It is amazing after all these years, the amount of interest in the Edmund Fitzgerald. It's like these brave 29 men want their story to live on, and maybe that is to protect or help any future seamen who travel tbe Great Lakes. To be careful. Thank you for posting.
See the Anderson all the time here in Superior in the ship yard. Everytime I see her I always and will always think about the fitz and coopers bravery💔♥️
Cooper (capt of the Anderson) and Erickson (capt of the William Clay Ford one of Andersons 7 sister ships) were both very brave. I know I could've never done what they did. I give all my respect too those 2 ships, their captains, and their crews.
Cooper may be gone but no one will have the bravery to help in that storm. His spirit still is sitting at the back watching the spirit of the Fitz trail behind. Great video!
Rest in peace Capt. Cooper. You truly were a hero to come about in those terrible seas to look for the Fitz and her crew. The William Clay Ford also aided in the search, as did the Canadian ship Hilda Marjanne ( but was forced to return to Whitefish Bay due to the ferocity of the storm).
Ship's master of the William Clay Ford was asked, he at first, hesitated, went down to his cabin, thought it out, and gave the order to pull anchor and set out in rescue procedures in search for possible survivors. There were none, as all hands died that fateful night 10 November, 1975.
All the ships that participated in the search for the Fitzgerald American Vessels 🇺🇸 Arthur M Anderson William Clay Ford Roger Blough Presque Isle Armco Reserve Wilfred Sykes William R Roesch Canadian Vessels 🇨🇦 Hilda Marjanne Frontenac John O McKellar Murray Bay Fishing Tug James D
I will never forget that day even on lake Michigan the waves were massive and the sound of the wind was unreal also and the way the sky was dark clouds and the trees were even saying there is a storm coming also I was 11 years old in 1975 but I remember well I will never forget that day
As was written, The wind and the wires made a tattle take sound and a wave broke over the railing, And every man knew as the Captain did to, twas the witch of November come stealin. The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait in the face of a hurricane westwind. That fateful night, Lake Superior unleashed all her furry and the Big Fitz was lost with all hands on board her. Thank You Gordon Meridith Lightfoot for your tremendous words written expressing what these guys had went through that night. Fantastic man you are, Gordon Meridith Lightfoot.
I still remember I was 16 , living in Port Colborne , we lived a block away from Lake Erie , that night Lake Erie was in our basement . The water in The Welland Canal in Port Colborne , was level with the street .
I remember the wind was blowing so hard the window panes were rattling. That was in west central Wisconsin. Relatives in Washburn Wisconsin said after that storm things that were around for a hundred years were moved/ beat up.
Grew up in Sault, Ont. and I distinctly remember that storm. Power lines were down in the city and trees were toppled into homes. That storm and the loss of the Fitz stays with you a long time, like a benchmark event in your life.
Wow, great video. This was like listening to one of my U.P relatives tell the story:) I agree with all he said. Sounds like a terrifying night on the big lake. The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down of the big lake they call "Gitche Gumee." "Superior," they said, "never gives up her dead when the gales of November come early!"
Thank you! This is great, Ronnie was my uncle and I'm so happy that you were able to preserve this part of history. Would love to buy you a drink some time and talk more!
My grandfather was a "Blue Water Sailor" in the US Navy 1942-1945 on a Destroyer . One night he and his Task Force were caught in a Tsunami of the Philippines in 1944. He spoke little of it. When he did he said he was on watch and the seas had waves so big the aircraft carrier in their group literally came up from a wave and the stern was out of the water and he could see the props turning in the air.
No doubt the most famous most famous and treasured ship STILL A FLOAT on the Great Lakes making trips unbound and down,seeing her is like seeing the FITZ it's a bittersweet feeling of my heart being broke for the FITZ and happy cause it's the closest thing we have to the FITZ left to cherish,she better be a museum ship instead of being scrapped when she's ready to retire.
Yes it was something for my Grand Father Ken Cole to listen to those distress calls & chatter amongst The Arthur M.Anderson & The Edmond Fitzgerald. He said that he would just switch CB channels to listen in on chatter from other truck drivers & sometimes boats when he could get it he said.He said it just passed the time & everyone knew my Grand Father & i still enjoy listening to stories from him.He use to deliver Labbatt beer up north to Timmons & that area for years & he has so many stories.
Excellent video. The details bring it all to life - green water from the fantail to the wheelhouse, the water pouring in and shorting the generators, the three killer waves, the mickey mouse repairs to the Fitz, the Fitz getting underway with unsecured hatches....
I had a professor (Paul Edmund Hainault.) as a freshman at Michigan Tech in 78-79 who was infatuated with the sinking of the Fitz. He wouid spend the whole hour sometimes (much to our interest) talking about, instead of ME103, his theory of how she bottomed out on Superior Shoal and also how the seiche played a part in her demise. As I recall, he told us that he made several trips out there to look for paint on the rocks. He has written books regarding the sinking I believe. He has since passed on, God rest his soul. When I see the fall storms on the big lake at our camp on the South Shore of the Keweenaw Peninsula, the sinking of the Fitzgerald is as near in my memory as the night she went down.
I don't recall the divers names but the divers went down in the following spring ( may 11th? 1976 ) and documented the red bottom paint all across the shoals there. Coast guard wouldn't let the factual circumstances run in the trial. I'm sure Norton and Co slid some money under the table and claimed they've already reached settlements in the sums of $600 dollars for the crew's family members. As part of the settlements, the families had to agree to remend the courts to endure it off limits to dive. It' has nothing to do with the whole grave site narrative. If they can prove company negligence the surviving family members could still get hundreds of millions of dollars - hence its " off limits " and a class c felony for diving on the wreck.
I'll bet he has some stories to tell! The video about the Sea Bird, her history and how he came to own her is awesome. I'd love to shake his hand and just listen to more stories. BTW your videos have moved the Great Lakes area to the top of my "never been" vacation destinations. In the summer, of course! Thank you for that.
Oh yeah, He sure does. Well, If you want to see the Seabird, Stop by the Ashland Wi. Marina.. If Jim is around, Introduce yourself to him. He's a really great guy and very easy to talk to. Let him know that you saw him in these videos. We're going to be making a few more videos soon. I just need to get a new updated editing program before I can get them produced. I am working on a new TH-cam Channel, But I will still be leaving these videos and this channel open to the public. Stay tuned! : ) Have you seen this video that we had made together about the seabird? th-cam.com/video/aSS3broOnXQ/w-d-xo.html
I still remember hearing the news as a 19 year old. That year winter came early, and as I drove along the shore of Lake Ontario, the lake looked ominous. I can only just imagine how much worse Lake Superior was that night, with far less shelter and far greater winds fuelling those giant waves.
i'm from marquette. i was 11.5 years old at the time. i'm 58.5 years old now. i remember that night very well. i watched the ligtening and thunder from my porch. winds were 45-60 miles per hour. 2 miles from the shore of lake superior. it was a nasty night that night. i knew that it had to be a lot worse on lake superior. much respect to those who ply their trades on the great lakes.
