Welcome to scientists/historians. It may haunt them, but they can't help themselves about going back. Plus that was way back in 2004 and this was 2021. So he has had time to learn to deal with it.
Lol. No kidding. Besides the man he saw wasn't even from the Fitz. It was determined he wasn't a crewman from the Fitz Because of how old the life vest design was that he wore.
This whole interview was a mess. From the sudden cuts to waves/water and the interviewer splicing his comments between the explorer's...this was a pain to watch.
@@aspenmgyfirst time ever watching local news? That’s how they all are. Interview someone for an hour to use 30 seconds and then interrupt them the whole time
I have heard that the reason no bodies ever surfaced is because the water is so frigid at the bottom of Superior that no bacteria survives there and the bodies do not decompose and float to the surface. Aside from the one man lying on the lake floor near the ship it is guessed that the other men's bodies are still inside the wreck. The Edmund Fitzgerald went down so fast and hit so hard the crew had no time to react. RIP to the 29 men who died along with their beloved Big Fitz.
When it made the final dive, the water came smashing through the pilothouse windows and in likelihood washed the bridge crew out of the pilothouse. As far as i'm aware of, no bodies were ever discovered in the pilothouse, but the 1994 expedition to the wreck in addition to the one confirmed discovery also claimed that there were several more in the general area of the bow section. But wouldn't reveal their specific locations. Probably out of respect for the crew and families.
One thing that is seldom to never talked about in polite company is how overloaded the Fitz was when she went down. They had been painting the water line higher and higher on the hull over the years so they could haul heavier loads. She was riding much lower in the water and with a MUCH HEAVIER load than she was originally designed to carry. Overloaded. Old. Big storm. Gone.
She wasn't even 20 years old though. When you start to hog and bow like that, there's nothing for it... but I'm inclined to believe she was overloaded, considering how she broke amidships. Something about "faulty or mishandled hatches" never has sat right with me.
My uncle worked on the Fitzgerald in 72,73,and 74. He decided he wanted to try something different in 75. Lucky him. And my Grandfather was on the Anderson the boat closest to it when it sank. The Fitzgerald is part of my family history.
Interesting. I shipped out of Duluth in summer of 1976 at the age of 18. I was a deckhand, and the other two deckhands I worked with were on the Anderson also when the Fitz went down. He said the "old timers" were ready to die, sitting in their quarters with lifejackets on.
Very fortunate that he made the decision that saved his life. It's desperately sad that the 29 Men who lost their lives did so but they will never be forgotten (The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot) and whoever makes a video about the Edmund Fitzgerald should also show a picture/s of every Man/all the Men they have a picture/s of or at the very least mention him/them by name in Memorium, may they all rest in peace🚢⚓🌹🕊
Did your grandpa say anything about the “THREE SISTERS” that crashed through her location? Reports have stated that’s what actually would have slammed her into the lake bed. The Fitz was 200 ft lengthier than the actual water’s depth.
@@greyghostscsa394 I dunno, I'd say being down below while the ship was being battered by the storm must have been pretty unnerving, plus it would take several seconds for the spaces to completely flood. Enough time to realize you're screwed.
Many journeys are similar, the idea you'd know which one was your last is highly unlikely. Same as war battles, no one knows for sure if this one is truly your last.
@@whipsnade13 Well I'd have to imagine there'd still be a few moments of utter horror before that happened. Even if it's just a matter of seconds, it's still terrible to think about.
I was 23 when this happened and it was big news here in Chicago. Thank you Gordon Lightfoot for reminding me. I hope that whatever did happen that it was a quick and painless end for 29 good men.
I would say that the force of the bow slamming into the lake bottom likely killed any men at the bow, almost instantly. It would be like being in a semi truck's trailer in an accident. With no seatbelts to restrain it's very likely that a man would be unconcious after the impact.
@@talbotd27 The ship is 729ft long and it sank in just over 530 feet of water, so it's theorized that the bow hit the bottom while the stern was still afloat.
It's November 10th, 2022 tonight and the 47th sad anniversary of the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Never Forgotten and my deepest condolences for all the families❤️🙏
Tonight, on the southern shore in the UP at Hermit's Cove and elsewhere, Lake Superior is spawning another ghostly storm almost in remembrance of the Fitzgerald. The waves are mounting and with East winds of 20-30 mph and gusts of over 40 mph forecast for tomorrow, the waves will be massive no doubt..
As a 9 year old kid I still can see this in my mind as I watched it pass thru Sarnia Ontario/Port Huron. We have a Polaroid. This was about a week before it sunk
@Kirk Scobey did you get to hear the horn? There’s no known recordings of the Fitzgerald ship horn; would be interested to know if you think it sounded like the Ryerson.
Brilliant piece! I'm always both fascinated and terrified whenever I see these massive ships laying in the bottom of a lake/ocean . It's the incredible silence and darkness at the bottom of these massive bodies of water that gets to me. Thanks for this!
Two volatile air masses were descending on the lake itself with both ship's masters Captain McSorley and Captain Bernie Jesse Cooper acknowledged as they changed course and speed to hug the Canadian shoreline.
It is now the 47th anniversary. This was a very horrible disaster where everyone in the crew died. This video of the shipwreck looks very cool but very sad. I hope everyone has an awesome day.
Do you think those are contradictory statements? Of course he's haunted by the images of what's basically a ghost ship, but why wouldn't he want to return, as a dedicated historian? Sounds like he's just passionate about ships and at the same time has a lot of reverence for the lives lost
I truly think he is using the word "haunts," as in the thoughts of the wreckage are something he thinks about often. I think "obssesed" would be a more accurate description. He obsessed over this experience and thinks about doing it again, often.
