Exploring Chicago's Abandoned Ghost Ship
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- Опубліковано 19 вер 2021
- For all you curious landlubbers and seafarers alike. Come with me on this adventure aboard the mysterious ship docked at the Illinois Port.
Update 11-13-2021 Thank you all for the kind comments and support. I apologize for the camera quality and for the incorrections in certain terminologies. Here are revisions:
6:38 - "Captain's quarters" is actually the Pilot House.
8:03 - Chart Room.
8:06 - "Dresser" is actually a Chart Table.
18:40 - "Basement" is actually the Bosun's Locker. - Розваги
This video is a treasure! The creator obviously took great care in researching the history of the ship and region. The historical narration is fascinating. I appreciate that Alexplore wrote a script, as it aided in the precise delivery of information. The cinematography is brilliant. The creator's perspective is truly original- it is the eye of an artist. I was particularly taken by the close-up, somewhat abstract exterior views of the vessel. These close-ups highlighted the magnitude of the vessel, making me, the viewer, feel like a speck beneath the grandeur of man's creation! The interior tour was beyond captivating. I have passed this ship countless times on the highway, and feel privileged to now have a glimpse of what exists behind the crumbling exterior. I did not mind that Alexplore's narration was not 100% accurate to the proper ship terminology- he is obviously a history and photography enthusiast who spent much time researching the vessel's history, but would not necessarily know specific words and phrases that a seasoned sailor would know! What i appreciate most about this video is that it conveys the reverence Alexplore holds for this vessel. To research the history, write a script, board the vessel, take photos and videos, and then put together a 30-minute documentary is truly a work of love. Thank you, Alexlpore, for sharing your artistry and knowledge with us. Through your documentary, this vessel lives on, whatever its earthly fate may be.
scholar
Some owns they ship
Do not, I repeat, do not enter Chain lockers, tanks, bilges, flooded decks or other confined spaces in water vessels without putting an O2/Gas alarm in before you, if you'd climbed down into this big girl's chain locker and microorganisms in the water along with the rusting steel had reduced the Oxygen content in the air of the poorly ventilated space beyond that which could support life you'd pass out, hit the floor and asphyxiate there within fifteen minutes and not a soul would know where you are and what happened to you. Don't go alone and make sure if you collapse your buddy doesn't run in and wind up joining you in death.
The guy who made this video just has no clue...
Somebody told him on the phone that the warranty was over.
Bring a canary.
Hahahaha!!! N.e.r.d
You must be fun to be around😂
"We've been trying to reach you about your ship's extended warranty". Hilarious!
Even though he was joking that call was very realistic! LOL 🤣
I think I got that call three times today, and I don't even own a ship.
Yes
Yes sir...
That shit was hilarious !!
Being a Northwest Indiana native and a local truck driver I see this lake freighter almost every day. I've always been interested in it and curious about it. Thank you for posting this. I found it very interesting
I'm from California and haven't done much traveling but I was in Hammond and I love that area of Hammond, Whiting and East Chicago.
Whenever the mainstream channels talk about these ore carriers, they almost always never shoot interior footage of the ships. This video provides a rare glimpse into what the layout of the Edmund Fitzgerald must have been similar to. Great job, Alexsplore!
There is a reason for that. Old ships like this can house deadly gases and asbestos as well as a multitude of other hazards...
Great video young man. I’m a veteran cinematographer 40 years.
Don’t listen to these amateur critics.
You did good.
The phone ringing with the car warranty people was very funny.
I subscribed!
Keep up the good work.
Most of the "critics" were simply saying that he should become better educated about his subject matter when he is shooting and narrating the video. After all, it's the details which separate the hobbyist from the Pro.
You are obviously not a toxicologist as well... Don't give advice about things you have no understanding of. Being an enabler for brainless fools to do themselves in isn't something you should be doing.
@@CH-pv2rz drunk?
I’ve noticed this ship for years!! And I’ve always been curious to its story. This is great
The extended warranty call was so funny! LOL!!!!!
For Chicago standards this ship is in great condition. I’m surprised that at least half of it hasn’t been stolen yet.
Too much like work.
