I grew up in Saginaw, watching Eric Jyla and Ric on TV-5. Eric, your always interesting local history segments and specials sparked my now lifelong passion for history at a young age. You guys were truly professionals, thank you for these great documentaries and history segments. It’s sad what TV-5 puts out today...
My great grandfather William H. Smith was captain of the Harvester and sailed through the storm. He made into port - the Soo, and wrote about the harrowing event.
@@maxboonkittypoison From viewing NETFLIX Canadian show ‘Frontier’ much trade with Indians expertly loaded canoes and portaged them. People had to keep alive like today, yet beaver paid the cost.
cool story im guessing if he didnt possess those masterclass ship piloting skills this comment and arguably more importantly you woulda never existed. lol seriously though those old time great lakes mariners had to be some tough ass studs on another level even in an age when most men were tough. on a sad note however those sailors wives probably had more courage in their little finger than every single anti 2a traitorous coward alive today.
Tethered to an anchor down the Plymouth rode the storm. abandoned near gull island seven souls remained aboard. 40 hours she was wrecked by gale and towering Waves. A once proud craft no longer sails but now remains a grave.
Despite living in California and never personally seeing the Great Lakes for myself, I still find Great Lake Ships and tales Fascinating. Plus, the Design of Great Lake Freighters are all fantastic. The Pilot house forward and engine workings aft.
4:18 My grandpa, Bruce D. Henry, and a friend, discovered the sunken wreck of the Charles S. Price. I believe she capsized in the storm of 1913 and finally settled to the bottom after floating upside down.
Wexford was found a few years ago just outside of Goderich. Forget about Spanish gold, the ship was loaded with whiskey and champagne. The wreck being in deep enough water meant that there is no better way to preserve the cargo known to man. I am not sure what a bottle of Scotch from the wreck goes for, but I know it certainly is not cheap. Even the champagne survived and was served at one of the salvagers wedding.
I think you're confusing the Wexford for the Regina. When she sank, the Wexford was carrying bushels of wheat. The Regina on the other hand was carrying all sorts of spirits, some of which were recovered and drunk at a wedding
A friend of mine's grandfather was lost on the Henry B Smith. I've been interested in Great Lakes ships since I was about 12 years old (about 35 years). This was a great watch.
Late Canadian Singer Stan Rogers has a great song about catching a storm while working on the Lakes.It is "Into a White Gale" 7/8 hundred foot ships can and do roll over.Been right to that point several times,my own oh shit moment's.We righted .
The family group White Water from Ammasa in Michigan's U.P. also did a song White Squall in about the late 80's or early 90's. Hope they didn't plagerize it. This song is about a young fresh sailor getting washed over board.
One can only imagine the feelings of the Crew aboard these vessels as they realised that they weren't going to make it to port! No possibility of rescue, nor survival in lifeboats, which most likely could mot be launched in thoes sea conditions! That the Captain's of ships actually departed ports past the storm warning flags was despicable behaviour towards the Crew, and in effect manslaughter!
I guess that I am one of only a few real sailors that have commented here. I sailed 20 years in the US Navy and another 18 years in the US Merchant Marine. While the only sailing I have done on the Lakes have been in good weather and in small craft, I have sailed all over the world and in some of the roughest waters out there. So, ships are designed to do a job. Deep Water Salt Ocean ships are designed to take rough weather and keep going. They must have engines large enough to push them through some really large waves. They are designed to take water on deck and get rid of it. Lake ships are designed to move ore and cost as little as possible. To run and to buy/build. So if you put the same size ships side by side, one deep sea and the other the lakes, you will find that the lakes ship is very much under powered for her size, they are also designed as shallow as possible and as narrow as possible. The hatch comonnings are the low and most of the cargo holds do not have water tight bulkheads between them. Mater of fact, todays lakers are built to unload quickly and don't have a lot of watertight builkheads in the first place. The biggest changes between 1913 and today is that there are better weather guessing, better lifesaving equipment and radio and radar. Also, new ships are better designed then before. However, most of the problems, other then weather guessing and radio and radar, have not changed any. Companies still want cargo moved as quickly and as cheaply as possible, and captains and crews that want to keep their jobs will do that! The main reasons that we have not had another year such as 1913 is that we have better weather guessing and coms and simply the fact that there are so few ships on the lakes now instead of how it was back in 1913. However, this was a very good video!
