The 50th Anniversary Of The Sinking Of The Edmund Fitzgerald

On November 10, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald was lost in Lake Superior.  With her, the souls of 29 sailors were lost as well.

Lakeshore Drive, Marquette Michigan, autumn 2009

Being a graduate of Northern Michigan University, I learned to respect Lake Superior and the weather she brings with her.  There's something awe-inspiring about seeing waves cresting over a 5' tall breakwall and breaking over a road.  There's something awe-inspiring about seeing waves crash over the Black Rocks geologic formation at Presque Isle.  There's something awe-inspiring about SCUBA diving beneath those waves and feeling the chilling water swirl around you.  Lake Superior can be beautiful and serene; she can also be a tempestuous bitch.  But, I guaran-dam-tee you that if I could arrange a job back in the UP, I'd take it in a heartbeat.

The reason the Edmund Fitzgerald is so important is because of how modern it is.  This ship was lost in 1975!  We had RADAR and color television and microwave ovens!  You hear the term "shipwreck" and you think of wooden schooners or pirate ships or whatever...you don't think of something from 19-freakin'-75 for cryin' out loud!  My dad was in college when this happened!  And, the fact that we still don't know precisely how she went down!  We know more about the Titanic than we do the Fitzgerald!

I've been spinning Gordon Lightfoot all weekend and drinking some Great Lakes' Brewing Edmund Fitzgerald Porter to commemorate the tragedy.  I'm a little happy about the memefication of the whole thing because it's cool now...it's not just a thing that weirdo wannabe Yoopers commemorate.

Unknown Great Lakes Freighter, October 2007 outside Marquette

Sunset over Black Rocks in Marquette, Michigan, August 2008