After reviewing testimony that Fitzgerald had passed near shoals north of Caribou Island, the USCG Marine Board examined the relevant navigational charts. After 10:00 PM, Cooper and his crew noticed large and small pieces of floating wreckage from theFitzgeraldwhich didn't make the situation any better.By the morning of November 11, the Coast Guard had managed to arrive at the scene to assist in the search and rescue operation. Cooper radioed theFitzgerald at 7:10 PMuknown to him that it would be the final communication with McSorley. Because the ship had no depth sounding technology, the crew had no way of knowing that incoming water was pushing the ship lower in the water until the flooding exceeded the height of the iron ore in the holds. Grounded on Six Fathom Shoal. By this time, snow and rising spray had obscured the Fitzgerald from sight, visible 17 miles ahead on radar.. Officially, the report of the U.S. Coast Guard marine board of inquiry states that the most probable cause of the sinking was loss of buoyancy due to massive flooding of the cargo hold through ineffective hatch closures. This is futher indicated by the stern which lies completely upside down beside the bow; all superstructure buried deep into the mud. What is known is that 29 men lost their lives in the cold waters of Lake Superior and that their families continue to mourn in private amid the celebrity of the shipwreck. But we were talking to him about seven and he said that everything was going fine. There have been about half a dozen dives to the site since the shipwreck in 1975. What if the ship is rebuilt, with more safety features? The iron ore freighter Edmund Fitzgerald sank to the bottom of Lake Superior during a hurricane-like storm on the night of Nov. 10, 1975. So, what happened? (TheEdmund Fitzgeraldseen in her final years riding far lower in the water than she should have ever been allowed to. Of course, the Lake Carriers Association (LCA) blamed grounding on the not-well-marked Six Fathom Shoal northwest of Caribou Island. released a very fine and very different tempo cover of Lightfoots The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald last March 15. This would have left the crew no way to survive the Edmund Fitzgerald Wreck. Their only hope was the safety of White Fish Bay, where maybe they could be rescued off or near the ship. Keep up with the magazine, news and happenings around the Big Lake. Interesting question. The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board both issued official investigation reports that many dismiss in favor of a theory favored by the Lake Carriers Association. Still later, at about 6 p.m., Woodard called the Fitz to report that the light had just come on at Whitefish Point. FREE BOXES. The radar signal, or pip of the Fitzgerald kept getting obscured by sea return. In the Duluth News-Tribune, another former crew member, Jim Woodard, claims the Fitzgerald was a "wet" ship. Meantime, northwest winds built massive seas from the starboard quarter (right rear), washing powerful waves completely over the deck as the ship left the eastern lee of Caribou Island. Broke in two and sank in minutes. Have you checked down?, Fitzgerald, we are about 10 miles behind you, and gaining about 1 1/2 miles per hour. However, it resonates. It is approximately 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi) long and 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) wide, and 1,600 acres (647 ha . However, divers found no recent damage to the shoal after the wreck and the ship's exact course could only be estimated because the Fitzgerald radars were inoperable and the Anderson kept inexact course records during the journey. Having been a consultant and active member of the original Jacques Cousteau expedition in 1980 along with the raising of the bell 1994 expedition. Theorists have sized upon the permanent lay-up of the Fitzgerald sister ship, the Arthur Homer, in 1980 as indicative of structural deficiency both vessels. Marine and other experts who examined Coast Guard photos and videotape of the wreckage for the board of inquiry dismissed fracture as a cause of the wreck, based on the fact that no photo evidence shows brittle fracture separation, which is described as having straight or flat edges. He is particularly intrigued by the command that Woodard overheard. Almost none of the bodies including that of Captain McSorley were ever found. Cannon, W.F., Green, A.G., Hutchinson, D.R., Lee, M., Milkereit, B., Behrendt, J.C., Halls, H.C., Green, J.C., Dickas, A.B., Morey, G.B. This theory was advanced by the Lake Carriers Association (LCA) after the U.S. Coast Guard report and seems to be the most popular among mariners and armchair wreck investigators. The wave worked its way along the deck, crashing on the back of the pilothouse, driving the bow of the Anderson down into the sea. Could these have contributed to the sudden disappearance of the ship? There is no conspiracy or disinformation campaign on that fact. 4:30 p.m. Fitzgerald passes 3 to 5 miles east of Caribou Island. In that sense, the Fitzgerald met her fate on the path she took to avoid it. The LCA thinks the Fitzgerald grounded on the poorly-marked Six Fathom Shoal northwest of Caribou Island, causing fatal damage to the hull. At 3:30 pm that afternoon, Captain McSorley radioed Captain Cooper and said: Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. Next, EF was slated for serious repair two days later, for two known structural weaknesses. Seeing the violence of the wind, sky and water on the night of November 10, 1975 while in northern Michigan, I awoke the next morning, for the only time in my life with the certainty that something ominous had or was about to occur. Near-hurricane force winds seemed to pick up strength throughout the day while visibility was greatly reduced. Soon after, McSorely on the Fitzgerald reported taking topside damage and a list. The