Cool Pics Of Lake Erie

[slonezp]

Should be no problem in the Lund http://www.boredpanda.com/the-freak-liquid-mountains-of-lake-erie/

[jbw252]

Incredible photos.  Better double check the bilge pump in the Lund.

[A-Jay]

Been There ~ Done That.

 

Usually takes the Top water bite out of play.

 

A-Jay

[.ghoti.]

Incredible pics.

 

A-Jay, I know you Coast Guard guys are regularly out in worse than that. All I can say is, my hat's off to you, and either you're all crazy; which I find improbable; or you're all packing around a lot more than your fair share of cojones.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Thats just amazing.  No thanks!

[buzzed bait]

those are insane!!  

[slonezp]

Been There ~ Done That.

 

Usually takes the Top water bite out of play.

 

A-Jay

2 words.....Rattle Trap

 

What intrigues me is the seagulls are still flying around in the 70kph winds. That shoreline must be awfully shallow to cause waves to break like that. 

[Dwight Hottle]

2 words.....Rattle Trap

 

What intrigues me is the seagulls are still flying around in the 70kph winds. That shoreline must be awfully shallow to cause waves to break like that. 

 

 

That what makes lake Erie soooooooo nasty. It's the most shallow of the great lakes. 

[A-Jay]

2 words.....Rattle Trap

 

What intrigues me is the seagulls are still flying around in the 70kph winds. That shoreline must be awfully shallow to cause waves to break like that. 

 

Although this could easily go into the Physics thread - here's the Anatomy of a wave.

 

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/waves/u10l2a.cfm

 

And regardless of the size dingy, canoe, kayak, row boat, skiff, cutter or ship you're on ~

 

If you're looking up at the water coming at you - that's usually a Bad Thing . . . .

 

 

A-Jay

[FloridaFishinFool]

Waves like these are what sank the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior when she was broken in half on the surface by intense wave action. Today a lot of experts are firmly of the belief this ship was torn in half by the wave action. As she passed Caribou Point the capt. radio'd he was taking on water causing the ship to list over, and today many experts believe the hull was beginning to fracture causing her to take on water from below deck.

 

***Added, the U.S. Coast Guard theorized the EF had scraped ground passing Caribou Point which may have caused the damage to the hull below the waterline which caused her to begin taking on water causing her original list which set up the situation for the wave action to wash over the deck and more easily washing off the 3 inch thick solid steel cargo covers, but the capt. never indicated that he had scraped ground rounding that point. And the NTSB final report was made BEFORE anyone had gone down to examine the ship. Now that experts have been able to examine the ship's pieces on the bottom of Lake Superior, they have determined the ship did not ground on Caribou Point or the other location that was not on the EF's maps, but is today on the maps. Experts say the hull does not show long scraping damage, but shows tear damage from being ripped in half. So I am going with more modern research on what sank this ship than what the Coast Guard and NTSB actually came up at the time 40 years ago.

 

As the EF reached the point where she sank, she was headed into a funnel between shorelines that actually increased the wave action exponentially out in deeper water and it washed off some of the cargo hold covers some of which had not been fastened down with all of the latches. The crew had gotten lax and may have only latched down the corner latches as the wreck was examined on the bottom of the lake to find most of the latches intact and unused.

 

So water was flooding into the cargo holds from above through the now open cargo holds with no covers, and from below the waterline through a hull stress fracture adding water weight to one side of the ship, and the cargo or ore absorbed a lot of the water that could not now be pumped out and made the ship even heavier dragging her down deeper into the water causing her to list over- also possibly because of an ore shift inside the cargo hold too, and the hull was beginning to tear open now with shear weight moving off axis to the load bearing design of the ship to carry the load safely without stressing, and she continued to sail like this directly into the worst part of the lake with the worst wave action to be found any where. She was doomed.

 

The man taking these images said he was taking them from a position of safety which I can only assume he is standing on shore looking out into Lake Erie taking these photos:

 

"Shot during the month of November on the North shore of Lake Erie, about 500’-600’ off-shore from a small lakeside community called Port Stanley, Ontario."