Fascinating. I could listen to this man talk all night. Especially concerning this particular topic. Rest in Peace fine men of the E.F. May God bless your loved ones and give comfort for generations to come.
Then he must have known the late Ronnie Roman ,.... He was a close Friend of Jim's! Jim is here sharing the stories that he was told by Ronnie. He was in the engine room while all of this was taking place.
So sad watching the Anderson come in to port and the Big Fitz never got such a chance. Such a tragic story. RIP Captain Sorley and all 29 of your crew. You are gone, but not forgotten!!!
I know the Northsea and the Baltic pretty well and I have been over the North-Atlantic three times, heading for Boston twice and once for Wilmington. It was in the mid eighties on the dutch freighter Rijpgracht, a 6300 DWT 80 m long. Since 1990 or so she sails under foreign flag. In a pub in Cardiff, Wales, I spoke to a danish guy who told me (amongst other things...) how evil the Lakes could be. He had been there with a salt water ship and told me the story of the Fitzgerald.
Growing up on Lake Superior and and living here for 44 years I can tell you that Lake can turn ugly in minutes it could be smooth sailing one minute 10 ft waves the next. Lake Superior can be a very dangerous lake and it speaks for itself with the hundreds of shipwrecks at her bottom and it's not just Superior all the Great Lakes are equally dangerous and have earned the respect of many a captain. Rest in peace to all those on her bottom...
Hi there IntoWisOutdoors, thanks for your comeback. Such a beautiful song to honor the memory of those lost in the storm. I was moved by your info and kindness; its always a pleasure to know there are friends that are willing to share their knowledge. thanks
There was nothing the crew of the Anderson could do for The Fitzgerald, absolutely nothing and this is the point that gets lost. Captain Cooper and his entire crew should have been given the Presidential Medal of Freedom for having the courage and guts for at least trying.
It's really great to see a video acknowledging the loose keel and Capt. Paquette's book. His book really offers the best evidence as for why the ship sank.
The main Coastguard vessel to look for the Fitz almost sunk as well. It was hit with a broadside wave that caused it to list to 52 degrees port-side. The weather was actually worse for a while after the Fitzgerald went down. The men that went on that rescue mission were heroes in my mind. The Coast Guard Captain was a veteran of the seas and he had said it was the worst weather he had ever seen.
This guy should be consulted for a great movie. Arthur B Homer was moored in Presque Isle Bay, Erie in Fall 1974 before she was scrapped....We fished for Yellow Perch right beside her.
This is the first time I've ever heard from someone that the taconite pellets, when mixed with water would float around the tank and cause the pumps to be plugged and not pump out the water that was flooding the cargo hold. Just never thought of that but it's incredible. That would certainly allow the water to completely flood the hold and push the ship down.
Odd, because there was no oil slick of tacanite pellets that got cleaned up, they dont wash up on shore, and they certainly did not add to the buoyancy of the Fitz. Floating iron ore? Odd.
That makes absolutely no sense. He was saying the small aggregate size contributed to reducing pumps capacity, not that iron ore floats. Pump intakes are at the bottom of a hold, even if there was some floating substance, it would float up and away from the pump intakes.
You can tell he really knows his stuff, I'll be looking forward to that video. I haven't been on Lake Superior for about 10 years, mainly due to me living in Vegas for 6 years. I'm looking forward to the next time, maybe an Isle Royale trip.
I wondered too, went for a couple month adventure, stayed for 6 years. The year round golf was a huge plus, but I did miss the lakes. I went from the land of 10,000 lakes to the desert, but I enjoyed the mountains and the desert quite a bit. And I did have a bit of fun there:).
if you listen to enough people talk about the fitz, it was a tragedy waiting for a place to happen and the storm did the finishing touches. from other vids i have watched, she obviously hit bottom and because this ship had no compartments like other ships she filled up and along with other things she stood no chance against the weather it was in, any accident like this is sad but it is not the first to be taken down by the lakes but the song makes it a legend that lives on to remind of us how nature can be so devastating like the hurricanes and tornados we face at times.
It is documented that the Keel in the first place was loose, I heard about a guy who was helping shovel the silt out of the bottom of the Fitz, and he said that his shovel went between the Keel and the bottom of the boat. I suggest looking up the guy named “RED’S” deposition. I got this info from the retired injury lawyer who I am a handyman for at his hobby farm. His first law case was for the Fitz family’s. The guy they call RED was the guy who was not allowed on the last trip due to getting injured. He said the so called welding job on the keel looked like PIGEON POOP spots all over, which if any fellow mechanic or engineer did a welding job that looked like that, we would expect to get chastised for being a hack! My lawyer friend had to sneak RED back from Texas past company thugs because they did not want him to give a deposition, they sent him to a job in Texas to get him out of the way of being talked to. It almost sounds like a movie plot. Being my good friend/boss grew up in Duluth, with his dad becoming a judge, and he himself taking up the legal torch and becoming a lawyer himself, I’m pretty convinced what I say here is found out from hours of legal research so I tend to believe this. As a matter of fact this after work conversation with my boss/friend has renewed my interest on the subject so on the anniversary I am watching all these documentaries. I was up deer hunting with my dad 19 miles northeast of sandstone mn, and I still have my softball shaped Panasonic transistor radio we kept up on the news reports with. I’m willing to bet those three waves broke the Fitz’s back and she broke right then and there.
It's surprising that she's still afloat. The captain then, was concerned about going back after the Fitz. I completely agree with the commentary in the video.
There’s a interview on yt about how they went to suspect area of the shole and found the spot where she left some paint behind, I guess red on brown stands out a little,,,, but they never used that info in the decision’s they’ve made
I don’t think she broke up on the surface. The stern is located too close to the main wreck. She probably broke in two when she hit bottom. If she broke in two on the surface, the stern would be1/4 Mile or more apart.
@@adriannegrillo8394 I feel for you. I was 4 when he went down with all hands. We won't know for sure until the muckety schmucks can dive on the wreck again and get serious answers.
#171 Thank You about the information on the Fritz. I sailed the Ann Arbor Railroad Carferry, SS City of Green Bay in 1971. And wheeled the ship on several occasions under Capt. George Hardy and Capt. Earl Kettleson. This was before the loss of the Fritz. I have no memory of ever coming into contact with the Fritz in my sailing days. But have seen others.
Very sad, and tragic story. May Almighty Maryah Bless and keep and grace them all with Mercy. RIP..... The 29 souls of The mighty Edmund Fitzgerald. NEVER forgotten. 11/10/1975. A great American tragedy. Brings me near tears.
i was 11.5 years old at the time the "fitz" sank. i'm from marquette. about 3 to 3.5 hours from where it ship sank. the song by gordon lightfoot "the wreck of the edmund fitzgerald." has been and still is a big song, espcially those for those that are old enough to remember.
Very cool history from Ronnie "who was there that night". Love the old Tug friend, and what beautiful footage of the Anderson on a cold (but calm) winters night...love it!! (The Fitz: poor design...poor maintenance by the owners...pushed to hard by the owners...over weighted for the design...a super storm...most likely bottomed out with incorrect out of date charts...sinking!...50 foot rouge waves times 2....and down she goes...into history.
