Sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald
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- Опубліковано 19 чер 2021
- SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that sank in Lake Superior during a storm on November 10, 1975, with the loss of the entire crew of 29 men. When launched on June 7, 1958, she was the largest ship on North America's Great Lakes, and she remains the largest to have sunk there. She was located in deep water on November 14, 1975, by a U.S. Navy aircraft detecting magnetic anomalies, and found soon afterwards to be in two large pieces.
For 17 years, Edmund Fitzgerald carried taconite iron ore from mines near Duluth, Minnesota, to iron works in Detroit, Toledo, and other Great Lakes ports. As a workhorse, she set seasonal haul records six times, often breaking her own record. Captain Peter Pulcer was known for piping music day or night over the ship's intercom while passing through the St. Clair and Detroit rivers (between lakes Huron and Erie), and entertaining spectators at the Soo Locks (between Lakes Superior and Huron) with a running commentary about the ship. Her size, record-breaking performance, and "DJ captain" endeared Edmund Fitzgerald to boat watchers.
Carrying a full cargo of ore pellets with Captain Ernest M. McSorley in command, she embarked on her ill-fated voyage from Superior, Wisconsin, near Duluth, on the afternoon of November 9, 1975. En route to a steel mill near Detroit, Edmund Fitzgerald joined a second taconite freighter, SS Arthur M. Anderson. By the next day, the two ships were caught in a severe storm on Lake Superior, with near hurricane-force winds and waves up to 35 feet (11 m) high. Shortly after 7:10 p.m., Edmund Fitzgerald suddenly sank in Canadian (Ontario) waters 530 feet (88 fathoms; 160 m) deep, about 17 miles (15 nautical miles; 27 kilometers) from Whitefish Bay near the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario-a distance Edmund Fitzgerald could have covered in just over an hour at her top speed.
Edmund Fitzgerald previously reported being in significant difficulty to Arthur M. Anderson: "I have a bad list, lost both radars. And am taking heavy seas over the deck. One of the worst seas I've ever been in." However, no distress signals were sent before she sank; Captain McSorley's last (7:10 P.M.) message to Arthur M. Anderson was, "We are holding our own." Her crew of 29 perished, and no bodies were recovered. The exact cause of the sinking remains unknown, though many books, studies, and expeditions have examined it. Edmund Fitzgerald may have been swamped, suffered structural failure or topside damage, experienced shoaling, or suffered from a combination of these.
The disaster is one of the best-known in the history of Great Lakes shipping. Gordon Lightfoot made it the subject of his 1976 hit song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" after reading an article, "The Cruelest Month", in the November 24, 1975, issue of Newsweek. The sinking led to changes in Great Lakes shipping regulations and practices that included mandatory survival suits, depth finders, positioning systems, increased freeboard, and more frequent inspection of vessels.
Model made by: Lucas Gustaffson
3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/mode...
#SSEdmundFitzgerald #Sinking #CaljuCotcas - Фільми й анімація
HER WRECK !
ua-cam.com/video/Z9R8S6jM-1c/v-deo.html&t=
You mean his wreck
@@elianyinfante7347 HIS** 😶
Her*
@Lighttrainz calling a ship a “he” is bad luck
As the lyrics go;
1) They might have split up
2) They might have capsized
3) THEY MAY HAVE DOVE DEEP AND TOOK WATER.
This video illustrated that number three was the correct answer. It's the only way to explain how the rear part of the ship was in a completely different spot on the bottom of Superior compared to the front end of the ship.
To think the crew probably thought they were just hitting another big wave about to come up again...
i have heard that theory so many times
They would probably drown because the windows would break.
@@edwardpapak4234 d
@@zumonaranja1196 Uhmmmm, What?
Just imagine that maybe one of the doors kept the water out and the last thing you saw out of the porthole was the front of the ship hitting the bottom of the Lake
Let’s pour a drink out with a heartfelt salute to Captain Bernie Cooper and the gallant crew of the Arthur M. Anderson when, after safely reaching Whitefish Bay by the skins of their teeth, they decided to come about and actually sail back INTO that roiling hell on Earth to search for survivors.
Among real sailors, the mostly unwritten Mariner’s Code always has and always will continue to supersede virtually anything when it comes rendering assistance to others who may be in peril on the high seas.
Those men willingly placed themselves in mortal danger (again) when they selflessly answered that call and sailed back out there to try and aid the stricken Big Fitz and her crew.
Surely they must have known full well that there was a significant likelihood of not making it back home to their loved ones and that they could have easily shared the same fate as the Fitz, but they went anyway. Respect those men.
Though the good Captain Cooper has left us, the Anderson still sails the Great Lakes to this day, like the proud old War Horse she is. Oh, the stories that vessel could tell…
When the Arthur M. Anderson is finally retired from service, I hope it will be done with great ceremony. A proud old war horse, indeed.
@@kyleknutson4919 Though it probably wouldn’t be profitable, she’d make a fine museum ship. There aren’t many of those old Lakers left.
@@DarthPhallix Absolutely! Let's hope that the idea of the Anderson as a museum ship has already taken hold among the powers that be.
@@kyleknutson4919 We can only hope. With that said, some asshole will undoubtedly decide that her steel is more important than her history and have her broken down. With luck, some kind of petition to save her will take hold and I know I'll sign it.
@@DarthPhallix I certainly will be signing it as well. She is a lovely carrier as well.
That would've been absolutely terrifying when the bow went down and just didn't come back up. Imagine plummeting down into the water like that. Chilling
Freezing.
Keep in mind this is a hypothesis, not actually what happened. It's just as likely the ship broke in two on the surface.
@@toomanyhobbies2011 if they had split they would’ve send out at least one distress message
@carrots with internet connection if it split wouldn’t it have quickly sunk? Or at least would have been too much chaos for signaling? I don’t know, I’m asking
@carrots with internet connection I had seen a video illustrating a split between two waves that seemed plausible for a quick sink but I can’t find it now. But after seeing many professional opinions that that probable didn’t happen I am convinced you are probably right.
