A scale model of 'Big Fitz', the biggest, baddest ore freighter ever, when launched in 1958. It was 728' long, carried a cargo of 26,000 tons. It sunk on November 10,1975, and all 29 crew members were lost.
The model and the original ship's bell are on display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point, MI. The museum also has an excellent film about the disaster.
The bell was recovered by a joint US/Canadian task force on July 4, 1995. A ceremony was then held with the survivors (family members) stepping up and ringing the bell 29 times. A replacement memorial bell, engraved with the names of all crew members, was lowered to the site. No attempt was made to recover the bodies of the crew members.
Big Fitz broke in half when it sunk in 530' of water. There are many theories about the actual cause, none ever confirmed. Suffice to say, the violent storm did the job: gusts up to 80 MPH and waves up to 35' high. Numerous safety requirements were put in place as a result of the disaster.
Gordon Lightfoot recorded his hit song about the wreck in 1976, best ballad ever written in my opinion. The song is played in the museum and is also in the video.
Below, a huge wooden rudder recovered from an old wreck. It's huge, about 12' high and 10' thick, held together with large iron spikes.
The Museum provides details, pix and artifacts of several old wrecks, some going back to the first days of Great Lakes transportation. 6,000 ships have sunk in the Great Lakes, 30,000 lives lost.
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