Boating on the Great Lakes is an experience you won't soon forget. These waters have charmed and captured the spirit of boaters for centuries. Islands are sprinkled throughout the great bodies of water, calling for our attention and exploration. It's the Great Lakes that define Michigan and give our state its name.
“Michigama,” meaning 'large lake,' is a word derived from the Chippewa language. It was applied to the entire Great Lakes region by Native Americans and then by explorers who first traversed these great waters in the sixteenth century. Over time, the early residents added more names and sorted out the local geography, but the name Michigan remained as a reference to the entire region and one of our Great Lakes.
Today, we know Michigan as “The Great Lakes State,” and boaters from around the globe are discovering the wonderful experiences that these great bodies of water afford. The Great Lakes are some of the largest freshwater lakes in the world!