You gotta be mindful when entering confined spaces with low or no air flow. I forgot the term but the metal reacts with air and pushes all the oxygen out. Or something like that. Men have died going into confined spaces or inner hulls of ships. I learned about it at coast guard school.
Rust is Iron oxides and the process of corrosion like this (and and a massive array of other chemical reactions like combustion where highly oxidising substances like oxygen) is called oxidation, the iron in the steel slowly consumes oxygen as it's oxidising and the oxygen is bound to the metal and the less dense oxide flakes off exposing fresh metal surface. Various microorganisms in the water, on the surfaces and to a lesser degree in the air also consume oxygen at a slow rate. Even coast guard vessels have suffered casualties and fatalities as lads climb down into chain lockers, bilges and other confined spaces and become unable to escape as hypoxia sets in before passing out. Often it's difficult for a person to climb into confined spaces, especially via floor hatches, with self-contained breathing apparatus which complicates rescuing people who have been overcome by hypoxia, people who enter the confined space to rescue the first person are likely to also become casualties to the invisible hazard too.
Be careful about going deep down into old ships..... You run into deoxygenated air and you're dead..... The rust soaks up all the oxygen.... Be safe!
That's not true as long as you're not underwater you can breathe now come on now
You got to let Darwin have his time
I don’t get it. Rust forms because of oxygen. How would it soak up all oxygen?!
@@mrdave777t uses oxygen to form
Wait a minute, what?!
First area was not the Captain's Cabin. It was the bridge. The room with the couch was not a bedroom, but the Navigator's station. The "dresser" was actually a chart table, with storage for other charts below the table. If one of the "offices" off of the bridge was a bit bigger and had an attached head, THAT was probably the Captain's cabin.
The "cot at 19:50 is s special stretcher used to remove a casualty when you may have to drag/hoist the victim up the ladders (stairs), lower them down to the deck, winch them up into a helo, etc.
The running equipment at the end was a generator. My guess is that they are providing power to the pumps which are designed to keep the bilge areas free of water.
They also light the ship at night I used to work in that area and at night it has a few lights on it
I thought the bridge was on the river Kwai?
Also this ship was never scrapped because its covered in asbestos lol i work right near it its a huge hazard no one wants to pay to scrap it
Well they should just tow it out to deep water and sink it then!😂
That 'cot' you mentioned is actually a medical gurney. I'm a former flight medic. It's called a "Basket Gurney" or "Basket Stretcher." All ships have one and it's used to lift an injured crew member up by helicopter.
A few corrections. At 6:37 that's not the Captain's quarters per se, that's the pilothouse. For those that don't know, freighters are steered & navigated from the pilothouse. At 8:01 that's not a dresser, lol, that's a chart/map table with storage for multiple charts to lay flat in the drawers. The drawers are still red Dymo labeled with what charts went where. The Captain would have had a very nice stateroom nearby but didn't sleep in the chart area room.
Pilothouse or Bridge.
Lots of negativity here in the comments section. Fascinating video with a little history. Glad you had the opportunity to explore. I look forward to your next video.
I'm from California and was in Hammond Indiana for a while doing work in Chicago. Every time we went over that Calumet bridge on highway 94 I would see that thing and it always caught my eye. I always wanted to go off and explore it but I didn't get the opportunity. I'm glad someone did a video on it.
I would recommend you get or rent a multi gas detector for doing stuff like that. Dont want you walking into a space and dropping dead from insufficient oxygen or carbon monoxide gas. Also never bend down and put your head in a hole because if you pass out from no oxygen your body might just fall in and thats it. When going up and down ladders look at the condition of the mounting points and try to keep a hand free in case it breaks and drops. Stay safe out there.
I drive by this ship often when going from Chicago to the Michigan dunes. Everytime I drive by it fascinates me. Super happy to have found this documentary. Thank you!
I had worked up in Kenosha and came through on the way back to NC and drove past her. I wondered what the deal was. Pretty cool video young man and thank you for a good little history on the vessel. Kind of a sad ending for her. Much love from NC.
"There were plans to have it scraped, but don't think those plans ever went through." As he is walking through the ship that obviously not scrapped 😆
Thanks for posting this. I live southwest of Chicago and never knew this ship was harbored here. From the deck there I take it that's I-55. I say this time and time again when viewing videos like this about abandoned properties such as large buildings, vessels or other...we are indeed a wasteful society and never seem to find ways to be resourceful but rather vacate property because it would cost too much to maintain at something that was already expensive to build.