 

 This tells me he was capturing the wave action in water that is probably shallower than what the EF experienced when she sank. So his waves topped out at some 25 feet shooting them from shore. When the EF sank the wave action was closer to 50 feet and this is not including adding in the funnel effect which could have pushed some waves even higher. And we know the EF faced stronger winds than 75mph with some approaching closer to 100mph which would also increase the size of the waves hitting that ship.

 

Today we can only imagine what the EF faced out there on Lake Superior when she sank, but these images from Lake Erie show how dangerous it really can be if only showing a fraction of what the EF actually faced out there. Take a look at the map showing the wave action in that funnel and how close the EF was to the "red dot" of worst wave action when she sank.

 

In retrospect, if that captain of the EF could have known what was up ahead for him, he would have been better off if he had run the EF straight aground when he could. A salvage job later on would have been better than the fate he and his crew met by trying to take on the worst of the worst the Great Lakes could throw at him.

 

I appreciate David Sandford's work efforts at capturing these images of the gales of November on the Great Lakes. It is amazing work! I completely understand why he would keep his feet firmly planted on dry land to try and capture images like these too!

 

Take a look at the map of Lake Superior below. Do you see how the winds were pushing waves directly into the decreasing funnel the EF was sailing into? Those waves could only go up higher the deeper into the funnel you proceed. The color chart clearly shows this effect. Just look how close the EF was to the red dot or location where the wave action was the worst.

 

What would be a cool thing to photograph would be if David Sandford could take his camera to the shore area just north of the red dot in this map's image and then capture if he can the wave action at that location with similar weather conditions- which for the EF was a freak of Nature with colliding storm fronts right on top of him! I'd bet David could capture some waves double the size of the ones he shows here- if not bigger. I'd like to see some of that!

 

 

 

 

 

In memory of the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald!

 

Michael E. Armagost 37 Third Mate Iron River, Wisconsin
Frederick J. Beetcher 56 Porter Superior, Wisconsin
Thomas D. Bentsen 23 Oiler St. Joseph, Michigan
Edward F. Bindon 47 First Assistant Engineer Fairport Harbor, Ohio
Thomas D. Borgeson 41 Maintenance Man Duluth, Minnesota
Oliver J. Champeau 41 Third Assistant Engineer Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Nolan S. Church 55 Porter Silver Bay, Minnesota
Ransom E. Cundy 53 Watchman Superior, Wisconsin
Thomas E. Edwards 50 Second Assistant Engineer Oregon, Ohio
Russell G. Haskell 40 Second Assistant Engineer Millbury, Ohio
George J. Holl 60 Chief Engineer Cabot, Pennsylvania
Bruce L. Hudson 22 Deck Hand North Olmsted Ohio
Allen G. Kalmon 43 Second Cook Washburn, Wisconsin
Gordon F. MacLellan 30 Wiper Clearwater, Florida
Joseph W. Mazes 59 Special Maintenance Man Ashland, Wisconsin
John H. McCarthy 62 First Mate Bay Village, Ohio
Ernest M. McSorley 63 Captain Toledo, Ohio
Eugene W. O'Brien 50 Wheelsman Toledo, Ohio
Karl A. Peckol 20 Watchman Ashtabula, Ohio
John J. Poviach 59 Wheelsman Bradenton, Florida
James A. Pratt 44 Second Mate Lakewood, Ohio
Robert C. Rafferty 62 Steward Toledo, Ohio
Paul M. Riippa 22 Deck Hand Ashtabula, Ohio
John D. Simmons 63 Wheelsman Ashland, Wisconsin
William J. Spengler 59 Watchman Toledo, Ohio
Mark A. Thomas 21 Deck Hand Richmond Heights, Ohio
Ralph G. Walton 58 Oiler Fremont, Ohio
David E. Weiss 22 Cadet Agoura, California
Blaine H. Wilhelm 52 Oiler Moquah, Wisconsin

 

 

Here is an image of Capt. Don Erickson standing on deck of the SS William Clay Ford, a ship nearly identical to the EF. Notice behind him ALL of his cargo hold cover latches are securely latched and in place! A very important detail that Capt. McSorely of the EF did NOT do! He let his crew get away with only latching down a few at the corners of the covers, but NOT all of them! A deadly mistake on the Great Lakes!