Anderson changes course to avoid Six Fathom Shoal area north of Caribou Island. The Great Lakes Ore Carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald, Known to Lake Mariners as "The Mighty Fitz". [7], These reefs are not coral reefs. But the Arthur M. Anderson survived and the Fitzgerald did not. That would likely mean that it was at the forward end of the weather deck. Sawyer AFB in the UP of Michigan, crew member on a rescue helo. It started as a shipwreck, followed by a newsmagazine story in the still-golden age of newsmagazines like Time, U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek. Known for the best burgers in Fullerton, Islands also offers delicious tropical cocktails and fries that are fresh cut daily with the skins left on. Film, Art & Exhibitions The battered ship despite the odds continued to soldier on towards Whitefish Bay. Perhaps the most widely accepted of the several theories about the loss of the Fitzgerald is that the ship crossed Caribou Islands Six-Fathom Shoal, which nestles off the north end of the island with water as shallow as 26 feet. The Fitzgerald suffered from structural problems, Ex-Fitzgerald crew member George Burgner claimed in a deposition that unrepaired cracks and weakened metal on the ship caused the loss, according to the "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Fred Stonehouse. Again, though, I have to leave that decision up to you as to whether it would be hazarding your vessel or not. It's a national disgrace. Contributing factors noted were a lack of internal watertight bulkheads and allowances for more cargo weight during the ship's 17 years afloat. Since then, there have been about a half dozen dives to the wreck using deep-diving equipment. In 2018 6 caribou were moved to Caribou Island from Michipicoten Island to the north, due to pressure from Michipicoten First Nation. Whatever the cause, the Fitzgerald took a starboard list as it passed Caribou. Corrections on previous comments I feel compelled to add. See more. The shoal is a hump of Keweenawan basaltic lava flows with ophitic interiors and amygdaloidal tops in an otherwise deep part of the lake, and though fishermen had known of its existence for generations it was only officially charted in 1929 by the United States Lake Survey. McSorley was forced to rely off reports from the United States Coast guard and the still functional radar of theAndersonto operate through the storm. Every expedition to the freighter has reported that there is no evidence of scraping, gouging or damage to the rudder or propeller, which should show on the overturned bottom of the stern. WHITEFISH POINT Had she sailed two days later, empty, for repairs (very good timing, actually) none of this would have happened. Ahif you want me to, I can, but Im not going to be making any time; Ill be lucky to make two or three miles an hour going back out that way., Well, youll have to make a decision as to whether you will be hazarding your vessel or not, but youre probably one of the only vessels right now that can get to the scene. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. If the ship had "hogged" upon striking the shoal, it could have caused the topside damage reported by Fitzgerald captain Ernest McSorley in the hours before the sinking. Not the same yard, but what if it was rebuilt, same cargo, same shape, same functionality, but a new keel? Im checking down. They would later make a turn to the southeast toward Whitefish Point. The misinformation that has been spread by the media then and now is a great example of how clueless the general public is going to continue to be unless they stand up for a full disclosure of information and laws that regulate punish and fine the profiteers of misinformation. TheAndersonwasn't in much better shape, its engine room leaking consistently and its superstructure often being submerged entirely under water every time a wave hit. Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) are now standard equipment on lakes vessels, allowing instantaneous identification of the area where a vessel founders. Various cars scatter the bottom of the river covered in grass and zebra muscles. Many theorize the ship unknowingly struck the poorly marked 6 Fathom Shoal on the island's north side, but that has never been conclusively proven. This theory was supported by a 1976 Canadian hydrographic survey, which disclosed that an unknown shoal ran a mile further east of Six Fathom Shoal than shown on the Canadian charts. All rights reserved. Add to Cart. By this time, snow and rising spray had obscured the Fitzgerald from sight, visible 17 miles ahead on radar. Clark called the Fitzgerald again at about 7:22 pm. McSorely had also ordered the pumps to be turned on in order to keep the ingress of water out of the cargo hold.By 4:10 PM, the list had not gotten any better and theFitzgeraldwas still taking on water, effectively sinking. Its as certain as anything can be that sooner or later there will be another ship lost on Lake Superior, says maritime historian Frederick Stonehouse. The last radio communication between the Fitzgerald and the Anderson was at 7:10 pm. They said, however, they were inclined to accept that the Fitzgerald passed over the Six Fathom Shoal Area as reported by Cooper. The same problems were reported aboard theHomer. Improvements in personal lifesaving equipment have resulted in suits to protect sailors from hypothermia in Lake Superiors cold waters. The interior is low scrub and bog with small lakes, Little Italy, Hambone, and Deer Lake among many unnamed ones. He could clearly see the ship and the beacon on Caribou on his radar set and could measure the distance between them. 906-635-1742 | 800-635-1742, GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECK MUSEUM Caribou definition, any of several large, North American deer of the genus Rangifer, related to the reindeer of the Old World. However, the Westlake, Ohio-based Lake Carriers Association, representing U.S.