Looking at this ship gives you the vibes of how the Edmund Fitzgerald would look like.
Edmund Fitzgerald was built in 1958 and had it not sunk, it would either still be operating or be scrapped today
@@falcondragonslayer or abandoned like this vessel
@@Ultimateking25 Not likely. Very few ships are abandoned. Even ones that appear to be abandoned (like a gray vessel you can see in Duluth) are normally occupied. The gray ship I’m talking about is an old cement carrier that is used for storage
It's actually way south of 55, past the 94 / 57 split, heading towards Indiana, it'll be left / East of the Bishop Ford between 111 Th. and 130 Th. streets.
It's off 94. I use to pass it every day on my way to the Ford plant, it's off the Calumet river.
THE first room you went in was the bridge. The second room was the chart room.
I could see this being a candidate for a Chicago-based museum ship. If the ship has survived this long, it’s both a testament to shipbuilding of the time, and a window to the past.
You need an air monitor / gas detector going into an old ship. They may not find your body for years down there.
It’s not an old mine & well ventilated. I’m very confident he’s in no danger of being asphyxiated.
He’s in more danger of falling down a hatch & breaking a leg.
Same result of not being found quickly, unless he tells someone where he’s going.
That big "dresser" is a plotting table where they would place nautical maps and plot their course by hand. The bed was there for mate to rest while another was on watch. That way they could quickly switch out at night.
wow, someone informative who appreciates the history of what they are exploring, rather than destroying and defacing everything in reach... thanks. the practically intact machine shop was incredible... it's so weird how much was left on the ship...
Excellent video, very much appreciated, I live right down the road and always wondered what She looked like on the inside. Thank You very much. And screw the critics, there will always be some suppository that can do better or know more or run faster, it's usually a sign of low self esteem. Excellent Video.
I've seen that boat in there for years . I've traveled that highway for 50 yrs and seen all kinds of ships there .Thanks for showing this .Lived on the north side (suburbs) until 2000 when I moved to Indiana .It's still there when I come back to visit.
Escape Illinois.
That ship is in amazing condition for its age. I have sailed on way newer ships is worse condition. Thanks for posting.
Is the William A Irvin in Duluth a joke to you? It’s an 83 year old ship and still in pretty much mint condition
@@falcondragonslayer I dont understand your comment. What did I say to make it seem like a joke? I used to sail in the merchant marine. What is your life experience with ships? That 83 year old ship is in great condition. The outside rust could be sanded and chipped off. I think the engine may have died years ago and that might be the reason the ship may be scrapped in the future.
@@carlthehipsterprepper4506 if ur talking about the Irvin, it’s not rusted at all and it’s been a museum ship for the past 30+ years.
@@falcondragonslayer I am talking about the ship in the video. I have no idea about the Irvin. I will look it up with my Seaweb account to learn more about it. I work with international deep sea cargo vessels. I dont really deal with too many of the Great Lakes only vessels.
@@carlthehipsterprepper4506 the Irvin is a freighter built in 1938 that has been extremely well preserved as a museum ship. It was also recently dry docked, repaired, and repainted
Aside from the random junk carried in later, the inside is as it was when it was taken out of service at the end of 1979. The fact it's lasted another 35 years is amazing, but it'll never operate as a ship again. Very little chance it would pass a hull survey and obsolete vessels like that have no value.
You mean 45 yrs?
Crazy, I know.
Lots of very old freshwater vessels are still in revenue service.
27:51 these are boiler uptakes, 27:54 that is a cylinder at one of the ends of the triple expansion steam engine. 28:05 you are at the tops of the engine looking down where the crank and eccentrics would be. 28:49 those big yellow sea chests would probably supply feed water to the steam condensers and boilers. Very cool video!
thanks for the info!
Thank you. You're the first to notice the giant reciprocating engine in the middle of the room lol
Edmund Fitzgerald song in the beginning, a nice touch.
Thanks for the tour. I'd be creeped out to go down in there.
Paying the Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald on your acoustic guitar is pretty haunting.