 

The above image shows how the pieces of the EF rest on the bottom. She broke apart on the surface, dumped her cargo seen in the scattered black spots and rammed nose first upright into the bottom while the rear section drifted away turning upside down on her way down to the bottom.

 

Tell me, do any of you see any of the cargo hold covers in this image? Not a one can be seen! Most were washed off the deck between Caribou Point and the wreckage shown on the bottom here. The few that remain were shoved into the cargo hold by the weight of the water and waves washing over top of her deck while still at the surface. Once she slipped below the surface, there is NOTHING that would have BENT those covers INTO the cargo holds. That could only happen at the surface from wave action pounding down on the deck from above while the buoyancy of the ship resisted that weight!

 

So some of the cargo hold covers were blown into the ship's cargo holds! This is amazing to me. Bent inwards from the weight of tons of water slamming down on top of her deck! 3 inch thick solid steel covers bent inwards along with the bases the covers were latched onto. That indicates some serious wave action much bigger than 25 feet tall! Much bigger! And this is what finally broke that ship in half on the surface. Snapped in two like a twig.

 

Here is an image taken just before the EF left port on her fated cruise. Notice the latches? Most are left unused while only a few were actually latched down! This is precisely how the experts found her on the bottom of the lake! A deadly mistake!

 

[slonezp]

Although this could easily go into the Physics thread - here's the Anatomy of a wave.

 

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/waves/u10l2a.cfm

 

And regardless of the size dingy, canoe, kayak, row boat, skiff, cutter or ship you're on ~

 

If you're looking up at the water coming at you - that's usually a Bad Thing . . . .

 

 

A-Jay

More physics

[dave]

When you apply for a USCG Captain's License,  if you want it for the Great Lakes,  I believe half your sea time has to be on the Great Lakes.

[68camaro]

Been There ~ Done That.

 

Usually takes the Top water bite out of play.

 

A-Jay

 

Hats off to ya', gotta have a steel ones to deal with this stuff............

[Bankbeater]

Wow those are some huge waves. 

[mrmacwvu1]

I have been deep sea fishing many times and never got see sick. However the only time I got sick was on Erie. We were jerking perch in only 30 foot of water when within minutes four footers kicked up. We were just in a bass boat. I have never been that sick in my life. It was like being super drunk, hungover with the flue all at the same time.

[68camaro]

FloridaFishingFool, thanks for explanation of what happened the the EF. I always wondered what happened and the details you gave were great.

[FloridaFishinFool]

FloridaFishingFool, thanks for explanation of what happened the the EF. I always wondered what happened and the details you gave were great.

68camaro, I tried to boil it down to the core essence of what sank that ship. I don't mean to hijack anyone's thread by changing the subject, but looking at those photos of the waves of Lake Erie reminded me of the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald knowing it was the gales of November some 40 years ago that helped to sink her too. I figured since we were talking about waves on the Great Lakes I would bring up the Edmund Fitzgerald- a story that has intrigued me for decades because of listening to Gordon Lightfoot's classic song "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" kind of created a mystery to this ship's sinking and in the years since I have read and watched every new detail and research that uncovers the details of her sinking bit by bit.

 

So I hope you will indulge me a little bit to try and tell some of the relatively unknown story of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald that deserves to be told- so I hope you will allow me to tell it here...

 

The first issue I would like to bring up concerning this ship's sinking is that 40 years ago weather predicting was not very good. The weather map above shows that directly over top of the Great Lakes was a very unique weather situation of two massive fronts colliding into each other. This created unusually strong winds on the Great Lakes that were far above and beyond the normal weather patterns. It was an extreme low pressure mass of swirling air colliding with another front creating extreme conditions beneath on the surface of the Great Lakes. So this fact must be taken into account first and foremost since we all know it is the winds that drive wave action and the stronger the winds, the bigger the waves, not to mention the Edmund Fitzgerald was sailing into a funnel between shorelines which also helped to increase wave action. So as this ship was taking on water and slowly sinking lower and lower into the water, she continued to sail on into the worst wave action that Lake Superior could throw at her. It is amazing she made it as far as she did. It was a perfect storm of epic proportions.

