In this collection, Victoria Brehm has brought together scholars and writers from Canada and the United States to explore the fascinating maritime history of the Great Lakes. The essays in "A Fully Accredited Ocean" answer many questions about life, shipping, and the economy of the Great Lakes and offer insight and knowledge reflecting decades of accumulated research and study. From the outset, the reader will see that Great Lakes maritime history is a good deal more than storms and shipwrecks.

The issues presented here address the fundamentals of existence of life on the lakes for a period of nearly two centuries. These essays bring to light some of the massive disruptions that affected the Great Lakes region as it became one of the most industrialized areas on the continent.

The essayists explore the culture of the lakes through the archaeological investigation of the War of 1812 brig Jefferson, women on the lakes, fishing crafts of Isle Royale, and through personal narrative that touches on the competing concerns of occupational fisherman, sports enthusiasts, lake biologists, and the state.