November 10, 1975, Lake Superior

[WeatherHost]

With Captain Ernest M. McSorley in command and carrying a full cargo of taconite ore pellets, the Fitzgerald embarked on her final voyage from Superior, Wisconsin, on the afternoon of November 9, 1975. En route to a steel mill near Detroit, Michigan, she joined a second freighter, the SS Arthur M. Anderson. By the next day the two ships were caught in the midst of a massive winter storm, with near hurricane-force winds and waves up to 35 feet (11 m) high. Shortly after 7:10 p.m. the Fitzgerald suddenly sank in Canadian waters approximately 17 miles (15 nautical miles; 27 kilometers) from the entrance to Whitefish Bay, at a depth of 530 feet (160 m). Although the Fitzgerald had reported being in difficulty earlier, no distress signals were sent before she sank. Her crew of 29 perished and no bodies were recovered.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Edmund_Fitzgerald

Services are planned around Michigan today to remember the 29 lives lost when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior 36 years ago.

http://www.freep.com/article/20111110/NEWS06/111100447/Events-remember-sinking-Edmund-Fitzgerald

[DaculaWeather]

I've been on Lake Michigan before when it went from calm to cloudy and 15 foot waves in 30 minutes. Very scary. We were in a 41 foot Chris Craft, the waves were so steep we would crest the top and as we started heading down the other side, the props would come out of the water (they were 4 feet underwater normally). Waves would crash over the bow and completely block your visibility... and we were more than 12 feet off the surface. We finally pulled into an ore ship port and had to stay to three days. They wouldn't even let the ore ships out.

[neondesert]

A sad day indeed. 

The tragedy inspired Gordon Lightfoot to write the "Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" which he referred to as a tribute to the ship, the sea, and the men who lost their lives that night.

http://grooveshark.com/s/The+Wreck+Of+The+Edmund+Fitzgerald/47qSC2?src=5

[Downlinerz2]

    Had met a couple crew members through a friend who worked on the ships and was on the Fitz for a time. 
    Still brings sad tears.

[paleoguy]

Yeah, a good friend of mine served aboard the lakers and, even though he's in his 80's now, they still lure him back.  Check out Lake Superior's north shore here:
http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/cwdata/lct/glsea.png
It won't be long before ice starts creeping south.

[SoMDWx]

A sad day indeed. 

The tragedy inspired Gordon Lightfoot to write the "Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" which he referred to as a tribute to the ship, the sea, and the men who lost their lives that night.

http://grooveshark.com/s/The+Wreck+Of+The+Edmund+Fitzgerald/47qSC2?src=5

I remember being young and trying to sleep at night. I would listen to the FM radio through my headphones. When this song came out, I remember getting the chills just listening to this song. I would listen intently to every word that was sung. It is such a great song and it would fill my mind with images of that fateful voyage.....Very moving

Jim

[DaculaWeather]

Funny how songs touch you like that. I love music for that very reason.

[jeffgod]

I was thinking about that song 2 days ago when I remembered the date (Nov 10). I wasn't sure of the year. That song is almost haunting.