 

So when the EF left port, it was clear and sunny. But about half way across Lake Superior, the colliding weather fronts turned the weather foul in a hurry, and much stronger than normal gales of November. It was a double whammy on that day!

 

But what I want to point out in this story are the heroic efforts of two men. You don't hear this story told when you hear about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, but in my opinion, it should be told.

 

What makes a man a hero? To me it is a man who is willing to go above and beyond risking his own life to save others if he can. And on the night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank there are two men who became legends for their heroic deeds.

 

The first hero of that night is Captain Bernie Cooper of the SS Arthur M. Anderson who was sailing directly behind the Edmund Fitzgerald approximately 10 miles behind her following directly in her path.

 

This is significant because on the night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank the winds were so strong, some exceeding over 100mph, that the strong winds had knocked down and knocked out the Edmund Fitzgerald's radar and some communications equipment. Keep in mind these ore ships were sailing in the days long before any of them had GPS satellite positioning electronics. These ships were sailing blind for the most part, and now the Edmund Fitzgerald, without radar could only look out the front window to see where it was going!

 

And with a storm of colliding fronts directly over top of them throwing some of the worst winds, waves, and rain at them, visibility was down to next to nothing. Imagine being the man at the wheel on that night! What the hell was he holding on to? A wheel to hell! Standing there with white knuckle grips on the wheel looking out the window hoping to god there was nothing out there to run into! The Edmund Fitzgerald was sailing blind to her doom!

 

Under normal circumstances, those navigating these ships could look to shore for familiar sites and lights, but not on this night. They could not see the shore. They were completely cut off.

 

This is what lead the U.S. Coast Guard to believe the Edmund Fitzgerald had sailed off course getting too close to Caribou Point and possibly grounding out as she rounded the point, but modern research has proven this did not happen. An examination of the EF hull shows no grounding evidence and divers even went down to examine the rocks and bottom of the lake at Caribou Point again looking for evidence of grounding and none was found. So today most experts agree, the EF did not ground out on Caribou Point, but was experiencing a hull stress fracture opening up as she rounded Caribou Point and began taking on water on one side being absorbed into the ore cargo causing a list and it could not be pumped back out once absorbed into the ore. She was sinking slowly and breaking apart as she sailed on into the worst wind and wave action still up ahead and now listing over 12 degrees which made it easy for the waves to begin washing off cargo hold covers and let more water pour into the cargo hold from above! She was doomed!

 

But before reaching Caribou Point, once the radar and some communications devices were knocked out by the high winds, with the Edmund Fitzgerald now sailing blind, she had one hope behind her. Captain Bernie Cooper following her some 15 miles behind her on his ship the SS Arthur M. Anderson still had her radar working! So the captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Captain McSorley, had limited radio contact with Captain Bernie Cooper and asked him if he could cover his forward path in front of the Edmund Fitzgerald with his radar from ten miles back!

 

It was somewhere along in here before reaching Caribou Point that Captain McSorley of the Edmund Fitzgerald slowed down a little bit hoping to let the ship following him to catch up to them a little bit because back then with the limited radar they were using back then, they were really pushing the limits of its capability for a ship 15 miles in the rear to be the forward sight of a ship 15 miles ahead, so to give that radar following behind the Edmund Fitzgerald greater forward sight, the Edmund Fitzgerald had to slow down and close the gap and distance between him and that radar which was the ONLY thing on the planet giving the Edmund Fitzgerald any sort of forward sight in the blindness of what they were facing! And all they had to communicate this information was mere radio talk! (Captain Cooper was recording the audio of some of these transmissions some of which can be found online)

 

The Captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald slowed down allowing Captain Bernie Cooper to close the gap down to about 10 miles, so he caught up to the Edmund Fitzgerald by only 5 miles at the time of her sinking.