I was in Merchant Marines in the 80s. We dang near sank up close to Newfoundland in late November 81. Some scary stuff being up around those ice bergs and the Captain would get frisky and chase me around the galley. What a time that was...
Because Captain Seth Lockwood of then E. M. Ford turned back around after encountering 10 foot waves reminds me that the buck always stops with the Captain. So the ultimate responsibility for the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in November of 1975 goes to Captain Ernest McSorley. He was a greedy individual that never thought of his crews safety, only money. He had multiple opportunities to pull in to a port, but did not. The bottom line was to important for him & his company. Which is why the Edmund Fitzgerald was routinely ran overloaded during her lifetime. Today that doesn’t happen. A ships crew is the most important asset & those assets need to be protected. Along with the safety of the crew comes periodic maintenance that must be done to keep the crew safe. It is that important.
I wish someone would make a good documentary of the 1913 storm that inundated the Midwest in 1913. I've read a great book about it, but footage seems to be extremely rare. Why I ask is because my home town was involved and two young men died about 5 miles from where I sit.
I still can't believe that the ship James Caruthers has never been found. She was brand new and by far the largest ship out their. Lost with all hands on lake Huron. Every ship found from that storm has been bottom side up
It's 2022 It's been a while since a regional shipping disaster, and IMO many have misplaced confidence in many recreational and commercial Vessels such that there will be a misdorcast event that causes too Many losses. So many willing to take chances to save time, to see someplace, or just to test their vessels nowdays. I could only imagine a major blow in a holiday weekends with poor forecasting could do in losses
I saw a short video somewhere that Henry B Smith was recently located. Perhaps someone might read this who knows for sure. RIP to all the ships and crewmen lost on the Great Lakes. ✌ Mike Pardue
"The Henry B. Smith was found on May 24, 2013, by a small team of dedicated shipwreck hunters." this is an excerpt from the story at the following link, www.lakesuperior.com/the-lake/maritime/underwater-detectives-henry-b-smith-an-excerpt-from-the-last-laker/
In 1950s and early sixties 50 ft. Of Erie glaze of iron dust on sand along shoreline. Dad, a patent attorney shaped a 12 inch by 6 inch 2 x 4 piece of wood with a crude bow. I put a dowel and old rag and floated it. My 1st memory of boat with water under it. It sailed out of sight and I couldn’ swim at age 5, or water too cold to retrieve this shaped 6 in. By 12 in. By 1.4375 in. wood toy. Even a boat wide would turn turtle in the Lake when stormy. Smaller, wider boat, closer to shore might receive income tax relief or deduction for sailing close to shore with a longer mileage and safer outcome when Lake kicks up.
For a 9th generation Texan the Great Lakes are a far off mystery. Like the fable of a dragon they are looked at as a man swallowing abyss that is best looked at on screen and paper. The fact that so many men and boys have died in the winter storms makes one ask the question when I continue to sell in the fall? Why take the risk in October? Then I think about the way things are done here and I understand that it's just a well life that just like Big sky heat and hard work are in our blood down here having to go to out on those lakes keep the wheels of this country turning and to make a living it's just in the blood up there I guess.
The boats on the Lakes need to keep working as long as they can, every January 15, the boats go into winter lay-up. The steel mills, and other consumers need as much ore, coal, limestone etc. for storage in the winter mouths, as well raw materials during summer, fall, spring mouths. From global warming, I think every November the storms are getting worse, in December 2021, gale warnings were sent out to the boats. The steel mills and consumers need to have raw materials all year to keep running. As the video said, captains are staying away from storms. Again, this December a few boats loaded with cargo were waiting for the weather to change to get into harbors around Lake Michigan.
According ti weather experts this same storm came in 1998 with no commercial ships an lives lost...do to improvements all around radar satelite help from nasa...borrowed an share technology greatly improving safety
I think something like this happening is a lot less likely, I assume Modern Ships are probably better Suited for rough Weather. And our Search and Rescue Crew's are way more capable.