Spare parts no doubt. It is typical that the yard that built the ship, creates a stash of spare parts , for the possibility of repairs needed in the future. Easier, and cheaper to make them, as the ship is being built, and all the patterns are available at the time.......no big conspiracy theory there.
@@tonyk8592 The Fitzgerald wasn’t actually built at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, WI. It was built at the now defunct Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, MI. The Fitzgerald was going to have maintenance work done at Fraser Shipyards during the 1975-76 offseason. So do we know for sure that the plates that Tugboat Jim mentioned were created by GLEW?
@@veggieoilerfan2940 A very good point. No we do not, and indeed, logic would dictate that the plates were likely fabricated in advance of the scheduled upcoming work at Fraser. My bad.
I watch this video every once in a while & it just sends chills down my spine every time i watch it.I'm a big rail way,Planes & have always had an interest in ships/boats as well. I don't know if i told you or not? but my Grand Father Kenneth M.Cole was at one time the oldest truck driver in Canada who drove well into his mid 80's,he retired at 65 but couldn't sit in his rocking chair,he said he needed to be in his MACK Truck seat again,that's where he feels at home.Anyways my Grandpa was...CONT
Wow. You are a gifted poet. I've never seen words paint a picture like that. New to me. I'm assuming that's a song. I would love to hear it if it is. Whether you wrote it or not.
The story of the Fitzgerald is all over the world. I have always said to myself, that could I ever afford a decent sized boat, I would have named it "Witch of November" Fremantle. A mark of respect not only to the crew but to all the mariners of your part of the world. The irony is that in my own past family history who were ship owners themselves, comes the story of one of their freighters being directed into the search and rescue of Titanic survivors. Sleep in peace all, in his 'locker'.
My Grandmother was listening to her ham radio that night in Soo, MI and heard the Fitzgerald's call for help as they were going down. She called the police in the Soo and reported it. They then were able to contact the people that needed to know what was happening, so they could help. She remembered this night up until she died at 97years old!
Saw your comment on the sinking of the FITZ from 3 years ago. Are you saying your grandma heard a distress call or last minute call from the FITZ as she was going down?? She was on a ham radio correct? I lived out at Dafter at the time. That was a bad night. Anyways, all the public ever hears about is the last chatter with the Anderson not that there might have been a " last" distress call. Can you elaborate?
@@shirleybalinski4535 yes my Gma was listening to the radio that night when the Fitzgerald went down in 75’. She called the police & they called for assistance for the ship. She is gone now (was 97) but she saw the bridge being built & we even have paper clips of both the build & the wreck.
The CarlDBradley is a prime example of greed the holds were shot it was almost to the shipyard for replacement of the holds it wasn't seaworthy but they wanted to make one more trip look what happened
They could have made a full length motion picture out of this the way they made 'The Perfect Storm', and dedicated it to the men who lost their lives. I've seen the Documentary "Shipwreck", and it's good, but a good movie can cement historical events into the minds and memories of the entire world for generations.
Those ships take a pounding from rough seas. 30 foot waves crashing down and those 6 to 7 hundred foot ship have lots of pressure on the frames trying to stay afloat. So many ships have broke apart at the surface in storms because of the bending going up and down in those large waves putting so much pressure on the frame of the ships.
What a great story from that "Old" timer!!! SO COOL!! I learned a lot from this video...thanks, Ken!! The ending parts were like the Titanic...good music choice.
I worked aboard a Lightering vessel in the Duluth, Superior harbor and was aboard the Fitz. the day before it sank delivering 5o,too gallons of bunker C. I will always remember the crew I seen that day as it were yesterday. The cook was waiting for his relief and made several trips to look down the dock to see if his relief was coming and told me he was a 30 day sailor and wanted to go home, but the relief never came. A cadet from California was talking to the union Rep. about future job positions with the company. The Mate was loading the vessel as everyone else doing their duties. The Chief Eng. had a headache that he couldn't get rid of. The cook brought out some chocolate Eclairs sat down in the galley with me brought ou
I said goodbye not knowing I would never see him or anyone else from the vessel again. It seems like yesterday but now nearly 50 years later it's still very clear image.
Very interesting to hear about her keel being loose below the lower plates. I never heard that before. And also very interesting to hear about her being overloaded and abused.
Wow....I learned a lot more about the story from watching this video. I have always been interested in learning more about major disasters such as this,the titanic and Chernobyl. Got reading about this when I was trying to find an old song I heard on an episode of Due South. Needless to say that idea got put aside and I read about the Fitzgerald for a couple hours instead.
I cried when I watched the other main documentary and this song on this video "may it be" at 11.30 onwards. I'm a woman by the way. Get saved folks and born again and walking with Jesus daily (not religions). Time is short this is the final generation to Jesus return. You must be supernaturally born again having repented of sin from the heart and confessed Jesus only is Lord. No one knows if they have tomorrow! Romans 10 verses 9 and 10 and John 3 verse 3 (christian Bible). Hell is real for all humans unless saved. I so hope those men were saved/born again.
At the time, they called the Fitzgerald a "tender " boat. meaning she was not as sound structurally, because she had 3 holds, and two bulk heads had been removed to load more cargo. This all recounted by Capt. Darrell Wolton, whos brother died on the boat that night.
on the fitz' day of christening, she fell sideways into the harbor and made a huge wave as it slammed back into the dock and some of those that were there said it looked like the ship was trying to get back up onto the dock. one man was so in shock he had a heart attack and died right there.
Overloading a 17 year old ship with structural problems seems criminal to me. But it was a different day and age. I remember when Gordon Lightfoot's song came out. Very haunting. Like most tragedies, it seems it could've been prevented, but for 1 contributing factor being eliminated, but I guess we'll never know for sure.
Fitzgerald actually had two more runs scheduled after loading at the Burlington in the slip next to the Wilfred Sykes. It was not the "Fitz's last run of the season."
+IntoWisOutdoors I have never found anything that would indicate McSorley was going to relinquish his command of the Fitz that year. He himself was due for retirement, but nothing indicates he was stepping off the Fitz early that year. That being said, in Red Bergner's taped deposition, he (Bergner) was asked to return to the Fitzgerald to serve for no less than 2 more trips that season.
@@ExploringAmerica i started working at 13 at 16 i was self employed and bought a brand new pickup for 4 thousand dollars not a plain one either life on a farm was great best place for a kid to grow up now days small farms cant aford to stay in buisness as a teen we lived the dream today teens have it rough most are from broken homes i wish my kids could have grown up then ,there doing good but they have to work to hard just to make it now days
@@dewaynemiguel3349 Oh yes,... I wish they knew how it really was back then also, I grew up working and living on Dairy Farms starting around 1977. It was a lot of hard work, But you ate good and you lived a good life. I had gotten out of that line of work back in 1986. My then boss had to start selling off his several farms due legal family issues which led to hard times. We had one of the cleanest dairy farm operations here in the state of Wisconsin. The Inspectors told us that we had a much nicer well organized and cleaner operation than our neighbors right down the road from us did. And they were the role model farm. the Hoards Dairy Farm that was owned by the world known Hoards Dairyman Farm Magazine. We took a lot of pride in our operation. If there was so much as a gum wrapper on the ground. We picked it up! : )
Bless you Capt. I knew damn well they were lying! Loose hatch covers my ass. They weighed 7 tons each. She broke, the Sisters finished her off. First Mate F/V Evening Star.
