It is one of the largest lakes in the country yet it is very shallow. This combination makes Lake Winnipeg quite treacherous. When winds whistle down from the north, violent storms can rise in minutes. It was these moody waters that welcomed the first Icelandic settlers to the Prairie Sea. Although the newcomers survived the trip along her shoreline, many would die in the long cold winter that followed. Eventually the settlers would create the largest Icelandic community outside of their homeland on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. They would also create an industry that continues to thrive today. Lake Winnipeg is home to the largest inland fishery in Canada. But the building of the enterprise came with a price. Many fishing vessels encountered the wrath of Lake Winnipeg. And in 1965, the fishing freighter the Suzanne E was lost in a heavy storm with just one sole survivor. Lake Winnipeg is the great giver and the great taker.