what was the course of the fitzgerald

The Fitzgerald’s normal course during her productive life took her between Silver Bay, Minnesota, where she loaded taconite, to steel mills on the lower lakes in the Detroit and Toledo area. She was usually empty on her return trip to Silver Bay.

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Where did Gertrude Fitzgerald work?

The Fitzgerald’s normal course during her productive life took her between Silver Bay, Minnesota, where she loaded taconite, to steel mills on the lower lakes in the Detroit and Toledo area. She was usually empty on her return trip to Silver Bay.

What is the Edmund Fitzgerald known for?

Oglebay Norton immediately designated Edmund Fitzgerald the flagship of its Columbia Transportation fleet. Edmund Fitzgerald was a record-setting workhorse, often beating her own milestones. The vessel's record load for a single trip was 27,402 long tons (30,690 short tons; 27,842 t) in 1969.

How far did the Fitzgerald travel from superior?

Departing Superior about 2:30 pm, she was soon joined by the Arthur M. Anderson, which had departed Two Harbors, Minnesota under Captain Bernie Cooper. The two ships were in radio contact. The Fitzgerald being the faster took the lead, with the distance between the vessels ranging from 10 to 15 miles.

When did the Fitzgerald get a retrofit?

The retrofit was planned for November 12, 1975 upon completion of the 1975 season. The modification never took place and the patch plates could be seen at the shipyard a couple of years after the Fitzgerald's demise.

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What caused the Fitzgerald to sink?

In 1977, the U.S Coast Guard pinned the sinking on massive flooding of the cargo hold caused by faulty or poorly fastened hatch covers. The slow flooding supposedly went unnoticed by the captain and crew until it caused an imperceptible but fatal buoyancy loss and eventually sent the Fitzgerald plunging to the bottom.

What ship sank 46 years ago?

the Edmund FitzgeraldIt was 46 years ago today when one of these violent storms blew across the Great Lakes sinking the Edmund Fitzgerald. The wreck occurred just northwest of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior. All twenty-nine crew members were lost as the ship sank in 530 feet of water.

Has the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald been found?

The entire crew of 29 people died when the vessel sank. No bodies were ever recovered from the wreckage. Later when the wreck was found, it was discovered that the ship had broken in two. It still sits on the bottom of Lake Superior at 530 feet deep.

How big were the waves that sank the Edmund Fitzgerald?

18 to 25 feetAround the time the Edmund Fitzgerald sank, the wind was blowing around 50 mph, with gusts reported by the Anderson of 70 to 75 mph, and waves of 18 to 25 feet.

Which Great lake has the most shipwrecks?

The Great Lakes hold the secrets of about 8,000 shipwrecks. Lake Erie covers 2,000 of them, among the highest concentration of wrecks in the world.

Can you dive the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald?

The Edmund Fitzgerald: The Fitzgerald was not Illegal to dive at that time. However, in 2006, the Canadian Government passed a Law the will not allow anyone to dive it and two other shipwrecks in Canadian waters of Lake Superior. There is a one Million Dollar fine for diving it!

What does Gitche Gumee mean in English?

Today in Ojibwe language class, thanks to dialectic differences, you are more likely to see gichi-gami, gitchi-gami or kitchi-gami for Lake Superior. Loosely, it does indeed mean “Big Sea” or “Huge Water,” but just about always refers to Lake Superior.

Do bodies float in Lake Superior?

While it is reasonable to assume that the colder parts of Lake Superior slow the bacteria and encourage the formation of adipocere, leading to dead bodies that remain sunken in these areas, there are parts of the lake that are more shallow and in these areas bodies will float.

What is at the bottom of Lake Superior?

The bottom of Lake Superior has an estimated 550 shipwrecks. Estimates of around 10,000 people have been lost to the lake. One of the worst wrecks came from the Ophelia, a steamer that sank in 1854. The Ophelia carried 150 passengers and crew when she went down in a storm.

What is the highest wave ever recorded on Lake Superior?

29 feetThe highest wave ever recorded was a height of 29 feet (8.8 meters) on October 24, 2017 on Lake Superior just north of Marquette, Michigan. Most storms over the oceans of the world can produce average wave heights of 30 feet.