As we mourn the loss of these 29 men, and Gordon Lightfoot this past week, I think it a good time to acknowledge another truth. Nothing like this tragedy has happened since. I think that a testament to lessons learned and changes made… and also the great notoriety imparted on this tragedy when Gordon Lightfoot wrote, in their honor, the best pure folk song I have ever heard. This was not for nothing. These 30 men combined to save so many more lives in the years since on the Great Lakes and I wanted to acknowledge that.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they called Gitche Gumee The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead When the skies of November turn gloomy...
With a load of iron ore, 26,000 tons more Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed When the gales of November came early!
The ship was the pride of the American side coming back from some mill in Wisconsin, and as big freighters go she was bigger than most with a crew and a captain well seasoned
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms when they left fully loaded for Cleveland. And later that night when the ship's bell rang, could it be the north wind they'd been feeling?
The wind and the wires made a tattletale sound. And a wave broke over the railing. And every man knew as the captain did too T,was the witch of November come stealing. The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait. When the gales of November came slashing.
I remember sitting at the dinner table with my folks eating and the evening news for the next day was reporting the sinking. I had just graduated from High School in June.... Sad sad event for sure. GOD rest the Souls of those men..
It’s time for a major motion picture to be made about her…RESPECTFULLY and REVERENTLY done of course…to pay tribute to the brave souls lost that night and their families and friends left behind without answers.😞💔
I agree. However, I feel like it would go pretty overlooked because the only movies anyone talks about nowadays are Marvel movies. It's a real shame. But to the folks who are fascinated by the wreck, like myself, I think it would be a huge hit.
@@DistantEarlyWarningThere was that film "The Finest Hours", which was a fascinating Disney film based on a true story about a ship splitting in two, and the crew in the aft section being rescued by the coast guard. But it was a box office flop, so I understand Hollywood's reticence to make a similar film about the Fitzgerald, especially since there is no happy ending.
My question is this: if the Fitz went down so fast that the crew had little time to react, how does a body have a life jacket on it? Could he have been wearing it throughout the storm as a precaution?
The National Weather Service issued a storm warning, they were taking on water and, were blind with no radar in that awful storm those experienced sailors would have known
Not a day goes by i dont think about the Fitz..! I had just graduated from high school i lost my mom that day and i lost this magnificent ship ... good captain and crew !! God bless you all ! And l will never forget any of you !!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Welcome to the world of historians and archeology! Where we will gladly recklessly endanger ourselves to see some old stuff and take some pictures! I cannot explain the urge but in those whom it resides its siren call cannot be resisted
No one will probably be allowed to go down again because it’s been recognized as a gravesite I’m pretty sure. Which is a good thing. It *IS* a gravesite for 29 men. They should have the right to Rest In Peace without someone disturbing them or trying to steal something off the ship
Diving on the wreck has been forbidden by the Ontario Heritage Act-an extremely broad, often amended law. It was originally passed in 1975 to preserve individual properties deemed “culturally valuable” in the Province of Ontario. I’m not exactly sure how that extends to shipwrecks, but diving the “Edmund Fitzgerald” without special, written permission from the Canadian government is punishable by a fine of $1million Canadian dollars.
Have heard speculation that it's forbidden partly because certain parties didn't want anyone to see the red paint on the bottom of the lake, which could prove the bottom out theory.
I figured it was sunken deeper than that. So that means if the ship was standing upright like a tower then about 200 feet of the ship would be sticking out of the water.
Basically, some people believe when the 3 waves hit the ship, the water level dropped a good bit and allowed the bow of the ship to strike the bottom while technically still being afloat
@@markg999 the water in the spot that it sank was 530 ft deep. the ship was 750 ft or something like that if you stick the ship up on its nose straight it would stick out of the water by over 200 feet
propably when the ship hit the bottom it greated a impact wave that shot everything inside into a specific direction and the body just flew out a door, broken window or what not. Usually the easiest answer is the correct one but it could have been something else too of course :D
Newton's first law of motion: and object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. She came down with a lot of force, hit the bottom, and everything not bolted down went flying/ejected
Here in the northeast, my classmates and I mused whether the song was just a well-written fable. We were young, and quite ignorant about lake-effect weather events. I finally informed myself once Wikipedia came along. I'm sorry for those who lost family members.
I know a lot of people feel that wreck should be forever left in the darkness, and i can see why the family members of those lost would feel that way. But if i lost someone, I'd want to know how this happened. Is there anything in those cabins that belonged to the loved ones? I think it should be explored for the people that perished and their families, and for historical information as well.
I was about 23 when she went down - I might of seen the Fitz docked when I worked at United States Steel - remember it was big news here in Chicago but being young I forgot about the disaster until Gordon Lightfoot's song. RIP 29 brave men.
I'm pretty sure they couldn't tell they might of but idk I mean they could make out the FACIAL FEATURES which could have answered it but they actually tried to destroy the footage so uhh idk
Very good description & explanation of what this man saw on the bottom with the Fitz. The part about the 26 tons of talconite's momentum ripping the ship apart from within seems accurate, blowing out the seams. The ship took a beating til finally the great Gitchugummee landed a knock out blow. Went down quick.
Should be a protected monument to the crew and all maritime losses. Upmost respect, to The family’s and G.L. Tribute to the wives, sons and the daughters.
It actually is a protected monument because while it is a US ship the Fitzgerald sank on the Canadian side of Lake Superior and they made it a official underwater grave the only thing that was recovered from the wreck was the ships bell and it was with permission of the families so they could have closure and they replaced the ships bell with another bell that the crews name on the bell that now sits with the ship
@@brianwolf399 one of my grandparents friends actually recovered the bell, and they had to keep the recovery a secret do to other salvaging companies want to strip it for money.
we spent summers on Lake Erie i remember the Mighty Fitz, we would hear her comes 4-5 miles away, she was always blasting music. we would drop everything run to see her, we would wave the men waved back. many times the Cap. McSorley would blow her horn, he knew he made our day. he made us feel like we mattered. i was 7 years old the night she went down i refused to go back to the lake almost 5 years, when i finally did the summer wasn't fun.
