Edmund Fitzgerald

[Ontario Diver]

She went down only in 1975. There are 29 families who still see that spot as dad/grampa/uncle/son/cousins last resting place. I think that is the reason.

There was a sactioned dive on her in 89. The ship's bell was raised and a commorative bell replaced it. Here is the web site:
http://web.msu.edu/bell/index.html

 

[TCDiver1]

The town i live is home to a Maritime Academy that trains many of the people who work on the boats that ply the Great Lakes.

It hit hard here as most of the people that persihed on her were trained here and had many friends & relatives in town. A couple were actually cadets doing their internship to get a rating.

No one could believe she was actually lost, the Fitz was that revered in those days. It was a freaky day and one hell of a storm.

The no dive thing is a good thing. Many strong feelings still exist all these years later.

 

[WreckWriter]

There's no legitimate reason this wreck should be closed. Its not historic (not really) nor "nationally important". To close it simply as a "grave" sets a very bad precedent. Why not close all wrecks where sailors died? descendants from most are likely still alive if one were too look.

Emotional arguments aside, if we sanction closing of one we risk losing our rights to all.

Tom

 

[GP]

Hmm...yeah i don't know. Tech divers regularly dive the Kamloops wreck out at Isle Royale and that still has bodies inside it, although it sunk a long time ago, back in 1927.

 

[WreckWriter]

GP once bubbled...
Hmm...yeah i don't know. Tech divers regularly dive the Kamloops wreck out at Isle Royale and that still has bodies inside it, although it sunk a long time ago, back in 1927.

Many, maybe even most, wrecks have bodies inside them. Sure, most have long turned to bones or beyond but theoretically they're still there, right?

I'm not trying to minimize the loss of the Fitz families, just saying it sets a precendent that's dangerous for the future of wreck diving.

If my relative had been on her I think I would want diving allowed and would hope that my relative's body could be recovered.

Tom

 

[xtarheel]

The erie thing (no pun intended) about some on the deep fresh water wrecks is due to very cold fresh water, the bodies may not have disintegrated very much at all. You wouldn't expect to stumble upon a Japanese sailor's intact body in Truk Lagoon, but a wreck of the same vintage, or older, in the deeper great lakes could yield a body that look like the day he died. Kind of makes you think, huh?

 

[Ontario Diver]

xtarheel once bubbled...
The erie thing (no pun intended)

Actually, I expected a more SUPERIOR pun.

Seriously, I dive on wrecks that went down with all hands. It feels different that being on a purposely scuttled wreck.

I'd love to dive the Fitzgerald (and the Empres of Ireland) but I will not dive the her untill time has passed. Unfortunately; I don't know that time requirement really is. I know that it is past for the Empress and not past for the Fitzgerald.


Oh yeah and I need a lot more experience!

 

[tchil01]

Actualy in Truk, Japan sent a deligation to collect all of the remains so that they could be properly laid to rest. I was told that during the early days of diving there there were quite a few remains.

I wouldn't think that a body underwater, even fresh water, would not decompose. I once saw a drownding victim as they recovered the body. It had been in the water for about a week and it was already decomposing.

Ty

 

[Spectre]

xtarheel once bubbled...
The erie thing (no pun intended) about some on the deep fresh water wrecks is due to very cold fresh water, the bodies may not have disintegrated very much at all

Not to trivialize the loss of life, but... I would think the bodies would be eaten by the local residents... regardless of fresh vs. salt. I mean... there are fish down there... right?

 

[xtarheel]

I saw a video of a deep Lake Superior wreck, I believe it might have been ther Kamloops, that showed one of the crewmen's bodies in the engine room pretty much intact. Maybe someone can correct me on the ship's name.

On the other hand, my great uncle's ship, The Marquette & Bessemer #2, while there were no survivors, all of the bodies were either found in a life boat or washed ashore. I guess I feel differently about that type of sinking, maybe I'm wrong. However when the M&B is found I do want to dive it and I do want an artifact for obvious personal reasons.