What was the water temperature when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank?

"They found no survivors," Wiard said. "We're sure it's from the Fitzgerald." The National Weather Service reported hurricane force winds gusting to 80 miles an hour and waves running to 25 feet. It said the water temperature was 49 degrees and the air temperature 41.

Did a rogue wave sink the Edmund Fitzgerald?

If the Dive Detectives are right, the ship was in fact sunk by a rogue wave -- a massive wall of water that can reach up to 10 storeys high but was previously dismissed as a sailors' myth.

Who is the head of the FitzGeralds?

The current head is Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster. The Fitzmaurices and FitzGeralds of Desmond ( Barons Desmond, later Earls of Desmond ). The FitzGerald dynasty has played a major role in Irish history. Gearóid Mór, 8th Earl of Kildare and his son Gearóid Óg, 9th Earl of Kildare, were Lord Deputy of Ireland in ...

Who was Gerald FitzWalter?

The eponymous ancestor of the various FitzGerald branches, as well as of the de Barry and FitzMaurice families , was Gerald FitzWalter of Windsor. Gerald was a Norman adventurer who took part in the 1093 invasion of South Wales upon the death in battle of Rhys ap Tewdwr, last king of South Wales.

Why are the Geraldines more Irish than the Irish themselves?

They have been peers of Ireland since at least the 13th century, and are described in the Annals of the Four Masters as having become " more Irish than the Irish themselves " or Gaels, due to assimilation with the native Gaelic aristocratic and popular culture. The dynasty has also been referred to as the Geraldines.

Who was the Welsh wife of the FitzGeralds?

The Lord of Lanstephan and his sons the Fitzmaurices played an important part in the 1169 Norman invasion of Ireland. Gerald's Welsh wife Nest ferch Rhys (c. 1085 – before 1136) is the female progenitor of the FitzGeralds and FitzMaurices, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, last King of Deheubarth.

Where does the last name FitzGerald come from?

The surname FitzGerald comes from the Norman tradition of adding Fitz, meaning "son of" before the father's name. "Fitz Gerald" thus means in Old Norman and in Old French "son of Gerald ". Gerald itself is a Germanic compound of ger, "spear", and waltan, "rule".

Who is Fair Geraldine?

In his poetry, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, referred to Elizabeth FitzGerald (1527–89) as "Fair Geraldine". The main branches of the family are: The FitzMaurices and FitzGeralds of Kildare ( Earls of Kildare from 1316, later Marquesses of Kildare and from 1766 Dukes of Leinster and Premier Peers of Ireland).

Who was Gerald of Windsor?

Gerald of Windsor ( Gerald FitzWalter ) was a Norman castellan in Wales, and he is the male progenitor of the FitzMaurice and FitzGerald Dynasty ("fitz", from the Anglo-Norman fils indicating "sons of" Gerald). The progenitor of the Irish FitzMaurices was a Cambro-Norman Marcher Lord, Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan;

What time did Clark call the Fitzgerald again?

And around 7:15 pm, the pip was lost again, but this time, did not reappear. Clark called the Fitzgerald again at about 7:22 pm. There was no answer.

Where was the Edmund Fitzgerald's last voyage?

The Fateful Journey. The final voyage of the Edmund Fitzgerald began November 9, 1975 at the Burlington North ern Railroad Dock No.1, Superior, Wisconsin. Captain Ernest M. McSorley had loaded her with 26,116 long tons of taconite pellets, made of processed iron ore, heated and rolled into marble-size balls.

Why did Morgan Clark keep watching the Fitzgerald?

Morgan Clark, first mate of the Anderson, kept watching the Fitzgerald on the radar set to calculate her distance from some other vessels near Whitefish Point. He kept losing sight of the Fitzgerald on the radar from sea return, meaning that seas were so high they interfered with the radar reflection.

Why did McSorley check his speed?

McSorley was checking down his speed to allow the Anderson to close the distance for safety. Captain Cooper asked McSorley if he had his pumps going, and McSorley said, “Yes, both of them.”. “The Wreck Site II” by David Conklin: Available online in the Shipwreck Coast Museum Store.