@@Kokopilau77 Sure, but Ship's made in 2022 are much harder to Sink. And advancement's in Technology and Aircraft make People much Easier to find if and when a Ship does Sink.
I dont know how much most know but the lakes have ruf weather every nov dec they freeze an shut down for the most part....pretty hardy group to sail these bodys of water...with its reputation..that they just toss off in a corner an go do their jobs....
Personal opinion here… The cheesiest music I’ve ever heard. I’ve got a greatest hits album by this guy….. there’s nothing on it!!! Another starving artist.
Thanks the music was really corny i m not into folk music kinda gay...didnt have a good melody...lowered music would have been better nirmally i enjiy what ever music someone takes the time to add...it was weak the music...very well done factual.. .enjoyed the video still
Terrible documentary, and the music makes me want to puke. With such a vast wealth of information about storms, ships and people THIS is what they come up with...shocking in its banal boring content. Do NOT pass Go and do NOT collect $200!!
I wouldn’t say "terrible", but yeah, not top quality. Highly interesting content, but then you throw in some sappy music and an old codger survivor who cannot be understood, and I’m ready to tear my hair out.
Devon Fishing And YOU can’t bear someone who won’t put up with any old crap that you come out with, hence the original reply to your sonically challenged countenance has been deleted 3 times. People who live in glass houses really should be very careful who they sling rocks at!! Get the glazers in and cut the crap.
I grew up in Saginaw, watching Eric Jyla and Ric on TV-5. Eric, your always interesting local history segments and specials sparked my now lifelong passion for history at a young age. You guys were truly professionals, thank you for these great documentaries and history segments. It’s sad what TV-5 puts out today...
My great grandfather William H. Smith was captain of the Harvester and sailed through the storm. He made into port - the Soo, and wrote about the harrowing event.
Awesome!!
@@maxboonkittypoison From viewing NETFLIX Canadian show ‘Frontier’ much trade with Indians expertly loaded canoes and portaged them. People had to keep alive like today, yet beaver paid the cost.
He probably made up that whole story and wasn't even there
cool story im guessing if he didnt possess those masterclass ship piloting skills this comment and arguably more importantly you woulda never existed. lol seriously though those old time great lakes mariners had to be some tough ass studs on another level even in an age when most men were tough. on a sad note however those sailors wives probably had more courage in their little finger than every single anti 2a traitorous coward alive today.
@@maxboonkittypoison vvvbnnnn9
Tethered to an anchor down the Plymouth rode the storm. abandoned near gull island seven souls remained aboard. 40 hours she was wrecked by gale and towering Waves. A once proud craft no longer sails but now remains a grave.
What is that song called?
@@fbimaxtowfor8300popeye the sailor man?
A great book on the 1913 storm is Ships Gone Missing by Robert J. Hemming. Also the disaster is described in several books by Dwight Boyer.
Nice piece, thanks for posting it. Lake chop is a different animal than ocean swell. Much shorter frequency and much more dangerous.
Despite living in California and never personally seeing the Great Lakes for myself, I still find Great Lake Ships and tales Fascinating.
Plus, the Design of Great Lake Freighters are all fantastic. The Pilot house forward and engine workings aft.
What a great music
Notice no zebra mussels on the wrecks yet.
Thanks for the content
4:18 My grandpa, Bruce D. Henry, and a friend, discovered the sunken wreck of the Charles S. Price. I believe she capsized in the storm of 1913 and finally settled to the bottom after floating upside down.
Wexford was found a few years ago just outside of Goderich. Forget about Spanish gold, the ship was loaded with whiskey and champagne. The wreck being in deep enough water meant that there is no better way to preserve the cargo known to man.
I am not sure what a bottle of Scotch from the wreck goes for, but I know it certainly is not cheap.
Even the champagne survived and was served at one of the salvagers wedding.
I think you're confusing the Wexford for the Regina. When she sank, the Wexford was carrying bushels of wheat. The Regina on the other hand was carrying all sorts of spirits, some of which were recovered and drunk at a wedding
A friend of mine's grandfather was lost on the Henry B Smith. I've been interested in Great Lakes ships since I was about 12 years old (about 35 years). This was a great watch.
