S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald

[AquaHump]

You would like to think that if some one has the foresight to make such a dive as to dive on the Fitzgerald. All the training all the planning all the effort that they would have enough common since to just look at it and not mess with it. It should come with out saying that one would not want to penetrate or disturb anything on such a wreck.

But, as you have said it is a very high profile wreck and it would crush us if some one messed it up. I can see what you are saying some hot shot gets on her and does not think about his actions and we are all held responsible for them. I would really lope that if some one got to see the Fitzgerald that they would just be happy with a pic and the accomplishment of such a dive. Respect should be placed across all wrecks that deal with the dead.

 

[Soggy]

Why do you think they would have the foresight? Ever heard of the Andrea Doria? U-853, U-869? Empress of Ireland? or the countless other wrecks that are considered grave sites, yet artifacts are brought up from and penetrated?

I'm not placing any judgement on whether or not one should be able to dive the wreck, but it's no more or less a grave than any of the thousands of other wrecks with sailors entombed.

 

[AquaHump]

I understand what you are saying and I agree but fore some reason there is a large stigma about this wreck. I do not know what it is or how it came about.

The fact is that it is no different than any life lost. I don’t believe that it should be treated any different then any other wreck, but it is not. It caught a lot of attention and a lot of press. So if some one did do something to this dive it could come back to haunt us all.

 

[Lil' Irish Temper]

Penetration ~ no sir ~

I would be to freaked out worrying about what was around the next corner, or coming face to face with one of the crew. Remember there are probably quite a few guys still in there out of the 29.

But hey, that's me. I'm a fraidy-cat

 

[Soggy]

I understand what you are saying and I agree but fore some reason there is a large stigma about this wreck. I do not know what it is or how it came about.

The difference is that the families petitioned and are all still alive. Give it 50 more years, when the parents/wives of the crew have passed and diving technology has improved and I think you'll see a lot more people diving it.

 

[Diver0001]

The difference is that the families petitioned and are all still alive. Give it 50 more years, when the parents/wives of the crew have passed and diving technology has improved and I think you'll see a lot more people diving it.

I think that's the point. These things are not about logic insofar that the issue is mostly emotional. Nevertheless these emotions need to be respected and often times they are not.

R..

 

[chickdiver]

Soggy is exactly correct- it's a time issue. The Fizgerald went down int he early 70's I believe- and shortly afterward Gordon Lightfoot released the commemorative song that many of us are familiar with. Thusly, the tragedy is still fresh in many people's minds- especially around Whitefish Point. The families hold remembrances on a regular basis, and they petitioned to keep divers from the wreck.

Millions of wrecks all over the world are gravesites, and are regularly dived. For every high profile example of wreck "pillaging" that exists, it is also possible to find a (less well publicized) story about divers who identified a wreck, and thus provided closure to familied who were unaware of their loved ones final resting places. The story of the U-869 is a perfect exampl eof this. The arguement to restrict access to the Fitzgerald is strictly emotional- it isn't historically significant in any way, and the depths and water temps, though challenging- are do-able. In fact, I would be willing to bet that the "Fitz" is being sneak dived on semi- regular basis.

 

[hnladue]

I think it's the Cederville that people dive that has a body floating around the engine room. And that's ok!? But you won't catch me trying to find him!

 

[Gary D.]

I think it's the Cederville that people dive that has a body floating around the engine room. And that's ok!? But you won't catch me trying to find him!

BOOOOO hehehehehe

Gary D.

 

[Lil' Irish Temper]

I think it's the Cederville that people dive that has a body floating around the engine room. And that's ok!? But you won't catch me trying to find him!

Lake Superior averages 533 feet bottom depth with one spot having a depth of 1300 feet. From what I understand after talking to some Wreck/Deep divers from Michigan about Lake Superior she is a whole different monster when it comes to giving back human remains.

The reason so few bodies are recovered from offshore drownings in Lake Superior is because the bodies first tend to sink or they are still on board a vessel, but because of the depth and frigid temperatures, the bodies do not naturally decompose. Because of the lack of oxygen producing organisms, the bodies remain on the bottom, totally intact. The skin turns into what looks like soap.

I've heard stories from some divers about one wreck in Lake Superior where the Chief Engineer in still on board and everyone calls him "Whitey" because of the soap like appearance of his skin. Maybe that's the one you are talking about. I don't know if it's true, and I've never dove Lake Superior, but I've heard it from different dive camps.

The only reason I know half this crap is I have been looking for "The HMS Michigan" that sank in Lake Erie, so I learned about her routes, and the water she sailed on that killed her. I've kinda become a self taught Great Lakes Guru.

Maybe someone from Michigan knows.