What aircraft did the Coast Guard use?

The Coast Guard launched a fixed-wing HU-16 aircraft at 10 pm and dispatched two cutters, the Naugatuck and the Woodrush. The Naugatuck arrived at 12:45 pm on November 11, and the Woodrush arrived on November 14, having journeyed all the way from Duluth, Minnesota.

What time did Captain Cooper call the Coast Guard?

With mounting apprehension, Captain Cooper called the Coast Guard once again, about 8:00 pm, and firmly expressed his concern for the welfare of the Fitzgerald. The Coast Guard then initiated its search for the missing ship.

When did the Edmund Fitzgerald sink?

Coast Guard released its official report of “Subject: S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, official number 277437, sinking in Lake Superior on 10 November 1975 with loss of life.”.

Where did the Edmund Fitzgerald ship sail?

2:15 p.m. The Edmund Fitzgerald, captained by Ernest McSorley, finishes loading 26,116 tons of taconite in Superior, Wis., and departs for Detroit's Zug Island. The storm that would sink the ship is gathering force over Kansas on a northwest path toward Lake Superior.

Who was the captain of the Fitzgerald ship?

5 p.m. Fitzgerald encounters Arthur M. Anderson, captained by Jesse Cooper, and the two ships proceed east on similar courses, separated by about 10 to 20 miles. Three hours later, the National Weather Service issues a Gale Warning for all of Lake Superior.

How many crew members perished on the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck?

The 29 crew members aboard all perish. Image of the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck taken during a dive in 1995 to recover the ship's bell. The ship sank in a storm off Whitefish Point in Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975.

How much iron ore was in the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck?

LAKE SUPERIOR, MI - It was 43 years ago today that the Edmund Fitzgerald was being loaded with 26,000 tons of iron ore, prepped for what would become her doomed final voyage.

Where did the Fitzgerald ship hit Caribou Island?

4:30 p.m. Fitzgerald passes 3 to 5 miles east of Caribou Island. Many theorize the ship unknowingly struck the poorly marked 6 Fathom Shoal on the island's north side, but that has never been conclusively proven. The debate rages to this day.

What song did Gordon Lightfoot sing?

Gordon Lightfoot's poignant song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" helps keep alive the memory of what's become the Great Lakes' most famous shipwreck. But her captain and crew were also sons, brothers, husbands and fathers. They hailed from Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota and beyond. Here are the highlights of the Fitzgerald's final trip ...

What was found in the Fitzgerald search?

The William Clay Ford also joined the search, which came to include other vessels as well as helicopters and airplanes. Lifeboats, life jackets, and other debris were discovered, but there was no sign of the Fitzgerald.

Where did the Edmund Fitzgerald leave Superior?

On November 9, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald left Superior, Wisconsin, for a steel mill near Detroit. The freighter was captained by Ernest M. McSorley, and on board were 28 other men. It soon made radio contact with the Arthur M. Anderson, which was some 15 statute miles (24 km) behind.

Why did the Fitzgerald ship dipped?

With a loss of buoyancy, its bow dipped and was unable to recover, diving to the lake bottom. The suddenness explained the failure of the Fitzgerald to send a distress signal. However, numerous other theories were promoted. Some believed that the freighter had struck bottom near Caribou Island, damaging its hull.

What time did McSorley ask the Anderson to stay near the Fitzgerald?

McSorley also asked the Anderson to stay near the Fitzgerald, which was reducing speed. At around 4:10 pm , the freighter told the Anderson that both its radars were down and requested assistance with its route. Over an hour later, the Fitzgerald reported to the Avafors that it was listing badly.

When was the Fitzgerald ship wreck discovered?

Over the following week, sonar detected two large objects in the area where the Fitzgerald was lost. In May 1976 the wreck was definitively discovered when a submersible robot both videotaped and photographed the bow and stern, which bore the freighter’s name.

What was the name of the song that portrayed the sinking of Edmund Fitzgerald?

The mystery surrounding the Fitzgerald ’s demise captured the public’s imagination, and in 1976 the tragedy was immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot’s folk ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”. In addition, numerous books and documentaries chronicled the sinking.