When I was a detective at Area 2 I enjoyed prowling around the grain elevators but the ship was not yet docked. It could be one spooky place and remember I had a revolver! Sometimes we used to bring out a .22 and shoot rats that still infested the area.
I absolutely love Great Lakes Steam Ships. Such an amazing relic just resting there, hidden away. So cool you managed to get on board and look around!
My dad was the Captain of this ship when it was chartered by Cleveland Cliffs and christened S.S. Pioneer.
@28:34 She still has a beating heart, lol. That pump has been keeping her afloat, I bet.
You think?
Probably someone still maintaining her. Pumps can’t run for years without fuel.
Despite the paint bleaching and the time she' been sitting the ship is in great shape, ships hat were in MUCH worse condition have been restored as museums, The fresh water enviroment is also a factor.
I think what you mention as the “captain’s quarters” is actually the wheelhouse, at least it looks to have been when she was still a ship and not a barge.
I’ve always loved the big lake freighters. Those ships built the Midwest and a good portion of Canada too. Grain to the cities. Ore to the mills and coal everywhere. The US would have never become a superpower without them
I’ve always wondered what it looked like on the inside. I remember when it was moved to that location. I drove by it several times and always wanted to photograph it. I remember reading about how several people wanted to scrap it until they realized how much it would cost due to environmental issues so it just sat there. Thank you for making this video.
Good video Alexplore, you should do more of them. I think there are lots of historic areas in Chicago. Thanks for posting.
Amazing video! You're so brave to do this on your own, it would really creep me out with all these noises etc. I hope you'll make more videos like this. 👍👍👍
Great video and even better history lesson. Thanks!
Really enjoyed this man thanks for taking this tour for us!!
Man, such a great video but recorded with the EYESTRAIN 9000
Hahaha
Kinda clears up in the daylight. Probably just cause its dark. Dude needs to get himself a good filming light
One of the greatest videos of old ships I have ever seen!
For another iconic "laker" the SS Milwaukee Clipper. Currently tied up in Muskegon.
thats a passenger steamer, not a laker
@@fishtug2420
Yes it's not an ore boat or bulk carrier. But it might be about the only passenger ship left from the old days. Pretty sad looking now. Or at least it was the last time I took the Lake Express.
I used to work for the Hammond Marina and we had the clipper there We would do haunted ship in October it was alot of fun.
Awesome video. As others, I've driven by this numerous times and always wondered what the inside was like. I'm surprised it's not completely destroyed by vandals. Someone is keeping an eye on it as they have a pump running that I assume is keeping the bilge empty. Looks like there were some lights on around 28:30 as well. Old ships are so eerie and fascinating at the same time! That whole port authority property would be fun to explore.
That orange paint is actually a rust preventative primer made of red lead.
Growing up near Chicago i was always curious, a few years ago we did the research and reached out to its current owners but never got a response. Always loved that ship.
She ain’t all that abandoned. Some one is tending that bilge system. 29:00
Must have a power line into ship who's paying ??
@@bertiewooster3326 currently likely the company who owns the vessel. Read somewhere it's at a point where it's too expensive to scrap or repair so the cheaper option is letting it sit and pay its rent.
Mostly its the asbestos all over the thing that's costing the most money to deal with, and theres even more between the double hull.
@@jamesluck2969 Whats a double haul? Ohhhh a double hull. Gotcha.
@@tompelley8217 ya that's a typo.
Didnt catch it till now, itll be fixed
Thanks for this post. I drive by this infrequently and was always interested.
Nice Video Alex. I really enjoyed it. Stay Safe!
You did exactly what I did 4 years ago. I tried accessing the site by car, but they have security posted there 24/7. I went in through the water like you did, haha. I don't have the guts to post my video because of snitches at my job that could tell on me, but it's nice to see this place being explored by others.
At close to the 20 minute mark you asked if that was a cot. Thats called a stokes basket. There used in shipping and emergency services to take patients over the edge of ships or buildings or edges in general. Pretty much there used for when you cant access a stretcher.
Thank you for sharing this. It’s a little scary down in the bottom. I wouldn’t want to go in there alone.
Enclosed space hazard, trapped toxic gas, common in ship bilges
Very great video. I loved seeing the interior shots. Would love to see it in person
Why is the video quality so poor?
