Lake Superior’s Fury (Honoring the Edmund Fitzgerald’s Anniversary)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 พ.ย. 2023
- A collection of footage showcasing some of the best storms I’ve caught here in Duluth for the anniversary of the storm that sunk the Fitzgerald, including the massive storm that hit on the anniversary date itself last year (2022). To add some perspective, as large as some of these waves shown here are (15-25ft), the waves that sank the Fitzgerald were likely 2-3 times bigger than even the largest waves seen here. Just imagine it… Lake Superior is not to be underestimated! The great ship and her 29 crew members will not be forgotten.
Probably shouldn’t even get into the fact that Indiana Harbor (the world’s heaviest fresh water ship) decided to leave through the very narrow and shallow canal in those conditions, and the worst part of the storm started up just an hour or so later (partly shown in other scenes in this video, although I missed the gates and ladders getting smashed 😢) ... gutsy move. Didn’t really gain them anything either, because they went so slow, and the route they eventually took due to the wind and waves forced them so far out of the way that the ships which stayed in harbor and left two days later after the weather cleared beat them to the other side of the lake.
By the way, I apologize for the quality of some of the footage, as much of this predates my TH-cam filming experience.
Sailors, truck drivers, train engineers, pilots, power plant operators....Hell, just THE people, THE backbones of the world, you folks deserve so much more respect and way better than far too many of you folks get. Thank you to all of you, if any of you out there happen to read this.
If bus drivers are also included there, thank you! We do our best :)
So great to watch such a large ship easily negotiate a narrow passage in such nasty conditions.
I’ve often said that Gordon Lightfoot’s song is a perfect song. Not only because of his low-key singing with the song’s lyrical simplicity, but because it’s so evocative of the feelings that the crew must have felt. I get goosebumps every time I hear it. RIP brave crew. RIP Gordon.
The song does an amazing job of memorializing what happened, it is indeed perfect for what it’s goal is! The crew certainly did make it look easy! I’m guessing it wasn’t though, many vessels refuse to use the canal in far less severe conditions than that, it was a bit of a shock when they went for it!
We can only concur.
Totally with you on that friend ,I can't listen to it without feeling emotional ." Does anyone know where love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours " blessings from England 🙏
3:13
he was training for months in his dad's garage
Great video. You really give a feeling of the conditions. Living in UK, I first heard about the Edmund Fitzgerard through the words of the song and, they were so poignant that they still come to me at times of stormy weather all these years later. May those brave mariners rest in peace.
One thing that has definitely surprised me the last couple days is how how well known the Fitzgerald is worldwide. Growing up in Great Lakes area, she’s a local legend of sorts, the fallen hometown hero. I’ve always wondered just how far the story is known, if it was just a Great Lakes tale, or more widespread. Now I know lol
Even in Germany the tale of the Fitz and the fate of Crew is known.
As are the efforts of the men who set out to aid the lightship Carr, who are immortalised by the great Luke Kelly
Living near the shore of Lake Ontario, I can appreciate just how wild those inland seas can get!
What’s the biggest waves you’ve gotten over there? Don’t hear about Lake Ontario’s conditions as often as the others, probably just because of the distance!
@@jonathanellsworth21I was a first mate for the Co-Chi 1 out of north point marina on Lake Michigan! We were two miles out when the wind switched and was blowing straight SE! On the way in an sos came over the radio, a 60’ yacht was dead in the water and sideways in the waves! We ended up towing the yacht back to shore with a 34’ chris craft! Waves were every bit of 14’! I’ll never forget that day!
@@denniscrane9753 waves taller than nearly half the length of your boat while towing a vessel twice your size… yeah memorable would be an understatement! Well done bringing everyone home safe!
Lake Erie for me, 30 miles south of Buffalo. The Great Lakes are no joke 🌬️ 🌊
I grew up in Minnesota and we used to drive up to Duluth to watch the ships come in or depart. As a young boy it was absolutely incredible. Later in life we thought of Duluth also as a romantic city. My wife and I stay at bed and breakfasts. So many great memories of Duluth. Thanks for this chilly video.
Same here, enjoyed it so much we eventually just decided to move here!
