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The Edmund Fitzgerald was a modern day shipping vessel that met a mysterious fate, leading to its fame and the creation of Gordon Lightfoot's popular song.
The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was designed and built by shipbuilders on Lake Erie for the transportation of ore across the Great Lakes. The ship was 729 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 39 feet tall with three cargo holds separated by bulkheads or screen bulkheads.
The possibility of setting sail would have existed under fair weather, but it is highly unlikely for a captain to ignore the necessary clamps and plugs, risking the safety of the ship and crew, as a welder points out.
The captain of the ship Edmund Fitzgerald wasn't reckless and had another ship nearby as they traveled through the locks, even playing music to entertain the crew.
Discover how the infamous stormy weather across Lake Superior can affect the great lakes shipping industry and why it is crucial for seafarers to avoid the meat of the storm to avoid physics-induced waves.
The weather that hit Lake Superior the night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank could have affected the ship more than previously thought due to being parallel to the eastern shore. Losing a fence rail may not necessarily be catastrophic, but losing a weld could mean water is flowing into a cargo hold.