Today is the anniversary of the sinking of the ore carrier Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975.
The wreck was one of the worst maritime disasters in US history, as 29 crewmembers perished in a massive storm. The ship sank just 17 miles from port, within sight of land, about the distance between Astoria and the Columbia River Bar. This haunting story is told so well by Canadian songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. His now famous song about the wreck is actually a factual account of what happened on that sad day.
The story is a haunting reminder that maritime work is dangerous. We honor those lost, and the families on land who mourn them.
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