Sinking Still is a Mystery
Charlie Mathews
Herald Times
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Manitowoc, Wisconsin (US):
The sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald happened nearly 30 years ago, but the fascination continues.
More than 100 people gathered at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on Saturday afternoon to hear author Fred Stonehouse explore the continuing mysteries of the ore ship that sank in Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975, with the loss of all 29 men on board.
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See Also:
Museum Serves As A Grim Reminder Of The Great Lakes' Fury
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“Maybe space aliens caused the sinking,” Stonehouse said, drawing laughs from some in the audience.“That’s as good a theory as any of the others. You can’t prove any of them,” said the Marquette, Mich., resident and Great Lakes historian.But he acknowledged the theory with the most supporters is that the 729-foot ship struck shoals near Caribou Island in a storm with waves as high as 35 feet, and winds of 90 mph.
The initial U.S. Coast Guard investigation cited faulty hatch covers over the holds containing 26,000 tons of taconite pellets bound for Detroit, after leaving port at Superior.The “Big Fitz” had pumps that could remove water from the ballast tanks but none to take water out of the holding compartments.
Nov 06, 2005
Charlie Mathews
Herald Times
__________
Manitowoc, Wisconsin (US):
The sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald happened nearly 30 years ago, but the fascination continues.
More than 100 people gathered at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on Saturday afternoon to hear author Fred Stonehouse explore the continuing mysteries of the ore ship that sank in Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975, with the loss of all 29 men on board.
_____________________________________
See Also:
Museum Serves As A Grim Reminder Of The Great Lakes' Fury
______________________________________
“Maybe space aliens caused the sinking,” Stonehouse said, drawing laughs from some in the audience.“That’s as good a theory as any of the others. You can’t prove any of them,” said the Marquette, Mich., resident and Great Lakes historian.But he acknowledged the theory with the most supporters is that the 729-foot ship struck shoals near Caribou Island in a storm with waves as high as 35 feet, and winds of 90 mph.
The initial U.S. Coast Guard investigation cited faulty hatch covers over the holds containing 26,000 tons of taconite pellets bound for Detroit, after leaving port at Superior.The “Big Fitz” had pumps that could remove water from the ballast tanks but none to take water out of the holding compartments.
Nov 06, 2005