It's kind of equal parts amazing and terrifying to realize the Fitzgerald was so huge that even in 500 foot deep water, the bow could be driven into the lake bed while the stern was still above the surface.
With the monster rogue trough it appears swallowed her, it may have been as little as 350 feet deep. Her bow was plowing the bottom before they knew what was happening. Over in a moment. Just terrifying.
From my understanding the Fitz was 250 feet longer than the lake was deep in the location she went down. She was 750 feet long and the lake was 500 ft.
@@junebug313Exactly
That's not what happened, the ship was built too weak, it was high centered on 2 swells, it broke on the surface. The ships weren't made strong enough for Superiors worse conditions. What happened, is exactly what you can see happening to this ship: ua-cam.com/video/gaZhnNlutuQ/v-deo.html
" WE ARE HOLDING ARE OWN" THE LAST WORDS EVER HEARD FROM THE EDMUND FITZGERALD. Really like this video.
*we are holding OUR own
Not are own
What kind ship is that ?? Balk carrier?
Rip ALL the men who was on Edmund Fitzgerald
Actually Rouge wave
@@reynaldoubaldo8399 great lakes freighter, hauling iron ore pellets, tacconite.
I sailed on the great lakes for 25 years and was in my share of storms on all the lakes but superior with out question is the worst.i served aboard several vessels .and let me tell you I've watched the bow go under in a bad sea ,rolling and pitching and when you feel that shudder and you hear the stern come out of the water and smack back down and that God awful whine the screw makes trying before the stern goes down in the water you'd swear the screw is gonna drive the ship down to the bottom ,believe me it's very unnerving and scary .you to hink your number is up and by the grace of God the ships rights itself until the next series of waves.that crew knew it was over trust me .they had no warning or chance to o get top side to lower a life boat or a life raft that are designed to self inflate after reaching a 15 foot depth to inflate and come up .they never had a chance.now we have survival suits to get into if your even lucky and have time to get into it and make it into the water .it takes 2 minutes to get into the survival suits .those storms are no joke .and you can believe me I've been plenty scared.back in 2011 aboard the s.s.wilfred Sykes we got into a storm.the ship snapped from port to starboard the wheel house was under the waves .we suffered severe damage in that storm .I was in the galley when all hell broke loose .you can't imagine it unless you've lived it and the experience will make.believer out of you as in a come to Jesus meeting real quick.we lost windows in the pilot house all kinds of engine room damage .deck damage.the galley was a mess.refer doors popped open ,food a over the deck.our meat slicer came flying off the stainless top .the chief cook ended up on his ass .I got pinned down in the officers mess under the pantry as stuff came flying out of the pantry shelves .pinned by heavy metal chairs .I couldn't move getting hit with canned goods and glass breaking every where .this is a true story .I'm lucky to be here .I ended up in the hospital .the entire crew was rattled .
Thanks, you've painted a vivid picture. Answered several points i was curious about... and gave me chills!
@@rohjay your welcome . Just some of my experiences I'd rather have not ever experienced in my sailing career .and anyone sailor who ever said he wasn't scared even a little bit is a liar .those gales are nothing to be taken lightly .and I have to say when I was injured during that storm the only crew member who came to check on me in my quarters was the chief engineer and he dam sure let the captain know about it .even told him because I was present that he had no business ever taking us out in that storm .the damage we suffered I can imagine the company let him know about it also .I really believed it was all over for us all that day not to embellish anything .it was just that bad of a storm . To o this day I wonder why he didn't listen to the coast guard because we were cc warned about t he e storm be and the intensity of the that bc day.wecwere told not to leave and that's t he e Gods truth .I still don't know to this day how the bow came back up .I guess the love of God was watching out forus all that day .so ultimately we were lucky .
Read the whole thing through and I want to say thank you for your contribution to this comment section
@@Zenniter your welcome ,my pleasure to do it .I don't often get to share my real life experiences having sailed the Great Lakes for 25 years.i wish I could go back in time and do it over again
@@josephevans9247 You should think about writing a book. I'm sure it would sell well
Imagine you’re in the bridge, the whole bow goes under. As you’re underwater you are just wating to back up but you never do, and you realize you’re at the bottom of the lake and not coming back up…
i think they hit to hard to wait to come back up. 25ft they slammed into the bottom they say.
@@matth1851 true.
That is just chilling to think that they were doomed in the ship, with no chance of rescue.
wouldnt the water have broken through the bridge windows?
i doubt the bridge crew eveh had time to think that. i feel like at 200 feet down the bridge windows would have shattered and killed them near instantly
The most accurate portrayal of what happened. The waves were left out a little; but I believe the first wave hit and she bounced back up, but when the second one arrived, she nose dived suddenly. God bless the fallen crew members and their families. No time to call for help…
Yes I agree is was reported by her sister ship that 2 rogue waves where heading in her direction. I’m also up for the possibility that these 2 waves pick her up 1 one the bow and 1 on the stern leaving a air gap beneath her and then cracking with all that weight .
Now add a pitch-dark night, howling winds, dense snowfall, and the screaming of the hull under stress. Indeed a nightmare end for the crew. God bless!
I’d wager that the crew was probably alive or about to drown when the bow hit the bottom as the water flooded in… scary to think that once those men registered what was going on they knew the end was upon them.
That's the worst situation probably that they couldn't even call for mayday
@@sohammhatre Thats even worse than the titanic with the chances of survival
You didn’t consider cold shock, they’d have drowned/been rendered unconscious almost immediately. When they got hit by the water at that temp they’d have an involuntary inhale all humans have it there’s literally nothing you can do to stop it, main cause of freshwater drownings.
the bridge crew never stood a chance
@@Project_Prescott I’m talking ALL of the crew. The crew in the pilot house had the most chances of anyone since they were up high and had the best chances of escape. If you were inside the ship when it sank, there’s no way you had any chance.
