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GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECK MUSEUM

© Mary M. Alward

The most recent ship lost to Superior’s raging fury was the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The 729-foot freighter nicknamed “The Pride of the American Side” left Superior, Wisconsin on November 9, 1975. The Fitzgerald had set many records in her day and was the first ship to carry more than a million tons of ore through the Soo Locks between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Her cargo on November 10, 1975, was 26,116 tons of taconite, which are small iron ore pellets. She was bound for Detroit, Michigan and was under the command of Captain Ernest McSorley. After leaving port, the Fitzgerald was in contact with another ship, the Arthur M. Anderson. Her captain was Jessee Cooper. She was bound on a similar route as the Fitzgerald, her destination being Gary, Indiana. The two captains discussed the threatening weather and kept in contact by radio.

Ten days earlier, the Fitzgerald’s yearly inspection documented damage to coamings that prevent water from leaking into the cargo hold through twenty-one cargo hatches on the ship’s main deck. This problem was not corrected and may have played a part in the events of the Fitzgerald’s last voyage.

During the month of November, the Great Lakes are often hit by furious, raging storms. On November 10, 1975 a “Norther” blew in. It was the most vicious storm that the area had experienced in years. Waves were reported as being as high as thirty feet with winds up to ninety-six miles per hour.

During the afternoon, the Fitzgerald contacted the Anderson and reported she had developed a list. Late in the afternoon, she made contact with another ship, the Avafor. It was reported at the time that the Fitzgerald was listing badly and had lost both of her radar screens. She also reported that her deck was being hit by gigantic waves.

At 7PM, the Anderson again made contact with the Fitzgerald and had her on their radar. The Fitzgerald informed the Anderson “We are holding our own.” Those were the last words ever heard from the Fitzgerald. Approximately fifteen minutes later, she disappeared from the Anderson’s radar. The Fitzgerald’s sinking had been rapid.

The Coast Guard mounted a search for the Fitzgerald to no avail. Enough substantial evidence was never gathered to show whether the ship broke on the surface water, on impact when striking the lake bottom, if structural damage was involved, if she just took a nosedive and plunged into the lake because of the raging waves, or for that matter why she had been taking on water. What could have happened to make a ship the size of the Fitzgerald sink so fast that her crew didn’t have time to send out a distress call? Did it have something to do with the damaged coamings?