I think the last 4 ships that GLEW built went like this 300- ford 301- fitz 302- Jackson 303 -homer As far as I know the Jackson is still on the lakes. Doing well The ford was actually 1 of the ships that went out in the storm to look for the fitz that night. They reported no problems handling the sea. It was scrapped in the 80’s due to economy. And the homer I believe was scrapped in the 80’s but I think it had a collision or something? Also, I believe the Anderson, callaway and Clarke are still around too! I think the fitz sank because it had a stress fracture of the hull and got too much water in the cargo holds and the large waves nose dived her cause she lacked buoyancy from flooded cargo holds. But we will never know for sure
Only the back 3rd of the ship was upside down and presented a good look at the bottom of the boat. The middle 3rd mostly crumbled apart and the front 3rd is right side up and there's no way to see the bottom of it and if any damage was visible. @Nick Sambides Jr.
Is it possible that the Fitzgerald didn't bottom out but hogged because of 1) huge seas and 2) her loose keel/cracked/flawed welded construction? It doesn't seem likely, but everyone says she was so loose in her skin compared to riveted ships like Anderson, I can't help wondering if flaws alone made Fitz vulnerable to those seas.
It’s quite possible, though testimony exists that points to her touching bottom at 6 Fathom Shoal…..Capt. Darrell Walton, nephew of Ralph G. Walton who went down with the Fitzgerald has stated in an interview with History Mystery Man that in the following spring of 1976, divers went out off of Caribou Island at 6 Fathom shoals for sounding records……discovered that the shoals extended at least another mile further out than had been previously documented. Divers were also finding “red bottom paint all over the place” right around where the ship would’ve passed through the area…but were instructed by the Coast Guard to remain silent on the matter. Anonymous ship workers at Fraser later spoke of the frightening condition of the Fritz’s loose keel plates while she was in port shortly before that final downbound run…..Columbia Transportation had instructed Fraser to just do a “quick fix” to get the Fitz back out to finish the 1975 season. The shipping companies at the time had managed to bend the Coast Guard’s will enough to allow the lake boats to run summer load lines well past normal…..due to the changes in water temperatures due to the changing seasons, it also affects the gravity/density of the lake waters. The Fitz had far less freeboard than she should’ve at that time……which means she was riding even lower in the water than she should’ve been. Pair that with the heavy seas being encountered and the hull already being compromised, I think it’s a wonder the ship didn’t submarine to the bottom sooner.
It is amazing after all these years, the amount of interest in the Edmund Fitzgerald. It's like these brave 29 men want their story to live on, and maybe that is to protect or help any future seamen who travel tbe Great Lakes. To be careful. Thank you for posting.
The Anderson on the dark, misty water, lights blazing. Oh my heart. The ship has a soul.
I love how she honors the fitz by doing that I think every anniversary it’s sad Anderson is still in service but fitz isn’t may she rip
See the Anderson all the time here in Superior in the ship yard. Everytime I see her I always and will always think about the fitz and coopers bravery💔♥️
Captain Cooper was so brave, despite the tragedy suffered from the Edmund Fitzgerald. Rest in peace 🙏
Cooper (capt of the Anderson) and Erickson (capt of the William Clay Ford one of Andersons 7 sister ships) were both very brave. I know I could've never done what they did. I give all my respect too those 2 ships, their captains, and their crews.
RIP Captain Cooper. RIP Edmund Fitzgerald crew. Let the Arthur M Anderson keep sailing in your honor
I'm addicted to this history,
Same
Me too.
i was 10 years old....
yes me too but helps me to be ready
Same here
Cooper may be gone but no one will have the bravery to help in that storm. His spirit still is sitting at the back watching the spirit of the Fitz trail behind. Great video!
Rest in peace Capt. Cooper. You truly were a hero to come about in those terrible seas to look for the Fitz and her crew. The William Clay Ford also aided in the search, as did the Canadian ship Hilda Marjanne ( but was forced to return to Whitefish Bay due to the ferocity of the storm).
Captain Cooper, definitely a hero. Damn tragedy that neither American or Canadian Coast Guards were able to check on this vessel around 3pm.
The Coast Guard Cutter Woodrush got underway that night,Ever ride a 180 tender in a storm like that
Ship's master of the William Clay Ford was asked, he at first, hesitated, went down to his cabin, thought it out, and gave the order to pull anchor and set out in rescue procedures in search for possible survivors. There were none, as all hands died that fateful night 10 November, 1975.
@@charlesgoodspeed3474 No question. Just embarrassing that the first USCG vessel to arrive on scene came all the way from Duluth, MN.
All the ships that participated in the search for the Fitzgerald
American Vessels 🇺🇸
Arthur M Anderson
William Clay Ford
Roger Blough
Presque Isle
Armco
Reserve
Wilfred Sykes
William R Roesch
Canadian Vessels 🇨🇦
Hilda Marjanne
Frontenac
John O McKellar
Murray Bay
Fishing Tug James D
I will never forget that day even on lake Michigan the waves were massive and the sound of the wind was unreal also and the way the sky was dark clouds and the trees were even saying there is a storm coming also I was 11 years old in 1975 but I remember well I will never forget that day
As was written, The wind and the wires made a tattle take sound and a wave broke over the railing, And every man knew as the Captain did to, twas the witch of November come stealin. The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait in the face of a hurricane westwind. That fateful night, Lake Superior unleashed all her furry and the Big Fitz was lost with all hands on board her. Thank You Gordon Meridith Lightfoot for your tremendous words written expressing what these guys had went through that night. Fantastic man you are, Gordon Meridith Lightfoot.
@@danbasta3677 yes indeed
I still remember I was 16 , living in Port Colborne , we lived a block away from Lake Erie , that night Lake Erie was in our basement . The water in The Welland Canal in Port Colborne , was level with the street .
I remember the wind was blowing so hard the window panes were rattling. That was in west central Wisconsin. Relatives in Washburn Wisconsin said after that storm things that were around for a hundred years were moved/ beat up.
I've heard the song " The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" ever since I was a child. A Classic! ♥️ 👍🏼
Grew up in Sault, Ont. and I distinctly remember that storm. Power lines were down in the city and trees were toppled into homes. That storm and the loss of the Fitz stays with you a long time, like a benchmark event in your life.
Wow, great video. This was like listening to one of my U.P relatives tell the story:) I agree with all he said. Sounds like a terrifying night on the big lake.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
of the big lake they call "Gitche Gumee."
"Superior," they said, "never gives up her dead
when the gales of November come early!"
Thank you! This is great, Ronnie was my uncle and I'm so happy that you were able to preserve this part of history. Would love to buy you a drink some time and talk more!
Sorry about your loss. He seemed like a nice guy from this video that was made. Adventurous and brave. God speed Ronnie!