I enjoyed watching this documentary. Man, you have some balls. I can’t believe you went into that ship. Imagine I was about one mile away when I did the drone video and it was scary videoing the ghost ship. Great job man I’ll be happy for us to Colab on a future project.
Great job man! Hope to see another video soon.
Awesome you got on board, you lucky bastard.
The little phone skit was not needed this boat is cool enough to peak interest 😂
"Pique" interest
Lighten up, Francis.
That ship's still got a LOT of valuable items inside, it's not nearly ready for the scrapyard. They'll usually strip almost everything of value before that happens, and wait until scrap value is on the way up. That "body basket" was a rescue stretcher for emergencies where someone needs transported to mainland by helicopter, or lowered to a smaller ship, even that's worth about $250, things as small as those large bolts, and shackles are worth quite a bit. the anchor chains may get scrapped, sold, or transferred to another ship, but their value is about $100 per link on the low end. I imagine they're waiting on the right time to hire a cheap crew to spend a week on the ship dismantling what they can sell before sending the skeleton off to be wrecked. You should be careful doing this kind of thing, always have backup flashlight, a good knife, pepper spray (if you don't carry a firearm) spare water, small blanket, and food in your backpack, along with a charging block, or spare battery for your cell, even a can air horn might be a good idea in case you get stuck where nobody goes. Most of all, tell someone exactly where you're going, and when you plan to return. Happy adventuring!
Great video! Being a native and resident of Chicago from a kid to present, I have passed this a million times via Bishop Ford and Doty Rd.
Same here I've seen this ship plenty of times
I grew up in wisconsin, and used to see this all the time, even as a small child i wanted to get into it, and see the ship. thank you for this video, doing what i never did.
Those large holds and deep spaces are crazy dangerous. Not only because of the falling hazard, but because they fill with gasses from the corrosion process. You take a couple of breaths and you just drop dead. Not very smart at all. In future you REALLY need to warn people about that.
(I suppose people remove themselves from the gene pool all the time....this is a great way to do it. Imagine taking a tumble down those stairs into a hold...breaking your leg or back...then starving to death, because nobody will ever hear you yelling out....you'd be one of many many people who have died on boats exactly like that. Or dropped dead from tainted air in a hold)
I'm surprised that it hasn't been scrapped it's a huge liability I'm sure there's some asbestos there too. I'm sure he's not the first one to explore it
This is awesome. That wheelhouse would be the first place id wanna look! Its cool it still has the old RDF in the corner and radar!
Never explore alone. The decks are steel, but very rusted and (most likely) paper thin in some areas. If you fall thru, you won't have anyone else to help you. Chances are you might not be found until it's WAY late!
That's THE first thing I was thinking...
Cool that it seems inaccessible and guarded well enough to prevent the scrappers and copper thieves from stripping of anything even remotely valuable like so many other abandoned structures.
Great video man, really appreciate it. In future I would take a buddy, and an air quality measuring device, just like caving, never go alone and be safe.
Think almost everything on the boat is American made. Probably union made too.
great job -- love living vicariously through you...
0:42. You can't fool me, that's City 17!
I appreciate you making this video and sharing it with us. This ship is in the in-between. No longer alive but also not dead, yet. A very strange ambiance and a strong feeling of what has been, at some time. The boiler room was surprisingly complete; it was not "gutted". I wonder whether the main engine is still in place. There would be little point in trying to dismantle it. The propeller is obviously in place, and I would think they just de-commissioned the engine and that was that. Never mind the technical inaccuracies of the narration; we saw what we were looking at. Some shots of the galley and the main engine would be cool, too. Again, thanks for this video. Who knows how long the ship will continue to exist. This video could be all that is left one day.
You can see the engine towards the end, looks to be a large reciprocating triple or quadruple expansion. I was surprised it didn't have turbines! Looks like all the machinery is still in place though that whole engine bay is loaded with loose asbestos and mold.
I travel on the South Shore train to Indiana and the ship is visible crossing Bishop Ford Highway. I often wondered about the ship thank you!!!
Awesome video, reminds me of the time when I served as a Coast Guard. I wish I could find large ship like this in Korea too. Thanks for the great exploration!
