Beautiful video tribute to the 29 crewmen of the Edmund Fitzgerald

34 years ago today during the evening of November 10, 1975 the Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a storm on Lake Superior taking the lives of all 29 crewmen. This video tribute is hauntingly beautiful. I feel so bad for the families that lost loved ones 34 years ago today. The music featured in the video is, of course, Gordon Lightfoot's The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Don't forget that you can watch the annual service from River Rouge online tonight from 6pm until 8pm. There is a school program online from 1:30 until 3pm as well.

Shipwreck discoveries disclosed in Northern Michigan

Shipwreck discoverer, Thaddius Bedford, chose to disclose the findings of the shipwrecks years after the initial discovery in order to be sure he was credited with the finds. One shipwreck is in the Grand Traverse Bay, but has not been identified as of yet. The other two were found in the Manitou Preserve. The Redfern was discovered in 2002 west of Betsie Point and an 85-foot steamer was found east of South Manitou Island. Read the full article at The Detroit Free Press.

Remembering the 29 men who perished when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Nov. 10, 1975

On this day in 1975 the Great Lakes freighter, Edmund Fitzgerald, sank with all 29 men on board. Below is a list of those brave men who lost their lives that night:

• Captain Ernest M. McSorley
• Michael E. Armagost
• Fred J. Beetcher
• Thomas D. Bentsen
• Edward F. Bindon
• Thomas D. Borgeson
• Oliver J. Champeau
• Nolan S. Church
• Ransom E. Cundy
• Thomas E. Edwards
• Russell G. Haskell
• George J. Holl
• Bruce L. Hudson
• Allen G. Kalmon
• Gorden Maclellan
• Joseph Mazes
• John H. McCarthy
• Eugene O'Brien
• Karl A. Peckol
• John J. Poviach
• James A. Pratt
• Robert C. Rafferty
• Paul M. Rippa
• John D. Simmons
• William J. Spengler
• Mark A. Thomas
• Ralph G. Walton
• David E. Weiss
• Blaine H. Wilhelm

Boatnerd.com's extensive Edmund Fitzgerald information. Includes audio of the captain of the Arthur M. Anderson reporting on the (at the time) suspected loss of the Fitzgerald to the Coast Guard.

Previously on All Things Michigan:

Perfect Storm Caused Fitzgerald to Sink

One of the six most sought after Great Lakes shipwrecks found

Last Friday, Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates announced that they had found one of their six most-sought-after Great Lakes shipwrecks. Off the shore from South Haven and under about 230 feet of water they located the Hennepin. Despite its wooden hull, the Hennepin remains in favorable condition due to Lake Michigan's cold fresh water. Built in 1888, the Hennepin was converted into a self-unloader around 1901. As all Boat Nerds know, the self-unloader is the prototypical Great Lakes freighter on the lakes today.

In the 1920s the Hennepin was only used as a barge and towed due to its unstable hull. On August 18, 1927 she sunk in a squall midway between Chicago and its destination of Grand Haven. Attempts by the crew to save her were unsuccessful and all escaped safely aboard the tugboat.

Check out some underwater footage of the Hennepin shipwreck from WWMT Channel 3. The video is a little over two minutes long and provides some real neat shots of the wreck.

For some ultra clear underwater photos of the Hennepin head over to www.michiganshipwrecks.org. I am amazed at how well the wood has stood the test of time these 79 years.

Via WWMT News 3 out of Kalamazoo