Anderson is still on the lakes, such an amazing thing to see her sailing by. God bless everyone.
My grandfather was a "Blue Water Sailor" in the US Navy 1942-1945 on a Destroyer . One night he and his Task Force were caught in a Tsunami of the Philippines in 1944. He spoke little of it. When he did he said he was on watch and the seas had waves so big the aircraft carrier in their group literally came up from a wave and the stern was out of the water and he could see the props turning in the air.
No doubt the most famous most famous and treasured ship STILL A FLOAT on the Great Lakes making trips unbound and down,seeing her is like seeing the FITZ it's a bittersweet feeling of my heart being broke for the FITZ and happy cause it's the closest thing we have to the FITZ left to cherish,she better be a museum ship instead of being scrapped when she's ready to retire.
Oh yeah Captain Cooper of the Anderson . what a Man ! after hearing the radio transmissions Awesome
Yes it was something for my Grand Father Ken Cole to listen to those distress calls & chatter amongst The Arthur M.Anderson & The Edmond Fitzgerald. He said that he would just switch CB channels to listen in on chatter from other truck drivers & sometimes boats when he could get it he said.He said it just passed the time & everyone knew my Grand Father & i still enjoy listening to stories from him.He use to deliver Labbatt beer up north to Timmons & that area for years & he has so many stories.
This was fantastic.One of my favorite films on YT to date.
I hope in 2021,all these men are alive and well,still telling these stories.
and the beautiful song sung at 11:45.. loved to know the name and who sung it ..
“May it be” Celtic Woman
Excellent video. The details bring it all to life - green water from the fantail to the wheelhouse, the water pouring in and shorting the generators, the three killer waves, the mickey mouse repairs to the Fitz, the Fitz getting underway with unsecured hatches....
I had a professor (Paul Edmund Hainault.) as a freshman at Michigan Tech in 78-79 who was infatuated with the sinking of the Fitz. He wouid spend the whole hour sometimes (much to our interest) talking about, instead of ME103, his theory of how she bottomed out on Superior Shoal and also how the seiche played a part in her demise. As I recall, he told us that he made several trips out there to look for paint on the rocks. He has written books regarding the sinking I believe. He has since passed on, God rest his soul.
When I see the fall storms on the big lake at our camp on the South Shore of the Keweenaw Peninsula, the sinking of the Fitzgerald is as near in my memory as the night she went down.
Fellow toot- "71"
I don't recall the divers names but the divers went down in the following spring ( may 11th? 1976 ) and documented the red bottom paint all across the shoals there. Coast guard wouldn't let the factual circumstances run in the trial. I'm sure Norton and Co slid some money under the table and claimed they've already reached settlements in the sums of $600 dollars for the crew's family members.
As part of the settlements, the families had to agree to remend the courts to endure it off limits to dive. It' has nothing to do with the whole grave site narrative. If they can prove company negligence the surviving family members could still get hundreds of millions of dollars - hence its " off limits " and a class c felony for diving on the wreck.
Beautiful tribute to Jim's friend, Ronnie Roman. Fascinating story about the damage to the Anderson on that fateful night in 1975.
Thank You Jimmy! Yeah, I was amused by what Jim was telling us.
I'll bet he has some stories to tell! The video about the Sea Bird, her history and how he came to own her is awesome. I'd love to shake his hand and just listen to more stories. BTW your videos have moved the Great Lakes area to the top of my "never been" vacation destinations. In the summer, of course! Thank you for that.
Oh yeah, He sure does. Well, If you want to see the Seabird, Stop by the Ashland Wi. Marina.. If Jim is around, Introduce yourself to him. He's a really great guy and very easy to talk to.
Let him know that you saw him in these videos. We're going to be making a few more videos soon. I just need to get a new updated editing program before I can get them produced.
I am working on a new TH-cam Channel, But I will still be leaving these videos and this channel open to the public. Stay tuned! : )
Have you seen this video that we had made together about the seabird?
th-cam.com/video/aSS3broOnXQ/w-d-xo.html
I still remember hearing the news as a 19 year old. That year winter came early, and as I drove along the shore of Lake Ontario, the lake looked ominous. I can only just imagine how much worse Lake Superior was that night, with far less shelter and far greater winds fuelling those giant waves.
Truly terrifying
i'm from marquette. i was 11.5 years old at the time. i'm 58.5 years old now. i remember that night very well. i watched the ligtening and thunder from my porch. winds were 45-60 miles per hour. 2 miles from the shore of lake superior. it was a nasty night that night. i knew that it had to be a lot worse on lake superior. much respect to those who ply their trades on the great lakes.
Where on Lake Ontario?
@@JackCallSports I was driving along Lakeshore Road West, in Oakville, where I lived.
@@comedywriter8408 wow
I go to school at oswego
Very spine chilling to encounter I would bet
Ontario here gets bad storms
But nothing like superior
Fascinating. I could listen to this man talk all night. Especially concerning this particular topic. Rest in Peace fine men of the E.F. May God bless your loved ones and give comfort for generations to come.
My uncle “Buck” Boyd Griffith was an engineer on the Anderson when the Fitz when down. He later became Chief Engineer on the Joshua A. Hatfield
Then he must have known the late Ronnie Roman ,.... He was a close Friend of Jim's! Jim is here sharing the stories that he was told by Ronnie. He was in the engine room while all of this was taking place.
@Craig Bathurst... Gosh he must've been terrified.
So sad watching the Anderson come in to port and the Big Fitz never got such a chance. Such a tragic story. RIP Captain Sorley and all 29 of your crew. You are gone, but not forgotten!!!
All due respect. Captain Mcsorely.
fascinating to hear the details fleshed out, and contributions from the writers below, many thanks ! I grew up just north, on the lake
This ship is still operating on the Lakes
I know the Northsea and the Baltic pretty well and I have been over the North-Atlantic three times, heading for Boston twice and once for Wilmington. It was in the mid eighties on the dutch freighter Rijpgracht, a 6300 DWT 80 m long. Since 1990 or so she sails under foreign flag. In a pub in Cardiff, Wales, I spoke to a danish guy who told me (amongst other things...) how evil the Lakes could be. He had been there with a salt water ship and told me the story of the Fitzgerald.
I love this conversational filming- almost like we're eavesdropping.
Capt Jim seems like an old friend of mine- but he's got better stories.
Rest in peace to all crews and captians that have been lost keep sailing in heaven
Growing up on Lake Superior and and living here for 44 years I can tell you that Lake can turn ugly in minutes it could be smooth sailing one minute 10 ft waves the next. Lake Superior can be a very dangerous lake and it speaks for itself with the hundreds of shipwrecks at her bottom and it's not just Superior all the Great Lakes are equally dangerous and have earned the respect of many a captain. Rest in peace to all those on her bottom...
I've heard it said that there are 6,000 shipwrecks in Lake Superior.
Captain Cooper is a legend, may he rest in peace, I am sure his spirit still walks the pilot house on a stormy night.