This is probably the most accurate of all descriptions and portrayals of her sinking as any I have read or researched. Only thing that could be better would be the water color. Been on Lake Superior many times. That not withstanding to get a real accurate idea of the water depth and the ship, this does it well.
Potentially there would have been 200 feet of the stern above water when the bow hit bottom. To get an idea of how relatively shallow 535 feet of water is, imagine one of those road signs that says bridge out 500 feet ahead - or whatever. It is not that far down the road, just a couple hundred yards not even. Picture then a 728 foot ship parked across that road 500 feet ahead of you. It would be "right there" the big hurk, in front of you. If the water was clear enough and light penetrated well, you could easily see it from the surface of the lake just sitting down there as ships pass over it every day.
i say it broke in two on the surface
@@jayltd.7030 we will never know .how ever it could have started to fracture on the surface before going down .I'm still of the opinion and it's just opinion she snapped in 2 once she went under the waves .the cargo shifting more forward pushing the bow to end up right while the sternbroke apart and ending up as it did a distance from the bow if you see how that steel is twisted and jagged it could be logical that she started to break on the surface .now I don't know but again conjecture on my part if the screw was still churning I believe that would have contributed to drive the stern to land on the bottom as if in reality 3 sections turning the stern upside down .again just conjecture.
No, it's not. There are all kinds of things missing in this simulated video. Doesn't even depict the real conditions on the lake. Didn't even show the wave that took out the hatch covers ect.
@@MachoWally your right to a point .and no hatch covers came off while the Fitz was on the surface that much has been proven .they didn't come off until she broke apart on the way to the bottom I've been in gales and I've seen waves come over the deck of several vessels .as far as the simulation ,no it doesn't come close in depicting the kind of seas the fitz.and Anderson experienced that night .yes they had blowing snow that night Capt.Bernie Cooper made that statement in a radio conversation with the coast guard atthe Soo . Until you've been to sea and experienced the severity of those storms that the lakes can unleash .as I have .I donat least have some indication of what those guys went thru .otherwise none of us will ever really know the events that took place that night .but one has to have been at sea to fully appreciate just how brutal volitile those storms are like .non the less she went down by the bow I'd stake my repretation on that having sailed for 25 years on the great lakes .she was over loaded to start .lost vents and was taking on water .she had a list her pumps could not keep up with the amount of water she was taking on.those ships are built and designed to work and bend .for me to try and convey to you the abnormality of that night I still can't comprehend fully .but I've been in my share of storms and it's nothing I would have ever experienced again.ive been plenty scared trust me ..
🤣🤣🤣🤣
To think that they didn’t even have a chance-it’s so scary to imagine the horror those men felt when they realized what was happening.
The guys in the stern engine room knew. The guys forward never knew what hit them the first time
She sank very fast not even time to make a May-Day call.
Hurricane winds and 35 foot seas were reported that night.
I've fished on the ocean and and have full respect for mother
nature. Have lost many friends over the years. Bless the crew
of 29 that never came home.
R.i.p..gellas
Fellas
1975 seems like so long ago ..loved that period
Almost 50 years
This vid made me realize that the ship tearing in two was probably the weight of it hitting the bottom, basically putting it all together for me.
She scrapes the reef north of Caribou island, slowly sinks, and then just one wave was enough to pull her under all the way
I agree.
More likely that it broke in two on the surface. Long cargo ships famous for that.
@@krakenwoodfloorservicemcma5975 Especially great lakes freighters yes but in this case a split in two would have probably left some trace/been a little slower, so who knows
@@krakenwoodfloorservicemcma5975 I doubt it.......there was heavy damage to the bow from smashing into the bottom of the lake, and it dug a long hole from the force, which suggests it went under in one piece. Also, if it broke on the surface I believe the two pieces would be much further apart. In fact, I think a significant portion of the middle of the ship was basically missing/destroyed.....and I would think that could only happen from a seriously violent collision.
Plus.....if it snapped in half on the surface I would think the captain would have had a second or two to get out a mayday.
This little simulation is terrifying and informative. Well done.
The horror of the crew what they felt going down...my God. Seeing this animation gave me goosebumps..God bless them all.
For those men, it would have been over very quickly. At least, I fuckin' hope so.
There were probably men still alive inside as the ship was already resting on the bottom. Truly terrifying that it could be sailing fine and then be at the bottom in less than a few seconds. Iron ore is heavy.
Probably?? First of all once a ship loses all its buoyancy it means it's pretty much filled with water already. If there are any crew inside they *drown* . Second of all *no ship ever sunk to the bottom in a few seconds* . The Edmund Fitzgerald lies at a depth of 160 meters (530 feet). That's a depth allied submarines imploded at during WWII and most German submarines were ill-advised at trying. How exactly can you explain a mere ore-carrier *not* being designed for submerged operation being structurally intact at such depths??
Also, even if a ship sinks at 25km/h (15mph) straight down then that would still mean it would take 40-45 seconds for it to hit the bottom. And 40-45 seconds isn't just "a few seconds".
"Iron ore is heavy." Doesn't matter. A ship's buoyancy is what keeps it afloat. Most ships which sink take quite some time to sink and gradually lose their buoyancy. Heck giant oil tankers have been known to stay afloat for half a day even when they take in water. These tankers carry loads 10 times as heavy. If the Edmund Fitzgerald sunk *this* fast it could only have meant she flooded within seconds (which is highly unlikely). This means that if the damage was so severe it didn't matter whether she was fully loaded with iron ore or carrying nothing.
What is truly terrifying is your wild imagination where a ship is so damaged she sinks really fast but at the same time remains intact enough to beat WWII submarines.
