The gales of November are here once again.

It's that time again to remember the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and its crew.
Living on the St Clair river brings it home even more for us.

The wife's brother is a captain and my late fathers best friend was a captain as well on the Great Lakes.
The stories these captains tell would curl your hair ( even in dry weather).

Volume up is a must on this video.
www.youtube.com...

Our sincere condolences to any family members that happen across this thread, and friends of the lost crew as well.

Regards, Iwinder

Ahh yes a great song by a great Canadian artist

I usually listen to this song a few times a year and it is still great.

Sundown is another great song by Gordon Lightfoot.


Hard to believe the waves can reach 30' in those lakes.

The wife's dad owned a vintage (now) 38 foot chis-craft cruiser and was caught in a bad storm on Lake St Clair which is the smallest of the lake system in the great lakes.

Anyways he was a good sailor and a deputy fire chief to boot as well, as the storm got worse and the waves picked up, the radio station started playing the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and he just lost it as he told us.
Nobody else on board and everything up top got blown off.
He started crying and was ready to die.
Some extra information on this is that this guy was a paratrooper during WW2 and nothing spooked him.
His job in the war was to go in and find all and any boobie traps and disarm them.
Regards, Iwinder

reply to post by Iwinder



I love this version of the song, embedded it for you!

I have a connection to it


Grew up on the shore of Lake Superior, my uncle helped repair the Edmund FItzgerald before it went back out on the lake.

Long story short, if people research the total story on the ship,
it should of never left port, and was not sea worthy.

Darkblade71
reply to post by Iwinder

 

I love this version of the song, embedded it for you!

I have a connection to it

Grew up on the shore of Lake Superior, my uncle helped repair the Edmund FItzgerald before it went back out on the lake.

Long story short, if people research the total story on the ship,
it should of never left port, and was not sea worthy.

Thanks for your help and comments.
Much appreciated, Regards, Iwinder

reply to post by Iwinder


My pleasure.

The actual radio transmissions when it went down:




People don't understand the power of the lake.

When it starts churning, it is like a giant bowl of water that can spawn 30+ foot and MUCH bigger waves. I remember one year where it caused several Iron ore boats to almost beach themselves right outside of the port of Duluth where I was living. It was throwing them like match sticks.

Bigger waves than I have seen up in Alaska.

I felt that this thread needs a bump as its been a year already, hard to believe but true.
We have some wicked weather coming into the great Lakes region tomorrow and that got me thinking about this terrible event.

I pray all ships find a safe haven by nightfall tomorrow.
Regards, Iwinder

a reply to: Iwinder

Just listening to that song chokes me up every time.

Such a haunting ballad of a horrible piece of Great Lakes history.

Namaste,
YogaGinns

a reply to: Iwinder

Tis a great song to remind us of the power of mother nature at her worst... Gordon Lightfoot cemented the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald into the minds and hearts of us all.




By the way old chap, how's that new fandangled robotic ticker of yours working out ?

Here is a link I came across the other day and please do check out #13 on the list.
Lake Superior could engulf Scotland and still have room for more.
Now some of us know just how big it is and add into the mix the other Great Lakes and you have a inland sea of fresh but violent waters.

Linky poo to enjoy.
www.cracked.com...

We reside right at the bottom of Lake Huron and let me tell you when we get a heavy north wind for a day or more the waves are huge. Especially so in the cold weather its quite scary to watch and listen to.

Regards, Iwinder

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: Iwinder

Tis a great song to remind us of the power of mother nature at her worst... Gordon Lightfoot cemented the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald into the minds and hearts of us all.

By the way old chap, how's that new fandangled robotic ticker of yours working out ?

Agreed, where I have lived all my life is on the St. Clair River at the base of Lake Huron, you could not go down to the river and miss the Mighty Fitz when I was younger.
Every two or three days you would see her pass and she always gave a salute to all those on shore waving and taking pictures.
At this part of the river you can almost touch the ships and they either fly past with the current or chug much slower up river.
Here is a link with some nice photos to check out if your curious.
www.mhsd.org...

Regards, Iwinder

On a side note my Bionic buddy :-) is still doing its job as in no issues since August that really count.

a reply to: Iwinder

Thanks for the cool pics link !



I'm not too overly familiar with the area you live other than the fact that I lived in both Paris and Brantford for a few years in my younger teens... a hop, skip, and a jump from where you are. But I've never been as far south to see the basin area of Lake Huron. I just remember how great the mild winters were down there in southern Ontario, compared to Manitoba winters where I've lived most of my life and still am now.

You're spitting distance to the United States where you are !

I also lived in Victoria, BC as a kid and remember going down to the ocean to watch all the big freighter ships go by... I thought they were the coolest thing since sliced bread and was in awe of their massive size, especially when they'd blow their big horns.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: Iwinder

Thanks for the cool pics link !

I'm not too overly familiar with the area you live other than the fact that I lived in both Paris and Brantford for a few years in my younger teens... a hop, skip, and a jump from where you are. But I've never been as far south to see the basin area of Lake Huron. I just remember how great the mild winters were down there in southern Ontario, compared to Manitoba winters where I've lived most of my life and still am now.

You're spitting distance to the United States where you are !

I also lived in Victoria, BC as a kid and remember going down to the ocean to watch all the big freighter ships go by... I thought they were the coolest thing since sliced bread and was in awe of their massive size, especially when they'd blow their big horns.

Yep we love it when we are down under the bridge for fries and a freighter comes along and salutes ......BIG HORN and we watch to see whom is a tourist and whom is a local.
The tourists leave their shoes on the ground and fries all over the place for the pesky sea gulls.:-)

We have been to Brantford numerous times but not Paris. Brantford is a nice city and offers lots to do and see compared to our small city.

Yes we can spit (if the wind is correct) and hit the USA.......Good neighbours and good friends but we do question the government across the creek from us.

Regards, Iwinder

Another has come and gone already, Rest in peace boys.....
Iwinder

a reply to: Iwinder

Right there with ya.

Yet another year has come and gone......God speed to those on board that nasty day.

Well deserved shameless bump.

Regards, Iwinder