Great Lakes form a single, naturally interconnected body of fresh water, within the Great Lakes Basin. They form a chain connecting the east-central interior of North America to the Atlantic Ocean. From the interior to the outlet at the Saint Lawrence River, water flows from Superior to Huron and Michigan, southward to Erie, and finally northward to Lake Ontario. The lakes drain a large watershed via many rivers, and are studded with approximately 35,000 islands. There are also several thousand smaller lakes, often called "inland lakes," within the basin. The surface area of the five primary lakes combined is roughly equal to
Great Lakes Life Magazine in downtown Erie, "Erie Life Magazine" was the only magazine in the Erie area not affiliated with either local broadcasters or the "Erie Times-News". In its first two years, Erie Life Magazine saw an unprecedented growth, increasing distribution from only 25 small, independent retail locations to over 640 big box retail points in four states and southern Ontario including Barnes & Noble, Borders, Wegmans Food Markets, Walmart, Walgreens, Country Fair, Giant Eagle Grocery Stores, Chapters, and Indigo Books and Music. Today, Great Lakes Life's readership is close to 100,000 readers. Due to the expanded readership, the publication was rebranded Great