The Edmund Fitzgerald: The Great Lakes

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The Great Lakes have been home to more than 6,000 shipwrecks on its five major Lakes (Childs, 2011). One of the most popular wrecks was that of the bulk freighter the Edmund Fitzgerald on the Canadian side of Lake Superior. It had transported goods across the Great Lakes for about 17 years before it was overcome by the power of the Lakes. In terms of lifetimes of shipping vessels, The Fitzgerald was still relatively young. “The Fitzgerald, often called the Titanic of the Great Lakes was not only the most famous freshwater shipwreck; it was also the biggest mystery in the Great Lakes history” (Schumacher, 2006). Weather played a key role in the defeat of this ship and the death of all 29 hands on November 10, 1975. “Winter is a time of intense …show more content…

The construction of the Fitzgerald was finished in 1957 in River Rouge, Michigan by Great Lakes Engineering Works. This venture set the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company; a major investor in the iron and minerals industries back about $8.4 million (Schumacher, 2006). The Edmund Fitzgerald took its first voyage on September 24, 1958; named appropriately after the president of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Edmund Fitzgerald (McCall). It was his initiative to build the largest ship in the Great Lakes, so he …show more content…

On its voyage the Fitzgerald skippered by Captain McSorley, was closely followed by Captain Cooper of the S.S. Arthur M. Anderson which was another cargo carrying ship. Captain McSorley radioed Captain Cooper saying “Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have sustained some topside damage. I have a fence rail laid down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I'm checking down. Will you stay by me till I get to Whitefish?" (McCall). The storm had begun to do damage to the Fitzgerald and things were starting to go south hastily. For being the most technologically advanced ship of its day the Fitzgerald managed to lose both of its two radar systems, making it difficult to traverse the waters. Radar allowed the ship to find shallow spots in the water and any other obstacles they may have needed to try to

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