Late Canadian Singer Stan Rogers has a great song about catching a storm while working on the Lakes.It is "Into a White Gale" 7/8 hundred foot ships can and do roll over.Been right to that point several times,my own oh shit moment's.We righted .
Stan's song is "White Squall".
The family group White Water from Ammasa in Michigan's U.P. also did a song White Squall in about the late 80's or early 90's. Hope they didn't plagerize it. This song is about a young fresh sailor getting washed over board.
One can only imagine the feelings of the Crew aboard these vessels as they realised that they weren't going to make it to port!
No possibility of rescue, nor survival in lifeboats, which most likely could mot be launched in thoes sea conditions!
That the Captain's of ships actually departed ports past the storm warning flags was despicable behaviour towards the Crew, and in effect manslaughter!
Excellent documentary 👏
Nicely done. Do you also read Wes Olszewski books? I am a fan of his as well.
I guess that I am one of only a few real sailors that have commented here. I sailed 20 years in the US Navy and another 18 years in the US Merchant Marine. While the only sailing I have done on the Lakes have been in good weather and in small craft, I have sailed all over the world and in some of the roughest waters out there. So, ships are designed to do a job. Deep Water Salt Ocean ships are designed to take rough weather and keep going. They must have engines large enough to push them through some really large waves. They are designed to take water on deck and get rid of it. Lake ships are designed to move ore and cost as little as possible. To run and to buy/build. So if you put the same size ships side by side, one deep sea and the other the lakes, you will find that the lakes ship is very much under powered for her size, they are also designed as shallow as possible and as narrow as possible. The hatch comonnings are the low and most of the cargo holds do not have water tight bulkheads between them. Mater of fact, todays lakers are built to unload quickly and don't have a lot of watertight builkheads in the first place. The biggest changes between 1913 and today is that there are better weather guessing, better lifesaving equipment and radio and radar. Also, new ships are better designed then before. However, most of the problems, other then weather guessing and radio and radar, have not changed any. Companies still want cargo moved as quickly and as cheaply as possible, and captains and crews that want to keep their jobs will do that! The main reasons that we have not had another year such as 1913 is that we have better weather guessing and coms and simply the fact that there are so few ships on the lakes now instead of how it was back in 1913. However, this was a very good video!
I was in Merchant Marines in the 80s. We dang near sank up close to Newfoundland in late November 81. Some scary stuff being up around those ice bergs and the Captain would get frisky and chase me around the galley. What a time that was...
There’s a lot of Dan hall in this
Because Captain Seth Lockwood of then E. M. Ford turned back around after encountering 10 foot waves reminds me that the buck always stops with the Captain. So the ultimate responsibility for the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in November of 1975 goes to Captain Ernest McSorley. He was a greedy individual that never thought of his crews safety, only money. He had multiple opportunities to pull in to a port, but did not. The bottom line was to important for him & his company. Which is why the Edmund Fitzgerald was routinely ran overloaded during her lifetime. Today that doesn’t happen. A ships crew is the most important asset & those assets need to be protected. Along with the safety of the crew comes periodic maintenance that must be done to keep the crew safe. It is that important.
100% Correct
bet they still cut corners mark my werds mom nature always finds a way she rule w/ an iron fist
I lived on Lake Superior and I have read Fred Stonehouse's stories.
Stonehouse is a putz in real life.
@@Minong_Manitou_Mishepeshu: Which one was stonehouse, and why is he a putz?
Also, how old is the really old man giving his experience?
@@TERoss-jk9ny An arrogant author. Old is relative.
Watching this because it's "cheerful" compared to all the true crime and historical atrocity vids I've been watching lately. 😱
Always on my birthday. November 9th.
Mine's Nov. 10, the day the Edmund Fitzgerald went down...
I wish someone would make a good documentary of the 1913 storm that inundated the Midwest in 1913. I've read a great book about it, but footage seems to be extremely rare. Why I ask is because my home town was involved and two young men died about 5 miles from where I sit.
white hurricane by david g brown.
That Is why underestimated the great lakes she get you
The technology wasn't very good in those days.
How much footage you think was taken in 1913 lol
@@0404chrisjz CNN said they covered the storm and have lots of footage.
...wrote a song about it...Wanna hear it...here it go!...
