Edmund Fitzgerald Anniversary

[Diver Down]

Wow, 35th anniversary of the sinking...I remember this happening when I was a kid.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-11-08-fitzgerald08_ST_N.htm

 

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[sniffer]

when I was in 6th grade I did a report on the sinking. even now when I hear the song by Gordon Lightfoot, I stop and listen. it has a haunting quality to the song


may the crew and all of the families find peace

 

[MariCorp Industries]

Each time there is a special on this, we make sure not
to miss it. It's history and story are very much Americana.

And to this day, I agree with Sniffer, that the song has a
very haunting quality to it.

 

[ivan salis]

29 fellow seafarers many from the Seafareres International Union --were lost that day --NO SURVIVORS *

My first ship out was to be the POET == crew OF 34 --24 of them SIU ( oct 24th 1980 it left philly carrying corn for egypt ) --- BUT BECAUSE OF ANOTHER KID -- ( a left over from the class before me that had got the flu and thus was not yet shipped out but had now "recovered" and was ready to go and the fact that I had taken and passed "special LNG tanker training" - i was offered a "choice" ---the old raggedy CONVERTED T2 TANKER (36 years old at the time) now a grainship the POET going to EYGPT RIGHT AWAY --( or I could pass on it let the other kid have it --and go home for a month or so and await a opening on the LNG tanker running from japan to indonesia )-- 3 factors I took into concideration ( i joined the LNG vessel VIRGO DEC 1ST OF 1980 * )-- #1 the other kid had arrived at school first in the earlier class (thus he should by rights be first in line for the POET job in my veiw) #2 the POET was a old rust bucket grain ship going to egypt vs a new LNG tanker hitting asian ports (ugh no brainer there) --and #3 pay the LNG tanker was one of the best paying vessels under SIU union contract at the time --the grain ship was much less (again a no brainer) -- so --I let the other fellow HAVE the POET JOB --- after leaving philly ( ON OCT 24TH , 1980) and going into the atlantic it hit a bad storm in route to egypt -- she failed to report in for several days (her parent company waited a week before telling the coast guard she was "missing" -- vessels by law are supposed to report their postion and status at least once every 24 hours to the main office --if a vessel misses their report in the compay is supposed to tell the coast guard ,-- many prople think that the grain got wet and burst her seams or that she broke her back in the storm and snapped in two --- NO SURVIVORS ON THAT VESSEL EITHER -- there by for the grace of god I would have died on my first ship out.

another vessel also went down during my SIU sea going days that I very easily could have could a be been a crew member of --another "old" rust bucket grainer ship --- the MARINE ELECTRIC (sank Feb 12th of 1983 -- the vessel was 39 years old at the time)-- SHE HAD BEEN DAMAGED EARLIER ON AND A CONCRETE "PATCH" WAS PLACED ON HER BOW AREA-- SHE WAS "RUSHED" OUT TO SEA BEFORE THE "PATCH" HAD CURED PROPERLY --once they hit rough sea conditions the patch on the bow gave way allowing water in -- once the grain got wet she became nose heavy and sank going under like a torpedo -- the only folks that had a chance to be a survivor was those that were on the bridge at the time she went under -- it was at night when most folks would have been in their bumks trying to sleep .( only 3 folks out of 34 survived --all were awake on watch on the bridge at the time of the sinking)

like the song says --does anyone know where the love of god goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours ?

I survived my 27 year long sea going time -- finally forced to medically retire --due to abestosis in those old rust bucket vessels getting into my my lungs causing --COPD that a severe arthritis in my ankles, kness ,hips and lower spine from the wear and tear of the rocking and rolling of the vessels -- seems one way or another seems those ships will get you in the end.

however I got to go places and do things most americans bever do -- while not always fun my sea going travels and happenings was quite interesting -- i was not cut out for a factory job or a office stiff -suit job -- going to sea suited my personallity -- sadly todays new petty rules and regs have ruined what used to be a "life style" -- and made it a "just another job"