Gordon Lightfoot (RIP) Never forget his beautiful Songs. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitsgerald was just one of them. Southwest Germany is waving a Hand into Lake Superiror and Thunder Bay ON 💯🙋♂
Long ways from the Lakes! Glad to have you here!
Ah a fellow countryman?
Where you from, roughly?
That was impressive the way he threaded the needle despite the gusting winds. I’ll bet he also parallel parks his car with pinpoint precision!
They are masters at what they do!
They have to be. The ship and occasionally lives depend on their skill.
The Indiana Harbor is one of my favorite ships. Safe travels to her and her crew while braving Lake Superior in November.
Our Great Lakes are Inland Seas, vital, beautiful, incredibly important and can be incredibly dangerous. The crews of the ships are brave as can be. Years ago, a freak storm blew in whilst my Mum and I were on the Toronto Islands. We made it to the Ferry, crawling on the pavement. Waves going over the entirety of the boat, at several points, we were looking underwater through the windows. There are people who don’t believe me. All I can say is, you’ve never experienced it then. Respect the water and respect sailors!
Great job capturing the power of the lakes . Also I appreciate your panning around to show the city through the spray , RIP to the crew of the Fitzgerald
Thank you!
Rest in Peace those that lost their lives on the Edmond Fitzgerald. My grandparents lived south the big lake. Granddad would say the weather is bit snotty today.
Talk about a "bucket list" entry. I would love to see one of those boats come into Duluth. And God bless the crewmen of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Definitely an amazing experience standing there watching all this! Not something I’ll forget and I hope to see it again- so long as everyone is safe of course.
The people who live up there are heartier than any steel boat. Greetings from sunny California
I leave a few miles from Lake Michigan. I had an uncle and aunt come to visit from England. We took them to see Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park. My Uncle Walter was surprised he said it was a Sea not a Lake!
The Unsalted and shark free sea :)
It is much appreciated that you have provided this video of the moody scene of Lake Superior. I had always appreciated the song of memory of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the crew that served thereon written and sung by Gordon Lightfoot. This certainly brings home, to some extent, of the condition of the Lake at this time of year. The people will be grateful to you for producing this.
I’m glad you and others enjoy it :) Amazing to think that the waves that sank her were likely 2-3 times even larger than the biggest ones seen here
Nice video! I'm from Louisiana, and i don't even think it gets that cold in my freezer! Thank you!
Definitely colder than a freezer lol
We will never forget the lost men of the Fitzgerald
Never
Who?
@@lesterpittenger5992 lol not who, I suggest you look it up, that way you can get caught up on the whole story. But long story short, the Edmund Fitzgerald is sort of the fresh water version of the Titanic, with a few major differences.
RIP Gordon Lightfoot. The music lives on! Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Thank you for posting this. I haven’t been back home in three years since my mom died. Its great to see home and the lake, like an old friend.
Hopefully you can come home soon for a visit!
The Gales Of November
.. come early. Gordon Lightfoot. A beautiful song. Halifax harbour is also hard to navigate with ships colliding in a race to unload their cargo. 🇨🇦
‘‘Twas the witch 🧙♀️ of November come stealin’.”
@@oleggorky906 Such a sad story but such a great song and how he sang it , unreal!!!
@@amyheltonwalker Yes!
Gichigami, the lake that never gives up the dead.....powerful place. I grew up there from 1955 to 1973 and in the summer....not with weather like is shown here, I would fish off the end of the canal around the light. About eight years ago I brought my son to this exact place and it was a nice summer day. My son asked, "Why isn't anyone swimming?" "Still to cold for that!"
Incredible footage. Next best thing to being there! Thank you. And RIP to the crew of the Mighty Fitz. Gone but never forgotten ❤
Thank you!
I was fishing late one night on the Seagull fishing pier that juts out from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. We watched an enormous Container ship head out to sea very close to the pier right near where the bridge turns into a tunnel and heads under water. It was a really cool experience. Being so close to massive vessels like this is incredible, I'll have to pay a visit up there some day and see if I can catch one in action! I can't imagine what the crew of the Fitzgerald went through in their last moments. Gord captured it as well as anyone could have. Sad we lost the best musician, as far as I'm concerned, this year. Thanks for the great footage!
