The Edmund Fitzgerald, an ore-carrying vessel on one of its final trips, sunk in November 1975 in Lake Superior, a lake of great tragedy but also of great history. The amount of lives lost on this lake as a result of various shipwrecks is immeasurable, yet the sinking of this now-infamous Great Lakes freighter is especially close to the hearts of many.
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a vessel named after the Chairman of Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, was built in 1958 in Detroit by the Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company. At the time of her sinking, she was the largest Great Lakes freighter and was registered in Cleveland, Ohio. This ship was a 729 foot steel-hulled freighter. She served on many Great Lakes routes and was considered one of the fastest freighters sailing on the lake. It is said to have been able to carry up to 25,000 tons of ore at once.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was en route to a steel mill in Toledo, Ohio on Sunday November 9, 1975 with a full cargo of 26,116 tons of taconite ore. The weather was reported to be very bad, with gale warnings in effect with winds of up to 55 knots, and the vessel was already taking on water. By 7:00 pm, Edmund Fitzgerald was reported to be struggling to maintain her course.
At 7:10 pm, the captain of a nearby vessel reported that he spotted an “abnormal ice ridge” near the Edmund Fitzgerald, and about 15 minutes later another nearby vessel reported hearing a distress signal from the Edmund Fitzgerald. Over the next few hours, distress signals were reported and the ship never made it back to port.
Unfortunately, all 29 people on board perished in the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The United States Coast Guard found the wreckage 502 feet under the surface of the lake approximately 17 miles from Whitefish Bay, Canada in November 1975. The Edmund Fitzgerald is still there today, and has become a place of interest for scuba divers and tourists alike.
The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a tragedy that will always be remembered. Some say it was the treacherous weather, some say it was human error, but whatever the true cause, the Edmund Fitzgerald will always be remembered as one of the most infamous tragedies in the history of the Great Lakes.
Investigations into the Sinking
Immediately following the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, multiple investigations were conducted by authorities. The first one, by the U.S. Coast Guard, determined that the sinking was caused by “superior forces of nature,” but some disagreed with the conclusion, citing that a defective hatch, design flaws, and bad weather could have all been factors.
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission then got involved with their own investigation, which suggested that the vessel took on too much water due to a faulty hatch seal. They also suggested human error, which was strongly contested by the crew’s families.
Another great debate surrounded the fact that the Edmund Fitzgerald was possibly overloaded, despite the claims it was only carrying 25,000 tons of cargo. There were reports that the vessel carried up to 32,000 tons prior to its sinking, twice its claimed capacity.
In the years since its sinking, many theories have surfaced, but the true cause has never been conclusively proven. The most likely explanation is a combination of the bad weather, faulty hatch, and possibly the overloaded vessel.
Legacy of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Even though the Edmund Fitzgerald ended in tragedy, it still serves as an important reminder of the importance of lake safety and proper sailing techniques when in the treacherous waters of the Great Lakes. The ship has become a symbol of Great Lakes lore, and an important part of U.S. maritime history.
The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald has been commemorated with books, documentaries, records, artwork, and is even the subject of Gordon Lightfoot’s famous ballad, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”.
In 2019, the Edmund Fitzgerald was inducted into the National Maritime Hall of Fame, a great honour for the people who lost their lives on board. This serves as a great reminder to never forget the lives lost and the lives changed by the tragedy that occurred in November 1975.
Impact of the Edmund Fitzgerald Today
The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald has had a lasting impact on the Great Lakes shipping industry. Immediately following the tragedy, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Great Lakes Shipping industry implemented several new safety measures that are still in place today.
These measures included stronger hull regulations, radio authorization checks, changes to lifeboats, and better communication between the Coast Guard and mariners. These measures have made the Great Lakes much safer, and help to ensure that tragedies similar to the Edmund Fitzgerald don’t happen again.
The tragedy of the Edmund Fitzgerald has become an important part of Great Lakes history, and its memory and legacy will live on for generations to come. Every year on November 10th, people of the Great Lakes region remember and honour the 29 lives lost when the Edmund Fitzgerald was lost at sea.
Modern Tribute and Discovery
In recent years, modern tributes to the Edmund Fitzgerald have been made by scholars and explorers alike. In 2015, the University of Wisconsin-Superior held a memorial service for the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald for the 40th anniversary of the sinking. The service included songs, poems, and a moment of silence for the lost crew members.
One of the most interesting discoveries was made by scientist Kevin Leyten in 2018. Leyten discovered a previously unseen piece of the Edmund Fitzgerald on the floor of Lake Superior. He used sonar technology to find the piece, which was lost near Whitefish Point, Michigan and is thought to have been part of the stern of the ship. It is thought that the rest of the wreckage may still be scattered in the depths of Lake Superior.
Conclusion of the Edmund Fitzgerald
The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald was a tragedy but it has also become a part of history that will never be forgotten. The 29 lives lost when the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk in Lake Superior in 1975 is a reminder of the importance of safety and the power of nature. The wreckage of the ship is still scattered in the depths of the lake, a reminder of the tragedy that occurred on that fateful November day in 1975.
