The Indians knew. Gitchee Gumee never gives up her dead. Just an Indian legend? No. We Michiganders call her Lake Superior; she is a very large freshwater lake, and, she is very deep, very, very cold. She is considered an inland sea because she creates her own weather. But, why does she not give up her dead? Scientifically speaking, with a body of water as deep and cold as is Lake Superior, bodies will not float because the water is too cold for bacteria to grow. If bacteria cannot grow, gas is not created. If gas is not created, a body will not float ... the body just bobs along on the bottom of Gitchee Gumee, almost perfectly preserved.

From USA Today, 1999: "'November Witches' batter Great Lakes -- WASHINGTON - The Witch of November is back, the latest in a type of violent storm that can sweep across the Great Lakes early in the cold season, leaving death and destruction in its wake."

First of all, there is only one November Witch. And, she is not the "latest in a type of violent storm", she is very, very old. She does not sweep across the Great Lakes ... she lays in wait only on Lake Superior, not far from the horn, on the way to Whitefish Bay. Every year, from about October 12 to December 20, The Witch of November and her Three Sisters (three big, fast waves in succession capable of breaking an ore carrier in two) batter ships, hands, and captains who are brave enough to take them on ... many times the Witch wins. In 1975, she took the Fitz owned by Northwestern Mutual with all 29 hands. In 1904 she took 250.

The November Witch is really nothing more than a weather anomolie. But, Shhhh! She will lay in wait again soon, in about 4 months more ... until that cold air from Canada is prevented from meeting up with that warm air from the Gulf of Mexico, The November Witch and her Three Sisters will live on and have their way with anyone and everyone who dares to set sail or steam on Gitchee Gumee.