The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

by Frederick Stonehouse

Peter L. Waters has just finished his first year of law school at the University of Michigan. With the help of Jamie, Peter's bride-to-be, he lands a great summer job aboard the Great Lakes freighter the Edmund Fitzgerald. Determined to give his future bride the wedding of her dreams, Peter decides to skip the fall semester at law school to work aboard the ship. If all goes well, the bonus he'll earn will pay for their wedding and launch their new life in style. The decision will cost him his life. Based on the actual sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which occurred on November 10, 1975, the last days and hours of the crew members-including the captain, first mate, cook, a father-and-son engine room team, a lawyer-hating deckhand, and Peter-are imagined in this work of contemporary fiction based on a tragic reality in Michigan's history. The Edmund Fitzgerald slipped below the waves that fateful November night in 1975, and her story remains one of great sorrow and mystery.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Historical, Maritime

230 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1977

About the author

Frederick Stonehouse has authored over thirty books on maritime history, many of them focusing on the Great Lakes and contributed to several others. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and Great Lakes Lighthouse Tales are regional best sellers. Wreck Ashore, the U.S. Life-Saving Service on the Great Lakes, won a national publishing award and is the predominant work on the subject. Another book, Haunted Lakes, Great Lakes Maritime Ghost Stories, Superstitions and Sea Serpents, has opened an entirely new genre in Great Lakes study. His book, Final Voyage, is the first Great Lakes shipwreck book for children.

He has been a consultant for both the U.S. National Park Service and Parks Canada and has been an "on-air" expert for National Geographic, History Channel and Fox Family, as well as many regional media productions. Awards for contributions to Great Lakes maritime history have been received from Underwater Canada, Our World Underwater, Marquette Maritime Museum and Marquette County Historical Society. He is also the recipient of the 2006 Association For Great Lakes Maritime History Award for Historic Interpretation. The Award is presented annually in recognition of an individual making a major contribution over many years to the interpretation of Great Lakes maritime history in furtherance of the goals of the Association. In addition he was named the Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s “2007 Historian of the Year.” The award is the result of election by past MHSD Historians and recognizes persons who have actively contributed to the study of Great Lakes history. He holds a Master of Arts degree in History from Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan.

Reviews

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poorly written. Adequately (at best) researched. Three stars only for the supplementary content (pictures, diagrams, maps, official documents, etc.).

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a “transplanted” citizen to Michigan I was…like most people that view these colossal lakes for the first time…literally speechless. Huge, gigantic, and all other adjectives that people strive to come up with to express their amazement are so inadequate. After I was here a few years and had visited and traveled all 5 of these “monster” waterways…the 4 within the borders of the U.S. and the one within Canadian waters…I took a real interest in the freighters that hauled their loads up and down these waterways…especially those that were unfortunate enough to rest on the BOTTOMS of these lakes with their cargo and sadly most or all of their crews. Shipwreck Museums are almost as popular with me as libraries. The Edmund Fitzgerald has always been one of my favorites and the author… that for more than half a century now… has told their stories was my source of accurate information. It seems unbelievable that this 729-foot…13,000 ton legend could have gone down in mere seconds taking all 29 members of her crew to 530 ft of frigid Canadian waters of the unpredictable, Lake Superior... but that is indeed what happened. The captain was in contact with another freighter…The Anderson…that had left Wisconsin loading docks at the same time as him, on November 10, 1975. The Coast Guard report indicated that their belief was that it either took on water in the long row of hatches where it’s load of iron ore pellets were stored or it hit a shoal and punctured it’s hull. 45 foot waves had been breaking her deck…a part of this November storm that has gone down as one of the worse in Lake Superior history. Whatever had happened to the Edmund Fitzgerald…and what happened to her crew… has never been really known only sumised based on what little facts they had. Mr. Stonehouse says that singer and song writer Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad The Ballad of The Edmund Fitzgerald is very close to what probably did happened. One of my biggest thrills was seeing the bell that has been since recovered and is housed at The Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Bay, Michigan.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Edmund Fitzgerald, really did sink on November 10, 1975. This book takes a look inside the fateful journey and what the last days and hours of the crew and those on board may have been like.

[Mary Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the ocean, disasters, and great songs, so this one was a big interest for me. This small but packed book did a great job of laying out about everything involved with the sinking: maps, imagery, reports, later expeditions, memorials, you name it.

The reports, however, dropped in-completion at the back of the book, were pretty difficult to get through. There’s minimal actual writing involved in this book, and what’s present is often opinion and (very) declarative statements. He definitely didn’t pull his punches with the Coast Guard (rightly in my opinion).

Not sure if it’s the material or the book but I still enjoyed it. As he quotes multiple times from Gordon, the legend lives on!

[Chris Toppi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall good book. Well researched and a few compelling theories regarding the sinking.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the 2nd edition. I’m curious what information was added in newer editions especially given all of the information in Bacon’s Gales.

