MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) — Spend enough time along the shores of Lake Superior and it won’t be long before there’s a reminder of the tragic sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. This year marks the 50th anniversary of its wreck—the largest and most notable among thousands of ships that have sunk in the Great Lakes. While countless vessels have been lost to the depths, the Fitzgerald's fate is widely recognized, largely due to Gordon Lightfoot's haunting 1976 folk ballad which captivated the public.
The 730-foot freighter disappeared in a storm on November 10, 1975, taking all 29 crew members with it. Among them was Oliver Buck Champeau, a veteran seaman on his first voyage aboard the Fitz, drawn by higher pay during the stormy season.
As the anniversary approaches, communities around the Great Lakes are organizing events to commemorate the tragedy. The Great Lakes Historical Museum is expecting a surge in visitors to honor not only the Fitzgerald but all sailors who have perished at sea. With its wreck lying submerged in Lake Superior, family members, like Champeau's daughter, Debbie Gomez-Felder, remember the crew and their sacrifices annually.
Efforts to improve safety on the lakes followed the sinking, and while the exact cause of the Fitzgerald’s demise remains a mystery, the ship’s legacy continues to live on as a poignant reminder of maritime danger and the brave souls who sailed these waters.
The 730-foot freighter disappeared in a storm on November 10, 1975, taking all 29 crew members with it. Among them was Oliver Buck Champeau, a veteran seaman on his first voyage aboard the Fitz, drawn by higher pay during the stormy season.
As the anniversary approaches, communities around the Great Lakes are organizing events to commemorate the tragedy. The Great Lakes Historical Museum is expecting a surge in visitors to honor not only the Fitzgerald but all sailors who have perished at sea. With its wreck lying submerged in Lake Superior, family members, like Champeau's daughter, Debbie Gomez-Felder, remember the crew and their sacrifices annually.
Efforts to improve safety on the lakes followed the sinking, and while the exact cause of the Fitzgerald’s demise remains a mystery, the ship’s legacy continues to live on as a poignant reminder of maritime danger and the brave souls who sailed these waters.