Perhaps you think about air pockets where some of the crew could survive for hours. Well, unfortunately air pockets are only possible at lower depths. We're talking 20-50 meters (65-164 feet). As a ship sinks ever deeper the air gets compressed from all sides. This either leads to an implosion or the air of an atmospheric pressure not being able to hold back the forces of the ever increasing water pressure.
"Truly terrifying that it could be sailing fine " I very much doubt she was sailing fine. The ships in the vicinity were all scared witless from the heavy storm and those who could stayed in harbor or tried to navigate away from the worst weather. I'd say the crew said their prayers and hoped to survive long before she sunk.
@@McLarenMercedes What your saying about her speed may be wrong, its thought she hit the ocean floors going up to 30 knots
@@McLarenMercedes You need help, bud.
That was not a healthy reaction at all.
@@McLarenMercedesbro went on a whole rant for 0 likes
This is pretty much what I think happened to the Fitz. The ship was dunked underwater nosefirst, with the bow hitting bottom at high speed and the stern still above water. Much of her cargo of iron ore were thrown towards the bow, pulverizing the midsection of the ship (200 ft of the hull is missing) and causing the stern section to sink. It's a tragic answer, but it makes the most sense. it explains why the ship sank, why she's broken in two, why 200 ft of the hull is missing and, perhaps most importantly, why no distress call was sent before she sank.
NO TIME
Can you imagine what the crew in the rear section thought as the deck angle kept increasing and then the jolt as the stone under the mud was hit? I hope they mercifully died quickly rather than being trapped in the engine room. The only thing I have to add to your explanation is that the screw was still turning when the ship broke causing the stern to flip before hitting the bottom.
@@niranthbanks3595 probably the stern didn't have such air pockets that would have allowed survival even for short period of time.
This is an exceptional simulation of the sinking. Well done!
My theory is shoaling - Fitzgerald wasn't reporting issues until right around the time Captain Cooper on the Anderson remarked to a crewman that Fitzgerald was closer to the shoals of Caribou Island then he'd want to be.
Having lost both radars (ice/wind damage?), plus the radio direction finder loop not functioning due to a power failure at Whitefish Point, put Fitzgerald in waters you don't really want to be in on a calm day, not to mention a day with 20 to 25 foot waves.
Edit/Addendum: My only very small nitpick is that the sea Fitzgerald in was a trailing one, boarding the stern and rolling to the front. But that's not the important thing here: the break-up dynamics are, because it shows a reasonable series of events that led to the wreck pieces being where they came to rest on the bottom.
there are several instances of great lakes freighters like the fitz being in fairly bad shape and trying to do something they shouldn't. the fitz got too close to the shoal. but we will never know if the fitz actually impacted the shoal or if liquefaction occurred in her holds. i do believe that she did sink due to "ploughing" which is what we witnessed in the video. it could even have been "ploughing to the bottom" (this is when the ship ploughs so deep that the engines actually drive the hull into the bottom)
@@signolias100 examples?
The Morrell was 60 years old and constructed in an age where they didn't have an understanding of hot/cold cycles over time on certain metals. The Bradley was just poorly maintained. Those are the only two examples I think would be drawn on, unless you have something else?
Fitzgerald was only 17. Considering there are currently two 80 yo ships on the Great Lakes, that's a baby.
The NTSB, Coast Guard, and Lake Carriers investigations did not make any indication that Fitzgerald was poorly maintained or operated. In fact, with Fitzgerald being the flagship, there would be a higher standard for her, as in warmer months she'd have VIPs on board.
@@tuxedotservo yet the Fitz was to be headed to a dry dock for keel repairs before she was rerouted to run the load she sunk with. The Bradley was in the same situation when she broke apart. The Bradley was also scheduled for dry dock repairs when she was also rerouted. This also didn't take into account all of the ships that sunk with no reasons.
As for what I believed happened. I believe that a hold hatch was poorly clamped down allowing water to get into the center hold weighing the load down. This would make the Fitz potbelly collapsing the railing. As for the radar the storm could have damaged the arrays. And for how she sunk it was either from ploughing or ploughing to the bottom both situations would have been possible in 560ish feet of water where the Fitz sunk. It would have also been able to split the ship in half from the impact.
@@signolias100 on the flip side, there have been no major losses on the Great Lakes since the Fitzgerald - and again, there are ships of significant age out there.
If the Coast Guard didn't believe Fitzgerald was seaworthy, they could've keep her in port. They ordered the Edward Y. Townsend to stay in the Soo after the Morrell sank - that's when they found the crack in her deck. Hull repairs are no uncommon.
There are differences between Bradley and Fitzgerald:
Bradley was put together with rivets, Fitzgerald welded. There were reports from crew that the Bradley had lost so many rivets that there was always water in the hold. AFAIK, there were no reports of water in Fitzgerald's hold prior to November 10, 1975.
Bradley was traveling light, in ballast, a condition that puts more stress on a hull than a dense cargo. In storm conditions, captains would take a cargo of iron ore any day over riding high in the water, with additional hull twisting. Bradley was actually traveling in protected waters towards drydock when she was ordered to cross Lake Michigan for one more cargo - putting her in the heart of the November, 1958 storm.
I've pointed this out before - Fitzgerald reported no major issues until she was in the vicinity of Six Fathom shoal, after losing her radar. The radars probably failed due to ice and/or wind. The radio direction loop at Whitefish Bay was out, so in those critical moments they didn't know exactly where they were.
Your theory is pretty close to what the Lake Carriers Association believed, IIRC. I think they said initial leaking of hatches, then a collapse of one or more hatches causing catastrophic flooding.
And... waht ships with no reasons? There hasn't been a loss of a carrier on the Great Lakes since Fitzgerald. That's with a fleet that includes 2 80 yo vessels, a number of 70 yo vessels - including the Arthur M. Anderson herself. Almost all the AAA ships got lengthened - putting them outside their initial design specs.
