“The legend lives on
from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy.”
Those words were from a 1976 song called “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, written by singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. The song tells the story of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, which was the victim of a November 1975 storm that sank the vessel and its crew in Lake Superior.
The S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald was a freighter that was launched on June 1958, and at the time was the largest freight ship that sailed the Great Lakes. The “Mighty Fitz” as it was called, was used to carry taconite from the mines in Duluth, Minnesota to iron mills in Detroit, Toledo and others on the lake.
The ship traveled Lake Superior (called Gitchigumi or Big Water in the Ojibwe Indian language) on a regular basis throughout the year. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and is located in the northern Minnesota area, sharing its shore with Ontario. The weather in that area is some of the harshest in the United States, with winds and storms hitting the area without notice on a regular basis.
On November 9, 1975, the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, under the command of Captain Ernest M. McSorley, left Superior, Wisconsin headed to a steel mill near Detroit. After starting the journey, they encountered a storm and altered their course toward the Soo Locks in Ste. St. Marie, Minnesota to find safe harbor.
The storms that were pounding Lake Superior were taking its toll on the Fitzgerald. The Captain was in radio contact with other ships and ports in the area and was reporting that the ship has lost its radar and was taking on water. However, they were headed toward Whitefish Bay and the Soo Locks, and thought that they would be fine in reaching port. During his communication, Captain McSorley reported that these were the worst seas he had ever encountered. The last communication with the ship was at 7:10PM on Monday, November 10th, when Captain McSorley reported that they were holding their own. No further communication with the ship was received and the U.S. Coast Guard was alerted.
Upon report of the lost ship, a search began with the S.S. Arthur M. Anderson (which had been traveling with the Fitzgerald) and the S.S. William Clay Ford which had been in the area. The Coast Guard sent aircraft into the area, but due to the bad weather conditions, they could not launch any ships to assist in the search. Debris of the ship, including life jackets and life boats, were found, but sadly no survivors.
The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard began searching for the wreckage, and on November 14th, the site of the wreckage was discovered. There have been several theories on why the Fitzgerald wrecked in 1975, however, none have been proven conclusively.
The Wreck of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald has been a subject of discussion for many years. The 29 crew members lost their lives in the wreck, have been remembered in many ways. There are many resources available discussing the wreck, here are a few we have collected:
· S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald Online
· National Safety Transportation Report
· Detroit News Story on the Wreck
· Weather Conditions During Wreck
· Edmund Fitzgerald Shipwreck Information
· Edmund Fitzgerald Remembered
· Crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald
· Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald
· Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Video
· Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Lyrics