Experience The Gales Of November With This Real-Time Great Lakes Simulator

The wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald became a bit of a meme last year during the 50th anniversary of the disaster. Gen Zers rediscovered the great Gordon Lightfoot song and it was all over the interwebz. Those youths can now experience the thrill, terror and wonder of the Great Lakes firsthand with my new favorite obsession, the website In The Lakes; a free site which shows you the real-time conditions on any one of the great lakes without tracking your data.

Using buoys located on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario and honorable mention Lake St. Claire, In The Lake users can view a digital simulation of conditions. Different colors on the map represent real-time wave heights. As of the writing of this story, both Lake Superior and Lake Michigan are mostly red, indicative of choppy waters and waves reaching 10 feet or more. My first "Float" sent me just north of Sault Ste. Marie in Lake Superior where it was, predictably, cold, grey, and extra choppy — just the sort of thing the Edmund Fitz faced on that cold day in November, 1975.

But it's not all rough seas and wind. Pick a calmer section of lake and spend a few hours of your work day sipping a beverage, listening to a radio that features local radio stations as well as multiple genre stations, or meditate. The meditate feature is fairly entertaining, with inspirational messages meant to resonant with folks from the Great Lakes. The last time I pressed it, a message popped up reading "Somewhere, someone's shoveling a driveway. Not you. Not today." Damn right. 

But it's not just floaties. You can find the option to "Take the helm in these conditions." And the familiar lake scene will load with a kayak, schooner, or even a Coast Guard ice breaking ship. I tried out the kayak to see what it was like for my husband when he puttered around Lake Superior on his own kayak, a feat that nearly killed him. You can also dive the depths of the lakes, or write a message and pop it in a bottle, then set it into the lake and see where the real forecast takes it.

In the Experiences tab you can take on several adventures from repairing the Cort for sailing duties to Cruising the Soo Locks. There's also a plethora of adventures to go on. I opted for the Brigade to the Rendezvous, an 1815 canoe trip to deliver beaver furs to Fort William, a midway trading point between the Midwest and Montreal. Teachers can also find a dedicated hub with tons of resources to go over critical things related to the Great Lakes, appropriate for certain grade levels.

Or keep it simple and continue to enjoy the occasional float on one of the Great Lakes. You can use it to escape your kids as easily as educate them, after all. An extra click will allow your setting to reset (change) every five minutes without your interference. So relax, ride the waves, and beware the gales of November.