@@brienfoaboutanything9037 plugging your own video, (which is just a text to speak narration of Wikipedia information) is _rrrreeeeeeaaaallllllyyyy_ tacky.
Wow, I was around 14 during the reck and we are a fishing family but on the other coast. This reck was talked about for years. Never knew if the deck crew knew what was about to happen or not. But if they seen life vests on a crew member they had time to do that much.
This will always be a hurtful and mysterious mystery concerning the Big Fitz. I personally have mixed feelings about all of this as while it would be interesting to find out exactly how and what caused her to go down, it's also best to let the ship, and its 29 guys that died on her along with ships master Captain Earnest McSorley to rest peacefully and no longer bother with it anymore. The ship sits in the Canadian area part of Lake Superior and the Canadian government has deemed it off limits to courious onlookers and those who want to continue to dig up information about her, and for her sake and the sake of her crew members who perished on board her, family members, let it alone, they are hurting enough, why hurt them more.
What a shame other wrecks like the Titanic weren't given the same consideration. After all only 333 bodies were ever recovered out of 1496. The ideology is backwards. Why leave one alone but not the other and even if the Titanic is in international waters that shouldn't matter.
I think that given they found red paint on the extension of the point (name escapes me) the ship sailed over and the fact that her design omitted two bulkheads and the Capt said she was a “tender ship” and radioed in that she was taking water she is almost certainly the victim of an unintentional grounding that allowed water onboard faster than she could pump it off and she just went under in one of those 30 ft waves and went down too fast to even get a message out. The mystery is solved for many, though not for all.
@@Garsons-oq4lh I agree but since the Titanic is at a much greater depth it means only very few people in the entire world is capable of exploring the wreck.
@@Garsons-oq4lh this shipwreck is under the Canadians jurisdiction. I dont think Canada has any say in what happens to the Titanic site. You're assuming that one ruling body has say over all lost vessel resting sites.
The ship was the pride on the American side- coming back from some mill in Wisconsin- as the Big freighters go, it was bigger than most-with the crew and the capt well seasoned.. great song indeed.
It's still absolutely crazy nobody knows exactly what happened. My guess is some sort of catastrophic failure within the structure. It's the only thing that makes sense considering how fast the ship went down
They had a list and broken fence rail while still on the surface, so yes, something catastrophic had to have occurred to cause that kind of damage before she sank.
One of my professors at Michigan Tech would sometimes expound on the Fitz for pretty much the whole hour of class as he was infatuated with the tragedy, he was convinced that she bottomed out on the rocks of six fathom shoal due to a seiche.
Someone posted that they had been painting the water line on the bottom of the ship so they could load more on it. So it would have been overloaded. And it is not hard to believe at all.
@@whipsnade13just a metal fence,anyways she hit bottom and couldn’t come up,the ship was large enough that in foggy weather the fog would split the ship and the stern would be concealed,530 feet I believe she rest at
I wonder if high quality digital photographs would be allowed to map the Fitz, like they did with the Titanic. Someone suggested going in and getting the log book, probably never happen
Canada has now forbidden divers to go down to the Edmund Fitzgerald again. Families of some of the lost souls onboard have petitioned to put a halt to visiting, as it's considered a gravesite to many of them. I agree with that decision.
@@colejames423 Anyone who dives down there has direct access to one of the bodies just floating there. Not exactly the same as going to a cemetery now is it? I guess maybe if you own a backhoe. 🤔 Oh wait, laws protect bodies from being accessed at cemeteries too.
The Edmund Fitzgerald is off limits to every one that means this guy, Canada and the crews families have made sure of that, that is the crews bureal site the ship is there tomb. Leave alone and stay away let them rest in peace.
So sick of people using 'tone deaf' stfu! He was remembering his trip down in the 90s . How is that report in anyway disrespectful? It happened, he's just saying what happened. Everybody is a whiny baby nowadays, grow up
insurance co's got that restriction. Hmmm According to eye witnesses and relatives of the crew, the ship was "tender" ( not built well) , overloaded ( because of inept regulators ruling ) , and off course ( because of inaccurate data ) They said she ran aground on a sand bar ( the hill he speaks of in this video ) since she was too low in the water broke in two and sank No rouge wave or crew error ALL BS to cover up liability by the shipping line
There’s a video of a coast guard member who was part of the first expedition to the wreck who states the body’s of the crew members on the bridge were found at that time back in the 70s. According to him they didn’t not have any life saving clothing on.
As a resident of Duluth, this ship and its intrepid crew are immortalized in the mythos of the community. In respect, I attend the ceremony every year at split rock to honor the 29 brave souls that were killed by greed and capitalism. We do remember.
So, there is a body down there. Don’t you think it would be nice to bring that body up, identify that person and lay them to rest ? Also, giving the family closure would help.
@@joshuamccracken1498 There was at least one family member who wanted the bodies recovered. His brother is on that wreck. He's a Vietnam vet, and he and his brother had a pact that if one of them was killed in action, they would find the other and bring him home. He was very upset about this, but he was outvoted by the majority of the other family members. It's unfortunate, because none of those men wanted to end up down there. They all wanted to go home. It's really more of a crash / accident site than a grave.
@@Janice_Kinase you don't know what those men wanted!!! Men who live on the sea and water are a different breed and it's what they love it's a soul connection that you or anyone else will never understand and if the sea takes me' then let her have me because I'm at home.
Why is this basically the ONLY ship ever talked about when it cames to the great lakes?... Like, more historical missing ships have been found in the lake or should be found/ talked about, but all people keep going on above is "But what about the Fits!?!? We need to remember the Fits! We need to do more exploring of the Fits!"...
