50 Years Ago: The SS Edmund Fitzgerald Sinks and Inspires a Gordon Lightfoot Hit

UltimateClassicRock ^ | Nov. 14, 2025 | Allison Rapp

[Alberta's Child]

There were many wrecks over the years, but at the late date of 1975 it was unfathomable to think that a massive cargo ship could sink on the Great Lakes with the loss of the entire crew.

It was definitely an anomaly. There hasn’t been another incident like that in the 50 years since.

[Alberta's Child]

For some reason I don’t understand, I’ve acquired a very recent appreciation for “Race Among The Ruins.”

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

That’s a good one too.

[Rockingham]

Deck hatches on cargo ships are take time and effort to secure correctly. Reportedly, the pay of the captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald was tied to quick port turn arounds and a minimal crews level. As a result, the hatch covers were not fully secured, which led to the sinking when one or more came loose in the storm.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Yep. It's safer than ever. I'm sure GPS has helped with navigation immensely.

I've spent time around Duluth, also Michigan's UP and Lake Superior. It is really lonely and
haunting. Can't put by finger on it, but it's rough country. No place for a Southern boy like me.

[fso301]

Despite multiple investigations, it is still not known exactly what caused the sinking,

Failure to maintain bouyancy

[basalt]

ive always been fascinated by this ship wreck. The power generated by a storm on a fresh water Lake to have sunk a ship of that size is remarkable. That was one vicious storm..

[tumblindice]

A lot of people thought this gomer was a little over the top, maybe smoking some loco weed in his peace pipe.
Here is a short extract from the real “Song of Hiawatha:”

He had mittens, Minjekahwun,
Magic mittens made of deer-skin;
When upon his hands he wore them,
He could smite the rocks asunder,
He could grind them into powder.
He had moccasins enchanted,
Magic moccasins of deer-skin;
When he bound them round his ankles,
When upon his feet he tied them,
At each stride a mile he measured!

Gitchee Goomi water must have been powerful stuff.
Of course this has nothing to do with the boat sinking.

[Alberta's Child]

I’ve taken the Trans-Canada route from Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay at least a dozen times over the years. The U.S. side of the lake feels like New York City compared to that desolate stretch of road. Driving north out of Sault Ste. Marie up to Montreal River always gave me a sense of dreary foreboding — and even in the summer months I could tell that it must be miserable there through the winters.

[Alberta's Child]

I don’t think navigation was a big challenge over the last hundred years. Improved radar technology and weather forecasting capabilities have probably played the biggest role in improving safety on the Great Lakes.

[Alberta's Child]

I saw a documentary that had a great explanation about how the bulk shipping business worked on the Great Lakes back in the middle of the 20th Century and up to the time of the Edmund Fitzgerald disaster.

Ships making the “downhill” (eastbound) run across Lake Superior would literally race against each other because of the vessel schedule implications at choke points along the Great Lakes system. An eastbound ship that arrived at Whitefish Point 20 minutes ahead of its competitor would be the first to pass through the Soo Locks. The transit through the locks and the St. Mary’s River between Lake Superior and Lake Huron takes about nine hours. Arriving first would mean many hours saved further downstream, including terminal docking and unloading time at the destination port in Detroit, or Cleveland, or Buffalo. Arriving first at the Soo Locks could mean starting the return (westbound) trip a full day ahead of the ship that was right behind you.

[Rockingham]

Thanks. That helps explain why a captain pressed to be efficient would short on hatch closings and race to Whitefish Point.

[nutmeg]

.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“Sundown” played on a Spotify playlist this afternoon when I was driving. It was a downer song and it reminded me how Lightfoot has the most boring two note register. And I’m being gracious saying “two.”

[BradyLS]

I think his sings are popular in part because of his voice. He can back himself up and knows how to write lyrics and melodies that play straight to that. I don’t care much for the lyrics of “Sundown.” But the refrain is the best part. Simple melody and words, and when he harmonizes with his own voice, it rings and that’s what people remember about it.

[Getready]

Sundown is the name of the guy who the singer fears might be messin’ with the girl(love object) of the singer.
The song was generated because Lightfoot had a girl who he is completely enthralled with (but doesn’t understand), but he has doubts she is completely faithful to him. He thinks she might be flirtin’ with other guys.So he has to get drunk(feeling no pain) to ease his fears about her fidelity, and even if he gets lucky with her, he still thinks he could be losing.(think I’m winning when I’m losing again)
So he warns “Sundown”... don’t be sneaking around “my back stairs”...
Very complex emotions and fears...not your typical “ have some brews with some blond honey in her daisy dukes in the bed of my pickup truck” or “let’s get it on, hot mama, cause you knows what’ya do to me” crapola.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

That's a very interesting backstory. Thanks for sharing. Didn't know that.

[Dr. Franklin]

Deck hatches on cargo ships are take time and effort to secure correctly. Reportedly, the pay of the captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald was tied to quick port turn arounds and a minimal crews level. As a result, the hatch covers were not fully secured, which led to the sinking when one or more came loose in the storm.

A hatch cover failure is just one of several theories for why the ship sank. Unusually large waves could have led to too much water over the covers causing them to buckle and fail, regardless of how they were secured. The ship may have been too slender in design, not wide enough making it weak, and another theory is that its hull was weak because it was welded rather than riveted. Yet, another theory is that the ship hit a shoal damaging the hull. It does appear the ship broke apart on the surface and sank very quickly.

[Rockingham]

The almost always reliable NTSB reported that improperly fastened and maladjusted hatch cover clamps were the immediate cause of the sinking. More recent dives on the wreck and high definition scans and photos have further supported the hatch cover explanation above all other factors and possibilities.

My late father, a graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point with years of sea duty as a Merchant Marine deck officer, thought that badly fastened hatch covers and clamps were the cause of the sinking. In addition, he blamed the captain for risk-taking and poor seamanship in that such a basic task was not properly performed.

[PGalt]

Great song. Thanks for posting and thanks to Gordon Lightfoot for writing and remembering. Lake Superior and the Keweenaw Peninsula was our summer vacation for 25+ years when I was growing up. Mom RIP was born and raised on a farm outside Calumet/Kearsarge. Dad RIP built a house on Lac LaBelle lake. The lake flows into Superior. Terrific childhood memories on and around the U.P.