A cool suprise

[JayC]

I don't know about any of you, but I love Great Lakes ships. I don't know why. I have just always had a fascination with them. I always hat hearing about one being laid up with an uncertain future. Being cut up into razor blades isn't a fitting end. I was visiting one of my favorite sites:

http://www.boatnerd.com

I like to go there and see the vessel of the week. Sometimes, I can find some cool wallpaper. Well, they had a new one - a blue freighter. I don't remember seeing any blue ones - most of the time they are either red or black with a few white ones thrown into the mix (usually cement carriers). I clicked it and saw the name Voyageur Independent. I started reading and to my surprise it was the Kinsman Independent. In 2002 it was laid up for the final time. I didn't like hearing about that. She was the last strait decker on the Lakes. Since it had been quite a while since her lay up, I forgot about her. Then I see this. It makes me quite happy to see her sailing the Lakes again, this time with a spiffy new paint job, new equipment, and new name. I hope that she will be able to sail the Lakes for quite a while. Boy, I would love to see her sail by. Ok, I'm done rambling. If any of you are interested in reading about the ship, here is a link:

http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/vi.htm

I must have it bad if I am happy for a hunk of metal with an engine in it.

 

[johnday]

Jay; Excellent site, I had that marked as a shortcut years ago! I grew up in St.Clair. In fact, I didn't know until a few years ago, that Funnelheads had accents, eh. Us kids spent hours and hours at the park on the river watching these guys go up and down. I was even at Barbeau in the U.P. when the Ryerson came down for the first time. It was at night, he was all lit up, and going a little too fast. When the bow wave came back in, he smashed up docks and boats for miles on the St.Marys.


I' also ate lunch on the St.Clair whenever they were in off loading coal at Monroe Power Plant back in the early '80's. I was even offered a trip back to Superior I think it was, and back to Monroe, by the First Mate. Wish I was still dealing with the boats. Benn all threw the St.Clair, except for the birthing spaces, and took a number of the crew threw the plant. It was GREAT being on it! Nice people, good food, and a pretty big boat!!!

Michigan steam is a young mans dream.................

 

[JayC]

The Edward L. Ryerson is a cool boat. It has a design that I have never seen on any other Laker. It almost looks like a cruise ship. There is a photoshopped photo at Boatnerd. It shows a SSN submarine sailing out the front of the Ryerson.

That would sure be something to see.

Nowadays, the Ryerson is laid up indefinately. It's a big shame. If they could just convert her to a self-unloader she could again sail the Lakes. I kinda miss seeing the strait deckers. They are a dying breed. I just love reading about freighters. It can be kind of hard to keep up with them, though. They are always changing names.

 

[johnday]

Pretty neat photo, wonder how many "sewerpipe" sailors appreciate that one!!!

Know what you mean about the name changes. The John J Boland was my favorite for some reason I can't remember. I think there's been 3 or 4 different ones over the years. I can't remember the company she sailed for. Here in Monroe, I think it was the last Boland, was tyed alongside the Sharon. If I can find it and scan it, I've got photo of the two. The angle I took the photo at, all you can see is, John, on the Boland, and my exwifes name, Sharon, on the two bows. Since, both have been scrapped I believe.

There is another laker owned by by Inland that is similar to the Ryerson, can't remember the name right now. Two of the classiest looking boats ever I think. Next season, as I see them, I plan on getting photos of everyone I run across out in the channel on Erie. Saw quite a few this last year, the Tregurtha, the small one, and the Buffalo are 2 that stick in my mind. When we went by the Buffalo, Jan waved at a guy in the wheelhouse. She about puddled her britches when the guy waved back. It seems funny that a thing like that is such a big deal to her, we used to do that all the time on the river. I always wave at them too though. Those boats are the neatest thing on water, outside of Plain Vanilla that is. Definetly impressive even to me after all these years. I was in the Navy Reserves with a guy that was onboard the Anderson the night the Fitz went down, says it was one hell of a storm.
As a side note, I beleive they ripped the bottom out on the shoals too. I'll never forget that wreck, just hope the guys died quick.

 

[Doc]

Awesome pic. That is neat. I'm sure I'd be more into those boats if I was closer to one of the Great Lakes. Here on the river I get to know the barges and the Queens (Mississippi and Delta Queen River boats).
Isn't November the anniversary month for the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald? Do you have any pics of it?

