The Great Lakes have been home to more than 6,000 shipwrecks on its five major Lakes (Childs, 2011). One of the most popular wrecks was that of the bulk freighter the Edmund Fitzgerald on the Canadian side of Lake Superior. It had transported goods across the Great Lakes for about 17 years before it was overcome by the power of the Lakes. In terms of lifetimes of shipping vessels, The Fitzgerald was still relatively young. “The Fitzgerald, often called the Titanic of the Great Lakes was not only the most famous freshwater shipwreck; it was also the biggest mystery in the Great Lakes history” (Schumacher, 2006). Weather played a key role in the defeat of this ship and the death of all 29 hands on November 10, 1975. “Winter is a time of intense …show more content…
The construction of the Fitzgerald was finished in 1957 in River Rouge, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works. This venture set the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company; a major investor in the iron and minerals industries back about $8.4 million (Schumacher, 2006). The Edmund Fitzgerald took its first voyage on September 24, 1958; named appropriately after the president of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Edmund Fitzgerald (McCall). It was his initiative to build the largest ship in the Great Lakes, so he …show more content…
On its voyage the Fitzgerald skippered by Captain McSorley, was closely followed by Captain Cooper of the S.S. Arthur M. Anderson which was another cargo carrying ship. Captain McSorley radioed Captain Cooper saying “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 till I get to Whitefish?" (McCall). The storm had begun to do damage to the Fitzgerald and things were starting to go south hastily. For being the most technologically advanced ship of its day the Fitzgerald managed to lose both of its two radar systems, making it difficult to traverse the waters. Radar allowed the ship to find shallow spots in the water and any other obstacles they may have needed to try to
The USS Indianapolis was a heavy cruiser. She did not have heavy armor which made her vulnerable to torpedo attacks. She had been ordered to sail on July 16, 1945, to deliver a bomb that would end the war. Unfortunately, it sank before it arrived.
Water travel assisted heavily with transportation of goods and people from the American north-east to the west, which would eventually create a separation from the south.
The Fitzgerald's normal coarse during its productive life took it between Silver Bay, Minnesota, where she loaded taconite, to steel mills on the lower lakes in the Detroit And Toledo area. It was usually empty on its return trip to Silver Bay.
In the Thunder Bay area, the collection of shipwrecks reflects the transitions in ship architecture and construction throughout history. From wooden schooners to early steel-hulled steamers, as well as several unusual vessel types. The Great Lakes actually have some of the best shipwreck diving locations in the United States for two primary reasons. The wrecks found here generally maintain their structural integrity longer than salt water ocean wrecks.
The risk towards a cargo ship’s crew is ever-present with the occurrences of harsh weather and isolation from the mainland, but working on the lake is worth the hardships since current technology maintains connects with the mainland and the pay and benefits make the job well worth it. Research finds that people aboard ships will do many things to stave off the boredom and isolation that is presented while living on a cargo ship or freighter to keep their sanity. Of course one of the perks to get them through the hardships would be the great pay that they make as well as the benefits they receive. Also technology only continues to grow and make the Great Lakes just a tiny bit safer each year and this small step
The Edmund Fitzgerald was one of the most famous ships that ever sailed lake Superior. The Fitzgerald was one of the fastest ships that sailed Superior, she often broke her own records and set new ones.The Fitzgerald was the largest freshwater ship in history and was just 140 feet shorter than the Titanic. The Fitzgerald or Fitz ( thats was what the crew called her) was built in 1958. She was put in the water on June 8th 1958. In his book Andrew Kantar says “The Edmund Fitzgerald was named after the wife of the president of the NMI (Northwestern Mutual Insurance). (5). The fitz was the pride of America of the american side (Gordon Lightfoot). The Fitzgerald had a good crew that was with her from 17 years. The crew called the Fitzgerald they’re lives. For the crew there were Captain Ernest Mcsorley, John, James, Michael, George, Edward, Thomas, Russell, Oliver, Frederick, Thomas B, Thomas D, Nolan, Ransom, Bruce, Allen, Gordon, Joseph, Eugene, Karl, John P, Robert, Paul, John S, William, Mark, Ralph, David, Blaine made up the crew.
