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…
storms on the Lakes, storms capable of throwing up thirty-to forty-foot waves, big enough to swamp even a supership” (Ashworth, 1987). The Fitzgerald’s sinking seized the attention of many. Due to its massive popularity a song by Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot titled “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” was written later that year. The exact reasoning about why the Fitzgerald sank is still unknown. “Thirty-seven years later, there are still multiple theories about the cause of the Fitzgerald’s sinking, which are hotly debated among Great Lakes historians, sailors, and others with interest in the case” (Moyer, 2014). Known as the largest freighter on the Great Lakes of its time, the Edmund Fitzgerald was 729 feet in length and weighed about 13,632 tons without any cargo (Edmund Fitzgerald).
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…
did. The day was November 9th, 1975 and the Fitzgerald was just being loaded with taconite pellets getting ready to make its way to Detroit to transport the goods. Taconite is an iron ore, which is compressed into pellets so that it could be shipped to the steel companies. In the steel process, immense amounts of water are used as a coolant hence why steel companies could be found all around the Great Lakes (Ashworth, 1987). Steel companies also preferred to be near the Lakes as they served as a great means for transporting the products back and forth. Once this process was completed the Fitzgerald departed for Detroit, Michigan with 26,116 tons of taconite on board (McCall). The National Weather service issued a gale warning for the area that the Fitzgerald would soon be traversing. About 7:00 that morning the winds were about 35 knots or 40 miles per hour with waves crashing into the boat at about ten feet high (McCall).
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
avoid.
Titanic and the SS Maheno. The well know ship “The Titanic” now lies 3,800 m under water off the shore of Newfoundland where it sunk back in 1912 after colliding with an iceberg, the ship is now rapidly rusting and disintegrating. The SS Maheno is a major tourist attraction that lies on the east coast of Fraser Island, Australia. It was a trading ship between New Zealand and Australia from years 1905 to 1935, and also participated in World War I for the New Zealand Naval Force. The wreck was left there to disintegrate after the owners refused to pay to move it. Corrosion is ‘a chemical process by which a metal is oxidised. ’ (corrosionist.com). Iron is the only metal that rusts and occurs out of the chemical processes, oxidation and reduction. In most cases, corrosion of iron occurs when the metal is losing its electrons, this is oxidising. Another cause behind the occurrence of rusting is ‘rust eating bacteria’ at deep enough levels of the ocean. And finally, abiotic factors such as salinity, pH and oxygen levels have an impact on the rusting or shipwrecks. The last cause to be discussed is environmental effects such as salinity, pH and oxygen levels.
The USS Indianapolis was a heavy cruiser. She did not have heavy armor which made her vulnerable to torpedo attacks. She had been ordered to sail on July 16, 1945, to deliver a bomb that would end the war. Unfortunately, it sank before it arrived.
All 29 sailors perished with the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10th 1975. If you want to learn more about the ship you can visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. A place where they proudly displayed the recovered ships bell in remembrance of the lost sailors and a place that is close to the final resting place of the ship.
The Erie Canal was a man made water way that stretched to be three hundred sixty three miles long. The canal started construction in1817, and took nine years to completely finish the building process. People during this time had many positive, and negative opinions about the fact that this expensive canal was being built. The idea of the Erie Canal originates with Jesse Hawley, the idea was to connect the great lakes to the Atlantic ocean making an easy path to the west from the east without having to pass Niagara Falls. The canal was mostly built by Irish immigrants who were hated, or disliked, by most people. People had ideas and predictions about what would come of this canal. Let's just see which of the predictions were more accurate to
The first built and launched ironclad was in 1855 and it was named the Merrimac. Europe just starting building ironclads and sent her to Norfolk. The Merrimac was still there when Virginia seceded from the Union in April of 1861. The Union then sank the Merrimac and set her afire but the hull of the shop and the engines settled in the bottom of the river. The Confederates found it and raised the parts out. It took 1,500 men to work on the Merrimac. It was a very slow process because there was not many supplies or tools. The Merrimac needed needed on thousand tons of iron. It was difficult to get some because there was very few iron manufacturers anywhere in the South and there was just one able to supply enough. The Merrimac got a small share of iron and then went to work. It took over a year to get this ship finished. The captain was Franklin Buchnan and he had 300 men for a crew.
...tself 500ft below the water, none of them have been proven indefinitely. Whether the ship crossed the Superior Shoal, with water as shallow as 22 feet; or the ship suffered a stress fracture and broke apart on the surface, there will always be one more possibility regarding the Fitzgerald’s demise. For instance, the sip could have also succumbed to the forces of the Three Sisters, a Lake Superior phenomenon, consisting of massive waves. Ultimately, each of these current theories are merely conjectures, and since each holds the possibility of being true, the cause of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking is an ongoing mystery, one that has and will continue to bring about many theories. Finally, as a result of the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the 30 million people who lived next to the great lakes would forever look across their waters with renewed respect.