What a hauntingly beautiful pair of songs
Hi there IntoWisOutdoors, thanks for your comeback. Such a beautiful song to honor the memory of those lost in the storm. I was moved by your info and kindness; its always a pleasure to know there are friends that are willing to share their knowledge. thanks
There was nothing the crew of the Anderson could do for The Fitzgerald, absolutely nothing and this is the point that gets lost. Captain Cooper and his entire crew should have been given the Presidential Medal of Freedom for having the courage and guts for at least trying.
That's Godamn Right....
Thanks for that beautifull shot of the anderson sailing by with ice in the water...very nice thanks
It's really great to see a video acknowledging the loose keel and Capt. Paquette's book. His book really offers the best evidence as for why the ship sank.
The main Coastguard vessel to look for the Fitz almost sunk as well. It was hit with a broadside wave that caused it to list to 52 degrees port-side. The weather was actually worse for a while after the Fitzgerald went down. The men that went on that rescue mission were heroes in my mind. The Coast Guard Captain was a veteran of the seas and he had said it was the worst weather he had ever seen.
+lairdriver So, you were on the Fitz, and on the surface above her after she sank?
It is documented.
Gives testimony to how that lake was that day.
Misty Carter Wow what a troll bitch statement. Google it before criticising next time please. Have fun living in mommas basement.
@@lesbrown7009
@@mistycarter7723 Asshole.
That salty old bugger and me could enjoy a beer together.
His world is so different than mine, but i hear his song.
Always.
Facinating,thank you for posting this.
Jim Melin is the captain of The Seabird tugboat which was always such a blast to be on! This is an awesome video!
This guy should be consulted for a great movie. Arthur B Homer was moored in Presque Isle Bay, Erie in Fall 1974 before she was scrapped....We fished for Yellow Perch right beside her.
This is the first time I've ever heard from someone that the taconite pellets, when mixed with water would float around the tank and cause the pumps to be plugged and not pump out the water that was flooding the cargo hold. Just never thought of that but it's incredible. That would certainly allow the water to completely flood the hold and push the ship down.
Odd, because there was no oil slick of tacanite pellets that got cleaned up, they dont wash up on shore, and they certainly did not add to the buoyancy of the Fitz.
Floating iron ore? Odd.
That makes absolutely no sense. He was saying the small aggregate size contributed to reducing pumps capacity, not that iron ore floats. Pump intakes are at the bottom of a hold, even if there was some floating substance, it would float up and away from the pump intakes.
@@maheinicke some ores do have an ability to float, not sure about iron though, coal does given certain conditions
Floating iron ore? No.
What a tribute to your good sailor friend, Ronnie.
You can tell he really knows his stuff, I'll be looking forward to that video. I haven't been on Lake Superior for about 10 years, mainly due to me living in Vegas for 6 years. I'm looking forward to the next time, maybe an Isle Royale trip.
I wondered too, went for a couple month adventure, stayed for 6 years. The year round golf was a huge plus, but I did miss the lakes. I went from the land of 10,000 lakes to the desert, but I enjoyed the mountains and the desert quite a bit. And I did have a bit of fun there:).
if you listen to enough people talk about the fitz, it was a tragedy waiting for a place to happen and the storm did the finishing touches.
from other vids i have watched, she obviously hit bottom and because this ship had no compartments like other ships she filled up and along with other
things she stood no chance against the weather it was in, any accident like this is sad but it is not the first to be taken down by the lakes but the song
makes it a legend that lives on to remind of us how nature can be so devastating like the hurricanes and tornados we face at times.
I never heard about the loose stern. So sad. May peace be their homes now and forever.
Great footage! Great interview with straight shooters! Thank you. My birthday is the Nov 11th at 2 minutes after midnight.
Thank you for sharing!
It is documented that the Keel in the first place was loose, I heard about a guy who was helping shovel the silt out of the bottom of the Fitz, and he said that his shovel went between the Keel and the bottom of the boat. I suggest looking up the guy named “RED’S” deposition. I got this info from the retired injury lawyer who I am a handyman for at his hobby farm. His first law case was for the Fitz family’s. The guy they call RED was the guy who was not allowed on the last trip due to getting injured. He said the so called welding job on the keel looked like PIGEON POOP spots all over, which if any fellow mechanic or engineer did a welding job that looked like that, we would expect to get chastised for being a hack! My lawyer friend had to sneak RED back from Texas past company thugs because they did not want him to give a deposition, they sent him to a job in Texas to get him out of the way of being talked to. It almost sounds like a movie plot. Being my good friend/boss grew up in Duluth, with his dad becoming a judge, and he himself taking up the legal torch and becoming a lawyer himself, I’m pretty convinced what I say here is found out from hours of legal research so I tend to believe this. As a matter of fact this after work conversation with my boss/friend has renewed my interest on the subject so on the anniversary I am watching all these documentaries. I was up deer hunting with my dad 19 miles northeast of sandstone mn, and I still have my softball shaped Panasonic transistor radio we kept up on the news reports with. I’m willing to bet those three waves broke the Fitz’s back and she broke right then and there.
It's surprising that she's still afloat. The captain then, was concerned about going back after the Fitz. I completely agree with the commentary in the video.
There’s a interview on yt about how they went to suspect area of the shole and found the spot where she left some paint behind, I guess red on brown stands out a little,,,, but they never used that info in the decision’s they’ve made
I don’t think she broke up on the surface. The stern is located too close to the main wreck. She probably broke in two when she hit bottom. If she broke in two on the surface, the stern would be1/4 Mile or more apart.
I'm so sick to hear about this. I was 18 when Fitz went down. I have never forgotten about her or her crew along with countless others!
@@adriannegrillo8394 I feel for you. I was 4 when he went down with all hands. We won't know for sure until the muckety schmucks can dive on the wreck again and get serious answers.
Fantastic video Ken! You did an amazing job so I really hope you get that autographed book!
#171 Thank You about the information on the Fritz. I sailed the Ann Arbor Railroad Carferry, SS City of Green Bay in 1971. And wheeled the ship on several occasions under Capt. George Hardy and Capt. Earl Kettleson. This was before the loss of the Fritz. I have no memory of ever coming into contact with the Fritz in my sailing days. But have seen others.
Lake Superior waves come in 3's known as the three sisters,the first one sets you up for the other two.
Not surprising coming from the Lake that never surrenders her dead 😳
WELL DONE , THANKS .
Great great video. Thanks for posting.
Very sad, and tragic story. May Almighty Maryah Bless and keep and grace them all with Mercy. RIP..... The 29 souls of The mighty Edmund Fitzgerald. NEVER forgotten. 11/10/1975. A great American tragedy. Brings me near tears.
i was 11.5 years old at the time the "fitz" sank. i'm from marquette. about 3 to 3.5 hours from where it ship sank. the song by gordon lightfoot "the wreck of the edmund fitzgerald." has been and still is a big song, espcially those for those that are old enough to remember.
Thank you! I would really appreciate it!
Very cool history from Ronnie "who was there that night". Love the old Tug friend, and what beautiful footage of the Anderson on a cold (but calm) winters night...love it!! (The Fitz: poor design...poor maintenance by the owners...pushed to hard by the owners...over weighted for the design...a super storm...most likely bottomed out with incorrect out of date charts...sinking!...50 foot rouge waves times 2....and down she goes...into history.
