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Author Topic:   35 Years Ago Tonight - Fair Winds

Plotman posted 11-10-2010 09:09 AM ET (US)
The Fitz sank 35 years ago tonight. November 9 is the only night they turn on the light at the Split Rock lighthouse on the North Shore - to show them the way home.
Really cool video posted by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society which contains clips of radio transmissions between the Arthur M. Anderson and the Coast Guard after the Fitzgerald was reported missing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyaEDWf_dG8
Buckda posted 11-10-2010 09:25 AM ET (US)
Excellent radio documentary on the wreck can be found here: http://www.kuws.fm/ . Scroll to the bottom and search for KUWS Documentaries. Click the link and select "We're Holding Our Own".
This is a worthwhile listen.
Godspeed to the 29 men who lost their lives that night, and the countless others who have also died in savage Great Lakes storms over the years.
RocketMan posted 11-10-2010 12:39 PM ET (US)
I grew up in MI and remember when it foundered (that was a COLD winter, too) and the subsequent media coverage that lasts to this day. No one knows exactly what happened. But while in Milwaukee a few years ago I spent one morning in the city library and migrated to the shipwreck archives.
Milwaukee is the registered home port of the EF and the city library contains an extensive file on her, including findings from several investigations into the ship's sinking. It was fascinating. The best scenario is that while under full power the bow (was) plunged below the waterline in (by) the huge waves and the long ship powered its own way down toward the bottom.
In this scenario the ship, fully loaded with taconite, has already taken on water and has a reportable list. Capt. McSorley, on his final assignment before retirement after 37 years on the Lakes, has her steaming for the shelter of Whitefish Bay to get out of the (mother of all) storm's teeth when she disappeared from radar.
The wreckage in 500 ft. of water (the ship was almost 800 ft. long) suggests the EF angled into the bottom with speed and broke upon impact. The upright bow section is plowed many feet deep into the mud. The stern is broken off half way back, is flipped, and lying at an angle immediately behind.
CNN has a few bytes this morning on the EF. They note that the corrective action for Lakes freighters has been to stay on the porch if there is any storm activity in the forecast during the planned run down. And it has worked. Since the EF there've been no more incidents.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big Lake they call Gitche Gumee . . .. ...
Marlin posted 11-11-2010 02:28 PM ET (US)
Dave, thanks for posting that link to KUWS. I've been listening to it over the past 2 days, and it's been very interesting. As I write this, the bell of the Fitz is tolling to each name of the crew...
-Bob
Buckda posted 11-11-2010 03:07 PM ET (US)
No problem, Bob. JimH actually turned me on to that link a while back, and I listen to it every November (usually during some home improvement task) - just to remember.

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Author	Topic: 35 Years Ago Tonight - Fair Winds
Plotman	posted 11-10-2010 09:09 AM ET (US) The Fitz sank 35 years ago tonight. November 9 is the only night they turn on the light at the Split Rock lighthouse on the North Shore - to show them the way home. Really cool video posted by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society which contains clips of radio transmissions between the Arthur M. Anderson and the Coast Guard after the Fitzgerald was reported missing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyaEDWf_dG8
Buckda	posted 11-10-2010 09:25 AM ET (US) Excellent radio documentary on the wreck can be found here: http://www.kuws.fm/ . Scroll to the bottom and search for KUWS Documentaries. Click the link and select "We're Holding Our Own". This is a worthwhile listen. Godspeed to the 29 men who lost their lives that night, and the countless others who have also died in savage Great Lakes storms over the years.
RocketMan	posted 11-10-2010 12:39 PM ET (US) I grew up in MI and remember when it foundered (that was a COLD winter, too) and the subsequent media coverage that lasts to this day. No one knows exactly what happened. But while in Milwaukee a few years ago I spent one morning in the city library and migrated to the shipwreck archives. Milwaukee is the registered home port of the EF and the city library contains an extensive file on her, including findings from several investigations into the ship's sinking. It was fascinating. The best scenario is that while under full power the bow (was) plunged below the waterline in (by) the huge waves and the long ship powered its own way down toward the bottom. In this scenario the ship, fully loaded with taconite, has already taken on water and has a reportable list. Capt. McSorley, on his final assignment before retirement after 37 years on the Lakes, has her steaming for the shelter of Whitefish Bay to get out of the (mother of all) storm's teeth when she disappeared from radar. The wreckage in 500 ft. of water (the ship was almost 800 ft. long) suggests the EF angled into the bottom with speed and broke upon impact. The upright bow section is plowed many feet deep into the mud. The stern is broken off half way back, is flipped, and lying at an angle immediately behind. CNN has a few bytes this morning on the EF. They note that the corrective action for Lakes freighters has been to stay on the porch if there is any storm activity in the forecast during the planned run down. And it has worked. Since the EF there've been no more incidents. The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big Lake they call Gitche Gumee . . .. ...
Marlin	posted 11-11-2010 02:28 PM ET (US) Dave, thanks for posting that link to KUWS. I've been listening to it over the past 2 days, and it's been very interesting. As I write this, the bell of the Fitz is tolling to each name of the crew... -Bob
Buckda	posted 11-11-2010 03:07 PM ET (US) No problem, Bob. JimH actually turned me on to that link a while back, and I listen to it every November (usually during some home improvement task) - just to remember.