Hollywood would f**k it up like every movie they,ve redone, look at titanic, pearl harbor, THEY WOULD MAKE THE WOTEF a f*****g love story and piss off the families who lost loved ones.
Greed always is a consequence of ignoring reality when an overloaded ship sails into a wicked storm. Also Fresh Water is not as bouyant as Salt Water. The ship had no chance to stay afloat, in such an overloaded condition with waves torturing the structure. I hope that this catastrophe will avoid a repeat and preserve lives.
Anchor: "A discovery that haunts him forever"
Diver: "Man I just can't wait to go back there again."
Welcome to scientists/historians. It may haunt them, but they can't help themselves about going back. Plus that was way back in 2004 and this was 2021. So he has had time to learn to deal with it.
Lol. No kidding. Besides the man he saw wasn't even from the Fitz. It was determined he wasn't a crewman from the Fitz Because of how old the life vest design was that he wore.
Welcome to sensationalism and clickbait headlines. Its mainstream media journalism, what else do you ever expect 😂
This whole interview was a mess. From the sudden cuts to waves/water and the interviewer splicing his comments between the explorer's...this was a pain to watch.
@@aspenmgyfirst time ever watching local news? That’s how they all are. Interview someone for an hour to use 30 seconds and then interrupt them the whole time
I have heard that the reason no bodies ever surfaced is because the water is so frigid at the bottom of Superior that no bacteria survives there and the bodies do not decompose and float to the surface. Aside from the one man lying on the lake floor near the ship it is guessed that the other men's bodies are still inside the wreck. The Edmund Fitzgerald went down so fast and hit so hard the crew had no time to react. RIP to the 29 men who died along with their beloved Big Fitz.
Most, if not all, would be inside the wreck or under the load of taconite. Fitz went down very fast.
When it made the final dive, the water came smashing through the pilothouse windows and in likelihood washed the bridge crew out of the pilothouse. As far as i'm aware of, no bodies were ever discovered in the pilothouse, but the 1994 expedition to the wreck in addition to the one confirmed discovery also claimed that there were several more in the general area of the bow section. But wouldn't reveal their specific locations. Probably out of respect for the crew and families.
@@deanladue3151 People not familiar with the ocean or working with it, have no clue as to the awesome might of fluid dynamics.
All 29 are either inside, or, at least one is beside the wreck.
Yeah hence the song about the lake never giving up Its dead Its not only the Fitch wreck...
One thing that is seldom to never talked about in polite company is how overloaded the Fitz was when she went down. They had been painting the water line higher and higher
on the hull over the years so they could haul heavier loads. She was riding much lower in the water and with a MUCH HEAVIER load than she was originally designed to carry.
Overloaded. Old. Big storm. Gone.
I believe this, many reports of being overloaded, there should have been massive lawsuits against the shipping company.
@@andreawalbridge950: The crew all wanted to take that voyage on that fateful night.........They didn't need to.
I never new that 👍
She wasn't even 20 years old though. When you start to hog and bow like that, there's nothing for it... but I'm inclined to believe she was overloaded, considering how she broke amidships. Something about "faulty or mishandled hatches" never has sat right with me.
If you want to know of a old ship, the Daniel J morrel was 60 years old at the time of its sinking
My uncle worked on the Fitzgerald in 72,73,and 74. He decided he wanted to try something different in 75. Lucky him. And my Grandfather was on the Anderson the boat closest to it when it sank. The Fitzgerald is part of my family history.
Wow so lucky
Amazing
Interesting. I shipped out of Duluth in summer of 1976 at the age of 18. I was a deckhand, and the other two deckhands I worked with were on the Anderson also when the Fitz went down. He said the "old timers" were ready to die, sitting in their quarters with lifejackets on.
Very fortunate that he made the decision that saved his life. It's desperately sad that the 29 Men who lost their lives did so but they will never be forgotten (The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot) and whoever makes a video about the Edmund Fitzgerald should also show a picture/s of every Man/all the Men they have a picture/s of or at the very least mention him/them by name in Memorium, may they all rest in peace🚢⚓🌹🕊
Did your grandpa say anything about the “THREE SISTERS” that crashed through her location? Reports have stated that’s what actually would have slammed her into the lake bed. The Fitz was 200 ft lengthier than the actual water’s depth.
Rest in peace, Gordon Lightfoot! Your legend will live on in Minnesota and beyond!
And in Michigan
Amen
RIP
Gordon Lightfoot is a Canadian icon
It’s hurts
2:10 They actually impact a piece of the wreck. Notice the sudden stop, and vibration of the metal closest to the sub.
woah!
Oopsie
I'm sure that frightened the crew!
Good catch
Fun fact: Bob Ballard dove down in Delta when he visited the Lusitania.
I can't help but think about what a horrifying experience it must have been, especially when I try to imagine the conditions in the stern.
I doubt the men had time to be afraid. I think it happened so fast that they were unconscious pretty quickly.
@@greyghostscsa394 I dunno, I'd say being down below while the ship was being battered by the storm must have been pretty unnerving, plus it would take several seconds for the spaces to completely flood. Enough time to realize you're screwed.
Many journeys are similar, the idea you'd know which one was your last is highly unlikely. Same as war battles, no one knows for sure if this one is truly your last.
@@ctg6734 The change in pressure would have caused the men to black out.
@@whipsnade13 Well I'd have to imagine there'd still be a few moments of utter horror before that happened.
Even if it's just a matter of seconds, it's still terrible to think about.
I was 23 when this happened and it was big news here in Chicago. Thank you Gordon Lightfoot for reminding me. I hope that whatever did happen that it was a quick and painless end for 29 good men.
