The Wake

Apparently, it takes 400 years for a drop of water to travel from the headwaters of Lake Superior to the tip of Lake Huron. That’s a long time, but not so long if you look at the history of the North American Great Lakes. This film, “Mysteries of the Great Lakes,” produced and directed by David Lickley, explores myths, legends, and the great impact humans have had on the Great Lakes environment.Despite being a film with strong conservationist messages, it has managed to avoid the attitude of a stalwart tree hugger.

There is definitely something that Lickley wants to say. Humans and animals alike depend on the Great Lakes for many things: Food, homes, and especially water. The Great Lakes hold one-fifth of the world’s fresh water. That water has to serve 40 million Canadians and Americans, and the number is growing every day, month, and year. With the way things are now in the world, the Great Lakes ecosystem is in danger of being damaged beyond repair. All species are endangered here.

I was surprised, to say the least, at seeing the amazing photography and shots of the lakes that have been so familiar to me. I never saw Superior as a graveyard for over 300 ships, nor did I ever think that the bald eagle would be in great peril, again. The real shocker is the history of some wild caribou inhabiting a remote island on one of the lakes. You will be thinking, is this evolution? Evolution, happening in the last few hundred years.

The most prominent story was that of the sturgeon, a gigantic fish that can grow up to seven feet in length. A native species to the Great Lakes, 99% of the sturgeon population has been wiped out by
intense fishing. This is the film’s highlight. A group of scientists use simple methods to help the sturgeon, but their efforts may be futile. You wouldn’t expect a fish story to be so gripping, but the consequences of yet another species disappearing is pressed hard into the viewer’s mind. I haven’t
been so moved since “Finding Nemo.”

But seriously, the film presents some tough questions. How much longer will we allow the lakes to
be polluted? How many more native species will we let perish into oblivion? Humans have made efforts
to preserve the lakes, but is it enough? Will it last for a hundred more years? The film makes you
look at the lakes, not a little, but a lot closer. What has always been a pleasant backdrop to Midwestern life is now something that needs to be fiercely protected, and Lickley won’t let you forget it, not even after you leave the theatre.

Go see “Mysteries of the Great Lakes” at the Science Museum of Minnesota Omnitheater. It’s running until Jan. 8th, so you really don’t have an excuse. Trust me, you’ll never think of the Great Lakes the same way again. Besides, there is always fun to be had on the musical stairs; I spent fifteen minutes making musical mayhem.