I still can't believe that the ship James Caruthers has never been found. She was brand new and by far the largest ship out their. Lost with all hands on lake Huron. Every ship found from that storm has been bottom side up
Anyone know were i can find pics of the plymouth barge
Hey Dude Maybe memorial pages of the storm or just search it up.
“Schooner Barge Plymouth” look that up
Who else is here on the 110th anniversary?
Please can somebody tell me the name of the song about the barge plymouth thanks
I looked for it too and couldn't find it anywhere.
Here is the guy that sings it. Maybe you can reach him and ask him: www.lakefury.com/dan-bio
Thanks a lot mate. Spent at least two hours trying to find it but it wasnt even on dan halls website. But thanks.😀
Dan never wrote a complete song about the Plymouth. I'll let him know he should 'finish' it! You can find his music at dan hall.com
@@CKritNinja thanks guys
It's 2022
It's been a while since a regional shipping disaster, and IMO many have misplaced confidence in many recreational and commercial Vessels such that there will be a misdorcast event that causes too Many losses. So many willing to take chances to save time, to see someplace, or just to test their vessels nowdays.
I could only imagine a major blow in a holiday weekends with poor forecasting could do in losses
Great music, any info on the songs so I can DL them?
Most of the songs are from the album It's Quiet Where They Sleep by Dan Hall.
@@MechaWolf0 Yes, The Wheelsman and Gale of 1913.
Music and songs are genuine cringeworthy! 100% as cheesy as music gets.
The hydrus and the Henry B Smith also were found
I saw a short video somewhere that Henry B Smith was recently located. Perhaps someone might read this who knows for sure. RIP to all the ships and crewmen lost on the Great Lakes. ✌ Mike Pardue
"The Henry B. Smith was found on May 24, 2013, by a small team of dedicated shipwreck hunters." this is an excerpt from the story at the following link, www.lakesuperior.com/the-lake/maritime/underwater-detectives-henry-b-smith-an-excerpt-from-the-last-laker/
In 1950s and early sixties 50 ft. Of Erie glaze of iron dust on sand along shoreline. Dad, a patent attorney shaped a 12 inch by 6 inch 2 x 4 piece of wood with a crude bow. I put a dowel and old rag and floated it. My 1st memory of boat with water under it. It sailed out of sight and I couldn’ swim at age 5, or water too cold to retrieve this shaped 6 in. By 12 in. By 1.4375 in. wood toy. Even a boat wide would turn turtle in the Lake when stormy.
Smaller, wider boat, closer to shore might receive income tax relief or deduction for sailing close to shore with a longer mileage and safer outcome when Lake kicks up.
They sank becsuse of bad constructioñ.
For a 9th generation Texan the Great Lakes are a far off mystery. Like the fable of a dragon they are looked at as a man swallowing abyss that is best looked at on screen and paper. The fact that so many men and boys have died in the winter storms makes one ask the question when I continue to sell in the fall? Why take the risk in October? Then I think about the way things are done here and I understand that it's just a well life that just like Big sky heat and hard work are in our blood down here having to go to out on those lakes keep the wheels of this country turning and to make a living it's just in the blood up there I guess.
Yes sir. As a native live Michigander, I can attest to this. That and our brutal winters up her.
Blood in, blood out
The boats on the Lakes need to keep working as long as they can, every January 15, the boats go into winter lay-up. The steel mills, and other consumers need as much ore, coal, limestone etc. for storage in the winter mouths, as well raw materials during summer, fall, spring mouths. From global warming, I think every November the storms are getting worse, in December 2021, gale warnings were sent out to the boats. The steel mills and consumers need to have raw materials all year to keep running. As the video said, captains are staying away from storms. Again, this December a few boats loaded with cargo were waiting for the weather to change to get into harbors around Lake Michigan.
go ahead & buy an iron mine in the UP then get back to me about not shipping oct-june
Strange Hippy music..I like the Fitz song slide guitar
the songs are so funny lol
Wow very scary and sad cant imagine the horror of knowing the vessel they were on was sinking only they know❤❤❤
According ti weather experts this same storm came in 1998 with no commercial ships an lives lost...do to improvements all around radar satelite help from nasa...borrowed an share technology greatly improving safety
RIP 🇺🇸
👍
I think something like this happening is a lot less likely, I assume Modern Ships are probably better Suited for rough Weather. And our Search and Rescue Crew's are way more capable.
