The Edmund Fitzgerald: Lake Superior's Most Famous Shipwreck

On November 10, 1975, the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald disappeared in a storm on Lake Superior. All 29 people aboard were lost. More than 50 years later, she's still the most famous shipwreck on the Great Lakes, and a reminder of how powerful these lakes are.

The ship

Launched in 1958, the Edmund Fitzgerald was about 730 feet long and, for a time, the largest ship on the Great Lakes. She hauled taconite iron ore pellets from Lake Superior to steel mills on the lower lakes, and sailors nicknamed her the "Mighty Fitz."

The last voyage

On November 9, 1975, the Fitzgerald left Superior, Wisconsin, loaded with about 26,000 tons of taconite bound for Detroit, under Captain Ernest McSorley, a veteran of more than 40 years on the lakes. A November gale was building. Over the next day the storm grew into one of the worst Lake Superior had seen, with hurricane-force gusts and huge seas.

The freighter Arthur M. Anderson was following behind, and the two ships stayed in radio contact. Late in the afternoon of November 10, McSorley reported damage and that his ship was taking on water. Early that evening, the Fitzgerald vanished from the Anderson's radar. She had sunk about 17 miles from the shelter of Whitefish Bay, without sending a distress call.

The wreck

The wreck lies in Canadian waters about 530 feet down, broken into two main pieces. Investigators never agreed on exactly why she sank. Theories include water getting in through damaged hatches, damage from shoals near Caribou Island, and being overwhelmed by enormous waves. In 1995, the ship's bell was recovered and is now displayed at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point, Michigan, in memory of the crew.

Why we still remember

A year after the sinking, Gordon Lightfoot released "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," which carried the story far beyond the Great Lakes. Every November 10, the bell at Whitefish Point rings for each of the 29 crew members.

For anyone who surfs the big lake, the Fitzgerald is a reminder that the same November storms that bring the best waves can be deadly. Respect the lake, never surf alone and know when to stay on the beach. Read the Witch of November and our Lake Superior surf guide.

Remember the Fitz

Edmund Fitzgerald 1975 T-shirt
A tribute to the ship and her 29 crew.

Edmund Fitzgerald Patch T-shirt
The Mighty Fitz, in patch form.

Shop the Lake Superior collection.

Sources: HISTORY, November gale (Wikipedia).