It would be interesting to see those plates in Fraser Shipyard bearing the Fitzgerald name.
Spare parts no doubt. It is typical that the yard that built the ship, creates a stash of spare parts , for the possibility of repairs needed in the future. Easier, and cheaper to make them, as the ship is being built, and all the patterns are available at the time.......no big conspiracy theory there.
@@tonyk8592 The Fitzgerald wasn’t actually built at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, WI. It was built at the now defunct Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, MI. The Fitzgerald was going to have maintenance work done at Fraser Shipyards during the 1975-76 offseason. So do we know for sure that the plates that Tugboat Jim mentioned were created by GLEW?
@@veggieoilerfan2940 A very good point. No we do not, and indeed, logic would dictate that the plates were likely fabricated in advance of the scheduled upcoming work at Fraser.
My bad.
Nostalgic. Memories. Of. Times. Gone. ! And those lost. At. Sea.
I watch this video every once in a while & it just sends chills down my spine every time i watch it.I'm a big rail way,Planes & have always had an interest in ships/boats as well. I don't know if i told you or not? but my Grand Father Kenneth M.Cole was at one time the oldest truck driver in Canada who drove well into his mid 80's,he retired at 65 but couldn't sit in his rocking chair,he said he needed to be in his MACK Truck seat again,that's where he feels at home.Anyways my Grandpa was...CONT
I was a kid when this happened, but I do recall the storm flags out in Ashland.
Beautiful video and music.
The only Fitz tribute I've seen without Gordon Lightfoot. He learned of it in the Newsweek article 2 weeks later, which his sister brought him.
I've seen you post on other videos and find it funny that of all the videos on YT, I come across you on more than one occasion randomly, kinda wild.
ultra-fantastic job!!!! I have ALWAYS been fascinated by the "fitz" ever sine I first heard the song back in '76. hell, i'm misting up now!!!
Amazing stuff. Rest in peace guys.
To back up the Titanic part, if anyone one was wondering, the owner he was talking about was Joseph Ismay and the designer was Thomas Andrews
I believe the owner he was talking about was j.p. morgan
very interesting thank you
WOW Ken.....AWESOME VID !!!!! very interesting, and super choice of music....and very well put together !! And I really like Joe's tugboat...hehe
(Inspired by "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot)
'Neath the wind and waves
Are many mariners' graves
Where lost souls forever are buried
On board that great ship
Till the sea loosed each man's grip
Not one of them even seemed worried
But November's tempest
That great vessel did test
None of its crew were survivors
By waves men were tossed
And all hands on deck lost
Their graves one day found by deep sea divers
Not many prevail
'gainst a furious gale
That keeps all the sailors a fearing
Save for a sturdy cape
There could be no escape
From sailors and ships disappearing
She listed to port
And then she came up short
As the lake sought right then to claim her
The crew fought all night
To set the ship right
From the unwelcome waters to drain her
But no matter how they fought
Their efforts were for naught
As there could be only one winner
The bow soon was full
Drawn down by gravity's pull
That spared neither saint nor sinner
It was already too late
When The Anderson's first mate
Phoned the captain of the vessel now sinking
"We're holding our own"
But his fate was unknown
As his ship the sea water was drinking
Brave men met their doom
With their great ship now entombed
On the cruel lake's rocky bottom
Sailors nine and one score
Suddenly were no more
For the witch of November had got 'em
I'm not sure if they prayed
Or what price they would have paid
To see another day dawning
But for them the bell did toll
As they sank in the shoal
While the angry sea was still yawning
It's been forty years
And an ocean of tears
Since that stormy night in November
To those brave men who are gone
We sing this mournful song
But in our hearts we shall always remember
© 2017 - 2018
Wow. You are a gifted poet. I've never seen words paint a picture like that. New to me. I'm assuming that's a song. I would love to hear it if it is. Whether you wrote it or not.
Love that
Do you just go around every EF video posting the lyrics to someone else's song?
Gordan. Who
Don't be sad, where the 29 are now, the waves are as gentle as a caress and the sun is always shining
EXCEPTIONALLY SPLENDID VIDEO! THANK YOU.
The story of the Fitzgerald is all over the world. I have always said to myself, that could I ever afford a decent sized boat, I would have named it "Witch of November" Fremantle. A mark of respect not only to the crew but to all the mariners of your part of the world. The irony is that in my own past family history who were ship owners themselves, comes the story of one of their freighters being directed into the search and rescue of Titanic survivors. Sleep in peace all, in his 'locker'.
My Grandmother was listening to her ham radio that night in Soo, MI and heard the Fitzgerald's call for help as they were going down. She called the police in the Soo and reported it. They then were able to contact the people that needed to know what was happening, so they could help. She remembered this night up until she died at 97years old!
Saw your comment on the sinking of the FITZ from 3 years ago. Are you saying your grandma heard a distress call or last minute call from the FITZ as she was going down?? She was on a ham radio correct? I lived out at Dafter at the time. That was a bad night. Anyways, all the public ever hears about is the last chatter with the Anderson not that there might have been a " last" distress call. Can you elaborate?
@@shirleybalinski4535 yes my Gma was listening to the radio that night when the Fitzgerald went down in 75’. She called the police & they called for assistance for the ship. She is gone now (was 97) but she saw the bridge being built & we even have paper clips of both the build & the wreck.
never should have been out in a storm like that but money talks and makes us worker slaves go out when we shouldn't.
Have you ever heard of a White Squall?
The CarlDBradley is a prime example of greed the holds were shot it was almost to the shipyard for replacement of the holds it wasn't seaworthy but they wanted to make one more trip look what happened
They could have made a full length motion picture out of this the way they made 'The Perfect Storm', and dedicated it to the men who lost their lives. I've seen the Documentary "Shipwreck", and it's good, but a good movie can cement historical events into the minds and memories of the entire world for generations.
Very well done and respectful.
Those ships take a pounding from rough seas. 30 foot waves crashing down and those 6 to 7 hundred foot ship have lots of pressure on the frames trying to stay afloat. So many ships have broke apart at the surface in storms because of the bending going up and down in those large waves putting so much pressure on the frame of the ships.
What a great story from that "Old" timer!!! SO COOL!! I learned a lot from this video...thanks, Ken!! The ending parts were like the Titanic...good music choice.
I worked aboard a Lightering vessel in the Duluth, Superior harbor and was aboard the Fitz. the day before it sank delivering 5o,too gallons of bunker C. I will always remember the crew I seen that day as it were yesterday. The cook was waiting for his relief and made several trips to look down the dock to see if his relief was coming and told me he was a 30 day sailor and wanted to go home, but the relief never came. A cadet from California was talking to the union Rep. about future job positions with the company. The Mate was loading the vessel as everyone else doing their duties. The Chief Eng. had a headache that he couldn't get rid of. The cook brought out some chocolate Eclairs sat down in the galley with me brought ou
I said goodbye not knowing I would never see him or anyone else from the vessel again. It seems like yesterday but now nearly 50 years later it's still very clear image.
