The Edmund Fitzgerald

GunarSailors · Jan 1, 2017

I grew up in the midwest, and I have always found this Great Lakes shipwreck interesting. It sure wouldn't have been a good feeling to be one of her crew that night. Here is a good documentary about it.
[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3uOnnIv5Qs[/ame]
And the song by Gordon Lightfoot to go along with it.
[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M3x2vcergP0[/ame]

JayC_783 · Jan 1, 2017

I've always had a fascination for this ship, too, as well as the Carl D. Bradley and the Daniel J. Morrel (the sole survivor of which washed ashore at my hometown). I wish they could dive on the Fitzgerald. With new technology maybe they could have a better understanding of what happened. In any event, I'm curious what the condition of the wreck is since it's been 21 years since the last dive. I've listened to the audio from that night, and I wouldn't have wanted to be on the Anderson or Ford going back out into that.

6518John · Jan 1, 2017

Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

One of the best trips my son and I have ever made was to the shipwreck museum at Whitefish Point, MI. They have the ship's bell and numerous other artifacts. Absolutely beautiful part of the country too.

daniel lawecki · Jan 1, 2017

I worked at American Ship Building in Tol Oh as a marine electrician. I worked several ships that came in for rework from flat tops to self unloaders. Boy that's the only job I really miss. The ship yard closed in the earl 80's. Been to Whitefish point myself love that part of Michigan.

FifthWheel · Jan 1, 2017

GunarSailors said:
Since I grew up in the midwest, I have always found this Great Lakes shipwreck interesting. It sure wouldn't have been a good feeling to be one of her crew that night. Here is a good documentary about it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3uOnnIv5Qs
And the song by Gordon Lightfoot to go along with it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M3x2vcergP0

If you have not seen this you may like it.[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgI8bta-7aw[/ame]

the ringo kid · Jan 1, 2017

I remember when it made the news. A friend of mine on a Western forum--is a cousin to one of the men lost.

Rustyt1953 · Jan 1, 2017

I have been to several nautical museums, including that one, on the Great Lakes. Fascinating all!

Being a kid trapped in a man's body and knowing little about them, I love ships, planes, tanks and trains....(ok, trucks, tractors, bulldozers, cranes, riding mowers...)

Good thread. Thanks.

4barrel · Jan 1, 2017

My shooting friend was in the Coast Guard in the 60s & broke ice for the Edmund Fitzgerald. He is 76 now.

the ringo kid · Jan 1, 2017

Forgot to mention, Gordon Lightfoot sang a song dedicated to that ship and crew.

shouldazagged · Jan 1, 2017

If that's the documentary I saw a few years ago, it's very well done and offers a plausible explanation of the sinking.

ParadiseRoad · Jan 1, 2017

JayC_783 · Jan 1, 2017

6518John said:
One of the best trips my son and I have ever made was to the shipwreck museum at Whitefish Point, MI. They have the ship's bell and numerous other artifacts. Absolutely beautiful part of the country too.

I was there back in the early 90's. I want to say the year or two before they brought the bell up. I was probably around 12, so I barely remember it. I have always wanted to go back, but have never done it. I love that part of the state.

I was also on the museum ship Valley Camp up at Sault St. Marie. The torn lifeboats from the Fitzgerald are there. I remember that distinctly. It really is a sight to see.

snowman · Jan 1, 2017

From what I've read, Superior regularly experiences fierce storms beginning in November. If that is the case, it seems to me that it would have been reasonable to stop shipping near the end of October and make such tragedies less likely. But what do I know about such matters?

There were several crew members who lived just up the road from me, including Captain McSorley. I can't imagine what the families went through. Many lose loved ones in tragic circumstances, but not being able to recover the body must multiply the pain.

Andy

Ogandydancer · Jan 2, 2017

Absolutely my favorite song by Gordon. Didn't know for a long time it was based on a true event.

fyrfytr · Jan 2, 2017

As a Great Lakes SCUBA diver I would love to dive the Fitz, but I get why there is no diving on her. For one, she lays in about 530'...which is pushing the best of technical diving skills. (for those that are not familiar, open water divers are certified to 60'...advanced open water divers can dive to "recreational limits" which is in the range of about 130'). Since the sinking there are only 2 known people who have dove and touched the wreck. The only options would be a submersible or an ROV. The problem there is that there is a long standing act not allowing surveying of the wreck.

BUFF · Jan 2, 2017

There are an amazing and surprising number of ships sunk in the Great Lakes. Several hundred are recorded. Some of the video taken of water over the bows scares me to death, and I'm not afraid of anything.

RSanch111 · Jan 2, 2017

From what I've read, Superior regularly experiences fierce storms beginning in November. If that is the case, it seems to me that it would have been reasonable to stop shipping near the end of October and make such tragedies less likely. But what do I know about such matters?

They make fierce money sailing as late as they can into the season too. Until the ice-up.

9146gt · Jan 2, 2017

We were one of the last cars to cross the Big Mac bridge that night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank on our way back from the POR rally.

Tom

dave holl · Jan 2, 2017

The Whitefish Point museum was memorable for me too. The Fresnel lens on display is a wonder of Physics optics..........beautiful.
Did you see the gun and coiled line they used to shoot from shore or another boat to rescue sailors?

Campsites along Superior are wonderful. One morning we were collecting rocks along the shore, being watched by Sam, our English Setter. He proceeded to go in shoulder high, stick his head underwater, and bring back a rock! (he was good at bringing back pheasants too!)
Dave

Smoke · Jan 2, 2017

I watched a documentary about the wreck the other night at work. Their theory was that because EFG's navigation radars were out they got off course and into shallow water where they bottomed out and holed the hull.

The theory was that they were taking on more water than they realized and got hit by a rogue wave and they ship didn't have the buoyancy to come out the other side and just kept going straight down.

Supposedly this happened so fast that by the time they realized anything was wrong they had already sunk. This accounted for the fact that EFG vanished from the Anderson's radar instantly without ever sending a distress call.

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