Lake Erie is one of the Great Lakes and is named after a Native American tribe that lived on its southern shore. Most of the water flows into Lake Erie from the Detroit River. The outflow from the lake creates another wonder, the Niagara River. The western basin of Lake Erie is the home for about 26 islands, depending on current water levels. Lake Erie also provides for a regional phenomenon - lake effect snow that makes Buffalo, NY infamous for its winter storms.

In this photo, you see what I like to call a snow volcano. They get created on the shore as waves find their way through the pile up of ice and snow and shoot through it up. They're in fact seasonal blowholes that stay active during windy days until the lake freezes over. Once that happens, these volcanoes become dormant and rarely wake up.