Very interesting to hear about her keel being loose below the lower plates. I never heard that before. And also very interesting to hear about her being overloaded and abused.
Awesome thank you. Who is this guy? I am from Ashland. Sounds like he is too
Wow....I learned a lot more about the story from watching this video. I have always been interested in learning more about major disasters such as this,the titanic and Chernobyl. Got reading about this when I was trying to find an old song I heard on an episode of Due South. Needless to say that idea got put aside and I read about the Fitzgerald for a couple hours instead.
I cried when I watched the other main documentary and this song on this video
"may it be" at 11.30 onwards. I'm a woman by the way. Get saved folks and born again and walking with Jesus daily (not religions). Time is short this is the final generation to Jesus return. You must be supernaturally born again having repented of sin from the heart and confessed Jesus only is Lord.
No one knows
if they have tomorrow!
Romans 10 verses 9 and 10
and John 3 verse 3 (christian Bible). Hell is real for all humans unless saved. I so hope those men were saved/born again.
At the time, they called the Fitzgerald a "tender " boat. meaning she was not as sound structurally, because she had 3 holds, and two bulk heads had been removed to load more cargo. This all recounted by Capt. Darrell Wolton, whos brother died on the boat that night.
His uncle.
on the fitz' day of christening, she fell sideways into the harbor and made a huge wave as it slammed back into the dock and some of those that were there said it looked like the ship was trying to get back up onto the dock. one man was so in shock he had a heart attack and died right there.
I just saw video of that. I didn't realize what I was watching. Cool.
Because she knew she wasn't sea worthy, with the fast slipshod joining of the keel.
The waves bent metal?! Whoa...
If Lake Superior wants you dead, you’re dead.
Overloading a 17 year old ship with structural problems seems criminal to me. But it was a different day and age. I remember when Gordon Lightfoot's song came out. Very haunting. Like most tragedies, it seems it could've been prevented, but for 1 contributing factor being eliminated, but I guess we'll never know for sure.
Fitzgerald actually had two more runs scheduled after loading at the Burlington in the slip next to the Wilfred Sykes. It was not the "Fitz's last run of the season."
+IntoWisOutdoors
I have never found anything that would indicate McSorley was going to relinquish his command of the Fitz that year. He himself was due for retirement, but nothing indicates he was stepping off the Fitz early that year. That being said, in Red Bergner's taped deposition, he (Bergner) was asked to return to the Fitzgerald to serve for no less than 2 more trips that season.
I remember when she went down i was 16 i was all over the news back then all 3 news channels ABC NBC and CBS
I was only 10 years old at the time, I remember in music class we sung the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. It was quite an era back then!
@@ExploringAmerica much better times back then
@@dewaynemiguel3349 Oh you betcha it was!
@@ExploringAmerica i started working at 13 at 16 i was self employed and bought a brand new pickup for 4 thousand dollars not a plain one either life on a farm was great best place for a kid to grow up now days small farms cant aford to stay in buisness as a teen we lived the dream today teens have it rough most are from broken homes i wish my kids could have grown up then ,there doing good but they have to work to hard just to make it now days
@@dewaynemiguel3349 Oh yes,... I wish they knew how it really was back then also, I grew up working and living on Dairy Farms starting around 1977. It was a lot of hard work, But you ate good and you lived a good life. I had gotten out of that line of work back in 1986. My then boss had to start selling off his several farms due legal family issues which led to hard times. We had one of the cleanest dairy farm operations here in the state of Wisconsin. The Inspectors told us that we had a much nicer well organized and cleaner operation than our neighbors right down the road from us did. And they were the role model farm. the Hoards Dairy Farm that was owned by the world known Hoards Dairyman Farm Magazine.
We took a lot of pride in our operation. If there was so much as a gum wrapper on the ground. We picked it up! : )
Bless you Capt. I knew damn well they were lying! Loose hatch covers my ass. They weighed 7 tons each. She broke, the Sisters finished her off. First Mate F/V Evening Star.
Great job!
You gave a lot of information i had no idea about the Fitzgerald,thanks so much.This video was very intriguing.
Great video, Ken! Everything about the Fitz is interesting.
And thank you for putting this out for us Boat nerds...I'm going to subscribe, going you'll produce some more!!
I think the last 4 ships that GLEW built went like this
300- ford
301- fitz
302- Jackson
303 -homer
As far as I know the Jackson is still on the lakes. Doing well
The ford was actually 1 of the ships that went out in the storm to look for the fitz that night. They reported no problems handling the sea. It was scrapped in the 80’s due to economy.
And the homer I believe was scrapped in the 80’s but I think it had a collision or something?
Also, I believe the Anderson, callaway and Clarke are still around too!
I think the fitz sank because it had a stress fracture of the hull and got too much water in the cargo holds and the large waves nose dived her cause she lacked buoyancy from flooded cargo holds. But we will never know for sure
His physics is bang on.
This is exactly what happened.
I would bet.
Pretty hard to break a piece of string by relaxing it.
The ONLY way to break that rail was to bend her over.
She hit bottom.
And they sent them back out to look????
And that man did it.
That is confidence in capability.
Overriding stupidity.
Only the back 3rd of the ship was upside down and presented a good look at the bottom of the boat. The middle 3rd mostly crumbled apart and the front 3rd is right side up and there's no way to see the bottom of it and if any damage was visible. @Nick Sambides Jr.
I will never complain about weather again.
I have a cryptic memory of the morning after because there were a couple freighters that beached themselves near port sanilac to protect themselves
Is it possible that the Fitzgerald didn't bottom out but hogged because of 1) huge seas and 2) her loose keel/cracked/flawed welded construction? It doesn't seem likely, but everyone says she was so loose in her skin compared to riveted ships like Anderson, I can't help wondering if flaws alone made Fitz vulnerable to those seas.
It’s quite possible, though testimony exists that points to her touching bottom at 6 Fathom Shoal…..Capt. Darrell Walton, nephew of Ralph G. Walton who went down with the Fitzgerald has stated in an interview with History Mystery Man that in the following spring of 1976, divers went out off of Caribou Island at 6 Fathom shoals for sounding records……discovered that the shoals extended at least another mile further out than had been previously documented. Divers were also finding “red bottom paint all over the place” right around where the ship would’ve passed through the area…but were instructed by the Coast Guard to remain silent on the matter.
Anonymous ship workers at Fraser later spoke of the frightening condition of the Fritz’s loose keel plates while she was in port shortly before that final downbound run…..Columbia Transportation had instructed Fraser to just do a “quick fix” to get the Fitz back out to finish the 1975 season.
The shipping companies at the time had managed to bend the Coast Guard’s will enough to allow the lake boats to run summer load lines well past normal…..due to the changes in water temperatures due to the changing seasons, it also affects the gravity/density of the lake waters. The Fitz had far less freeboard than she should’ve at that time……which means she was riding even lower in the water than she should’ve been. Pair that with the heavy seas being encountered and the hull already being compromised, I think it’s a wonder the ship didn’t submarine to the bottom sooner.
Such a different way of life than mine.
When it rains we usually go home.