1. It Was Owned by an Insurance Company & Named After Its President

The Edmund Fitzgerald was an investment by Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee. It was the first time that an American life insurance firm commissioned the build of a freighter.

2. There Were a Few Mishaps During the Christening

The launch and christening ceremony for the Fitzgerald was held on June 7, 1958. Although more than 15,000 people attended, there were a few hitches.

3. The Edmund Fitzgerald Had a Luxurious Interior

Compared to what was standard when the Fitzgerald was built, the interior was pretty luxurious. The bathrooms were tiled, the floors had deep pile carpet, the portholes had drapes, and the swivel chairs had leather upholstery.

4. The Ship Was Involved in Several Incidents During Its Career

Over the course of its career, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was involved in several collisions:

5. The Edmund Fitzgerald Never Sent a Distress Signal

At 7:10 p.m. on Nov. 10, Captain Jesse B. Cooper of the SS Arthur M. Anderson, which was sailing with the Fitzgerald, asked Captain Ernest M. McSorley about the ship and crew. McSorley responded, “We are holding our own.”

6. It Took FOUR DAYS to Find the Ship in Lake Superior

By the time the Fitzgerald was declared missing, it was just after 9 p.m. The U.S. Coast Guard asked Captain Cooper to go back to the area to look for survivors because it didn’t have suitable vessels for a search and rescue effort. He only found some debris and lifeboats.

8. Weather Forecasts and Navigational Charts Were Inaccurate

In 1975, weather forecasts and navigational charts weren’t as accurate as they are today. That could have contributed to the SS Edmund Fitzgerald’s shipwreck.

When was the Fitzgerald retrofit?

The retrofit was planned for November 12, 1975 upon completion of the 1975 season.

What time did the Coast Guard arrive at the Fitzgerald?

By the morning of November 11 , the Coast Guard had managed to arrive at the scene to assist in the search and rescue operation.

What was the name of the steamship that was built by Edmund Fitzgerald?

As originally built, Edmund Fitzgerald was a coal burning steamship with a Westinghouse steam turbine driving a single four bladed propeller at her rear. The " Big Fitz" as she was affectionately known by her crew, also boasted several private staterooms for corporate guests of Oglebay Norton and Northwestern Mutual.

What type of ship was Edmund Fitzgerald?

The Edmund Fitzgerald was a "Laker" type iron ore bulk freighter launched on June 7, 1958 by the Great Lakes Engineering Works in River Rogue, Michigan for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company one year after its near sister ship Arthur B. Homer.

What happened to the wheelhouse windows on the Edmund Fitzgerald?

All the windows have been blown out and destroyed. The protective visor over the wheelhouse windows has been completely flattened down and there is a lot of similar damage throughout the superstructure of the bow, indicating the Edmund Fitzgerald met a very violent and catastrophic end.

How many feet did the Fitzgerald waves reach?

Ftizgerald, like all Great Lakes vessels often had to pass through violent storms that rivaled those of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with waves sometimes reaching upwards of 100 feet. Fitzgerald however was also noted for her numerous problems.

Where is the Edmund Fitzgerald wreck?

Wreck Location. The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald lies at the bottom of the southeastern portion of Lake Superior in 530 feet of water. It was originally discovered by sonar shortly after the sinking in 1975 and first documented by several expeditions in 1976 including one by Jean Michel Cousteau, son of famous oceanographer Jaques Cousteau.

Where was Edmund Fitzgerald en route to?

on the afternoon of November 9, 1975, under the command of Captain Ernest M. McSorley. She was en route to the steel mill on Zug Island, near Detroit, Michigan, with a cargo of 26,116 long tons (29,250 short tons; 26,535 t) of taconite ore pellets and soon reached her full speed of 16.3 miles per hour (14.2 kn; 26.2 km/h). Around 5 p.m., Edmund Fitzgerald joined a second freighter under the command of Captain Jesse B. "Bernie" Cooper, Arthur M. Anderson, destined for Gary, Indiana, out of Two Harbors, Minnesota. The weather forecast was not unusual for November and the National Weather Service (NWS) predicted that a storm would pass just south of Lake Superior by 7 a.m. on November 10.