Fitzgerald was unlucky. Who knows how different things could've been if either the radars or radio direction loop were working...
@@tuxedotservo to be fair and honest there has been improved regulations on said ships since the Fitz sank. as for the Bradley. the report of roughly one thousand rivets, which was with in allowable regulation limits of the time, were missing. you have to take note that the bradley had something like a half million rivets in her thus making one thousand somewhat a moot point. also it was her rusted out ballast tanks that was letting the water into the holds.
as for the statement that the Fitz reported no major issues prior to six fathom shoal, i'd argue that "loss of radars" is quite a major issue. as i stated before the collapsed railing could have been a broken keel or it could just have been the fitz pot bellied due to her cargo getting wet. having a leak could also have been attributed to this issue as well. we will never know if her keel was broken prior to her sinking, i argue it wasn't as she traveled an extremely long distance before she sunk. also there was no report of her calling in an impact near the shoal. what was claimed was "top side damage" had they impacted hard enough for the Fitz break her keel i am sure Captain McSorley would have radioed into the Anderson that the Fits had taken a very bad impact on the shoal. then again the first worrying statements about damage ( the reported time of being too near six fathom shoal was at around 3:15 pmand the call stating "topside damage" was around 3:30pm) happened a couple miles from six fathom shoal, the radars were lost nearly an hour after that(roughly 4:10pm). and the fitz sailed for over three hours after that before sinking (between 7:20pm and 7:30pm). had the shoal caused the harm, especially in a ship that did not have water tight bulkheads the troubles would have been far worse
as for the ships with no reasons. i hope you are aware in lake Erie alone there is a minimum confirmed loss of 300 different ships, some of which are so old that they are only known by the name of the location and the type of ship it is? the great lakes are some of the most dangerous fresh water lakes in the world and even rival some salt water bodies in ship wrecks. so while there has been no wrecks since the Fitz, just remember there are ships in the depths of the lakes that no one remembers existed let alone what actually sunk them. some even went down with no visible damage to the ships outside of impacting the lake bottoms.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down, of the big lake they called Gitchee Gumee.... the lake it is said never gives up her dead, when the skies of November turn gloomy..
(great recreation btw)
With a load of iron ore 26000 tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
The 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
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
With a crew and good captain well seasoned
@@TheWhiteDeath115 Concluding some terms, with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
Then later that night, as the ship’s bell rang
Could it be the north wind they’d been feeling?
The wind in wires made a tattle- tale sound as the way broke over the railing and every man knew as the captain did to was T'was the witch of November come stealin' the dawn came late and breakfast had to wait when the gales of November came slashin' When afternoon came it was freezin' rain in apace of the hurricane west wind
Face
Lived on Superior for 15 years. This clip is absolutely chilling.
Because of record high lake waters (of Lake Superior, don't know about the other four Great Lakes) they increased the amount of cargo EVERY ship could carry. This is how the Fitz had her freeboard reduced!
Before this increase, she shed any of the water on her deck quickly, after it, she struggled to shake it off. Very sluggishly getting the water off!
The waves were coming from astern, they had hit the SS Anderson prior to hitting the Fitz. However, the waves were reduced in height, due to the water being deeper, when they struck the Anderson, but the Fitz was in shallower water which increases wave height.
Fitz also probably didn't hit Six Fathom Shoals, but came close enough to have the wave heights increased there as well. She probably "Hogged" when her amidships was well supported, but not enough water at her bow and stern to support those two parts of the ship..... (6 Fathom Shoals was incorrectly marked on the Fitz's US Charts and on the Anderson's Canadian Charts. Hence the requirement for Depth Finders.)
We have a tendency to keep pushing limits. Her construction pushed limits of hull welding techniques at the time, management pushed limits of maintenance schedules, and cargo limits, and the captain was said to push storm limits also. One day in 1975, all of these lines met and pushed her beyond safe buoyancy at that location in the lake at that time of the storm.
@@johnford5568 Exactly!
In fact they did raise the amount she (and other ships) could carry. Before they did that, she shed water over her deck quickly and easily.... after they raised the limit, she was sluggish and slow to shed the water that a wave could put on her deck...
They learned a few lessons, kinda what happened with RMS Titanic. Don't push the limits!
@@johnford5568 I heard a pilot say that plane crashes are rarely caused by a single issue, rather, they are a combination of factors. It probably holds true for shipwrecks as well. Heck, most big screwups in any field seem to be an intersection of multiple small problems…
@@TheBockenator Yes, natural captains, pilots, managers constantly go around taking care of small problems knowing that they can add up. Funny that many in the chain will complain about what's the big deal sweating the small stuff. The best pilots will know if they have a factor such as loads and hull condition beyond thier control, to back off on ones they do have control over, such as where I put my ship in storms.
@@johnford5568 -"All of the holes line up".. Swiss Cheese model ;/
Who else has this in their recommended in late July 2021? 😉
Yup, 3 weeks before I plan on going out on Lake Superior in my kayak lol. Hopefully I dont suffer the same fate!
Yep
Yep
Wasup hood
i thought this type of comment died off. please stop, it's just begging for likes
I believe this video to a point!.... If you look at underwater video. The Wheel House Visors suffered a massive pounding. She dived to her death at 520 feet. The rest crumpled and well.. This video in my mind is spot on.
How about the ship being overloaded and taking a nose dive from the sudden surprise Rouge Wave the Anderson reported and "The Fitz" took a nose dive. That explains the missing 200 ft. section and debris field. She hit the bottom nose first so fast and hard the
middle section shattered.......Debris field.
That's what the video shows...
Excellent theory of the sinking. Great work! RIP Big Fitz and her crew!
