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drpete3 11-10-2010 02:09 PM


Originally Posted by CigDaze (Post 3250635)
hgI8bta-7aw

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
of the big lake they called "Gitche Gumee."
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
when the skies of November turn gloomy.
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty,
that good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
when the "Gales of November" came early.

The ship was the pride of the American side
coming back from some mill in Wisconsin.
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
with a crew and good captain well seasoned,
concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
when they left fully loaded for Cleveland.
And later that night when the ship's bell rang,
could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'?

The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound
and a wave broke over the railing.
And ev'ry man knew, as the captain did too
'twas the witch of November come stealin'.
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
when the Gales of November came slashin'.
When afternoon came it was freezin' rain
in the face of a hurricane west wind.

When suppertime came the old cook came on deck sayin'.

"Fellas, it's too rough t'feed ya."
At seven P.M. a main hatchway caved in; he said,
"Fellas, it's bin good t'know ya!"
The captain wired in he had water comin' in
and the good ship and crew was in peril.
And later that night when 'is lights went outta sight
came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Does any one know where the love of God goes
when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
if they'd put fifteen more miles behind 'er.
They might have split up or they might have capsized;
they may have broke deep and took water.
And all that remains is the faces and the names
of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
in the rooms of her ice-water mansion.
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams;
the islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below Lake Ontario
takes in what Lake Erie can send her,
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
with the Gales of November remembered.

In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed,
in the "Maritime Sailors' Cathedral."
The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times
for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
of the big lake they call "Gitche Gumee."
"Superior," they said, "never gives up her dead
when the gales of November come early!"

:( :( :(

Thank You

CigDaze 11-10-2010 02:14 PM


Originally Posted by drpete3 (Post 3250642)
Thank You

You're very welcome.
It'll soften even the toughest amongst us.

T2x 11-10-2010 02:40 PM

There's a hotel at the base of the Sarnia Bridge that was race headquarters at one time for the Port Huron race on Lake Huron. In the lobby is a huge framed picture (photo) of the Edmund Fitzgerald emerging from a fog bank. That picture is among the most haunting images I have ever seen.

In Memoriam
Captain Ernest M. McSorely, 63
First Mate John McCarthy, 62
Second Mate James Pratt, 44
Third Mate Michael Armagost, 37
Wheelsman John Simmons, 60
Wheelsman Eugene O'Brien, 50
Wheelsman John Poviach, 59
Watchman Ransom Cundy, 53
Watchman William Spengler, 59
Watchman Karl Peckol, 55
Chief Engineer George Holl, 60
First Assistant Edward Bindon, 47
Second Assistant Thomas Edwards, 50
Second Assistant Russell Haskell, 40
Third Assistant Oliver Champeau, 41
Oiler Blaine Wilhelm, 52
Oiler Ralph Walton, 58
Oiler Thomas Bentsen, 23
Wiper Gordon MacLellan, 30
Special Maintenance Man Joseph Mazes, 59
AB Maintenance Thomas Borgeson, 41
Deck Maintenance Mark Thomas, 21
Deck Maintenance Paul Riipa, 22
Deck Maintenance Bruce Hudson, 22
Steward Robert Rafferty, 62
Second Cook Allen Kalmon, 43
Porter Frederick Beetcher, 56
Porter Nolan Church, 55
Cadet David Weiss

phragle 11-10-2010 04:06 PM


Originally Posted by drpete3 (Post 3250621)
Local news said the ship was in 80 to 100 mph winds. Ive never heard that before and not sure abou the accuracy. But WOW

Entirely possible. I have been hit by 85 mph winds off south bass and the pucker phenom. was insane, that olny last 15-20 minutes at most. sustained 80~100 would be monsterous.

ItsPeanut 11-10-2010 05:14 PM

Rest in peace to all.

Interceptor 11-10-2010 05:40 PM

A good chunk of an old early steamer washed ashore in the Sleeping Bear Dune near Empire last week during the high winds.
That lake got so roiled it was able to bring up part of a boat that has sat on the bottom for probably 100 years and wash it ashore.
ed

freshwaterfiend 11-10-2010 06:52 PM

May they all rest in peace.

The great lakes offer some of the world's best boating but they absolutely demand respect.

Matt Trulio 11-10-2010 06:53 PM

Perhaps the most memorable lyric from Gordon Lightfoot's tribute,

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes/When the waves turn the minutes to hours?"

The Great Lakes define fierce water.

BLee 11-10-2010 08:15 PM

It's always surprised me more, that the wreck surprises so many others?

What is so difficult to grasp about the fact that those lakes are HUGE, therefore are naturally capable of having deadly conditions? The Great Lakes have taken down TONS of ships, and will likely take down more in the future, due to the fact that some still don't respect their potential to get ROUGH.

Catmando 11-10-2010 09:00 PM


Originally Posted by Baja_man (Post 3250590)
It still amazes me that it sunk. Here in MI and whitefish point there is a shipwreck museum with the bell of this ship.

The storm came out of the NW(as I understand it) with sustained winds over 70mph. Winds like that will pile up tremendously high seas 60 feet and higher. The Fitz was carrying a heavy load of iron ore in her holds.

Capt. Bernie Cooper of the Arthur M. Anderson, the ship that was sailing with Fitz, reported that radar contact with her was "suddenly lost" and that he had received no SOS transmission. It is well within the realm of possibility that a rogue wave came up on the Fitz's stern, slammed down on her and broke her hull. There would have been no time for an SOS.

RIP Fitz :(


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