior.

©Elena Elisseeva/Shutterstock.com

The Sleeping Giant

Ontario’s Superior country offers views of “The Sleeping Giant,” a large rock formation that resembles the body of a giant sleeping peacefully. According to Ojibwe legend, the giant is Nanabijou, the spirit of deep water. The spirit protected a precious silver mine called Silver Islet and rewarded the tribe with a secret location. 

However, Nanabijou told them that a curse would turn him to stone if they ever shared the secret with the white men. An outsider infiltrated the Ojibwe tribe and eventually told the settlers, who perished in a shipwreck on their way to the secret island. Nanabijou turned to stone and now guards the silver mine. You can see this great formation from Thunder Bay in Ontario.

Sand Island

Lake Superior and the islands around it contain many haunting ghost stories. One such story involves a two-person crew and a tugboat in the 1800s. This crew set out in the rough water of Lake Superior when their small boat caught on fire. They were unable to put the flames out and, sadly, drowned. The islanders found part of the wreckage and turned it into a shelter.

Today, people claim to see the spirits of these men, as well as other islanders from long ago. The community of Sand Island was a happy place where children played; when the wind was quiet, you could still hear their faint laughter.

These stories are just two of many ancient legends and ghost sightings in the area. Head over to Lake Superior and see if you can hear or see anything strange.

Is the Lake Dangerous?

At least 350 ships have perished in Lake Superior, and over 10,000 people have lost their lives.

©iStock.com/Posnov

Between Grand Marais, Michigan, and Whitefish Point lies the “Graveyard of the Great Lakes.” It is the most dangerous area in Lake Superior for ships. It is unknown how many ships have sunk in these waters, but people have found at least 350. 

Lake Superior is known for harsh, unforgiving weather, ravaging storms, and frigid temperatures. The most common cause of death on the lake is drowning. Many people take boats onto the water, thinking they will experience a nice, relaxing day, just to get caught in a 30-foot wave that capsizes their vessel. 

An estimated 10,000 people have died at the hands of Lake Superior. It’s hard to give an exact number due to the lake’s environment. As the Gordon Lightfoot song goes, “Superior, they said, never gives up her dead.”

Warmer water causes bodies to float to the top, but the bottom of this lake stays around 36°, stifling bacteria growth, allowing human remains to sink and never resurface. Besides human bodies and ship wreckage, what else can you find at the bottom of Lake Superior?

What Lives at the Bottom of Lake Superior?

Sculpin juvenile caught in a net.

Sculpins, opossum shrimp, crayfish, copepods, and round goby live at the bottom of Lake Superior.

©JortPics/Shutterstock.com

Siscowet lake trout, kiyi, deepwater sculpin, round goby, crayfish, shrimp, and other invertebrates live at the bottom of Lake Superior. Some plants like algae and seaweed also grow at these depths. There are over 200 fish species in the lake, but most live in shallower water.

Many lake animals can’t survive in temperatures as cold as 36° and thrive in surface temperatures around 63°. Some bottom-dwelling creatures are native to the lake, while others are invasive species wreaking havoc on the fragile environment. 

At the bottom of shallow waters, you can find snails, clams, worms, mayflies, and caddisflies. Different creatures can be found at the bottom of the cold lake such as deepwater scud, opossum shrimp, copepods, and deepwater sculpins. These crustaceans and small fish are native to the deep freshwater of Lake Superior. 

Invasive Species

In the 1980s, zebra mussels and spiny water fleas invaded the lake. These creatures threaten the food web for native species, and the zebra mussel is a particular nuisance for its ability to clog pipes and wreak havoc on boats. 

One of the most destructive, non-native species to invade the Great Lakes region is the sea lamprey, the “vampire of the Great Lakes.” It is a parasitic fish with a round mouth filled with sharp teeth that suctions its prey and drains its body fluids. While not very dangerous to humans, they kill hundreds of thousands of trout yearly.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Jason Patrick Ross/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Niccoy is a professional writer for A-Z Animals, and her primary focus is on birds, travel, and interesting facts of all kinds. Niccoy has been writing and researching about travel, nature, wildlife, and business for several years and holds a business degree from Metropolitan State University in Denver. A resident of Florida, Niccoy enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, and spending time at the beach.

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