The seas will pull a ship to its watery grave no matter how young they are. Whether it is the Five Sisters or the seas
never underestimate mom nature einstein
@@Kokopilau77 Sure, but Ship's made in 2022 are much harder to Sink. And advancement's in Technology and Aircraft make People much Easier to find if and when a Ship does Sink.
@@williamboorn2097 Why are You insulting Me? Is there something about My Statement that Upset's You, or are You just an A**hole?
I think those ships either got caught in the valley formed between waves, or they were too narrow and capsized
It's called a trough. Crests and troughs. Valleys are for landlubbers!
@Billybob Joe
PMSL!
How about a Great Lakes shipwreck song that doesn't steal egregiously from Lightfoot?
Does Lightfoot own that style and subject?
Do you think he doesn't have his inspirations?
It goes beyond style and subject. Real creative artists should be able to write a song that doesn't blatantly rip off the riffs and rhythms.
@@drforjc haven't seen that anywhere here just style and subject inspiration
Maybe the other way around
How abought a Great lakes shipwreck song that Lightfoot doesnt steal from?
The Daniel j Morrell sank due to the brittle steel used in the hull and the only survivor was a watchman named Dennis hale
has the Plymouth ever been found? been told it is unknown where she sank!
Late reply but they have a rough idea based on where the tug pulling her left her however the wreck itself hasn't been found yet
They lost a lot of seamen in that storm
Has the carruthers been found
Not yet. The three casualties of the storm that remain a mystery are the Carruthers, Plymouth and Leafield.
Its amazing to me too. But its probably where Huron meets Georgean bay and deep
Great story but not to sure about the background music kinda think it's in bad taste
upside down Vagina?
Agreed...the music is awful...sounds like weird canadian tv stuff....in the states, only pbs would have that kind of music accompanying a documentary
never name a great lakes frieghter with a title that rhymes w/ women body parts
Just a little too much drama.
I dont know how much most know but the lakes have ruf weather every nov dec they freeze an shut down for the most part....pretty hardy group to sail these bodys of water...with its reputation..that they just toss off in a corner an go do their jobs....
Ok, Gorden Lightfoot want-to-be.
The cheesiest music I’ve ever heard. I’ve got a greatest hits album by this guy….. there’s nothing on it!!!
Oh god that music is awful. But its a sad story. Many men did not came home that day.
Also the year of the 1913 flood in Ohio..
6000 ships have gone down.....u still want the job yep...
Personal opinion here… The cheesiest music I’ve ever heard.
I’ve got a greatest hits album by this guy….. there’s nothing on it!!!
Another starving artist.
wasnt that bad on land...boys shoulda been on land chasing beaver
My goodness that hippie music...the seventies were OVER in 1993
NO SHIT
Sven Nice music.
Reminds me of Monty Python.
He turned and ran....
it"s not "hippie" music , this is folk music telling a story .
I would actually like to get ahold of the music.
Regina lol
Thanks the music was really corny i m not into folk music kinda gay...didnt have a good melody...lowered music would have been better nirmally i enjiy what ever music someone takes the time to add...it was weak the music...very well done factual.. .enjoyed the video still
Cringeworthy music
Great documentary- horrible, horrible music!
Terrible documentary, and the music makes me want to puke. With such a vast wealth of information about storms, ships and people THIS is what they come up with...shocking in its banal boring content. Do NOT pass Go and do NOT collect $200!!
MARILYN well don’t watch it then😂🤪
I wouldn’t say "terrible", but yeah, not top quality. Highly interesting content, but then you throw in some sappy music and an old codger survivor who cannot be understood, and I’m ready to tear my hair out.
Devon Fishing And YOU can’t bear someone who won’t put up with any old crap that you come out with, hence the original reply to your sonically challenged countenance has been deleted 3 times. People who live in glass houses really should be very careful who they sling rocks at!! Get the glazers in and cut the crap.
It takes intelligence to have curiosity about something. Slick productions cater to small minds and attention dpans
Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the internet’s
Pretty bad music
Take it your not from Michigan are you?
@@johnpearson3616 no I am nit