 

So you can bet that Captain Bernie Cooper and his crew following the Edmund Fitzgerald were on high alert and now pulling double duty. They were receiving weather and wave conditions from the Edmund Fizgerald and the Edmund Fitzgerald was receiving critical radar information they used to navigate with. On that night they needed each other though it is not known if anything communicated to Anderson M. Cooper helped them to weather the storm and waves better, she did survive that night and made it to port.

 

When the Anderson M. Cooper also rounded Caribou Point, Captain Bernie Cooper and his crew were still pulling double duty trying to save themselves, but to also try and help save the Edmund Fitzgerald ahead of them now cracking in half, taking on water and slowly sinking, but at the time no one knew the hull was fracturing under them! Captain McSorley of the Edmund Fitzgerald radio'd Capt. Bernie Cooper informing him of some of the cargo hold covers being open and Capt. Bernie Cooper asked him how he was doing "with his problem". It would be one of the last transmissions ever heard from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

 

Imagine sitting at the radar following behind the Edmund Fitzgerald only to watch with horror as the blip on the screen suddenly disappears! The EF was gone and Capt. Bernie Cooper instinctively KNEW IT!

 

He is the man who put out the distress call for help otherwise no one would have known she went down. And soon Capt. Bernie Cooper sailed right into the floating debris field left behind from the sinking of the EF. Risking his own life, risking the lives of his every crew member, and risking his ship, Captain Bernie Cooper turned around his fully loaded ore ship during the storm in the roughest worst conditions the Great Lakes was throwing at him and he desperately searched for the Edmund Fitzgerald or any survivors. We all know there was none.

 

These actions on that night cemented Captain Bernie Cooper and his crew as heroes for their valiant efforts in helping to navigate the failing ship ahead of them, and for trying to rescue any possible survivors. Only heroes do that! Here is an image of Captain Bernie Cooper sitting down for an interview and you can bet this interview had very little to do with his entire career as an ore carrying captain, this interview was about the night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank and his role in it.

 

Captain Bernie Cooper of the SS Arthur M. Anderson:

 

There is one other man in this story who deserves high praise as a hero for what he did on that night. His name is Captain Don Erickson of the SS William Clay Ford.

 

In the classic song sung by Gordon Lightfoot he sings about if the ship had only put a few more miles behind her she would have made it to the safety of Whitefish Bay.

 

Part of the story that is often ignored and not told is that on the night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank, up ahead of her already safely at anchor were numerous fully loaded ore ships anchored up side by side just sitting there riding out the storm waiting for clear weather so they could be unloaded. The fully loaded ore ships were stacking up in there and on the way in was the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Arthur M. Anderson both desperately wanting to reach safe mooring of Whitefish Bay.

 

When Captain Bernie Cooper saw the Edmund Fitzgerald disappear from his radar screen he instinctively knew she had sunk. Before he had even reached the site of the sinking he had called the U.S. Coast Guard with a distress call informing them of what had happened.

 

Would you believe the U.S. Coast Guard at the time in 1975 could do nothing in this storm? No ships. No planes. Nothing. No help. All they could do was launch helicopters to fly over the area of the sinking and look at it.

 

Captain Bernie Cooper received a call from the U.S. Coast Guard who informed him that there were no ships anywhere around nearby were big enough to take on the near 50 foot waves and 100mph winds they would have to face out there to hunt for the Edmund Fitzgerald. The closest ship big enough to tackle those conditions was 300 miles away in Duluth, Minnesota and could not arrive in time to try and save any lives. All other ships near the location of the sinking were not big enough to go out in that weather and waves!

 

And so this brings us to our second hero on that night Captain Don Erickson of SS William Clay Ford. He and his crew were safely anchored up riding out the storm inside of Whitefish Bay along with 6 other fully loaded ore carrying ships.

 

The U.S. Coast Guard put out a call to any ships in the area who were capable of helping in the search for the Edmund Fitzgerald and her crew to please answer the call for this emergency.

 

Only one man answered that call for help. Captain Don Erickson.