You should! It’s definitely an experience you don’t forget, Duluth and the surrounding areas have several areas where ships get incredibly close, the most famous spot being here at the Canal with the lift bridge and the salute exchanges, along with several lesser known spots including Wisconsin Point, Rice’s Point and Two Harbors, all great spots. Not to mention a lot of wilderness, waterfalls and some of the most beautiful shorelines in the country
That ship is MASSIVE! How does it not break in half? Unreal....amazing...
Had the honor of contacting the special events station via ham radio. Thank you for honoring these brave men!
Very cool! Thank you for watching!
Lived in Duluth 1951-54. My late Dad, who was born there, told stories of incoming waves going over the lighthouse.
There were actually waves that broke over the lighthouses in these storms, I just didn’t want to destroy my phone with all the spray while waiting for one, it was already shutting down to protect itself every few minutes because water kept getting into the charging port 😬. Plus you really couldn’t spend too much time in those conditions anyway. Duluth Harbor Cam has a couple of shots in videos of it from their fixed live cameras though! Would be in November of last year, and this April if you’re interested.
I am 60 and have seen a lot - this recording tells me I still have a lot to see. Thanks for sharing- bucket list material.
@@sc-921 would love to have you up here!
Here in the uk we learned about the Edmund Fitzgerald through the song (Gordon Lightfoot?). It’s one of the most moving narrative songs ever and I can never hear it without a lump in my throat and an ache in my heart. Seamen everywhere must be apprehensive when the storms of November come early ….”
Huge respect and appreciation for the people that works on those ships.
God bless the men and there families
their
I live in a small town by lake superior called schreiber. Great video ❤
Wow, way up there past Thunder Bay! Very cool, thanks for watching!
Perfect day to remember the Fitzgerald and those who lost their lives.
I used to love going down by lake whwn it was stormy weather. I miss Duluth but at my age i don't miss the winter there now.
Greatly appreciate this channel, love it!
As for last week's anniversary of The Mighty Fitz, it's one day that lasts the entire year. My family visited the museum at Whitefish Point two summers ago. Gutwrenchingly amazing.
You can feel it to the bone.
Thank you! What happened certainly can tear at you and capture the imagination… I haven’t been to that museum in far too long, but I’m hoping that someday they’ll get the Anderson, if they can find a safe spot to park her.That would be perfect
Really good video, it was just like being there!👍🏼☮️
I agree. When YT posters lay in a music bed or soundtrack with such a video, it can take away the _cinéma vérité_ effect of the video.
Thank you! That’s my main goal for the videos I post :) Very, very glad to hear it!
Here I am thinking that storm was wild but Indiana Harbor was like "Hold my beer".
Lol, everyone on the piers were saying the same thing: “What are they thinking?” Luckily they ultimately made it across safely
Hold my beer indeed. They are going out not coming in.
I live in Detroit and I've watched the Edmond Fitzgerald sail the Detroit River a many of times when I was a kid.
I know history has remembered her as a standout ship, but I always wonder, was she famous before she sank as well? Looking through the records there were many ships that were only a few feet smaller even when she was built, few of which are really talked about today, and towards the time of her sinking she was dwarfed by other vessels in service, so always wondered if her fame sort of faded, up until she went down?
Been there many times and have never seen it like this! Thanks for the video!
Glad you enjoyed! The gales aren’t as common on this side of the lake as the east side, but when they do blow it’s pretty spectacular! Definitely a sight to see, although it can be a bit miserable to stand in it 😂
@jonathanellsworth21 Yes, I've been there in the middle of winter for a job, and it was too cold and windy to even go outside for a cigarette! I think it was like -30-40°. My Father in Law lived there. We love going to see the ships come in and out. One of these days, i'll get to check out Grandma's restaurant! It's just amazing the waves in your video. Have a great night. Thanks again!
Good collection and information... thanks 75M here. wyoming michigan.
bad ash lake Superior.
I absolutely LOVE taunt taunt boats!
Remembering those brave sailors on the Fitzgerald. RIP
Taunt taunt boats? 😂
@@jonathanellsworth21 Yeah, my Dad used t take us down to the waterfront in Michigan when we were kids and we always called them taunt taunt boats because of the horn.