I want to see a cold start video
The lights that were on below deck are used to operate sump pumps.
That ship even though it has been decommissioned has water that had to be pumped out, otherwise it would sink and capsize where it sits.
My father once met the HR director that hired the entire crew for the Edmund Fitzgerald.
That director said not a day went by without him remembering each face. Crews were usually known and frequented the various Great Lakes shipping companies.
I feel sorry for that man. What a thought to have for your life!
So the F what? What does the Fitzgerald have to do with this video????????? Hopefully you will get the mental health intervention you need
imagine being anywhere on the ship but especially that lower part with the echo, when many tons of iron ore, like gravel, came pouring in.
Great video , plain and simple . Be nice to get ahold of one of those ship prints . Maybe it was a loading chart !! Nice work brother .
Believe that isn't a bed - basket for rescue at sea. Thank you for the awesome video - lived in Chicago and went by there all of the time, never knew it was there :-(
We had an awesome ship like that in Buffalo moored next to the grain silos the same way. It was called the Aquarama. I loved looking at it when I drove by. It was a sad day when it went to the scrap yard. They towed it all the to Turkey for salvage believe it or not. Crazy.
@mrdave777 to 'rust' iron and steel convert on exposed surfaces into iron oxide, by bonding the oxygen molecules from the air, or water to tne iron molecules creating FeO2 which in heavily rusting closed compartments or lower decks with little or no circulating air, it depletes or reduces the oxygen in that space, which can be hazardous.
So sad these grand old ladies of the lakes are disappearing, I grew up watching them go up and down past Fort Gratiot. Always wishing I could sail on one.
I just today passed this ship for the first time on my way home from downtown. I almost never venture into that neck of the woods. First thing I did when I got home was research what it was all about. So cool.
The orange paint is most likely "red lead", it was a common corrosion inhibiting paint when that ship was built.
going down below kinda creeped me out as well i niticed you booked it a little early anyhow cheers great video.
Call Derek from vice grip garage he would get her running
The pilot house is not the captains quarters. Also the ship was never used as a barge. She was used right up until her conversion to hold cement, then towed from Wisconsin to Chicago in 1981 where she has remained since.
Let's pull this "Beautiful Old Bad Girl" into a Drydock, fix her up, & put her back onto the Chicago River Front as a "Combined Entertainment, Jazz Club, Coffee House, Restaurant, & Museum Ship Venue !!!!......Combine Historic Preservation with Some Fun Small Businesses. Similar to the Queen Mary minus the Hotel !
Lots Of Things Answered It Was On My Mind What Was Still Inside The Pilot House And The Stern..This Would Be A Great Video If WTTW CH11 Still Had Image Union...Thanks For This Very Neat Video...I'm A Great Lakes Boat Enthusiast...Also It Would Be a Great Idea If They Made This A Steel Mill Museum And Docked It At Old USS South Chicago Works..Ore Docks..On The Stack You Can Still See It Was A Old Bethy Steel Boat.
I drive by this ship a lot. I always wondered what its story was.
Same with me. Something compels me to take a quick glance and at 40 miles an hour it comes and goes in a few seconds. I always wondered why this ship ended its work life at this abandoned port.
🔴🔴 AWESOME VIDEO THANK YOU...!!🙋♂️👍👍👍👍
That’s not the “basement of the captain’s quarters” it’s the Bosun’s Locker. And the area below it is the Forepeak Tank
Drove by her this spring on our way to mich. just happened to look over and see it!!
So.....why no comment on that running motor? If I had to guess I'd say it is a bilge pump??? Looked like an air compressor. Obviously someone tends to the ship......keeps it afloat. It must be connected to shore power. What's the story behind that? Who pays the bill for that motor?
It's sad that the Calumet Harbor never fully developed.
I was saying the same thing about the motor running i am with you bilge pumps
Inland shipping and railroads would be a lot more viable if the highways weren't overdeveloped.
@@MilwaukeeF40C I think the corporate oligarchs in America ruined America when they outsourced all the manufacturing. We'd be much better off with an internal economy.
@@rael5469 says the idiot that doesn"t understand the concept of a storage barge.
It was an air compressor. You can see it at 28:50. Preventing moisture ingress somewhere.