When the winds are blowing in the Keweenaw, the waves on Lake Superior are fun to go and watch. That’s just what Debbie Jarve did recently at McLain State Park and the Breakers, commenting that she loves watching Lake Superior when she’s like this. The Big Lake does put on quite a show when the winds blow and thankfully we have photographers like Debbie that enjoy getting out there to capture it and then share it with all of us.

Debbie also recorded a video that day, so if you’re wanting to hear the Big Lake, too, turn your volume up and enjoy! It’s almost as good as being there on the shoreline, minus the cold wind and splashes.

Today is the 50th Anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. In memory of the Fitz and her crew, here are several links to help us remember them all today.

This first link is from Vibe With Mike. The Lead-in explains "What Survived" and says: "The Edmund Fitzgerald 50th Anniversary video takes you on an in-depth journey across five Great Lakes cities to uncover the most important surviving artifacts and preserved pieces of history tied to the ship’s legacy. This special presentation brings together the story of the Fitzgerald through rare footage and firsthand views of key locations that continue to honor the 29 men who were lost and the ship that became a Great Lakes legend.

Viewers will see the recovered bell at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point, the two recovered lifeboats displayed at the Museum Ship Valley Camp in Sault Ste. Marie, and the massive twelve thousand pound anchor that was lost in 1974 and later recovered from the Detroit River, now displayed at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum in Detroit. The journey continues to Superior, Wisconsin, where the Fitzgerald loaded its final cargo of iron ore before sailing into legend, and to Duluth, Minnesota, where a recovered life ring and other memorabilia are preserved at the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center.

Each location reveals a different chapter in the ship’s story, showing what remains and how the memory of the twenty nine men aboard continues to be honored fifty years later. This film brings all of these artifacts and memorials together for all of us Boat Friends in one place, connecting the past and present through the enduring story of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the power of Lake Superior."

Five City Tour of All Fitzgerald Artifacts

The second link here is Gordon Lightfoot's famous song: "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". In memory of the Fitz, her crew of 29 and Gordon Lightfoot, too.

In memory of the Fitz

Hard to believe it's been 50 years. Will always recall hearing the news on the radio while I was getting ready to go to work the morning of November 11 that the Fitz was lost in a violent storm. Saw that ship sailing up and down the St Marys River many times while I was in the Coast Guard, stationed at the Soo. May God bless that crew of 29 and their families as well.

Hi
I have seen the lifeboats at the Valley Camp Museum. I don't recall whether the bell had been recovered at my last visit to Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point, but the Gordon Lightfoot song was playing. There was an article in my local newspaper yesterday about the wreck. It said in part:
"Theories abound, but it's likely we'll never really know exactly why the ship sank despite advances in technology that could help shed light on its final moments...Regulations now essentially put the site off-limits. The restrictions aren't
just legal but cultural, reinforced by family activism and the song."

Remembering;
Ed Chaput (EddyFitz).
Great pics and video.
Can’t get enough of
those UP Blues.j

I think of all Cheryl Cundy did in her efforts to preserve the dignity of the 29 crewmen including her father that were loss that day. Crewman Bruce Hudson did not know this at this time, but come the next June he would have had a daughter making him a dad. May they Rest in Peace sailing calm seas.

Beautiful vid in honor of the Fitz. My friend, who's Father was on that ship, went to both Canada and the USA to pass laws (and both countries did) to make it illegal to take anything from a Sacred Site. It's their graveyard.

Tonight, at 8pm, on Discover Wisconsin's You Tube channel, they will have a live ceremony for the Fitz. The Split Rock Lighthouse will light the beacon at 4pm today. There are tons of options.

Edmund Fitzgerald - Split Rock - 50 years

Bless them all.

Excellent pics today, I get an email from Lake Superior magazine, that showed a video of 3 people walking on some kind of breaker, a wave went over them, and then there were 2. The woman that fell off, was able to get back to shore with the help of bystanders. She's beyond lucky....Remember the 2 people that got washed off in Marquette? They found half of one. You HAVE to respect that big lake.

Beautiful Superior pictures. And how can it be 50 years? I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember hanging out with Cheryl Cundy, who's dad went down. She loved talking about Gordon Lightfoot and how they always connected at White Fish Point. She was such an advocate for keeping the memories
alive. She was on TV a few nights ago. She's passed away now, but she was quite the advocate. And I bet her dad has some stories to tell her.

Yes, the bell from the Fitz is at the Maritime Museum at Whitefish Point. The museum is well worth the visit. Cheryl Rozman’s son, Darren, was on Upper Michigan Today this morning. I’m sure you could find it on Upper Michigan Source website. He has quite an amazing collection of memorabilia that his mother had collected.

Here's a link to the page where Darren's videos are posted, along with several from Maritime Historian, Fred Stonehouse who was on the show also.

Upper Michigan Source

Yeah, I saw her son this morning. I, too, have seen the bell and took a picture of it. I've also been to the Maritime museum in Duluth numerous times. There's so much there and it's such an interesting place to visit. I highly recommend it. I've been to the memorial that Split Rock puts on. It's awesome.

And Donna, those 3 people were in Grand Marais, MN. That was quite something, wasn't it? I can't believe they were walking out there. That lake takes no prisoners.

Thank you for that link Laurie B...that apple
didn't fall far from the tree...Darren is just like
Cheryl. I remember being at a Lightfoot concert.
Cheryl brought Mr. Lightfoot a bunch of pasties and
thimbleberry jam...

And Deb...how stupid people can be. Who seriously
thinks they are stronger than a huge wave on
Superior?

Beautiful work, Debbie.

Before I forget, today November 10th, is also the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps. I never before made the connection.

From Houghton, I remember that day very well. I may have told this story before but here goes. I lived above the Crown Bakery on the corner of Isle Royale St. We could step outside onto the roof of the old Library Bar (and did so often, it was our patio). The bakery used to have a MUCH taller chimney. The huge winds blew it down with “a ton” of bricks crashing through the roof and onto the floor above my apartment. You can clearly see the newer white bricks of the restoration. Thankfully, the girl that lived above us was gone at the moment.

God bless all the men and women that chose the Sea as a partner.

I took this picture at the Soo/Valley Camp Museum, when the artifacts were stored outdoors, I think just a few years after 1975