Thursday prorgram looks at Lost Whalebacks

The Shipwreck Coast’s Lost Whalebacks: The Story of Sagamore and Barge 129

Whaleback ships originated on the Great Lakes in 1888 and in less than ten years, shipyards in Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin, built 44 of these unique vessels for service as barges and steamships. Bruce Lynn, Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) Executive Director, shares the stories of two whalebacks that sank near Whitefish Bay, Sagamore and Barge 129. The GLSHS discovered Barge 129 in 2021 and Bruce will share highlights of how the team locates, documents and identifies shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. The free program begins at 12:30 ET, 11:30 CT, November 7, 2024, at https://meet.goto.com/VirtualVisitorCenter/lostwhalebacks

 

Great Lakes Iron Ore Trade Down in October

CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 4.5 million tons in October, a decrease of 12.3 percent compared to a year ago.  Shipments were 10.1 percent below the month’s 5-year average.

Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 41 million tons, a decrease of 2.1 percent compared to the same point in 2023.

Through October iron ore loadings are 5.1 percent above their 5-year average for the January-October timeframe.

Since 1880, Lake Carriers’ has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually that are the foundation of American industry, infrastructure, and power: iron ore, stone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials such as grain, salt, and sand.  More information is available at www.lcaships.com.

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Lost Mariners Remembrance ceremony being held in Detroit this weekend on Edmund Fitzgerald anniversray

The Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Nov. 10, 1975 in Lake Superior, in a violent storm on the lake. November can be a turbulent month for weather across Michigan, and gales – very strong winds – are common on the Great Lakes. Intense areas of low pressure can sweep across the Great Lakes region bringing arctic air masses. The relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes can help storms intensify and produce life-threatening conditions.

Posted 8:06 AM, Nov 04, 2024 and last updated 8:24 AM, Nov 04, 2024

The Detroit Historical Society is honoring lost mariners during its annual Lost Mariners Remembrance this weekend in Detroit.

It’s the 25th year the society has held the event, which also marks the anniversary of the sinking of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald.

This year’s event will take place Sunday, Nov. 10 at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle.

It will start with a lantern ceremony at the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald anchor, and then Lee Murdock, a celebrated balladeer of the Great Lakes, will perform at 6:15 p.m.

There will also be a wreath ceremony, a lost vessel tribute, a final blessing and then the playing of the “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot.

Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for the general public.

 

Shipwreck Society makes 49th Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony closed to the public

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society’s Annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony is always a solemn event, but again this year, it will be closed to the public. Due to the museum’s small size and inability to accommodate the many people who typically want to attend, the decision has been made to keep the event private. This memorial service has always been primarily intended for the families of those lost on the Fitzgerald when it sank 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Point on November 10th, 1975.

However, recognizing the wider community’s interest, the Shipwreck Society has upgraded its technology to ensure the memorial can still be experienced by many. The event will be live-streamed, with a link to follow, allowing the public to participate virtually while maintaining an intimate atmosphere for the families attending in person. This combination of preserving the event’s personal nature while expanding access is a thoughtful way to honor the memory of those lost and to include those who wish to pay their respects from afar.

This event will be live-streaming from Whitefish Point starting before 7pm on Sunday, 11-10-2024 and ending after 8pm. Please stay tuned for more information.

There will also be an opportunity to see this event at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, MI where they will host a simulcast of the broadcast of our stream in real time. If you’re in that area call the MMM at (269) 637-8078 for more information. There has been a flood of questions about the 50th anniversary Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Ceremony. We do have plans for a public event that we will release in 2025. Any questions about the 49th event please reach out to:

Gales of November  8-9

See flier below. Help support the Lake Superior Maritime Museum Association.

See flyer below.

National Museum offers “Fitzgerald Experience 2024”

Toledo, OH – In honor of the 49th Anniversary of the loss of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975, the National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering a weekend of special tours. The Fitzgerald Experience is a guided tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, using the lake freighter and its similarities to the Edmund Fitzgerald to discuss the events of November 10, 1975, theories about the sinking and stories about the 29 crew members who were lost. This tour is approximately 75 minutes long.

Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Each tour will be limited to 8 people. Guests also receive a museum store discount of 10% (non-members) / 20% (members) off in-store purchases. Tours are offered every half hour from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9 and from noon – 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 10.

Your tour purchase includes admission to the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

Due to its historical accuracy, the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship is not ADA accessible. Narrow, steep staircases are common throughout the Schoonmaker and may provide difficulties in accessibility for some.

The Schoonmaker is also not heated and much of the tour is on uncovered decks. We encourage you to dress appropriately for the weather. If we determine that the weather has made these tours impossible, we will provide a refund of the ticket price (minus fees). If the program is cancelled, we are not planning a make-up date.

You can process a refund (minus fees) and cancel your ticket up to 7 days before the event. Go here to buy tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fitzgerald-experience-2024-tickets-1043046027747?aff=ebemoffollowpublishemail&ref=eemail&utm_campaign=following_published_event&utm_content=follow_notification&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eventbrite