On November 10, 1975, a huge storm hit Lake Superior. As many ships head towards the safety of the coastline, one ship is left behind, in the dark and turbulent night. That ship, the Edmund Fitzgerald, now rests in the depths of Superior. The events of that night and what happened to the 729-foot freighter remain a mystery to the world. Many speculate about the conditions that caused the ship to sink that night. Some theories deal with weather conditions and also focus on equipment malfunctions that have occurred. So what sank the Edmund Fitzgerald? Wind speeds were estimated to reach 96 mph and waves were 35 feet high during the storm on the 10th. The Edmund Fitzgerald loaded with iron ore was heading from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Detroit, Wisconsin. Michigan, to deliver its freight to Detroit steel mills for use in car production. However, the ship turned toward the safety of Whitefish Bay as the storm approached. The 29 men aboard the Fitzgerald were confident of their safety despite the storm because of the ship's reputation as one of the strongest and most capable vessels on the Great Lakes. When launched in 1958, the ship set records for carrying the largest loads and making the fastest voyages. The ship could carry 25,400 tons of cargo. The ship's captain, Ernest McSorley, was one of the most experienced captains in the business. He spent 44 of his previous years sailing the Great Lakes. As you can see, the captain, crew and the ship itself were all held in high regard and none of their conduct was called into question when assessing why the ship sank. So why did the ship sink? First, I will address the actual weather conditions of that night and their possible impact on the ship. Some believe that... middle of paper ...... a puzzle that will solve the mystery of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. All 29 sailors perished with the Edmund Fitzgerald on November 10, 1975. If you want to learn more about the ship, you can visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point. A place where they proudly displayed the salvaged ship's bell in remembrance of the lost sailors and a location close to the ship's final resting place.Works CitedModern, Wonders. History Channel, “Watch the Documentary”. Last edited September 15, 2010. Accessed April 10, 2014. http://watchdocumentary.org/watch/modern-marvels-s12e12-engineering-disasters-19-video_cf782f02b.html.Smithsonian Channel, "The Titanic of the Great Lakes." Last edited 2013. Accessed April 10, 2014. http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/sc/web/series/798/dive-detectives/137519/edmund-fitzgerald