The tragedy of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald was 44 years ago as of Sunday (November 10th). The ship began its’ doomed voyage 44 years ago Saturday (November 9th).
In its’ first two decades of traveling the Great Lakes, the Fitzgerald broke records for largest loads of freight carried on the lakes. The ship suffered damages in the late ’60s and early ’70s, but remained an important player in Great Lakes transportation.
8:30am on November 9th, 1975:聽The ship was loaded with 26,000 tons of taconite pellets and departed from Superior, Wisconsin. It was chartered for Zug Island on the Detroit River.
2:00pm on November 9th: The National Weather Service issued gale warnings for the area that the Fitzgerald was sailing.聽Another ship, the Arthur M. Anderson, was about 15 miles behind the Fitzgerald and was the ship most in touch with the freighter throughout the next 24 harrowing hours.
7:00am on November 10th:聽Fitzgerald calls company office to report a delayed arrival due to worsening weather conditions. Ship is approximately 35 miles north of Copper Harbor.
By the early morning hours of November 10, the Edmund Fitzgerald reported winds up to 60 miles-per-hour and 10-foot high waves.
2:45pm on November 10th:聽Anderson changes course to avoid Six Fathom Shoal area north of Caribou Island. Fitzgerald is about 16 miles ahead. Heavy snow begins to fall and the Fitzgerald is lost from sight.
It’s the last time the ship would be seen by human eyes.
3:20pm on November 10th: Anderson records 43-knot winds and 12 to 16 foot waves.
3:30pm on November 10th:聽Radio transmission between Edmund Fitzgerald Captain Ernest McSorley and Arthur M. Anderson Captain Jesse Cooper as the ships attempt to make it to Whitefish Bay to ride out the storm.
Captain Ernest McSorley via Radio:聽“Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have sustained some topside damage. I have a fence rail laid down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I’m checking down. Will you stay by me til I get to Whitefish?”
Captain Jesse Cooper via Radio:聽“Charlie on that Fitzgerald. Do you have your pumps going?”
Captain Ernest McSorley via Radio:聽“Yes, both of them”
4:10pm on November 10th:聽The聽Fitzgerald radios Anderson to request navigational help. Many theorize that 15-20 minutes after this, the ship may have run aground in shallow waters as it passed closely to Caribou Island.
4:40pm on November 10th: NWS revises forecast again, predicting northwest winds 38 to 52 knots with gusts to 60 knots and waves 8 to 16 feet.
(Transmission and timeline continued below this episode of Mega Disasters)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9ijE_XzW-8
5:30pm on November 10th: Radio transmission between the salt water vessel Avafors and the Fitzgerald:
Avafors:聽“Fitzgerald, this is the Avafors. I have the Whitefish light now but still am receiving no beacon. Over.”
Captain Ernest McSorley via Radio:聽“I’m very glad to hear it.”
Avafors:聽“The wind is really howling down here. What are the conditions where you are?”
Captain Ernest McSorley via Radio: (Indiscernable shouts heard by the Avafors.)聽“DON’T LET NOBODY ON DECK!”
Avafors:聽“What’s that, Fitzgerald? Unclear. Over.”
Captain Ernest McSorley via Radio:聽“I have a bad list, lost both radars. And am taking heavy seas over the deck. One of the worst seas I’ve ever been in.”
Avafors:聽“If I’m correct, you have two radars.”
Captain Ernest McSorley via Radio:聽“They’re both gone.”
7:10pm on November 10th:聽Radio transmission between the Anderson and the Fitzgerald. The Fitzgerald is still being followed by the Arthur M. Anderson. They are about 10 miles behind the Fitzgerald.
Captain Jesse Cooper via Radio: “Fitzgerald, how are you making out with your problem?”
Captain Ernest McSorley via Radio: “We are holding our own.”
Captain Jesse Cooper via Radio:聽“Okay, fine. I’ll be talking to you later.”
They did not speak again.
7:15pm on November 10th:聽The聽Fitzgerald disappears from Anderson’s radar. An hour later, the Coast Guard began an active search.
The 29 crew members aboard all perished.
The following year, the wreck was found about 530 feet down in Lake Superior just 17 miles short of Whitefish Point. In 1995, the bell of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald was raised and restored and is now at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point.
A new bell was placed on the sunken ship with the names of the 29 men who died engraved on it.
This article is comprised of information and media from聽the Associated Press, Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and Detroit News. For more pro, college and high school sports stories, like our page on Facebook.
