Bison Forum

50 years ago the Mighty Edmond Fitzgerald was about now steaming out of Duluth to her watery grave
The brave sailors on the Arthur M Anderson trailed her in the storm until they received the message. They got to safety in Whitefish but those men, in an effort to save their fellow sailors, turned that ship around and plowed back into the deadly storm. 17 hours later the terrifying search ended without a trace.

The Edmond Fitzgerald was gone. The bell tolls today.

Yesterday, family members gathered at the Mariner's Church of Detroit, the 'Maritime Sailors Cathedral' of Lightfoot's ode. The church bells again chimed 29 times, and an extra one, for all the 30,000 plus lives lost in shipwrecks on the Great Lakes.

As I read more my memory clears. My boat, The Leon Falk Jr, had just put up. I was home in ND when the Fitz went down. We had just passed her in the locks a week or two earlier. I’m a little rusty on the details. Anybody that has sailed “the lakes” has emotional ties to this sailing disaster.

Here’s an interesting and accurate account of what happened and when

https://fox11online.com/news/local/the- ... fitzgerald

Later, as head of Campus Attractions, we produced Gordon Lightfoot, God Bless, in concert. He was a grand and successful troubadour

Lake Superior Nov 27, 2025.

https://youtu.be/eKQ6dLU7f3g?si=cE6GNxQgJzk2G6J8