The animation wasn't perfect (no smoke from the funnel and the prop wasn't turning), and there are a few inaccuracies (it was a dark, foggy night with a blizzard), however I initially hesitated when clicking to watch this. Because this was easily the most realistic and perhaps also the most haunting animation of the sinking of the Fitz that I have ever seen. A job well done. RIP to the 29 men who died that night, the ship itself, and to all those who have gone down at sea.
Although you said the truth he made The sky (i think) a bit bright so we could see it better anyways good comment
Sperg alert...
The real question would be who is filming?? Makes you think
She was in fact flooding and the crew knew this and this brought the end to the incredible ss Edmund Fitzgerald
Can't get over how good these animations are
The ship was longer than the water was deep in that area so I think the front of the ship was bobbing up and down in the storm so badly that the front of the ship hit the bottom of the lake causing it to snap. If you look at the pics of the ship you can see the front it pushed in like a car accident. The front of the ship hit the bottom with so much force that it broke and the back half of the ship floated than flipped cause of the waves and weight of the cargo.
This is the only scenario that explains everything. This ship did not just 'flood and sink because of hatch covers'. Every indication points to the Fitz being 'driven under' in one short, horrific moment as shown here. The lack of warning / mayday call because it happened so quickly. Arthur M Anderson's report of solid radar contact, then intermittent with surface clutter, then nothing (probably picking up the stern as it bobbed in the water for a couple minutes). The bow sitting upright on the bottom with a trench dug in front of it (as if it were driven forward as it hit bottom). Bow section is aligned in Fitz's last known compass bearing but the stern is upside down and at an angle as if the screw was still turning when it sank. A couple hundred feet of the midsection is just plain 'gone' as if 'obliterated' by a large impact (similar to stomping on an empty aluminum can). It all comes together in this scenario.
100%
My brother was in the Coast Guard and was on one of the crews that went out to try and help the Edmund Fitzgerald on 9 Nov 75; he said the waves were so high the fast response 41 foot cutter bathtub style they were on rolled 360* and they had to abort and return to station
The hull split i think?? Thats sad......... Those boys didnt even have a chance😔.. that song always pulls the heart strings.
The one thing is the depth of water she sank in was 530 feet! That seems so far down but the Fitz was 730ft long! Her nose could be plowing the bottom and the stern would still be stuck up like that. Great job with the animation.
Despite some critics commenting below, it is an excellent video. Everyone is an expert expecting Pixar to do their vids.
The fact ships can be longer then the depth they sank to to kinda weird to think about
Awesome,mate
What was essentially a self propelled river barge had no business being out in those conditions. IIRC they changed the rules after this to make sailing into storms of such intensity far more frowned upon. Every safety regulation is written in blood and all that.
Plus the inspectors noticed some damage to the hatch cover seals but let it slide.
Almost petrifying that a ship that large could meet her demise so fast. That is absolutely chilling.
The Derbyshire also sank quickly, in about 2 mins
Just the first 15 seconds showing the list is scary enough. Probably exactly what happened.
Yeah horrible. Had to have been very scary. But hopefully it was fast
great job! thx!
It's very,very sad! My first visit Great Lakes is in 1977 from France to Duluth with ocean going vessel! Rest in Peace!
may I ask you wich "France" you mean? Francesville in Indiana? :) I live in Germany and immediately wondered whether you mean the country France in Europe, or if there is a city with the same name in the USA, or if it's an abbreviation. After I started searching on Google Maps, I thought, why not just ask :)"
Let’s assume this is how it happened, imagine being on the bridge. One minute you’re fighting a wave the next you’re colliding with the sea floor it’s possible they were alive at that point.
I mean they were in a sealed cabin, they were probably all still alive at the bottom of the lake for awhile.
@@SupramanTRD Negative, the glass would have been pulverized and one of the pilothouse doors is open on the wreck, indicating it was opened during the sinking. There were no bodies found inside the pilothouse so they were all likely washed down below when they took the nosedive.
@@SupramanTRD Nah, man.
Physics put a stop to all those scenarios you might be imagining.
It was quick.
Seeing this and imagining that you are on the bridge of the ship as she is going under is terrifying.
Edmund Fitzgerald: imma go for a quick dive
10 second later
DANG IT
I love read the descriptions. Ty...
It happened that fast? Oh my god!
Rip big Fitz and her crew
Excellent Animation. R.I.P. to the lost Souls
What a great song, what a great crew, what a great ship and what a great lake.
Ignore all those hate comments even though there were some mistakes like how it didn’t sink at Night and all that stuff, but still good video. RIP all 29 men on the Edmund Fitzgerald
Thanks🧡
@@caljucotcas Incrediable work Calju!
I'm really curious as to what programs you used to put this together, it was very well done.
Thanks 🧡 i used Lumion
The sea was angry that day my friends...like an old man sending back soup at a deli
Another George Costanza sighting, damn that's twice this week I fell for that
The graphics are fantastic! A credit to you my friend.
Great video! God how horrifying their end must have been, not just the wreck but the long drawn out prelude.
Just imagine that maybe one of the doors kept the water out and the last thing you saw out of the porthole was the front of the ship hitting the bottom of the Lake
I doubt there's any visibility 160 meters down, what about water pressure, I don't think the windows withstood all the way down, they broke sooner or later.
I recall one of the pilot house doors was reportedly wedged open so flooding would have come quickly.
@@jussiuutaniemi3767 At night and 500 ft. deep it would have been pitch black but there is the possibility the spotlights were still on when she hit before breaking up.
@@benishborogove2692 That might have been, not that it made much difference, doubt anyone on the bridge would have been observing anything anymore at that point
46 years ago today, it is remarkable how strong the lake is.