I would say that the force of the bow slamming into the lake bottom likely killed any men at the bow, almost instantly. It would be like being in a semi truck's trailer in an accident. With no seatbelts to restrain it's very likely that a man would be unconcious after the impact.
@@matthewmosier8439I don’t understand, how would they still be alive by the time the boat sank to the bottom?
@@talbotd27 The ship is 729ft long and it sank in just over 530 feet of water, so it's theorized that the bow hit the bottom while the stern was still afloat.
This is one if those songs , that if you close your eyes as you listen to it it paints such a vivid picture that is Dream like
It's November 10th, 2022 tonight and the 47th sad anniversary of the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Never Forgotten and my deepest condolences for all the families❤️🙏
Tonight, on the southern shore in the UP at Hermit's Cove and elsewhere, Lake Superior is spawning another ghostly storm almost in remembrance of the Fitzgerald. The waves are mounting and with East winds of 20-30 mph and gusts of over 40 mph forecast for tomorrow, the waves will be massive no doubt..
She never gives up her dead, but she also never forgets them….
Yarrrr, she blows.
As a 9 year old kid I still can see this in my mind as I watched it pass thru Sarnia Ontario/Port Huron. We have a Polaroid. This was about a week before it sunk
That would be so cool to see, so different from all the other ships going under the bridge
@Kirk Scobey did you get to hear the horn? There’s no known recordings of the Fitzgerald ship horn; would be interested to know if you think it sounded like the Ryerson.
Brilliant piece! I'm always both fascinated and terrified whenever I see these massive ships laying in the bottom of a lake/ocean . It's the incredible silence and darkness at the bottom of these massive bodies of water that gets to me. Thanks for this!
Agreed
Orillia’s Gordon Lightfoot immortalized the sinking with a classic ballad. 🇨🇦👍
@Dartgame 340 doesn’t touch GL’s
Rest in peace
He made it so no one would forget. Every time you hear that song.
I remember it was lovely weather the day before the ship sank. Then the cold front came in and how quickly everything changed.
Two volatile air masses were descending on the lake itself with both ship's masters Captain McSorley and Captain Bernie Jesse Cooper acknowledged as they changed course and speed to hug the Canadian shoreline.
Do they allow ships to set sail in storms in the Great Lakes?
Jesus the editing on this is jarring! And what the hell are those iPhone in the sand shots?! 😂
Rest In Peace to All 29 Men that passed away when that ship sank
It is now the 47th anniversary. This was a very horrible disaster where everyone in the crew died. This video of the shipwreck looks very cool but very sad. I hope everyone has an awesome day.
It haunts him? He ended the interview saying "I really wish I could go back some day" lmfao. Thats journalism for you folks.
Do you think those are contradictory statements? Of course he's haunted by the images of what's basically a ghost ship, but why wouldn't he want to return, as a dedicated historian? Sounds like he's just passionate about ships and at the same time has a lot of reverence for the lives lost
I truly think he is using the word "haunts," as in the thoughts of the wreckage are something he thinks about often. I think "obssesed" would be a more accurate description. He obsessed over this experience and thinks about doing it again, often.
I still remember it being broadcasted on the news. November 10 1975 is etched on my mind.
As we mourn the loss of these 29 men, and Gordon Lightfoot this past week, I think it a good time to acknowledge another truth. Nothing like this tragedy has happened since. I think that a testament to lessons learned and changes made… and also the great notoriety imparted on this tragedy when Gordon Lightfoot wrote, in their honor, the best pure folk song I have ever heard.
This was not for nothing. These 30 men combined to save so many more lives in the years since on the Great Lakes and I wanted to acknowledge that.
I’m so sad that this great ship sadly sank.
A friend of mine was on one of the ships that was behind the Fitz. He still tears up when talking about it.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called Gitche Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy...
With a load of iron ore, 26,000 tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early!
The ship was the pride of the American side coming back from some mill in Wisconsin, and as big freighters go she was bigger than most with a crew and a captain well seasoned
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms when they left fully loaded for Cleveland. And later that night when the ship's bell rang, could it be the north wind they'd been feeling?
The wind and the wires made a tattletale sound.
And a wave broke over the railing.
And every man knew as the captain did too
T,was the witch of November come stealing.
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait.
When the gales of November came slashing.
I remember sitting at the dinner table with my folks eating and the evening news for the next day was reporting the sinking. I had just graduated from High School in June....
Sad sad event for sure. GOD rest the Souls of those men..
It’s amazing how well preserved these ships are sitting in fresh water
It’s because the water is so frigid, that it’s difficult for bacteria to live, so not much to eat at the steel.
It’s time for a major motion picture to be made about her…RESPECTFULLY and REVERENTLY done of course…to pay tribute to the brave souls lost that night and their families and friends left behind without answers.😞💔
Amen to that.
I agree. However, I feel like it would go pretty overlooked because the only movies anyone talks about nowadays are Marvel movies. It's a real shame. But to the folks who are fascinated by the wreck, like myself, I think it would be a huge hit.
@@DistantEarlyWarningThere was that film "The Finest Hours", which was a fascinating Disney film based on a true story about a ship splitting in two, and the crew in the aft section being rescued by the coast guard. But it was a box office flop, so I understand Hollywood's reticence to make a similar film about the Fitzgerald, especially since there is no happy ending.
My question is this: if the Fitz went down so fast that the crew had little time to react, how does a body have a life jacket on it? Could he have been wearing it throughout the storm as a precaution?
Yes, these were all experinced sailors who might have seen it coming and prepared for the worst.
From what I've read, there was evidence that they knew it was going down.
I would think that in a situation like the one they were in, the captain would have instructed "ALL" Hands to put on life jackets.
The National Weather Service issued a storm warning, they were taking on water and, were blind with no radar in that awful storm those experienced sailors would have known
Not a day goes by i dont think about the Fitz..! I had just graduated from high school i lost my mom that day and i lost this magnificent ship ... good captain and crew !! God bless you all ! And l will never forget any of you !!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you, Gordon Lightfoot, for telling the story to millions and millions more to come.