I love the Gordon Lightfoot song, and this brings it to life. I sent think link to friends, found the video again and then listened to it along with Gordon's song. It was a thank you Jesus experience.
I’m glad you appreciated it! Seeing it is an amazing experience, Thank you
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down of the big lake they call 'Gitchie Gumee', Superior they said never gives up her dead when the Gales of November come early.
This video gave me a chill. Thumbs up.
It Is like a Ocean Out There
Very similar sometimes!
Freaking amazing!
Glad you enjoyed!
Years ago I had a nice trip to Duluth. They even had a small railroad museum.
Sault saint Marie was a lot like this.
In Procter! They also lend their trains to the North Shore Scenic Railroad I believe, and you can take a ride on their trains!
Those Lakers are huge,, respect for those who have passed,,☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️ from northern Ireland
Long ways from the Lakes! Glad to have you here! Very huge, for long time some of the largest ships on Earth! That’s been changing in recent years since the Panama Canal was expanded but they’re still absolutely massive ships!
some wow photography man, good job. we were there Sept 23 in much calmer times. Superior does get excited at times.
Thank you!
Looking good! It's always fun to wander out onto the Lakewalk and get blasted by waves breaking on the rocks.
Good to see you here! Certainly an amazing thing to see firsthand, although I don’t think my phone appreciated it lol
That’s some angry water 🤬🤬🤬😡🤬🤬😡. Great collection.
Very angry!
In an "average" storm, the waves are 12-15 ft but can get to 20 and sometimes break over the lighthouse at the entrance to Port Ontario.
great shots - can't wait 'til you upload your 2022 footage.
Thank you Jonathan i appreciate what you do for other awesome you rock
Thank you!!
Blessings from England 🙏
Long way from the lakes! Glad to have you here!
Stunningly impressive.
Thank you!
Thanks Mike for going out in this weather great video nice job big hugs
I’m not Mike 😂 But I’ll pass the message along regardless if you want 😁
Takes some courage to set out on a rough sea like that.
And I think that it’s not particularly bad for Superior, my friend has told me of waves over 8 feet just on Manitoulin Island, Lake Huron.
@@sjsomething4936this was very bad for the west side of the lake, 15-25 foot swells in the storms shown here, although I didn’t catch some of the big ones which went over the lighthouses! The waves that sank the Fitzgerald were much larger, estimated 45-60ft but a storm like that hasn’t happened in a long time, fortunately. The rougher eastern side of the lake got close to that a couple times last year though!
To the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald....rest easy boys....rest easy
As an Australian, I really find it hard to comprehend enough fresh water to cater for a ship that large. Although educated enough to know the story of the Endmond Fitzgerald and her fait.
10% of the world’s Fresh Water in Superior alone… they’re massive lakes. I know South Australia does have some larger ones, but I believe they’re extremely shallow and only have water seasonally, certainly wouldn’t be good for shipping. Should visit! Can get a pretty much guaranteed White Christmas here in Duluth, a bucket list item that I’ve heard from many Australians I know! (For living in the northern US I have a surprising number of close friends and contacts in the Melbourne area lol)
You are referring to the 1,000 foot ones? Those ships are as big as aircraft carriers!! Yes, the Lakes are huge. Here's a fact/ history. During WW2 the American Navy trained their pilots here in the Lakes. The Navy took some of the freighters & removed the super structure. They affixed a flat top & trained those pilots off them before sending the guys to the Pacific theatre of war. American has a very large recruitment/ training center north of Chicago. T he flyers were trained right there on Lake Michigan.
The coast guard really put the the anderson in tough situation
Looks like a great day in November on the lake,prefect for doing my fishing a the market...not out there
I remember the morning after the E.F. went down. The roads near Niagara region where I was driving that particular day were littered with fallen trees, branches and debris from the same storm. I live near Orillia, Ontario, the birthplace of Gordon Lightfoot. There are a several memorials and tributes being erected in his memory. His tribute to the ship is one of his greatest songs.