Water travel assisted heavily with transportation of goods and people from the American north-east to the west, which would eventually create a separation from the south.
The ship was named after the President and Chairman of the board of Northern Mutual, and the Fitzgerald was launched June 8, 1958 at River Rouge, Michigan. Northern Mutual placed the ship under permanent charter to the Columbia Transportation Division of Oglebay Norton Company, Cleveland, Ohio. At 729 feet long, 75 feet wide and 13,632 gross tons, the ship was the largest ship on the Great Lakes, for thirteen years, until 1971.
In the Thunder Bay area, the collection of shipwrecks reflects the transitions in ship architecture and construction throughout history. From wooden schooners to early steel-hulled steamers, as well as several unusual vessel types. The Great Lakes actually have some of the best shipwreck diving locations in the United States for two primary reasons. The wrecks found here generally maintain their structural integrity longer than salt water ocean wrecks.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was one of the most famous ships that ever sailed lake Superior. The Fitzgerald was one of the fastest ships that sailed Superior, she often broke her own records and set new ones.The Fitzgerald was the largest freshwater ship in history and was just 140 feet shorter than the Titanic. The Fitzgerald or Fitz ( thats was what the crew called her) was built in 1958. She was put in the water on June 8th 1958. In his book Andrew Kantar says “The Edmund Fitzgerald was named after the wife of the president of the NMI (Northwestern Mutual Insurance). (5). The fitz was the pride of America of the american side (Gordon Lightfoot). The Fitzgerald had a good crew that was with her from 17 years. The crew called the Fitzgerald they’re lives. For the crew there were Captain Ernest Mcsorley, John, James, Michael, George, Edward, Thomas, Russell, Oliver, Frederick, Thomas B, Thomas D, Nolan, Ransom, Bruce, Allen, Gordon, Joseph, Eugene, Karl, John P, Robert, Paul, John S, William, Mark, Ralph, David, Blaine made up the crew.
In addition to Thomas Andrews was a wealthy man, He built the Titanic as a luxury boat ride for 1st and some of 2nd class. He made it also as a transportation mechanism to migrate to America for 3rd class
In late 1908, White Star Line announced its construction of “ the world’s largest passenger steamship upon completion” (The Titanic History). At completion, the ship dubbed the Olympic, but now known as the Titanic, was 883 feet long and 104 feet high. The massive amounts of media surrounding the construction of the ship flamed a spark of excitement in people all of the country. The extensive media coverage continued for three years until the ships completion. Everyone wanted to be the first to travel on such an iconic ship, but only 2200 were able to secure a spot. The Titanic set sail on April 10th, 1912 from the port of South Hampton as its passengers and crew were beaming with excitement for the journey ahead of them. Unf...
Concerning the first phase of the accident the report (2013) concludes that altering the course of the ship from a perpendicular to a parallel course close to shore proved to be a catastrophic decision. Moreover the questionable behavior of the Master is of primary concern since Master decided to navigate the ship in restricted and confined waters when alternative and ...
Titanic was sighted. This ship, the Rappahannock, had emerged from an ice field and had sustained damage to its rudder. The vessel signaled the Titanic about the ice and the Titanic replied that the message was received (Marcus 127). At 11 p.m. another ice report was received. This one was from the Californian. This liner had passed through the same ice field that the Rappahannock had reported to the Titanic. Like all the other warnings, this warning never reached the bridge though it was known to both of the Titanic's wireless operators (Marcus 128). By the time the bridge realized the ship was about to hit an iceberg, it was too late. Quartermaster Hitchens tried to turn the wheel hard to the starboard. Twenty seconds later, he had an order for full speed astern but the iceberg was too close. The starboard side hit the iceberg, bringing a block of ice onto the deck (Pellegrino 21). After the collision occurred, there was only one thing open for Captain Smith to do. It was almost midnight a...
...ve damage occurred in New England where federal disaster areas were declared for seven counties in Massachusetts, five in Maine, and one in New Hampshire. Off Staten Island, two men were drowned when their boat capsized. Other fatalities occurred when a man fishing from a bridge was either blown or swept off in New York and a fisherman was swept off the rocks at Narrangansett, RI by heavy surf. Offshore, six lives were lost when the Andrea Gail, a swordfishing boat, sank. Total damage in the Halloween Storm, as it came to be known because of its date, was in the hundreds of millions of dollars.”