‘Haunting’ is really the only word to describe it. Ten miles from safety, and it might as well have been a thousand. Cooper mentioned Captain McSorley’s decision to check his speed, so as to allow the Anderson to follow more closely. What if McSorley had kept on going full speed? Could he have made Whitefish before nose diving?
We’ll never know.
Here’s an interesting side note. Given the length of these ore carriers, even in 500 ft of water [depth at which the Fitz sank] the bow could strike the lake floor while the stern remained above water, upended [at least very briefly, though the force of impact would probably grind the middle of the ship to fragments, separating the two ends (which accts for the bow being right side up and the stern being upside down in their final resting places).] Scary thought.
He had slowed because they had lost their radar. Anderson was trying to guide them with their radar.