In this collection, Victoria Brehm has brought together scholars and writers from Canada and the United States to explore the fascinating maritime history of the Great Lakes. The essays in “A Fully Accredited Ocean” answer many questions about life, shipping, and the economy of the Great Lakes and offer insight and knowledge reflecting decades of accumulated research and study. From the outset, the reader will see that Great Lakes maritime history is a good deal more than storms and shipwrecks.The issues presented here address the fundamentals of existence of life on the lakes for a period of nearly two centuries. These essays bring to light some of the massive disruptions that affected the Great Lakes region as it became one of the most industrialized areas on the continent. The essayists explore the culture of the lakes through the archaeological investigation of the War of 1812 brig Jefferson, women on the lakes, fishing crafts of Isle Royale, and through personal narrative that touches on the competing concerns of occupational fisherman, sports enthusiasts, lake biologists, and the state.In this collection of scholarly essays devoted exclusively to Great Lakes maritime history, the contributors share their experiences of working in this complicated field. These experiences are not only valuable to other researchers but give the nonspecialist a glimpse into the world of the working historian of the Great Lakes. “A Fully Accredited Ocean” acquaints us more intimately with technological and social change in the Great Lakes region.

Native American legends, shipping tales, folklore, and myths spanning the last 150 years are gathered together for the first time in this collection. The presence of Native American culture, the unpredictable climate, the dangerous closeness of the shoreline, and the bloody history of shipping on the Lakes contribute greatly to the uniqueness of maritime literature on the Lakes.

Sweetwater, Storms, and Spirits will appeal to those interested in both Native American literature and history and Great Lakes maritime history, and to those who simply enjoy a good maritime tale. The collection is a seabag of different kinds of stories, myths, and tales that together create a picture of life as it has been lived on the Great Lakes.