How big was the Edmund Fitzgerald?

Edmund Fitzgerald was the first laker built to the maximum St. Lawrence Seaway size, which was 730 feet (222.5 m) long, 75 feet (22.9 m) wide, and with a 25 foot (7.6 m) draft.

What was the name of the ship that Edmund Fitzgerald sailed on?

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.

How many people attended the Edmund Fitzgerald christening?

More than 15,000 people attended Edmund Fitzgerald ' s christening and launch ceremony on June 7, 1958. The event was plagued by misfortunes. When Elizabeth Fitzgerald, wife of Edmund Fitzgerald, tried to christen the ship by smashing a champagne bottle over the bow, it took her three attempts to break it.

What was Gordon Lightfoot's song about the Great Lakes?

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.

How many people died in the sinking of the Fitzgerald ship?

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.

When did the Edmund Fitzgerald sink?

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.

How deep is the Fitzgerald?

In fact, the Fitzgerald -- known as a workhorse ship that set numerous cargo hauling records -- was allowed by 1975 to sit a touch over 3 feet deeper in the water when laden with cargo than originally intended when the ship was launched in 1958.

Where was the Fitzgerald grounded?

The LCA thinks the Fitzgerald grounded on the poorly-marked Six Fathom Shoal northwest of Caribou Island, causing fatal damage to the hull. If the ship had "hogged" upon striking the shoal, it could have caused the topside damage reported by Fitzgerald captain Ernest McSorley in the hours before the sinking.

What caused the Edmund Fitzgerald to sink?

Ex-Fitzgerald crew member George Burgner claimed in a deposition that unrepaired cracks and weakened metal on the ship caused the loss, according to the "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Fred Stonehouse. Burgner said a shipyard worker showed him evidence of old keel weld breaks during the 1972-73 winter lay-up that were brought to McSorley and dismissed. The bad welds were confirmed by the Coast Guard, which approved repairs. Theorists have sized upon the permanent lay-up of the Fitzgerald sister ship, the Arthur Homer, in 1980 as indicative of structural deficiency both vessels. In 2009, retired naval architect Raymond Ramsey, who helped design the Fitzgerald hull wrote that the maintenance history, increased cargo loading allowances and construction of the Fitzgerald made her unseaworthy the night she went down. In the Duluth News-Tribune, another former crew member, Jim Woodard, claims the Fitzgerald was a "wet" ship. "She took on water all the time and her tunnels flooded out on her," Woodward said. "We always had to go down and pump them out."

Why did the Fitzgerald sink?

In 1977, the U.S Coast Guard pinned the sinking on massive flooding of the cargo hold caused by faulty or poorly fastened hatch covers. The slow flooding supposedly went unnoticed by the captain and crew until it caused an imperceptible but fatal buoyancy loss and eventually sent the Fitzgerald plunging to the bottom.

How many people were on the Fitzgerald ship?

Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board both issued official investigation reports that many dismiss in favor of a theory favored by the Lake Carriers Association. Because all 29 men aboard the Fitzgerald went down with the ship -- which was there one minute and gone ...

Why did the Fitzgerald ship have no depth sounding technology?

Because the ship had no depth sounding technology, the crew had no way of knowing that incoming water was pushing the ship lower in the water until the flooding exceeded the height of the iron ore in the holds. The Coast Guard cited reports of damage to the Fitzgerald's hatches that were planned for winter repair.

Who was the captain of the Fitzgerald?

This week, Minnesota tugboat captain Bob Hom , who sailed with McSorley before the man became captain of the Fitzgerald, claims McSorley once told him five years before the sinking he'd hate to be on the Fitzgerald in a big storm because 'They got it all worn out from years of overloading,'" Hom told the Duluth News-Tribune. "They were killing the boat," he said. "It was designed to haul a certain amount and they kept getting the Coast Guard to increase the load line." In fact, the Fitzgerald -- known as a workhorse ship that set numerous cargo hauling records -- was allowed by 1975 to sit a touch over 3 feet deeper in the water when laden with cargo than originally intended when the ship was launched in 1958.