Fascinated by Shipwrecks Podcast: Episode 14
The SS Edmund Fitgerald was the largest ship on the Great Lakes when she was launched on June 7, 1958. She sank in a storm on November 10, 1975, on her way from Superior, Wisconsin, to Zug Island, Detroit, Michigan, with a load of taconite ore pellets. All 29 men were lost, and a haunting bell-ringing ceremony continues annually on November 10, at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and the Mariner’s Church in Detroit, in tribute.
In this episode, host Kathy A. Smith talks with Ric Mixter, wreck researcher, investigative journalist, and one of the foremost experts on the ship. He shares stories from his book “Tattletale Sounds: The Edmund Fitzgerald Investigations” that reveal surprising facts about the history of the ship, her builders, the investigations, and the perceived complacency of Great Lakes captains, who, at that time, were reportedly undaunted by storms.
About Ric Mixter
Millions of television viewers recognize Ric Mixter as a shipwreck researcher, diving over 100 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes, including the Edmund Fitzgerald. He has produced over 30 programs for PBS and the Outdoor Channel, and appeared as a shipwreck expert on the History and Discovery Channels. Mixter’s stories appear in books, magazines (including Michigan History Magazine) and in radio and TV news programs. He hosts the Shipwreck Podcast, and his YouTube videos have over 3 million views, covering shipwrecks in four of the Great Lakes and adventures in several foreign lands.