SS Edmund Fitzgerald

[Claudel Xerxes]

The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior on this day in 1975. It was before I was born, but growing up in Michigan, I learned about the tragedy quite a few times throughout the years. Since this is an anniversary of the sinking, I thought I would see if anyone remembers hearing about the event back when it happened.

 

[FarmerTan]

The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior on this day in 1975. It was before I was born, but growing up in Michigan, I learned about the tragedy quite a few times throughout the years. Since this is an anniversary of the sinking, I thought I would see if anyone remembers hearing about the event back when it happened.

Yes! It actually shook me to the core. Somewhere around here I have a photo of it going through the Soo Locks. Probably taken that summer of 75?

I just watched a phenomenal documentary on Amazon Prime about Gordon Lightfoot. He's still going strong.

 

[luvmysuper]

I remember it. A lot speculation at the time about why it happened.
There was a very good documentary about it a few years ago that through a series of photos, log entries, ships records and maintenance history that proves the cargo hatch covers were defective and the ownership didn't spend the money to fix it even though it was known.

 

[garyg]

I was in grad school - my mother called me, a guy I was in Scouts with went down with the Fitz that night.

"We are holding our own"

 

[Rayotech]

I remember the news reports, was about 8yo then.

 

[JCarr]

Didn't Gordon Lightfoot write a song about the tragedy? Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

 

[rbscebu]

All shipping losses are tragic. Please bear in mind that about 350 ships of 5,000 GRT and over are lost without trace each year in the world. Without trace meaning no distress message, no survivors and no flotsam ever found - nothing. To put size into perspective, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was 13,632 GRT.

The source of the above losses is Lloyd's Register in their annual reports.

 

[FarmerTan]

All shipping losses are tragic. Please bear in mind that about 350 ships of 5,000 GRT and over are lost without trace each year in the world. Without trace meaning no distress message, no survivors and no flotsam ever found - nothing. To put size into perspective, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was 13,632 GRT.

The source of the above losses is Lloyd's Register in their annual reports.

An amazing figure my friend. Thank you for pointing it out.

 

[GeronimoWSB]

Coast to coast am radio interviewed a guy who is an expert on the subject. If anyone's interested they should look it up. Very insightful and evidently Lightfoot's song had a lot of facts wrong lol. I learned a lot listening to the interview on my way to work including how hard the pushed that ship previously and where it was made.

 

[ylekot]

I was just a little kid when it happened, spending my life on the St. Lawrence the ships have a special place in my heart. Incredible machines and some brave souls that go forth on the water.

729 foot boat sunk in 530 feet of water. Stand it on end it would stick out 20 stories, lay her flat and she disappears under 450 feet of cold water.

 

[ZJ68]

The source of the above losses is Lloyd's Register in their annual reports.

do you have a link to that?

 

[Chandu]

All shipping losses are tragic. Please bear in mind that about 350 ships of 5,000 GRT and over are lost without trace each year in the world. Without trace meaning no distress message, no survivors and no flotsam ever found - nothing. To put size into perspective, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was 13,632 GRT.

The source of the above losses is Lloyd's Register in their annual reports.

Kind of crazy when you think about it. We think the world is so connected and nothing or no one ever gets lost, but it's a lot more vast than we consider.

 

[FarmerTan]

Didn't Gordon Lightfoot write a song about the tragedy? Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

I just watched a documentary on him. He said that it was pretty much recorded in one take!

I don't suppose he made it on the list of top 200 singers, did he @The Knize ? Yet Bob Dylan still needs to blow his nose and HE makes the list! I think RS is anti-Canadian doggone!

 

[Chandu]

I just watched a documentary on him. He said that it was pretty much recorded in one take!

I don't suppose he made it on the list of top 200 singers, did he @The Knize ? Yet Bob Dylan still needs to blow his nose and HE makes the list! I think RS is anti-Canadian doggone!

Gord's Gold is a greatest hits album that is loaded with Good stuff. He's quite the guy, even for a Canadian [ducks and runs for cover]

I enjoy a lot of his music. I'm a sucker for the good "story" songs. Still play Grandpa Jones, "The Christmas Guest" every Christmas.

 

[FarmerTan]

Gord's Gold is a greatest hits album that is loaded with Good stuff. He's quite the guy, even for a Canadian [ducks and runs for cover]

I enjoy a lot of his music. I'm a sucker for the good "story" songs. Still play Grandpa Jones, "The Christmas Guest" every Christmas.

He made a good living in the 70's. Wrote some good stuff and sang some too. "Sundown" was a great work of writing. I think he wrote it, but he he SURE sang the heck out of it.

 

[rbscebu]

Kind of crazy when you think about it. We think the world is so connected and nothing or no one ever gets lost, but it's a lot more vast than we consider.

To put that into perspective, there are about 60,000 ships operating in the world at any one time. That number of about 350 lost per year without trace (representing about 0.6%) includes ships that are pirated by their own crews (not that uncommon). Also, an improperly loaded ship can capsize within seconds.

 

[sterlinggold]

There's a good podcast covering the event

 

[FarmerTan]

I spent an hour looking at YouTube videos of Gordon Lightfoot last night; seems I need a GL fix about once a month. His stuff holds up. Can take 50 years off my age in 10 minutes doggone!

 

[MichWR]

I vaguely remember hearing about it when I was young. I had a engineering prof at Mich. Tech that use to talk about it and would give us his theories about why it sank.

 

[Owen Bawn]

There are some terrific live cams on the Great Lakes; I'm rather addicted to watching them. Superior will be closed to shipping as of next week, however, as the ice will block the ports.
Here's the Soo live cam

...and the Port of Duluth has the entire harbor covered from every angle. If you click on "Duluth Harbor Cam" beneath the video it will open up the 6 or 7 other live cams they operate. But be careful...it is addictive!