 

Imagine the discussion he had with his crew on his ship. I am sure it went something like this- men, we are being called upon to pull up anchor and venture back out into the storm with 50 foot waves and 100mph winds. This could be a suicide mission, so men I can not give you orders to risk your lives as many of you have wives and children at home so I can not issue direct orders for any of you men to sail to your deaths out there, but I must answer this call for help if I have to go it alone out there. So I have to ask each man of my crew will you risk your lives to sail into hell for our brothers out there knowing we may not make it back here safely twice? If any man among you chooses to not go say so now and leave this ship now because I must answer this call for help if no one else will...

 

Captain Don Erickson and his crew were the only men and the only ship to pull up anchor and set sail into the storm to help search for the Edmund Fitzgerald. When he did that he sailed into history as a hero. He sailed his ship out of the safety of Whitefish Bay and back out onto Lake Superior to help search for the Edmund Fitzgerald and any surviving crew members. A legend was born!

 

Only two captains and two ships plus crew sailed around hopelessly risking their very lives searching in vain for the Edmund Fitzgerald or survivors to rescue if they could...

 

1)Captain Bernie Cooper aboard his ship SS Arthur M. Anderson

2)Captain Don Erickson aboard his ship SS William Clay Ford

 

These men are heroes of legend!

 

So what does this say about the 6 other captains and ships who said no to the call for help? No, we will not risk our lives and no we will not risk our ships to help search for the Edmund Fitzgerald or survivors!

 

 

Hero Captain Don Erickson aboard his ship SS William Clay Ford, the only ship to sail out of Whitefish Bay and back out into the storm to help search for the now sunk Edmund Fitzgerald!

 

The image above shows hero Captain Don Erickson around the time the Edmund Fitzgerald sank. He is standing aboard the very ship he sailed out of Whitefish Bay back out into the storm and waves of Lake Superior that sank the Edmund Fitzgerald.

 

Below is an image of hero Captain Don Erickson either just before he retired or after he had retired being interviewed about his role in the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Here he is shown sitting in his captain's seat inside the pilothouse of his ship he sailed into history aboard, the SS. William Clay Ford:

 

 

 

Youtube has some cool videos on this story:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1i5utBKygI

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MsEQwqRtPo

 

captain Bernie Cooper interview:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EASPrslLw5U

 

Final radio transmissions and others:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK3dZ0YwOwI

 

Documentary on the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3uOnnIv5Qs

 

Transcript of the radio transmissions before the sinking:

 

November 9

8:30 AM
The Edmund Fitzgerald is loaded with taconite pellets at Burlington Northern Railroad, Dock 1. The ship is scheduled to transport the cargo to Zug Island on the Detroit River.

2:20 PM
The Fitzgerald departs Lake Superior en route of Detroit with 26,116 tons of taconite pellets. 

2:39 PM
The National Weather Service issues gale warnings for the area which the Fitzgerald is sailing in. Captain Cooper on the Anderson radios a freighter (the Edmund Fitzgerald) that he spots.

4:15 PM
The Fitzgerald spots the Arthur M. Anderson some 15 miles behind it.

November 10

1:00 AM
Weather report from the Fitzgerald.
The report from the Fitzgerald shows her to be 20 miles south of Isle Royale. Winds are at 52 knots, with waves ten feet in height.

7:00 AM
Weather report from the Fitzgerald.
Winds are at 35 knots, waves of ten feet. This is the last weather report that the Edmund Fitzgerald will ever make.

3:15 PM
Captain Jesse Cooper, (J.C.) of the S.S. Arthur M. Anderson watches the Fitzgerald round Caribou Island and comments that the Fitzgerald is much closer to Six Fathom Shoal than he would want to be.

3:20 PM
Anderson reports winds coming from the Northwest at 43 knots.