Never forget.
There was also ANOTHER ship named the SS Edmund Fitzgerald that sank. It sunk in 1883 near Ontario Canada in Lake Erie.
Yup. The Edmond Fitzgerald.
If the families of the lost crewmen have any say, there will be no more dives to the wrecksite. It is where their loved ones repose.
We still remember you big fitz
Canada will not allow any more dives to The Fitzgerald Wreck right? I read something like that
'Visit still haunts diver'
"I really hope I can go back"
he cant without first getting permission
Welcome to the world of historians and archeology!
Where we will gladly recklessly endanger ourselves to see some old stuff and take some pictures!
I cannot explain the urge but in those whom it resides its siren call cannot be resisted
Wow ! I’ve been watching this story. Sense Aug , on my cell phone , 😢 this just catches my heart 🌷🥀
It’s been 40+ years all that remains is the faces and the names of the wives sons and daughters
Unbelievable, thanks for sharing !!
No one will probably be allowed to go down again because it’s been recognized as a gravesite I’m pretty sure.
Which is a good thing. It *IS* a gravesite for 29 men. They should have the right to Rest In Peace without someone disturbing them or trying to steal something off the ship
Yeah, it's their ship now,and forever
Diving on the wreck has been forbidden by the Ontario Heritage Act-an extremely broad, often amended law. It was originally passed in 1975 to preserve individual properties deemed “culturally valuable” in the Province of Ontario. I’m not exactly sure how that extends to shipwrecks, but diving the “Edmund Fitzgerald” without special, written permission from the Canadian government is punishable by a fine of $1million Canadian dollars.
Have heard speculation that it's forbidden partly because certain parties didn't want anyone to see the red paint on the bottom of the lake, which could prove the bottom out theory.
Is that like 500 us dollars?
@@tjhookit
Explain?
It’s been officially named a mass grave. That is why you can’t dive and explore the wreckage.
@@krisis8736 Just like Estonia in 1994, and now we know it was a coverup. Convenient, especially since morons who can't think critically buy it.
Gordon Lightfoot paid amage to the crew beautiful song.
I figured it was sunken deeper than that.
So that means if the ship was standing upright like a tower then about 200 feet of the ship would be sticking out of the water.
Basically, some people believe when the 3 waves hit the ship, the water level dropped a good bit and allowed the bow of the ship to strike the bottom while technically still being afloat
@@fbm314 I dont see how that be possible in water so deep.
@@markg999 the water in the spot that it sank was 530 ft deep. the ship was 750 ft or something like that if you stick the ship up on its nose straight it would stick out of the water by over 200 feet
@@fbm314 Ok I get what your saying better..I thought you meant the ship was all floating on surface when the bow struck bottom.
Yes, and I believe the propeller was still turning as it drove into the bottom
Does anyone have any theories on how the crew member ended up on the lake bottom several yards forward of the prow?
propably when the ship hit the bottom it greated a impact wave that shot everything inside into a specific direction and the body just flew out a door, broken window or what not. Usually the easiest answer is the correct one but it could have been something else too of course :D
Newton's first law of motion: and object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. She came down with a lot of force, hit the bottom, and everything not bolted down went flying/ejected
Here in the northeast, my classmates and I mused whether the song was just a well-written fable. We were young, and quite ignorant about lake-effect weather events. I finally informed myself once Wikipedia came along. I'm sorry for those who lost family members.
I know a lot of people feel that wreck should be forever left in the darkness, and i can see why the family members of those lost would feel that way. But if i lost someone, I'd want to know how this happened. Is there anything in those cabins that belonged to the loved ones? I think it should be explored for the people that perished and their families, and for historical information as well.
As a Midwesterner (Chicago) , and a history teacher, I’ve studied the EF quite a bit. But I don’t think I could dive it. Too creepy.
I was about 23 when she went down - I might of seen the Fitz docked when I worked at United States Steel - remember it was big news here in Chicago but being young I forgot about the disaster until Gordon Lightfoot's song. RIP 29 brave men.
you arent allowed to dive the wreck .
My great grandfather loaded this ship many times in the port of Toledo
Did they ever release the name of which crewman was found ?
I want to see that footage!
they did i heard when they made an new edmurd fitzergald ship model they put the name of the crewman on the ship as a memorial
I'm pretty sure they couldn't tell they might of but idk I mean they could make out the FACIAL FEATURES which could have answered it but they actually tried to destroy the footage so uhh idk
Very good description & explanation of what this man saw on the bottom with the Fitz. The part about the 26 tons of talconite's momentum ripping the ship apart from within seems accurate, blowing out the seams. The ship took a beating til finally the great Gitchugummee landed a knock out blow. Went down quick.
The Legend Lives On ⚓
Should be a protected monument to the crew and all maritime losses. Upmost respect, to The family’s and G.L. Tribute to the wives, sons and the daughters.
Why does this wreck get special treatment? 100 years from now, it should be visited again.
@@clearskies4325 same here. i dont want people forgetting, or treating me as if i should be forgotten.
It actually is a protected monument because while it is a US ship the Fitzgerald sank on the Canadian side of Lake Superior and they made it a official underwater grave the only thing that was recovered from the wreck was the ships bell and it was with permission of the families so they could have closure and they replaced the ships bell with another bell that the crews name on the bell that now sits with the ship
@@brianwolf399 in b4 someone depth charges it 🤣
@@brianwolf399 one of my grandparents friends actually recovered the bell, and they had to keep the recovery a secret do to other salvaging companies want to strip it for money.
we spent summers on Lake Erie i remember the Mighty Fitz, we would hear her comes 4-5 miles away, she was always blasting music.
we would drop everything run to see her, we would wave the men waved back. many times the Cap. McSorley would blow her horn, he knew he made our day. he made us feel like we mattered.
i was 7 years old the night she went down i refused to go back to the lake almost 5 years, when i finally did the summer wasn't fun.
