How do ships get from the Great Lakes to the ocean?

The Great Lakes, located in North America, are a chain of five interconnected freshwater lakes known for their beauty and the vast volume of water they contain. But how does a ship navigate from these inland lakes to the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean?

Ships can leave the Great Lakes and reach the Atlantic Ocean in one of three ways: via the Mississippi River, the Erie Canal, or the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Mississippi River Route

The Great Lakes are connected to the Mississippi River via the Illinois and Michigan Canal. This route introduces you to the Tenn-Tom Waterway, a 234-mile waterway from the 20th century. You can start from Lake Michigan, venture down the Mississippi River, through the Tenn-Tom Waterway, and then along the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Erie Canal Route

The Erie Canal, another route, connects the Great Lakes with the Hudson River. The Hudson River then flows into the Atlantic Ocean, providing a navigable waterway from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.

St. Lawrence Seaway Route

The most direct route from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean is the St. Lawrence Seaway. This system of locks, canals, and channels in Canada and the United States allows ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the North American Great Lakes. The Seaway extends 2,340 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the inland port of Duluth on Lake Superior.

Each of these routes offers a unique journey, with varying distances, scenic views, and navigational challenges. Regardless of the path chosen, the journey from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean is a testament to human ingenuity and the power of natural waterways.