(no subject)
Today is the 33rd anniversary of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior, just southwest of Whitefish Bay, Michigan.
Captain Ernest M. McSorley and his crew encountered a fierce storm on the lake shortly after he backed the Ftiz away for the Burlington-Northern ore dock at Superior, Wisconsin under its own power. It caught up with the Arthur Anderson near Two Harbors, Minnesota and sailed along the North Shore of the lake in order to try, in as much as possible, to avoid the heavy waves that were in the more direct route.
Captain McSorley was an experienced sailor, having been at sea for nearly forty years. In his comments, he told the captain of the Anderson that this was the worst storm he had seen. The Fitz took a beating. Running ahead of the Anderson, it lost its radar, and was taking on water from the waves and had developed a list. The Anderson was navigating for the Fitzgerald, when it suddenly disappeared from the Anderson's radar. Later, the ship was found in aproximatly 550 feet of water, in two pieces, at the bottom of Lake Superior.
Rest in peace, Captain and crew.
Unsung heros in this tragedy are the captain and crew of the Arthur S. Anderson. They did the best they could with guiding the Fitzgerald through the storm, navigating for them and keeping up their spirits as the Fitzgerald took on water. McSorley had indicated that they were "holding their own" when suddenly the ship disappeared form the Anderson's radar. After the captain of the Anderson realized there was something drasticlly wrong, they notified the Coast Guard with their suspicion. After getting to the safety of Whitefish Bay, at the request of the Coast Guard, The Anderson, along with the William Clay Ford went back into the storm to search for the Fitzgerald, only to find a shredded life boat and an oil slick.
Thank you, Captains and Crews of the Arthur Anderson and William Clay Ford.
The William Clay Ford was retired in 1985. The Arthur S. Anderson continues to sail on the Great Lakes.
The legend lives on........
Captain Ernest M. McSorley and his crew encountered a fierce storm on the lake shortly after he backed the Ftiz away for the Burlington-Northern ore dock at Superior, Wisconsin under its own power. It caught up with the Arthur Anderson near Two Harbors, Minnesota and sailed along the North Shore of the lake in order to try, in as much as possible, to avoid the heavy waves that were in the more direct route.
Captain McSorley was an experienced sailor, having been at sea for nearly forty years. In his comments, he told the captain of the Anderson that this was the worst storm he had seen. The Fitz took a beating. Running ahead of the Anderson, it lost its radar, and was taking on water from the waves and had developed a list. The Anderson was navigating for the Fitzgerald, when it suddenly disappeared from the Anderson's radar. Later, the ship was found in aproximatly 550 feet of water, in two pieces, at the bottom of Lake Superior.
Rest in peace, Captain and crew.
Unsung heros in this tragedy are the captain and crew of the Arthur S. Anderson. They did the best they could with guiding the Fitzgerald through the storm, navigating for them and keeping up their spirits as the Fitzgerald took on water. McSorley had indicated that they were "holding their own" when suddenly the ship disappeared form the Anderson's radar. After the captain of the Anderson realized there was something drasticlly wrong, they notified the Coast Guard with their suspicion. After getting to the safety of Whitefish Bay, at the request of the Coast Guard, The Anderson, along with the William Clay Ford went back into the storm to search for the Fitzgerald, only to find a shredded life boat and an oil slick.
Thank you, Captains and Crews of the Arthur Anderson and William Clay Ford.
The William Clay Ford was retired in 1985. The Arthur S. Anderson continues to sail on the Great Lakes.
The legend lives on........