Still lingers in my mind, this tragedy of tragedies. RIP to All lives cut short and their families. ⚓️🇦🇺🙏
🙏
Were the bodies ever recovered or are they still on the ship?
Finally, someone mentioned this. i saw this being reported a few years back. Yea, the line went up by 3 feet, and it was estimated.
I kinda thought they didn’t want anyone else to disturb the shipwreck since they took the bell back in 1995?
You need "official" permission.
It is an official gravesite as the Titanic should have been.
Thats amazing information about SS Edmund Fitzgerald: ruclips.net/video/NjtHZFB9JcY/видео.html
@@brienfoaboutanything9037 plugging your own video, (which is just a text to speak narration of Wikipedia information) is _rrrreeeeeeaaaallllllyyyy_ tacky.
@@cathyaudette1060 Why have Titanic's belongings disintegrate to dust?
Save what you can and put the objects on display.
Rick Mickster is one of the funniest names I've heard
Mixter*
Man made. Errors. Pride n greed. Ends in. Unexplained. Sorrow. !!!
Wow, I was around 14 during the reck and we are a fishing family but on the other coast. This reck was talked about for years. Never knew if the deck crew knew what was about to happen or not. But if they seen life vests on a crew member they had time to do that much.
Someone cutting onions in here...
My Dad was a submariner in the US Navy in the 1960s, and fortunately he was not aboard the USS Thresher.
Who was the crew member they found
530’ deep seems deep, and it is. What’s crazy is that ship is over 700’ long. Stand it on end and it would stick out of the waters surface by 200’
I’m so glad you did the math for us
This will always be a hurtful and mysterious mystery concerning the Big Fitz. I personally have mixed feelings about all of this as while it would be interesting to find out exactly how and what caused her to go down, it's also best to let the ship, and its 29 guys that died on her along with ships master Captain Earnest McSorley to rest peacefully and no longer bother with it anymore. The ship sits in the Canadian area part of Lake Superior and the Canadian government has deemed it off limits to courious onlookers and those who want to continue to dig up information about her, and for her sake and the sake of her crew members who perished on board her, family members, let it alone, they are hurting enough, why hurt them more.
What a shame other wrecks like the Titanic weren't given the same consideration. After all only 333 bodies were ever recovered out of 1496. The ideology is backwards. Why leave one alone but not the other and even if the Titanic is in international waters that shouldn't matter.
I think that given they found red paint on the extension of the point (name escapes me) the ship sailed over and the fact that her design omitted two bulkheads and the Capt said she was a “tender ship” and radioed in that she was taking water she is almost certainly the victim of an unintentional grounding that allowed water onboard faster than she could pump it off and she just went under in one of those 30 ft waves and went down too fast to even get a message out. The mystery is solved for many, though not for all.
@@Garsons-oq4lh
I agree but since the Titanic is at a much greater depth it means only very few people in the entire world is capable of exploring the wreck.
@@TheBHAWK89. The MIGHTY BISMARCK Is Down Even More Deeper 😃😭. Hence Why He's Not Disappearing 😃. Not Like The TITANIC 😂
@@Garsons-oq4lh this shipwreck is under the Canadians jurisdiction. I dont think Canada has any say in what happens to the Titanic site. You're assuming that one ruling body has say over all lost vessel resting sites.
The gales of november...are no joke
**shows a random seagull**
I still love the song about it
The ship was the pride on the American side- coming back from some mill in Wisconsin- as the Big freighters go, it was bigger than most-with the crew and the capt well seasoned.. great song indeed.
THAT SONG STILL BRINGS CHILLS AND GOOSEBUMPS TO MY BODY, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE SONG
It's still absolutely crazy nobody knows exactly what happened. My guess is some sort of catastrophic failure within the structure. It's the only thing that makes sense considering how fast the ship went down
They had a list and broken fence rail while still on the surface, so yes, something catastrophic had to have occurred to cause that kind of damage before she sank.
One of my professors at Michigan Tech would sometimes expound on the Fitz for pretty much the whole hour of class as he was infatuated with the tragedy, he was convinced that she bottomed out on the rocks of six fathom shoal due to a seiche.
Someone posted that they had been painting the water line on the bottom of the ship so they could load more on it. So it would have been overloaded. And it is not hard to believe at all.
@@whipsnade13just a metal fence,anyways she hit bottom and couldn’t come up,the ship was large enough that in foggy weather the fog would split the ship and the stern would be concealed,530 feet I believe she rest at
@@dw3403what?
"He is traumatized"
"I really wish I could go back"
what is this reporting lmao
I wonder if high quality digital photographs would be allowed to map the Fitz, like they did with the Titanic.
Someone suggested going in and getting the log book, probably never happen
Canada has now forbidden divers to go down to the Edmund Fitzgerald again. Families of some of the lost souls onboard have petitioned to put a halt to visiting, as it's considered a gravesite to many of them. I agree with that decision.
Yeah we should make it illegal to visit cemeteries too
@@colejames423 Anyone who dives down there has direct access to one of the bodies just floating there. Not exactly the same as going to a cemetery now is it? I guess maybe if you own a backhoe. 🤔 Oh wait, laws protect bodies from being accessed at cemeteries too.
@cole Your logic is flawed and a bit silly, as another viewer deftly illustrates…
@jeffkaufman9875 Don't think so buddy. But you're entitled to your opinion, as "silly" as it is. Have a great day!
@Christian Wasn’t referring to your comment… 🤦♂️ Have a nice day…
RIP Gordon Lightfoot (1938 - 2023) | The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
I wonder if they identified the body?
