Ep 7. Lake of the Dead

Expedition X is a unique blend of adventure, science, and exploration. Each episode sees the show's intrepid hosts, Josh Gates and Jessica Chobot, investigate some of the world's most intriguing mysteries. Using the latest technology and proven scientific methods, Josh and Jessica leave no stone unturned in their search for answers. In season 1 episode 7, entitled "Lake of the Dead," the duo heads to Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada. Here, they investigate the mysterious deaths of over 200 fish and birds in a remote lake.

The episode begins with the hosts arriving on Manitoulin Island, a quiet and idyllic location off the beaten path. They meet up with their guide, Rudy, who takes them to Lake Mindemoya, the scene of the strange animal deaths. Rudy informs them that the fish and birds began dying off in large numbers about a month ago and there has been no explanation as to why this is happening. With the help of local fishermen, Josh and Jessica gather samples of the dead fish and birds and begin their investigation.

To determine what might be causing the deaths, the team enlists the help of a local biologist who takes a look at the samples. The biologist discovers high levels of mercury in the fish, which could explain their deaths, but the bird samples show no signs of any toxin. This perplexes the team as they can't seem to find a single cause that explains both the bird and fish deaths.

As they continue their search, Josh and Jessica head to a nearby cave system to investigate a Native American legend that might be connected to the animal deaths. The legend says that a group of Native American people who refused to convert to Christianity were chased into a nearby cave system by a group of French soldiers. The legend says that the French soldiers set a fire at the entrance of the cave and the Native Americans, unable to escape, perished in the fire. The team explores the eerie cave, searching for any evidence that might confirm or debunk the legend.

Back at the lake, Josh and Jessica start to notice some strange activity. They see what appears to be a large object moving under the water and hear strange noises coming from the lake. To get a better look, they use an underwater drone to explore the area. They are shocked when the drone captures footage of what appears to be a massive school of fish swimming in a tight formation. This phenomenon is known as bait balling, and it usually only happens in the ocean. The team is puzzled as to why all of these fish would be in this small lake, and why they are behaving in this manner.

In their search for answers, the team also visits a nearby wildlife sanctuary to get a closer look at some of the animals that inhabit the area. Here, they encounter a wide variety of birds, including bald eagles, and discover that the sanctuary is using a unique method to protect the birds from coyotes. The sanctuary has placed speakers around the perimeter of the bird enclosures that play sounds of barking dogs. The coyotes, hearing the sounds, believe that there are dogs in the area and avoid it entirely. This technique has proved highly effective, and the team is impressed with the solution.

As the episode comes to a close, Josh and Jessica are still searching for answers to the mysterious animal deaths. They have ruled out mercury poisoning as the cause of the bird deaths and have no explanation for the unusual number of fish in the lake. They return to the lake and set up a caged trap to capture some of the fish. When they examine the fish, they discover that they are all young and have not yet reached maturity. This is unusual as the lake is not known for having such a high concentration of young fish.

While the episode doesn't provide a conclusive answer to the lake's mystery, it does offer a fascinating glimpse into the scientific methods used to explore such phenomena. Through their partnership with technology, science, history, and culture, Expedition X continues to take its audiences on an exploration across the planet to witness some of the most remarkable and mysterious events that can baffle the human mind.