[Jack Vanmaldegen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great! After visiting White Point I've always wanted to learn more about this great ship! This book practically covered every bit of information that I wanted to know. I didn't know that at the time this was one of the biggest fresh water ships on the lakes. It's amazing that they never found anyone from the ship, it also amazes me that the bridge door was open and they never found anyone of any sign of life. The ship passed all of its inspections with minor offenses, why did the navigation and radio go out? Why would they even attempt to ship in those seas? It makes you think about life in a different perspective. I highly recommend this to English classes to highschoolers and really any person that's interested in any type of ships, boats, or they just plain like to read about things in history. It's a nice easy to read book with quite a few pictures.

[Lauren Gibbons · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am very interested in Michigan/Great Lakes history and was excited to read this book for that reason, but I was disappointed overall with this take on the Edmund Fitzgerald tragedy. The formatting and writing style threw me off - it was a technical information overload with few transitions or strong narrative themes beyond what’s common knowledge for those who have followed the shipwreck. There are a lot of great primary documents included, but I would have appreciated more focus on the victims and their families and a better organizational flow all around.

[Jack Purcell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still have no idea what happened to the Edmund Fitzgerald and I don’t think I ever will. That’s okay! Sometimes mysteries will remain as such even despite continued scientific interest.

Besides the events of the shipwreck itself, what fascinated me the most in this book was the various finger pointing from the Coast Guard, industry, and independent investigators in the various reports summarized herein. Each gives fairly strong and supported arguments for either gradually increasing flooding or holing on the shoals or some other theory. And each gives a bunch or rebuttals for any theory provided by another party, ensuring that no consensus is ever reached.

One thing I’ve learned in failure analysis is that even the most unlikely of events, unless exonerated, can be the culprit. As such, in planning corrective actions, each of these must be accounted for to prevent a future related mishap. Were the recommended corrective actions sufficient? No. The Coast Guard is still (at time of writing) underpowered for the area, industry has not invested in proper safety or design regulations for their ships, nor has shipping culture changed to be more safety-focused. Will a similar casualty occur again and with no clear explanation? Likely not with the rise of better technologies but systemic problems are still found that can lead to these types of issues (think Boeing).

The book itself wasn’t much. Felt like a regurgitation of official reports of the time, but I guess it was a fairly succinct summary of events and allowed for a layman to understand. I was intrigued enough to read it super quickly, so maybe 3 stars is really harsh. Shipwrecks are fascinating on their own though…

[Krusher Basta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book years ago, and just never got around to reading it. I am glad I finally did. What makes the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald so intriguing is that there simply isn’t a lot known about what happened on that fateful, final voyage. Stonehouse did a good job of delineating between what was fact, and what was conjecture or speculation. The book includes the final reports from the National Transportation Safety Board and the United States Coast Guard, as well as a rebuttal from the Lake Carriers Association. Expeditions of the wreck site are discussed and the various theories of other individuals and organizations, including one of my Professors from Michigan Tech (I can remember him incorporating the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald into several of his assignments). Although Stonehouse presents some of his own conclusions, and makes it very clear that they are his opinions and not fact, we will never know for sure exactly what caused the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the loss of 29 soles on November 10, 1975. If you have any interest at all in the Edmund Fitzgerald, I strongly recommend this book.

[Leslie Dauer-Creek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anything you wanted to know that can be known about the historical Great Lakes shipwreck immortalized in song. An analysis from one of the foremost expert in Great Lakes maritime history, Stonehouse sifts through both fact and opinion with his unique knowledge base. He does not shy from opinions, but he separates from the facts that are known. And he supplements with the actual findings, conclusions and recommended actions from the DOT, NTSB, Coast Guard and even the Lake Carrier's Association. In sum, this calamity is the result of many different "ineptitudes" at different levels, but the full truth is also out of grasp due to other "ineptitudes". I have the 30th edition (he occasionally adds to the book with more analysis and information every decade or two) as more books and opinions/theories come out (the "ever-ready bunny" as he calls it)

[Nicole M. Lilly Rawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have known a bit about the Fitzgerald but had not yet gotten into the details of the ship and her wreck. I read the 40th anniversary edition. I probably could have waited until next year when I assume there will be a 50th anniversary edition, but this one was already in our book collection.

I enjoyed the details and obvious depth of knowledge and passion that the author has for this wreck and the Lakes maritime community. There were, unfortunately, numerous and sometimes glaring typos and formatting errors throughout, which took away from some of my own personal enjoyment of the book overall. It also helped that I have had a lot of background in reading about the Titanic, which helped me not get bogged down in the nautical terms. Otherwise, it might not be a great book for a casual reader trying to learn about the wreck.