 

[johnday]

Yes Doc, November the 12th or the 10th. My mind is mush, it's one of those 2 days though. I'm sure Jay knows for sure. I think on the Boatnerd site there is a number of photos of the Fitz, along with the history of her. I hate myself for not remembering the correct date!

 

[JayC]

As a side note, I beleive they ripped the bottom out on the shoals too. I'll never forget that wreck, just hope the guys died quick.

I do too. It seems the most logical answer. Did you ever read the book The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Frederick Stonehouse? I just finished it after having it sit on the shelf for a number of years. It's a good book. He presents the views taken by the various investigative agencies involved. The Coast Guard thought it was non-weathertight hatch covers with clamps that weren't on right. The NTSB thinks a hatch cover caved in and that did her in. The Lake Carriers Assocation thinks she shoaled out on Six Fathom Shoals (I agree). And Jean-Michael Coustou thinks it broke on the surface. He says that is the explanation of the damage to the bow, that the stern hit it. I think that's the most outlandish explanation there is.

Yes Doc, November the 12th or the 10th. My mind is mush, it's one of those 2 days though. I'm sure Jay knows for sure. I think on the Boatnerd site there is a number of photos of the Fitz, along with the history of her. I hate myself for not remembering the correct date!

hehe I was typing a reply before you posted. I was going to quote something Doc said and then I saw your reply in Topic Review.

The Fitz did sink on November 10, 1975 at 7:10 pm. The last words said was after McSorely (Master of the Fitz) told Cooper (Master of the Anderson), "We're holding our own." I always thought those words were kind of chilling. While reading the book I mentioned above, it was said that a door in the stern section was open. It wasn't damaged as if opened during the sinking, so that means the crew in the rear knew they were sinking and did try to escape. The bow went down so fast the crew there didn't have a chance.

Do you have any pics of it?

As John mentioned, Boatnerd has some nice photos. The Fitz is quite popular around the Lakes. It is like the Titanic of the Great Lakes. It would be quite easy to find pics of the Fitzgerald on the Internet.

A few years ago during the town's Maritime Festival, Dennis Hale spoke at the Community House. He was the sole survivor of the Daniel J. Morrel sinking. It sank in Lake Huron just a few miles off Harbor Beach. I listened to him speak. He went through quite the ordeal. He's a large man and I think that is how he survived in the frigid waters. He was only wearing his underwear.

 

[Doc]

Thanks for the pointer John ...i should have thought of the boatnerd link in the 1st post. I found out it was Nov 10th 1975. 30 years ago this month.

Edit: Good post JayC. I was tied up on the phone and did not post mine before I knew you replied Duhhhhh!

 

[johnday]

Jay; I read that book many years ago. The Cousteau Dynasty lost all credence in my mind with their statements too. The hatch covers not being watertight or properly dogged, garbage. These guys were pros, pros don't screwup like that. The cover being tore off? Not likely to me either. Wasn'tthere something in the book about taking a roll in the shoals, and they felt it hit bottom? Or I may be thinking of a different wreck.

The Daniel J. Yep, I remember that wreck too, along with the Carl Bradley. Man, I'm dating myself now. On the Morrel, he broke up, and the aft section was still under power, if I recall correctly. Sailed right by the guy you referred to.
Sometimes on watch, we'd talk about what we'd do if the ship went out from under us. Really gave you the chills, even with help not that far away. We usually traveled in at least pairs, only rarely out of sight of each other, although that could be miles away!

 

[JayC]

Wasn'tthere something in the book about taking a roll in the shoals, and they felt it hit bottom? Or I may be thinking of a different wreck.

I don't remember it mentioning them rolling over the shoal. In a fierce storm like that, I don't think they would feel it hitting the shoal. They may, I don't know. Other than riding a tour boat for a few hours, I have never been on the Lakes in rough waters. Roughly about the time the Fitz would have passed over the shoal, McSorely reported to the Anderson, that he had a list. He said his two pumps were going. When Captain Cooper testified, he said the Fitzgerald was where he didn't want his ship to be (referring to the shoal). This was at a time when McSorely was relying on the Anderson for navigational aid since his radar was knocked out.