As one of the five Great Lakes of North America, Lake Ontario has shores in Canada as well as the United States. Although it’s the smallest of the Great Lakes, it’s still the 13th largest in the world. Lake Ontario also has the shallowest point of all the Great Lakes at 243 feet above sea level.
Its name comes from the Native American tribe, the Hurons. Their ancestral lands were located in southern Ontario before moving to what is now Michigan, Ohio, Kansas, and Oklahoma. In the Huron language, Lake Ontario translates to “Lake Of Shining Waters.”
Treasure or Tall Tale?
So many lakes around the world posses a mystical air that leads to the creation of myths and legends. The Loch Ness monster, for example, has been haunting the highlands of Scotland for centuries.
Many are convinced that the creature inhabits the deepest waters of Loch Ness, also known as Lake Ness. Affectionately called Nessie by locals, many believe the monster exists and claim to have seen it. However, scientists and researchers have declared it a myth. So, have the locals in Ontario found treasure or just created the next tall tale?
Aliens in Ontario
If this treasure sighting turned out to be a myth, it wouldn’t be the first time the people of Ontario had started a wild rumor. There was a story circulating in 2013 that claimed alien-like creatures lived under the lake’s surface.
Were these aliens to blame for the sighting and fast disappearance of this strange object? The exploration team didn’t think so.
The Creation Story
Lake Ontario formed during the last Ice Age, shaped by the Wisconsin ice sheet. It was considered a bay on the Atlantic Ocean for some time until it expanded to what it is today. You can even see sandbanks in some areas up to 25 miles from the beach, indicating where the original shorelines were over 1,000 years ago.
The lake continues to expand to this day, as climate change has caused glaciers to melt. This leads to higher water levels and rippling effects that erode the shores over time.
Miles of Beach
Few people know that Lake Ontario is surrounded by 634 miles of shoreline. An additional 78 miles make up the shores that can be found on the lake’s many islands. Due to its depth, which is an average of 283 feet and 802 feet at its deepest, the lake remains unfrozen throughout the winter.
Lake Ontario is most known for connecting to the Niagara River, home of the infamous Niagra Falls. Nine other rivers flow into this Great Lake, including the Don River, Cataraqui River, Genesee River, Oswego River, Trent River, Black River, Humber River, Little Salmon River, and the Salmon River.