Good to hear that, he deserves it. I can imagine, always hear about the storm’s impact ok the water, but rarely about the land! Usually it’s the other way around but not in this case
Gordie, did these monsters and all up proud !
Very much so
Oh my, that is just ugly cold. 🥶
Lake kitchagoomie doesn't give up her dead 😊
RIP Big Fitz the weathers up a bit But Im sure the Indiana Harbor can make it through..Love that ship..:)
Haven't seen the ocean or the Great Lakes in person but i appreciate your sharing. The motion of the waves and seeing nothing but horizon in the distance is scary and intimidating to me and that massive vessel is going out there like another day at the office with souls onboard
Sailors are certainly tough!
The sailors say being out on Superior is no different than the open ocean, she is so large!
You ain't seen nothing until you see waves crash & spray over 80 foot walls of shoreline in Northern Minnesota. Those videos are on U-Tube also.
@@shirleybalinski4535 I’m hoping to see that, Duluth is fairly sheltered at the end of the lake so definitely on my bucket list!
The gales of November, for sure!!! I attended a memorial service at the Dossin Museum - The Fitzgerald's anchor (lost in 1974) is there. The Pilot house to the S.S. William Clay Ford is there as well.
Looked like a great a day to get out there and do some windsurfing.
I think some people actually were lol
Scary stuff I live on lake erie, you don't go near it in November.....
The Indiana Harbor!
I grew up next door to her former Captain or first officer. I can't remember which position he held on that ship.
He did Captain a few other ships for the American Steamship line.
Oh that’s very cool! Bet he had some stories!
We drove Batchawana Ont on 10/4/89 at night to find a room. It was so cold. Didn't know it was due east of where it sank. Algoma had stand there you can read about it
As a young man almost 60 yrs. ago, I spent time on lake Superior at the very tip of the upper peninsula (the U.P.) at a place called whitefish point.From the wave action the beach rocks were as round as marbles & our rig immediately sunk to the hubs. 4x4 got us out but God it was cold. Wind? I don't believe I've ever been in wind that strong. The Mackinac bridge was shut down because of waves washing over the roadway. Those poor guys on the Fitzgerald never stood a chance.
Waves over the Mac? WOW
Fantastic Video
Thank you!
Being an Arizona desert rat my entire life with a few small lakes, it’s hard for me to understand the awesome power of such a large body of water like the Great Lakes or the ocean. I’m not sure if I want to experience it or not. I have always been fascinated by ships and ship wrecks. I got to go offshore fishing in Florida a few years ago and not being able to see the shore was a bit scary for me. My first time ever seeing the ocean. Thanks for the video.
Definitely something to experience, as long as you’re not on a small boat in it! Nothing like it
How about going over to Whitefish point on the next rough day..😊
That would be awesome, unfortunately it’s a nearly 8 hour drive 😂 Split Rock Lighthouse in big waves is certainly on my to-do list though!
Thank you
The lake looks very rough. That freighter punched through those waves easily. I live next to Chesapeake Bay and we get sharp cold fronts coming from the northwest direction the bay gets full of swells and whitecaps. Sometimes we get blowout tides and you can walk out about 30 feet beyond the rocks. Those days we would go sinker hunting in the rocks or the clay and sand just beyond and sometimes find over a hundred sinkers a day!
I bet Chesapeake Bay has a relatively similar dynamic to the Lakes, a lot of water in a (mostly) enclosed environment. Granted from what I understand it’s far shallower
@@jonathanellsworth21 Yeah it's not very deep in terms of comparing it with the Great Lakes or oceans. Generally the depths are above 100' for most of the bay but it does have deep holes in certain spots. As a boater it is really amazing to goes out there and actually experience the tidal currents. Standing onshore you can't notice it but on a boat the bay flows swiftly almost like a river. I have been out there on days when the current is moving one way and the wind is moving the other way. The result, instant chop and above normal swells. I have a small aluminum bass boat and have been in swells that were close to six feet. The boat bobbing like a cork up and down. Upswell top of the wave you could look around. In the trough of the wave you saw nothing but waves surrounding the boat. Lots of fun though. And the fishing and crabbing is awesome.
@@JimDog794 definitely want to get down there and spend some time in that area at some point!
