Lake Erie’s name is derived from “erielhonan,” which is Iroquoian for “long tail.” Aptly named, over 40 km of its sandy shore stretches out as a peninsula into the deepest part of the lake where sweeping sand cliffs dominate, left behind after the ancient glacial retreat. Erie is the most southerly, shallow, and biologically diverse of all of the Great Lakes. Its shallow depth makes it the warmest Great Lake and a favourite destination for summer recreationists and migrating birds. Lake Erie also supports a variety of industries and is home to one of the world’s largest and most valuable freshwater commercial and sport fisheries.