[Leah Unger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interest account and theories as to what happened. Read it for yourself and come up with your own conclusion. It is a fascinating tale and I respect the families who still do not know the ending to the story. Many have researched and still no conclusion.

Frederick Stonehouse has done an excellent job of presenting data. I don't believe he did it for exploitation purposes. I believe it was done tastefully to satisfy the reader's interest who has always wondered what happened that frightful night 10 November 1975. It was an event that shook the Great Lakes maritime community and to this day keeps a nation wondering!

[Bo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and informative look at the Edmund Fitzgerald and its sinking, with official reports, possible reasons for its loss, along with updated explorations of the wreckage. There were also a number of photos. Some of it was a bit repetitive, and there was a bit of bad language.

If the star system gave more options, I would probably give it slightly less than 4 stars. :)

(The edition I read did not look exactly like this one, but did include updates on other expeditions, including 1995.)

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cause of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald has remained a mystery to this day. Mr. Stonehouse presents a comprehensive look at the different conclusions reached by several entities on this mystery and posits his own idea as well.
The power of storms on the great lakes can rival those at sea and the fate of the crew of this ship was certainly horrendous.
Along with the ideas on how the sinking occurred, there were also recommendations made by those who investigated on how to prevent such tragedies in the future.

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a maritime history fan, but this book was selected for a local history book club that I'm in, and I decided to give it a try. It's a very dense account of the Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck that focuses on technical minutiae. If there had been more about the lives of the sailors who were lost or any human interest angle, I might have found something to appreciate, but without that it was too dry. Although the book wasn't for me, if you really love shipping and maritime history and want all the details of all the possible theories of why the Fitzgerald sank, you'll love this book.

[Jeff Van Valer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really one of my favorite books. It has a solid, nostalgic hold on me. Factually good, I have no doubt. Just as a Great Lakes shipwreck buff, I refer to this book often. Written in a passive, bureaucratic way, but hey. I like it anyway. It holds up well to the included Coastguard and NTSB reports. Anyone who wants to know anything about the last few hours of the Edmund Fitzgerald should consider this book the Gold standard.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunted by this shipwreck they happened during my senior year of high school. Then Gordon Lightfoot penned the song, which I played on my guitar ad infinitum. Found this wonderful delve into the mysteries surrounding the incident in a used bookstore. Perfect read for the shore. Great account for recounting all sides, and opinions. We’ll never know exactly what happened, but we’ll always remember her and the 29 lives lost.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

In-depth account of the storied wreck, told from an insider’s expert eye this is a fascinating reporting of the fabled sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Forever immortalized in song by Gordon Lightfoot, the book contains complete reports from various agencies, as well as first-hand accounts from other sailors in the area at the time of the wreck. Together with numerous pictures and other anecdotes, this is well worth a look.

[Jeff Koslowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is everything you want to know about the Edmund Fitzgerald from a seaman's point of view. If you want the specs and technical elements, Stonehouse gives you everything you could possibly need. If you are looking for elements of legend and how others perceive it, they are kind of included but they are not the main focus.

[Craig Helm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for the most part. I found learning the details of the Edmund Fitzgerald ship interesting. Learning how the coast guard responded and how they are not equipped as well as they should be was something unexpected. The style of writing is a little dry. I also thought some of the Q & A portion unnecessary and repetitive of what was previously said in earlier chapters.

[Lorraine Benedict · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very technical nonetheless fascinating account of the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald. It probably will never be known what actually caused the loss of the ship and crew. However, learning about the many aspects of the many investigations gives a great appreciation of storms powerful enough to bring down a ship of this magnitude.
This review is of the 50th anniversary edition.

[Nicole Perrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good account of what is known about the shipwreck and the different theories & possibilities of how it sank. I was expecting more of a resolution from reading, but I found there are more questions than ever from everyone who looks into this! some spelling/grammar errors, but overall decent book for someone wanting more details on the shipwreck.

[Carl Grider · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book fascinating but not overdramatic. I felt the conclusions and all theories addressed were done from as about as objective of view one could take. We're opinions were said it was noted as such.

[Erie Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The historical information is very good, and I appreciate the author’s knowledge and enthusiasm. That said, the tone can be a little condescending at times - likely a product of its time. That said, the photographs and the interview midbook are both fascinating and informative.

[Bruce Cashbaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great overview, if organized poorly and in desperate need of an editor/proofer. Fascinating to learn how we still don't really know why this ship went down, and probably never will. The details here are fascinating.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was 24 when the Edmund Fitzgerald was reported as having “disappeared” on Lake Superior in 1975. I chose this book to read because it was one of the first books published following the ships sinking. Was interesting to read.

[Gillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative, but technical and dry with a surprising amount of typos.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was interesting, but it is not a novel. It is factual with regard to the ship, the crew, the winter storm, but suppositional in theory as to what happened to the ship and how it sank.

[Vladimir Putin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dang this ship got sung then dipped