If you're into Great Lakes history [View all]

The ore freighter Edmund Fitzgerald met its demise on Lake Superior 44 years ago this month -- November 10, 1975.

The Fitzgerald launched June 7, 1958, as the largest ship on the Great Lakes at the time. She remains the largest shipwreck there.

The ship carried iron ore from Duluth, Minnesota, to Detroit, Toledo and other ports. She set seasonal haul records six times.

The storm that sunk the Fitzgerald included hurricane-force winds and waves up to 35 feet high. The boat never sent a distress signal, though it did report taking on water and listing earlier in the day.

But about 7:10 p.m., 17 miles from Sault Ste. Marie, the ship sunk in Canadian waters 530 feet deep. The captain’s last message had been, "We are holding our own."

A U.S. Coast Guard report suggests the Fitzgerald sunk because ineffective hatch closures allowed water to gradually enter the hold. A National Transportation Safety Board report said the hatch covers collapsed, allowing waves to flood the cargo hold. The Lake Carriers Association said the ship hit a shoal, in part because its radar wasn’t working. Another theory suggests waves caused a stress fracture in the hull.

more:
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2019/10/wreck-of-the-edmund-fitzgerald-national-museum-of-the-great-lakes-offers-schoonmaker-freighter-tour-to-make-sense-of-mystery.html