Bystanders: OMG, look at those waves....
Captain: What waves are they talking about??
Lol, they certainly did make it look easy! It was a highly unusual departure, normally in rough conditions the lakers find a sheltered anchorage rather than sailing through them. They usually don’t seem to have the stereotypical attitude associated with ship captains, preferring to keep their crews comfortable and safe than taking on storms unnecessarily… except for this time. It was quite a surprise!
Beautiful footage! And I missed the anniversary a couple of days ago :( But their memory does live on!
footage?
@@K1OIK It's an expression which may be a holdover from film...feet of film. It means time elapsed captured in motion video. The images, light quality and angles in the video are well done, and beautiful in some respects. He captured something very interesting through his video. Beautiful footage. Visually and viscerally rewarding video.
@@CuriousEarthMan Do you call a car a horseless carriage? Do you call a single old woman a spinster?
@@K1OIK Calling video "footage" is a common, current, valid term of art in the industry and in hobby sectors as well. Please state your issue. Is it something you never knew and now it bothers you that you were ignorant about it? Again, please state your issue.
@@CuriousEarthMan I worked in the industry at channel seven in Boston, no one, I mean no one in 30 years as used the term footage or film. You would be laughed at if you said film or footage.
The lake was angry that day my friend , like an old man sending back soup in a deli.
Lol, oddly specific 😂
Wild but cant stop them like she can when she ices up. Great video 😊
Thanks! It does stop them sometimes, especially when the waves start throwing ice chunks around!
*Witch of November* 🧙 🌬️ 🌊 🚢 💪
Well that was cool!!
Glad you enjoyed!
I’ve never seen Lake Superior but from the looks of it, things can get pretty nasty up there in the winter.
Sometimes it’s really bad, other times it’s like glass! Or anything in between, the lake is beautiful.
Love the fury!
Jeez those ships are huge, 2 time zones long
Lake Superior its said never gives up her dead, when the winds of November come blowing !!!
I miss living up there. Thanks for posting.
How deep is that canal?
30ft, more or less, relatively shallow. Fully loaded like this, the Indiana Harbor probably didn’t have too much water underneath her, a foot at most, probably inches.
Risky move leaving, any rocking or rolling would have put her on the bottom.
And this is inland. I don't want to imagine what it would like be in the middle of the lake.
I forget the exact measurements for these storms, but the open waters can often have 10-20ft taller waves than closer to shore, the worst area being on the east side of the lake, north of Whitefish Point- where the Fitzgerald sits
Looks like the front end of the Batmobile up against the breakwall!
Lol where are you seeing that? Never noticed it
@@jonathanellsworth21 Right in the beginning pan shot of the rip-rap.
@@jims6323 oh yeah I see it, that’s the bottom of one of the anchors they have sitting along the shoreline, that one just happens to be laying flat. Does look like a car bumper from that angle 😂
some of my family where born and brought up in sault saint Marie . rough as hell in winter . moved to Toronto and Mississauga . far better .
It would be awesome to be in Duluth when Superior is this angry. I think I have when I was little, but I don’t remember it
The stormy seas are "cleansing" themselves.
Wow super
Thank you!
I want to get a horn, like the one on the Indiana Harbor ship, for my pickup truck.
I’d have the James R Barker’s or John G Munson’s horn myself 😂
look up hornblasters out of Florida they have them!!
@@jonathanellsworth21
Great footage. Did the Edmund Fitzgerald ever pass through this exact same spot / channel?
All the time! In fact it’s the last place she was ever seen from land, departing through here on her final voyage
I was of the impression that the lake boats no longer leave when dangerous conditions are expected or already present.
Captain’s discretion mostly on whether they sail or not. Company has some influence but after the Fitzgerald they play a lot less of a role. Coast Guard can also order a hold on departures, which they did shortly after this from what I understand, but they were already out on the lake and it was more dangerous to return than to keep going. There were a half dozen other ships in port, including one of her nearly identical sister ships (slightly smaller cargo capacity but otherwise same design and dimensions) owned by the same company. They all stayed and spent a couple more days in port
WOW
Good God
Beautiful weather aint it !
Lol yep! Went and relaxed on the beach afterwards 😜