The Great Lakes are not to be trifled with, people underestimate them even if they’re called Great
And also that the Anderson is still operating
I remember when I was little hearing this song and understanding it for the first time. I had heard it before but never really listened cause I was to little to understand. I had just gotten back from a trip to Cleveland to see my cousins and we went to the Cosi up there. They had and maybe still have a actual Frieghter for an exhibit or what some call a 1000 footer. I saw the whole ship and seeing the deck its hard to believe waves can get big enough to tower over let alone sink a ship like that or the Fitzgerald. Personally the Fitzgeralds design is my favorite put of all the ships even if it is flawed in some ways. Anyways I remember asking my Dad if he knew more about the Fitzgerald goin down he got real serious and said the gales of November can be hell on those lakes. Any storm son can be the end to any ship apon those lakes poor enough to get caught by one. I believed him for the time but still didn't understand how a storm on the lake could be that powerful. A year or 2 later we were back up on Erie for a charter fishing in trip. The weather was fantastic and the radar said it would be clear all day long. Boy was that a lie. I remember fishing off the back of the boat one minute looking up and the sky was blue as could be, the next im staring into the darkest biggest thunderstorm clouds I've ever seen in my entire life. I remember saying to the captain who was looking towards the front of the boat which was facing away from the storm and saying sir those clouds sure are dark and everyone on that boat without a second thought looked at where I was looking and shit their paints. The captain grabbed everyone's rods even my Dad and uncle were panicking to get everything strapped down. We got off the lake as fast as we could just making it to the docks when the waves hit. Ferocious terrifying waves still give me chills to this day just thinking about it all. My story may not be as intense as some of the others in the comments but it sure did teach me the power of the great lakes. You fear and respect the lake or it will take your life. Not that the men of the Fitzgerald didn't but I know people who wouldn't think twice when they should I pray for their souls.
The scary thing is they had less then 10 seconds to react to this
horrifying
Essentially it was the grounding and taking on water that doomed that ship very sad as the crew likely didn’t think they where going down when that bow went under that wave
Yeah I still think she bottomed out. Then those two massive waves to hit the Arthur Anderson hit the Fitzgerald and she just took a nose dive and down she went
I believe her back was broken before she sank. She might have sailed 5+ miles before she finally met her fate. My thoughts are she encountered a set of waves that first broke her back, then as she sailed on the hatches were loosened by the break, Which filled 1-3 center line holds. Thus adding significant amount of weight to the already broken hull. Finally the set of huge waves drove the bow down and thrusted the aft up, forcing the bow downward and completely severing the hull.
Agree. I think this is the most likely theory considering Bernie Cooper talked about three waves that almost drove the Anderson under, and they were rolling in the direction of the Fitz afterward. When they hit the already damaged Fitz, that was the end.
When Suppertime came, the old cook came up on deck and said
"Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya."
At 7PM, the main hatchway caved in and he said
"Fellas, it's been good to know ya"
The Captain wired in he had water coming in
and the good ship and crew is in peril
and later that night, the ship's lights went out of sight
came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
he wouldnt have said good to know ya because he didnt know any of them it was his first time out. The reg cook had spurs and didnt go. Truth 100%
Great video clip,
It actually sank within seconds.
The ship was "wet" when it left port that day. A decade of over loading and minimum mantianance made the SS Edmund Fitzgerald a leaking time bomb. There was scheduled maintenance on hatches after the cruise was over. As the holds began to fill the ship was already 3 feet deeper than normal due to the excessive load. If they did strike the shoal off of Caribou Island and absorb three huge rogue waves in quick secession it was inevitable that they would end up at the bottom of Gitchee Goumee!
Nice video g
Steering the boat, turning the boat, until you realise you’re underwater and can’t get out. That thing flooded faster than me rushing to the toilet. RIP crew..
Saw the only ship that went out trying to find survivors that night, the Arthur Anderson, docked many times at 106th St.Bridge.
The William Clay Ford also went out and searched with the Anderson.
I ball every time I heard the song...RIP
The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald lies at the bottom of the southeastern portion of lake Superior, beneath 88 fathoms of drink...
That was so quick, terrifying just watching, God Bless the families and all Sailors
I go with the same theory!
46 years ago the Edmund Fitzgerald went down with all of her 29 men and crew RIP
I love this video
I cant imagine being at the stern and looking out the window toward bow pilot house and then seeing the port starboard pitch so violent that the windows are under water riding back up, then looking forward and watch the bow go under, to where I'm now looking at pitch down 50 degrees, I'm sure there was cracking metal, tearing shearing thunderous sounds, only to realize what has happened and 10 to 20 seconds later your half of the ship starts to sink, then goes inverted, horrible to know you now cant escape
Well done
Second to last words of the Captain: "We are holding our own"
Last words of the Captain: "Where's all this fucking water coming from?"
Shouldn't have laughed as hard as I did...
Very good work
Never realized how shallow the water was.
Yes but if you swim to the bottom you know how deep the lake was
This is an approximate estimation of the final moments , in the end there were only moments
This is exactly what happened to the Fitz. She lays in water that is shallower than she is. Her Prow is bent back into the pilot house and all the damage to the Pilot house tells us she hit hard on the bottom bow first. The stern was sticking out of the water until the center section imploded much like the Twin Towers collapse. The bow settled as it is and of course the stern turned upside down from how she broke with many feet of her midsection being scattered about. With some of the hatches not being secured correctly, and all the water that got into her holds, she was bow heavy from all the water sloshing and moving the pellets forward, Submarining her to the bottom. They had no chance from the moment they put out into the storm. They should have seen the low pressure from the storm being where it was and delay one day. Wise Men Accept Their Limitations. My hats are off to the crew of the Anderson, though they should have never been out there much less turn back in that kind of storm, especially since the storm had already taken one ship. I betcha that the main deck was awash much more than the video allows. But we’ll done on the video!
