Tomorrow will be the 30th anniversary of the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and its 29 crew.
November 10, 1975.
Yes, I know I am a day early. Growing up in Wisconsin, even southern Wisconsin, the loss of the Fitz and its crew meant something. Only in later years was I able to understand that loss. It was my father who told me the Fitz was named after the then-current president of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Mr. Edmund Fitzgerald. He was a friend of my father. My father was also a Marine (WWII) so the anniversary has a double meaning.
I must find my Gordon Lightfoot CD tonight.
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!”
Rest in peace.
Not only do I live on the shores of Lake Superior, but my grandfather worked on the laker boats. I don’t know where his ship was when Edmund F. went down, but he was still out on the water. I was staying with my grandmother that weekend, and she was absoulutely a mess, crying, listening to the news as they reported a ship in trouble. I didnt really understand, but I knew it was serious and scary.
My dad cannot listen to the Gordon Lightfoot song. Used to change the station if the song came on the radio.
Of course my Grandfather was fine, far away from the wreck and the storm, but I will never forget that weekend with Grandma. It was the first time I had ever seen her cry.
So I will take a moment and think of the crewmen. I’ll probably go look at the harbour tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder.
One of the crewmen, Bruce Hudson, was from the town where I grew up and lived most of my life. North Olmsted High School annually awards a Bruce Hudson Scholarship to a graduating student who has been active in band or orchestra and plans to continue playing (even if not majoring in) music while a collegian. Bruce’s mother is mentioned in this article. (I assume the city in which she now lives is actually North Ridgeville, which is just to the west of North Olmsted.)
This page features the lyrics to Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad, and contains a link which can be clicked in order to hear a bit of the song.
I’ve always liked the song depsite how depressing it is. There was a special about this a couple of years ago. The case was investigated and the consensus was that the ship did indeed break apart and sink. At the time the song was written, it was just speculation.
As for the song, some of the families hated it while others were thankful that the story was told. It was an unlikely hit for Lightfoot.
The Lake’s a paradox; on the one hand it’s calm and refreshing and beckons you to jump in. On the other, it reaches out to grab and eat you without any notice.
In early October, two students - one 17, one 18 - drowned at a popular beach, right in town. It was an unseasonably warm day, and dozens of people took the opportunity to get one last swim in the warm Lake Superior water. Without any notice, the waves came up. The two were washed away from the sand bar where they stood, not 50 feet from the shore. They struggled to get back, but couldn’t make it. A crowd stood on the beach, listening to their calls for help. The coast guard showed up fast, not ten minutes after an onlooker called from his cell phone, but was still too late.
Like most of the kids who die in the lake - ~12 in the past 20 years, just in this town - they were from out of town and didn’t know the danger. The city is going to put up a sign at that beach, just like the sign out at the other beach, warning people. But signs only go so far.
I’ll go dip my foot in the Lake today and think about the Edmund Fitzgerald. I was only 5 when it went down, but I remember. There will probably be a Laker or two on the horizon. I wonder what the guys on the boats think about today?
I was in high school when the Lightfoot song came out. I’ve always liked that song. But for years I thought it was written about an event long in the past. Only much later did I learn that Lightfoot wrote the song right after it happened, as in the old days when news travelled by means of songs and rhymes.
Me too. I still remember the commercial for a record store that featured the album. Then it segued into Chicago’s new album, playing ‘If you leave me now, you take away the biggest part of me…’
All reports indicate the Fitz went under between 7:20 pm CST and 7:30 pm CST. And later that night when 'is lights went outta sight
came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
A couple years ago, I was reading up on the wreck on the net and came across a story about a crewmember that was finally recovered (or “found” in the wreckage and identified) recently, but to access the info, you had to pay (and I’m a tight screw, so I didn’t).
I couldn’t find anything about this anywhere else.
My father drowned in Lake Michigan late August of 1976 and I remember that song getting constant air play about the time they found his body the 30th of October.* I still get teary-eyed when it gets to the part when it says “The lake it is said, never gives up her dead, When the skys of November turn gloomy” I hate that song.
*I could be remembering wrong it may have come out later but thats what I remember.
Supposedly, to the best I can recall, this was the last dive to be allowed (done by some local expert) and he found someone. As Guin states, not recovered. But there was something said of identification. I don’t remember the sites (this was 2-3 years ago) but maybe I’ll go see if I can find something tommorrow. Too many M’s or R’s there, I’m sure.
Same here, I thought it must be a cover of some old song, or about a much older wreck. I learned it was a recent wreck while reading an issue of the National Geographic magazine.