Incredible finds and creepy as well
Damn I hate TV dramatization
The Edmund Fitzgerald is off limits to every one that means this guy, Canada and the crews families have made sure of that, that is the crews bureal site the ship is there tomb. Leave alone and stay away let them rest in peace.
I THOUGHT THAT THE CREW'S FAMILIES HAD REQESTED THAT NO MORE DIVES BE MADE IN RESPECT TO THE CREW MEMBERS LOST.
The insurance companies lobbied for and got a diving restriction. The don't want anyone snooping around.
I really feel that this report is very tone deaf and lacks respect for the families and the Fitz as a gravesite.
According to the report it was 2004 which was almost 18 years ago. You act like it was yesterday.
So sick of people using 'tone deaf' stfu! He was remembering his trip down in the 90s . How is that report in anyway disrespectful? It happened, he's just saying what happened. Everybody is a whiny baby nowadays, grow up
insurance co's got that restriction. Hmmm According to eye witnesses and relatives of the crew, the ship was "tender" ( not built well) , overloaded ( because of inept regulators ruling ) , and off course ( because of inaccurate data ) They said she ran aground on a sand bar ( the hill he speaks of in this video ) since she was too low in the water broke in two and sank No rouge wave or crew error ALL BS to cover up liability by the shipping line
Great song too
There’s a video of a coast guard member who was part of the first expedition to the wreck who states the body’s of the crew members on the bridge were found at that time back in the 70s. According to him they didn’t not have any life saving clothing on.
What the cargo ever removed from the Fitzgerald wreck?
No. The taconite pellets are scattered on the lake bed, forever thankful they didn't have to set foot on Zug Island.
Its a gravesite, no more diving is allowed.
Gordon Lightfoot has some words to say about this
So true.
As a resident of Duluth, this ship and its intrepid crew are immortalized in the mythos of the community. In respect, I attend the ceremony every year at split rock to honor the 29 brave souls that were killed by greed and capitalism. We do remember.
It’s almost like communists never have accidents lol
My dad used to Scuba in Lake Michigan alot with his buddy. Not me though. Im deathly afraid of deep open water lol.
So, there is a body down there. Don’t you think it would be nice to bring that body up, identify that person and lay them to rest ? Also, giving the family closure would help.
The families are the ones who requested that any and all bodies remain with the wreck.
@@joshuamccracken1498 There was at least one family member who wanted the bodies recovered. His brother is on that wreck. He's a Vietnam vet, and he and his brother had a pact that if one of them was killed in action, they would find the other and bring him home. He was very upset about this, but he was outvoted by the majority of the other family members. It's unfortunate, because none of those men wanted to end up down there. They all wanted to go home. It's really more of a crash / accident site than a grave.
@@Janice_Kinase you don't know what those men wanted!!! Men who live on the sea and water are a different breed and it's what they love it's a soul connection that you or anyone else will never understand and if the sea takes me' then let her have me because I'm at home.
@@jonathanlawson4667 not for everyone. For some people it's a job like any other or important to them but not where they wish to be at the end.
The majority of the crew would be in the over turned stern section. On the bridge would have been the Captain, navigator and wheelsman.
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead When the skies of November turn gloomy.
A great song. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time I hear it.
Why is this basically the ONLY ship ever talked about when it cames to the great lakes?... Like, more historical missing ships have been found in the lake or should be found/ talked about, but all people keep going on above is "But what about the Fits!?!? We need to remember the Fits! We need to do more exploring of the Fits!"...
I live in Australia and your comments are so accurate. I have heard numbers of 30,000 lives lost in the Great Lakes. ⚓️🙏🇦🇺
Most famous last words in Maritime history, " We're holding our own ".
"Chugging along like an old shoe"
R.I.P. Edmund Fitzgerald. It lived a good life 🚢
I'm guessing that after this accident much more attention was paid to how tight the hatch covers were.
How has Hollywood not made a movie of this
Hollywood would f**k it up like every movie they,ve redone, look at titanic, pearl harbor, THEY WOULD MAKE THE WOTEF a f*****g love story and piss off the families who lost loved ones.
“Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours”
What disrespectful editing
Greed always is a consequence of ignoring reality when an overloaded ship sails into a wicked storm. Also Fresh Water is not as bouyant as Salt Water. The ship had no chance to stay afloat, in such an overloaded condition with waves torturing the structure. I hope that this catastrophe will avoid a repeat and preserve lives.
the reporter interjecting every 5 seconds is annoying
He worked for Channel 5 in Saginaw to Bay City.
a howling wind towering waves and driving snow are inscribed on the Edmund Fitzgerald memorial
It was officially designated a gravesite in 2005.. no more diving.
I fish by it many times. I
It's only 11 km from Pancake park. I think I snagged on it and lost a $15 lure.
@@Crashed131963 If you're letting out over 500ft of line, you deserve to loose the lure! C'mon, man......
@@milojanis4901 Maybe it was a deadhead I just took a guess.
@@milojanis4901 It's spelled, LOSE, not LOOSE. LOOSE is pronounced like GOOSE and is the opposite of TIGHT
What is so holy and sacred about Fitzgerald? Plenty of other wrecks with fatalities you can dive .
"What is so holy and sacred about Fitzgerald?"
Probably because it was the last major loss on the Great Lakes
I wonder who that man was that the guy found down there? 😢
Wow very interesting they found it finally? I think it's further in Lake MICHIGAN then Titanic is in North Atlantic Ocean I think not sure great find.
The Edmund Fitzgerald is under 535 feet of water. The Titanic is under about 13,000 feet of water.
It’s in Lake Superior, not Lake Michigan.
Don't think you can ever "NOT" dive a wreck anywhere but yes there are laws in place that state you cannot disturb anything!