The only thing I have to say about that, is that the Captain either may have not known the weather was going to turn (it was supposedly a clear day when they were loading), or, may have known that severe weather was forecasted, but figured they'd be loaded and back before it hit. The sad thing is, in either case, the forecast was clearly wrong. But this is not something I put on the captain, or anyone for that matter. Storms like that can brew up very quickly in the Great Lakes region, and the American MidWest, so it's entirely possible that this storm, while severe, wasn't expected, and by the time it started getting bad, the only option was to try and race the storm and get back to port and put in. But, neither of us were there, so how can we realistically judge?
RIP the crew of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald
Captain Ernest M. McSorley (September 29, 1912 - November 10, 1975), aged 63
First Mate John H. McCarthy (July 14, 1913 - November 10, 1975), aged 62
Michael E. Armagost (October 14, 1938 - November 10, 1975), aged 37
Fred J. Beetcher (February 24, 1919 - November 10, 1975), aged 56
Thomas D. Bentsen (January 10, 1952 - November 10, 1975), aged 23
Edward F. Bindon (January 7, 1928 - November 10, 1975), aged 47
Thomas D. Borgeson (November 26, 1934 - November 10, 1975), aged 41
Oliver J. Champeau (September 4, 1934 - November 10, 1975), aged 41
Nolan S. Church (July 13, 1920 - November 10, 1975), aged 55
Ransom E. Cundy (April 16, 1922 - November 10, 1975), aged 53
Thomas E. Edwards (February 28, 1925 - November 10, 1975), aged 50
Russell G. Haskell (May 19, 1935 - November 10, 1975), aged 40
George J. Holl (March 11, 1915 - November 10, 1975), aged 60
Bruce L. Hudson (September 10, 1953 - November 10, 1975), aged 22
Allen G. Kalmon (February 7, 1932 - November 10, 1975), aged 43
Gordon F. MacLellan (August 2, 1945 - November 10, 1975), aged 30
Joseph W. Mazes (February 13, 1916 - November 10, 1975), aged 59
Eugene W. O'Brien (July 17, 1925 - November 10, 1975), aged 50
Karl A. Peckol (September 6, 1955 - November 10, 1975), aged 20
John J. Poviach (June 6, 1916 - November 10, 1975), aged 59
James A. Pratt (January 29, 1931 - November 10, 1975), aged 44
Robert C. Rafferty (June 16, 1913 - November 10, 1975), aged 62
Paul M. Riippa (August 15, 1953 - November 10, 1975), aged 22
John D. Simmons (August 25, 1913 - November 10, 1975), aged 62
William J. Spengler (September 11, 1916 - November 10, 1975), aged 59
Mark A. Thomas (August 14, 1954 - November 10, 1975), aged 21
Ralph G. Walton (July 22, 1917 - November 10, 1975), aged 58
David E. Weiss (November 13, 1953 - November 10, 1975), aged 22
Blaine H. Wilhelm (August 12, 1923 - November 10, 1975), aged 52
Gone but not forgotten.
And a thirtieth chime on the bell for Gordon Lightfoot, the man who made their story immortal.
Even more scary to think that this happened at roughly 7:30 PM in the darkness of a November evening.
The men in the wheel house had no idea there was a problem till the windows blew in from the water.
If you don't mind me asking, where did you get the model of the ship?
There is link in video discriptions 😊
@@caljucotcas
Thank you!
The portrayal of sinking I think is closest to accurate I seen but the rocking is not the very realistic but either way glad you were able to make it just in time for the 46th anniversary of the sinking
It's really good that I get seasick if I stand in a puddle of water so you'll never find me on one of those Titanic ships
Ouch!
I think this is actually how she went down. The NTSB findings were contested by even a former vice admiral of the Coast Guard. Even captain Cooper of the Anderson in one of his transmissions to the US Coast Guard stated that "I just hope he didn't take a nosedive."
A Cold wind blows over the Chippewa on the Great Lake they call Gitche Gumee… 🙏🏻
Great video. Some believe it broke apart once hitting the bottom but I truly believe this video is clearly show how Fitz went dont!!
That's exactly how I think the Fitzgerald sank.
I didn’t expect Lake Superior to be that shallow!
where the Fitz lays in 530 feet of water
Superior is one thousand one hundred and twelve feet at it's deepest. Fitz sits in 530' but it was 729'long so that's why the stern stuck out like that.
@@mikeprimm4077 729 feet and 3"
@@robertyoung3992 550 feet of water.
@@paulhoffman778 you are correct sir
It seems impossible to believe that such a big ship could be swamped and sunk so quickly, with no chance even for her emergency beacon to activate. The power of Nature is terrifying.
so sad what happened ..... RIP to the crew!! :(
So it just basically "drove" itself to the bottom?! That quickly?!
I've read quite a bit on this over the years. One of the best, authoritative accounts is the book " The Night the Fitz Went Down," by Dudley Paquette, former captain of the Wilfred Sykes. He was out on the Lake during that storm, and was somewhat of a weather expert that other captains relied on. My belief is that the very large following waves that the Anderson reported caught up with the Fitz. At that time, they were encountering seas around 25 feet average. But these few rogue waves (unknown to science at the time), were probably on the order of 35-40 feet, very large. With the Fitz already slowly sinking, sitting low in the water, barely floating, these couple large waves lifted the stern and literally pushed her to the bottom in one single event. So quick the captain didn't even call "mayday." This tells me they dove into the waves and the pilot house windows blew in immediately.
The seas were following (coming from behind) and the ship is longer than the water is deep.
Behind and from the right
@@Craneman4100w Art thou a silk-worm? Dost thou spin thy own shroud out of thyself? Dost thou spin thy words from green grass of the fields of inlanders? "Behind and from the right", thou sayest? Man thine mastheads of Poseidon's wisdom; if the gods think to speak outright to man, they speak honorably outright!
_"Thy following seas were quartering from astarboard!"_
Heed it well, ye Pantheists!
Fellas it's been good to know you!
i live right next to lake superior, scary how when i look out i know a ton of ships sunk there