3:30 PM
Radio transmission between the Fitzgerald and the Anderson
Captain McSorley (C.M.) to Captain Cooper (C.C.):
C.M.: "Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have sustained some topside damage. I have a fence rail laid down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I'm checking down. Will you stay by me til I get to Whitefish?"
C.C.: "Charlie on that Fitzgerald. Do you have your pumps going?"
C.M.: "Yes, both of them

4:10 PM
The Fitzgerald radios the Arthur M. Anderson requesting radar assistance for the remainder of the voyage.
Fitzgerald: "Anderson, this is the Fitzgerald. I have lost both radars. Can you provide me with radar plots till we reach Whitefish Bay?"
Anderson: "Charlie on that, Fitzgerald. We'll keep you advised of position."

About 4:39 PM
The Fitzgerald cannot pick up the Whitefish Point radio beacon. The Fitzgerald radios the Coast Guard station at Grand Marais on Channel 16, the emergency channel.

Between 4:30 and 5:00 PM
The Edmund Fitzgerald calls for any vessel in the Whitefish Point area regarding information about the beacon and light at Whitefish Point. They receive an answer by the saltwater vessel Avafors that the beacon and the light are not operating.

Estimated between 5:30 and 6:00 PM
Radio transmission between the Avafors and the Fitzgerald.
Avafors: "Fitzgerald, this is the Avafors. I have the Whitefish light now but still am receiving no beacon. Over."
Fitzgerald: "I'm very glad to hear it."
Avafors: "The wind is really howling down here. What are the conditions where you are?"
Fitzgerald: (Undiscernable shouts heard by the Avafors.) "DON'T LET NOBODY ON DECK!"
Avafors: "What's that, Fitzgerald? Unclear. Over."
Fitzgerald: "I have a bad list, lost both radars. And am taking heavy seas over the deck. One of the worst seas I've ever been in."
Avafors: "If I'm correct, you have two radars."
Fitzgerald: "They're both gone."

Sometime around 7:00 PM
The Anderson is struck by two huge waves that put water on the ship, 35 feet above the water line. The waves hit with enough force to push the starboard lifeboat down, damaging the bottom.

7:10 PM
Radio transmission between the Anderson and the Fitzgerald. The Fitzgerald is still being followed by the Arthur M. Anderson. They are about 10 miles behind the Fitzgerald.
Anderson: "Fitzgerald, this is the Anderson. Have you checked down?"
Fitzgerald: "Yes we have."
Anderson: "Fitzgerald, we are about 10 miles behind you, and gaining about 1 1/2 miles per hour. Fitzgerald, there is a target 19 miles ahead of us. So the target would be 9 miles on ahead of you."
Fitzgerald: "Well, am I going to clear?"
Anderson: "Yes. He is going to pass to the west of you."
Fitzgerald: "Well, fine."
Anderson: "By the way, Fitzgerald, how are you making out with your problem?"
Fitzgerald: "We are holding our own."
Anderson: "Okay, fine. I'll be talking to you later."
They never did speak later...The 29 men onboard the Fitzgerald will never again speak with anyone outside of the ship.
Sometime between 7:20 and 7:30 PM
It is estimated that this was the time period when the ship vanished and sank.

7:15 PM
The Fitzgerald enters a squall while still on Lake Superior; the squall obscures the vessel from radar observation by the Anderson; this is normal when in a squall.

7:25 PM
Edmund Fitzgerald disappears from the radar of the S.S. Arthur M. Anderson, prompting a call to the Coast Guard to inform them of the situation.

7:55 PM
The Anderson calls again and informs the Coast Guard that they have lost the Fitzgerald both visually and on radar. 

9:00 PM
The Coast Guard, with no available search ships, radios the Arthur M. Anderson requesting assistance.
C.G.: "Anderson, this is Group Soo. What is your present position?"
Anderson: "We're down here, about two miles off Parisienne Island right now... the wind is northwest forty to forty-five miles here in the bay."
C.G.: "Is it calming down at all, do you think?"
Anderson: "In the bay it is, but I heard a couple of the salties talking up there, and they wish they hadn't gone out."
After much more conversation and a request by the Coast Guard to return to search for the ship, reluctant to go out, the S.S. Arthur M. Anderson agrees to "give it a try" but claims that that is "all we can do."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even the life boats on the Edmund Fitzgerald could not have saved that crew. They were ripped in half too. Wind, water, and waves. No hope. No survival. Mother Nature won.