Lake Michigan is so large that it supports large ships and barges used to transport goods. If you weren’t privy to the geography of The United States, looking at if from the shore would lead you to believe that it is an ocean on the northern coast. It is large enough to produce massive waves and effect weather patterns across the country.

This time of year, the lake is as calm and clear as it could possibly be. That allows us the unique opportunity to spot some of the numerous shipwrecks along the coast of the lake. The images in this article were all taken by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter during a routine patrol.

Some of these ships data back to the early 1800s when the lake started being used as a major transportation system. The cold fresh water has helped preserve these shipwrecks through the years.