Later on the afternoon of November 10, the captain of the Fitzgerald made radio contact with another ship, the Avafor, and reported that they "had a bad list (a list means that the ship was going from side to side), had lost both radars, and was taking heavy seas over the deck in one of the worst seas he had ever been in." Captain McSorley was a sailor of the Great Lakes with over 40 years of experience.
I would not blame captain smith because he was told to sail faster not slower by j. Bruce
The Erie Canal was a man made water way that stretched to be three hundred sixty three miles long. The canal started construction in1817, and took nine years to completely finish the building process. People during this time had many positive, and negative opinions about the fact that this expensive canal was being built. The idea of the Erie Canal originates with Jesse Hawley, the idea was to connect the great lakes to the Atlantic ocean making an easy path to the west from the east without having to pass Niagara Falls. The canal was mostly built by Irish immigrants who were hated, or disliked, by most people. People had ideas and predictions about what would come of this canal. Let's just see which of the predictions were more accurate to
All 29 sailors perished with the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10th 1975. If you want to learn more about the ship you can visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. A place where they proudly displayed the recovered ships bell in remembrance of the lost sailors and a place that is close to the final resting place of the ship.
...tself 500ft below the water, none of them have been proven indefinitely. Whether the ship crossed the Superior Shoal, with water as shallow as 22 feet; or the ship suffered a stress fracture and broke apart on the surface, there will always be one more possibility regarding the Fitzgerald’s demise. For instance, the sip could have also succumbed to the forces of the Three Sisters, a Lake Superior phenomenon, consisting of massive waves. Ultimately, each of these current theories are merely conjectures, and since each holds the possibility of being true, the cause of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking is an ongoing mystery, one that has and will continue to bring about many theories. Finally, as a result of the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the 30 million people who lived next to the great lakes would forever look across their waters with renewed respect.
In late 1908, White Star Line announced its construction of “ the world’s largest passenger steamship upon completion” (The Titanic History). At completion, the ship dubbed the Olympic, but now known as the Titanic, was 883 feet long and 104 feet high. The massive amounts of media surrounding the construction of the ship flamed a spark of excitement in people all of the country. The extensive media coverage continued for three years until the ships completion. Everyone wanted to be the first to travel on such an iconic ship, but only 2200 were able to secure a spot. The Titanic set sail on April 10th, 1912 from the port of South Hampton as its passengers and crew were beaming with excitement for the journey ahead of them. Unf...
Concerning the first phase of the accident the report (2013) concludes that altering the course of the ship from a perpendicular to a parallel course close to shore proved to be a catastrophic decision. Moreover the questionable behavior of the Master is of primary concern since Master decided to navigate the ship in restricted and confined waters when alternative and ...
Titanic was sighted. This ship, the Rappahannock, had emerged from an ice field and had sustained damage to its rudder. The vessel signaled the Titanic about the ice and the Titanic replied that the message was received (Marcus 127). At 11 p.m. another ice report was received. This one was from the Californian. This liner had passed through the same ice field that the Rappahannock had reported to the Titanic. Like all the other warnings, this warning never reached the bridge though it was known to both of the Titanic's wireless operators (Marcus 128). By the time the bridge realized the ship was about to hit an iceberg, it was too late. Quartermaster Hitchens tried to turn the wheel hard to the starboard. Twenty seconds later, he had an order for full speed astern but the iceberg was too close. The starboard side hit the iceberg, bringing a block of ice onto the deck (Pellegrino 21). After the collision occurred, there was only one thing open for Captain Smith to do. It was almost midnight a...
That nothing could take it down. The Titanic has sixteen watertight compartments and could still stay afloat while four compartments flooded. Also built in the titanic was big door that automatically shut when water hit a certain level. In the deep waters of the Atlantic ocean, the Titanic took a turn for the worst.