36 years ago today-RIP crew of Edmund Fitzgerald

[flatbutt]

I can't even imagine what it must feel like to be on a ship that massive while it's being tossed about like a toy. That's got to be terrifying.

[944Larry]

Lordy, I drank many a beer listening to old Gordon sing that song.

[recycled sixtie]

I was working for an airline called Transair in Winnipeg, Canada(there is also an airline called Transair in the US, no relation) the day the Ed. Fitzgerald was lost. Our chief pilot was flying a Boeing 737 into Sault Ste. Marie that same day which is right next to Lake Superior. He was making his approach into the airport there and it was so rough that he made an overshoot and landed at the next destination. I asked him why he made an overshoot and he said that it was so turbulent that he could hardly read the airspeed indicator. Of course if you are in an aircraft and it is too rough you can overshoot and go somewhere else. Of course if you are in a ship you have to ride out the storm. Gordon Lightfoot's song is a haunting reminder of the power of nature.
R.I.P. the crew of the E. Fitzgerald.

[widgeon13]

Great song but sad true story.

[SXSMAN]

Friends of my family lived in the summer in Grand Haven and I stayed there with them.

I road my bike over to the Grand river at the confluence and there was a ship moored and I took pictures of it .
Never before had I seen a ship that large and I walked back and forth from stem to stern many times marveling at the immense size . Called my dad later and told him how cool I thought it was.

After summer vacation was over life returned to normal.

When I heard about the ship-wreck I went and found my pics and shared them with my dad.

We both teared up.

By now you've guessed the pictures I took were of the Edmund Fitzgerald .

I'm sure I still have them and if I can find them and scan them I'd like to share them.

My eyes are a little watery typing this now and it's been years. Still find it very sad.

SxS

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by SXSMAN

Friends of my family lived in the summer in Grand Haven and I stayed there with them.

I road my bike over to the Grand river at the confluence and there was a ship moored and I took pictures of it .
Never before had I seen a ship that large and I walked back and forth from stem to stern many times marveling at the immense size . Called my dad later and told him how cool I thought it was.

After summer vacation was over life returned to normal.

When I heard about the ship-wreck I went and found my pics and shared them with my dad.

We both teared up.

By now you've guessed the pictures I took were of the Edmund Fitzgerald .

I'm sure I still have them and if I can find them and scan them I'd like to share them.

My eyes are a little watery typing this now and it's been years. Still find it very sad.

SxS

Please do share them. The "file" photos out there are nice but I would like to see a different perspective.

[Buckterrier]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Please do share them. The "file" photos out there are nice but I would like to see a different perspective.

Yes please do and thanks for sharing your story, wow.

[Baz]

41 years ago today....all 29 crew members lost at sea......RIP

[Oh Haha]

Yes, RIP.

[stevej37]

Took this pic out the open car window while crossing the Big Mac in the late summer of 75

[Oh Haha]

Eerie but way cool Steve. Thanks for posting it.

[SoCal911T]

R.I.P. to all the sailors that drowned without having a song written about them...

[MRM]

That's one of the things that make the song so poignant. The tragedy of the Edmund Fitzgerald as the biggest and most modern of all ore ships on the water is a symbol of and memorial for all sailors ever lost, all of whom were on lesser boats and don't have memorials of their own.

[Baz]

47 years ago today.......

https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/virtual-memorial-to-honor-crew-of-edmund-fitzgerald/

[stevej37]

Such a moving song....

[Crowbob]

The melody of that mournful song comes from an Irish folk song slowed down.

[Steve Carlton]

A powerful song, for sure. And beautiful. I read Lightfoot tried really hard to get the details right, delaying its release. After he found out about an inaccuracy about the cause, he changed the lyrics in concert. And he changed the lyrics about a "musty" hall to "rustic."

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/11/06/wreck-edmund-fitzgerald-song-gordon-lightfoot-th-anniversary/75336330/

[DRONE]

Growing up in Port Huron MI. for one of our YMCA projects we built a 10 foot model of the Edmund Fitzgerald a couple of years before the accident.
The YMCA building is in Port Huron along side the St Clair River so we were able to see the the Edmund heading up or down the river as we were building.
I wonder if the model still exists?

[Steve Carlton]

It sank in Timmy Johnson's pool.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

The melody of that mournful song comes from an Irish folk song slowed down.

And Gordon nailed the lyrics.
It's a very emotional song.