Watch the video of the cliff collapse below.
[rumble video_id=v5h3zb domain_id=u7nb2]
Video credit: Rumble
Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes in North America and by surface area is the world’s largest freshwater lake although by volume it’s only the third-largest in the world. Lake Superior also has the highest elevation among the five great lakes.
The lake is bordered by the province of Ontario to the north, Minnesota to the west, and to the south by Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The name “Superior” was coined by the British after they had seized control of the region from the French in the 1760’s in the aftermath of the French and Indian War. The British chose that name for the lake, “on account of its being superior in magnitude to any of the lakes on that vast continent.”
The lake’s geography and magnificent views make the area a natural tourist destination. While tourists can go around the lakes by road via the Great Lakes Circle Tour, which is a designated road system that connects all the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, with guaranteed scenic views, nothing beats touring the lake in the water itself.
This is why there are kayaking services that allow groups of tourists to kayak along the shores and take in the sights. It’s a much more involved activity than just driving around and seeing everything from afar. However, a recent incident also shows that going up close does have its risks.
Eighteen kayakers in one tour group narrowly escaped tragedy after several sections of the sandstone cliff wall collapsed and crashed into the water just a few feet from them. The incident happened along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Maxim Rigaux’s kayak was the one closest to the rockfall. “We noticed it first when some little rocks fell down just next to one of our guides who were just under the cliff,” he said.
Their guide quickly paddled away and just in time because bigger rocks followed the initial rockfall.
Rigaux managed to capture a video of the whole thing and one whole side of the cliff can be seen cascading into the lake and raised a plume of dust and water in the process.
“We had no idea if there would be even more rockfall,” he said. “We were kind of in shock and awe at the same time.”
The cliffs reach as high as 200 feet and are known for their vertical mineral streaks that make them appear like painted abstract murals.
The National Park Service said the sheer power of Lake Superior defines the coastline on the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Richard Ziegler, who teaches geology at Northern Michigan University, explained, “The slope has been over-steepened by waves pounding away at the bottom of the slope. The slopes become too steep, gravity takes over, and rocks start to fall.”
While it makes sense from a geological perspective, it’s not something you want to be on the receiving end of if you’re supposed to be on a relaxing tour.
“The tour leaders were as surprised as we were,” Rigaux said. “They had never experienced this before.”
The group’s guide, Van Ouellette-Ballas, said, “I’m definitely not getting near these rocks again. That’s for sure.”
Rigaux said they “all realized how unique the experience was but also how narrowly we escaped a more tragic accident.”