-flag vessel operators on the Great Lakes, responded in a letter to the National Transportation Safety Board in September 1977 disagreeing with the Coast Guards suggestion that the lack of attention to properly closing the hatch covers by the crew was responsible for the disaster. Without direct witnesses or survivors, every explanation about the cause of the wreck is purely theoretical and, from the very beginning, a rash of theories concerning it were postulated. Size & Medium. At the time of her launch in 1958, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest freighter on the Great Lakes. Marie in 1967. The Fitz hull took a fatal blow on a shoal. By late autumn, writes Sproule (http://www.ontarioparks.com/parksblog/edmund-fitzgerald-40-years-later/), the Gales of November have usually set in on Superior, creating hazardous conditions for even large modern ships. He could clearly see the ship and the beacon on Caribou on his radar set and could measure the distance between them. But an hour later, when Anderson First Mate Morgan Clark asked how he was making out with his problems, McSorley assured him, We are holding our own.. Don McIsaac observed last July that Gordon Lightfoot, who wrote The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is from my hometown, Orillia. McIsaac, executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Cirrus Aircraft, based at headquarters in Duluth, Minnesota, added, From where I sit now, I can see the port the ship last left.. For 17 years the Fitzgerald hauled taconite iron ore from the mines of Duluth, MN to Detroit and other Great Lakes ports setting . Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). I've thought for a long long time the keel problem contributed to a major structural failure through years of metal fatigue. Captain Cooper asked McSorley if he had his pumps going, and McSorley said, Yes, both of them.. Departing Superior about 2:30 pm, she was soon joined by the Arthur M. Anderson, which had departed Two Harbors, Minnesota under Captain Bernie Cooper. Cooper later said he watched the Edmund Fitzgerald pass far too close to Six Fathom Shoal to the north of Caribou Island. Five years later in 1980, Jacques Cousteaus famous Calypso arrived for the first manned dive inside an underwater vessel to the site. Marie at 7:39 p.m., continued to try to raise radio contact with the big ship. Captain Jessie B. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Diving on the wreck has been completely banned by the Canadian goverment by all means including ROVs and manned submersibles as the wreck is entirely located within the territorial waters of the Canadian province of Ontario. Because of the Great Depression, the island was not restocked and the island was more or less abandoned by the approximately 15 owners-in-common. Further searches with sonar turned up what appeared to be a giant vessel on the bottom in two pieces the rough size of theFitzgerald. Some of the most famous lyrics in Canadian music history, anchored to what would soon become the most famous shipwreck on the Great Lakes, first appeared as the lede of the bylined story Great Lakes: The Cruelest Month by James R. (Jim) Gaines, national affairs writer, and Jon Lowell for a Nov. 24, 1975 Detroit-based story in Newsweek magazine. 43 and 1/2 years later the feeling of that morning is still vivid in my mind. Captain Cooper, too, had always maintained that Captain McSorley knew his ship was compromised on the shoal, but had faith that his ship would make it to Whitefish Bay. The mainland caribou are extremely important for their genetics. Tom Farnquist is also notably the foremost expert on the wreck of the S.S. Edmunds Fitzgerald. Later, in a videotaped conversation with GLSHS, Captain Cooper said that he always believed McSorley knew something serious had happened to Fitzgerald as the ship passed over Caribou Shoal. 400 W. Portage Avenue Ernest M. McSorley had loaded her with 26,116 long tons of taconite pellets, made of processed iron ore, heated and rolled into marble-size balls 26,116 long tons more than the great iron boat weighed empty. [5][6], A dangerous reef known as "Six Fathom Shoal" stretches more than 1 mile (1.6km) north of the north point of the island, and is rumored to be the one the SS Edmund Fitzgerald shoaled on prior to sinking. George Stegner recalled last year how he was on duty that night: I was on duty this night. It was not long after thatFitzgeraldvanished from theAnderson'sradar. [1], The island was privately held by a group of hunters and stocked with caribou in the late 1800s. Yes, she almost certainly hit the shoals. The Western Arctic Herd is one of the largest caribou herds in Alaska and the world. The heavy seas overwhelmed a ship that had already lost freeboard and was listing. The search turned up no results for the first hour. I am from Sault Ste Marie Michigan and a former student of the founder of the great lakes shipwreck historical society Tom Farnquist. The Anderson's captain also made statements in 1986 seemingly supportive of the rogue wave theory. Captain Ernest M. McSorley had loaded her with 26,116 long tons of taconite pellets, made of processed iron ore, heated and rolled into marble-size balls. Caribou Island and Southwest Bank Protection Area means the area enclosed by rhumb lines connecting the following coordinates, beginning on the northernmost point and proceeding clockwise: 4730.0 N, 08550.0 W 4724.2 N, 08538.5 W 4704.0 N, 08549.0 W 4705.7 N, 08559.0 W 4718.1 N, 08605.0 W. Much of the information not commonly seen in other articles is courtesy of an interview with a tugboat captain on Lake Superior called "Tugboat Jim" who was close friends with a late crewmember of theArthur M. Andersoncrewmember Ronnie Roman, who was aboard theAndersonthe night Fitzgerald sank.

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