I saw a wicked documentary on Discovery last night about the Edmund

[HEyHEY]

Fitzgerald. I had no idea that wreck took place in 1975. I always just assumed it was like 60 years ago or something.
Very interesting how it dissapeared so suddenly, as if it just split in two and dropped to the bottom.

Anyone see it?

[Richardo]

1. I've seen it before - great program

Is that the one where they have the memorial service at the end with the ship's bell? That really got to me when I first saw it :cry:

[HEyHEY]

2. Yeah

Musta been freaky to hear that bell start ringing as soon as it was brought up.

[fairfaxvadem]

7. I saw that some time ago. Incredible.

The bell ringing pretty much did me in.

[flamingyouth]

3. I remember when it sank

My dad worked for a seafood company based in Alaska at the time, and I've sadly lost track of all the guys he knew who were lost at sea. So even though I was a little kid, in first grade or so, I remember when that happened. I'd like to see that program. I'll have to check and see when it's on again.

[Richardo]

4. What a great lutefisk fish, flamingyouth!

I've got relatives-in-law in Duluth that would love that (even though they're Finns).

[4morewars]

5. I've seen it

A very compelling story. The Maritime Sailor's Cathereral is here in Detroit. They have a memorial service every November.
You can see the ship's anchor here:

http://www.glmi.org/webcam/

As well as various views of the Detroit River.

[bowens43]

6. I remember it well.

I was a senior in high school the time. I grew up on Lake Erie. Two people from my home town were on the Fitzgerald when it went down. One those who died was the brother of one of my classmates. Everyone wanted to get a job on the ore boats. It was the highest paying job around and a way out of the small towns on the north coast.

[pnorman]

8. I've been going to sea most of my life,

although it was all Deep Sea rather than on the Lakes. But the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald is still deep in my consciousness. On the Lakes, the feeling is far stronger. The entire area is like a small fishing village, when a local fishing vessel is lost with all hands.

Here's one of the many webpages on that ship: http://www.boatnerd.com/fitz/
(Boatnerd is full of Lakes information)

And here's The Ballad Of The Edmund Fitzgerald: http://home.pacbell.net/chabpyne/lyrics.html

pnorman

[MrScorpio]

9. Growing up in Detroit at the time

There was no way to avoid it.

That and the playing of the "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" being played on the radio 50 million times a day back then.

[Steve Nash is god 13]

10. no but,

it sounds interesting ill look for it next time, what channel was it on?

[ProfessorGAC]

11. Saw It, But Not Last Night

It's probably been several months since i saw it, but you're right, it is a terrific documentary. I know that when Lightfoot had his song out, i thought it was some old story. It wasn't until a year or so later that i learned that the incident had just happened a few months before he wrote the song!

Per the doc, it DID just break in half, as that's the only logical solution. Went up on the crest of two waves, and the hull couldn't handle the stress of all that weight in the lateral direction. Snap, and sink!

Bummer! ALL HANDS LOST! It happened so fast that they sent no radio distress, no lifeboats, nothing. Amazing power in those big lakes.
The Professor