Great Lakes Passenger Ship Disasters

From author Wayne Kadar, this book explores the tragic tales of ships designed to carry passengers, be it a ferry, a day or weekend excursion vessel or a ship with cabins for extended cruises. Meticulously researched by Kadar, these stories from the tragedy of the

A great new book from Wayne Kadar, the writer of Great Lakes Passenger Ship Disasters, about freighter, tug and tanker disasters

"Having spent lots of time in the Chicago area, I'm a big fan of the Great Lakes. These inland seas have a turbulent history and are site of many shipwrecks. This guide to the collisions, wrecks and disasters on the Great Lakes is the best I've read. Ring the ship's bell in salute to this rediscovered series by Skip Kadar." —Nicolas Gilmartin Teranzi, Online Critics Corner This meticulously researched book provides a fact-filled guide to shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. A former harbormaster, "Skip" Kadar became fascinated with the regional history and began researching ships that now lie on the bottom of the freshwater seas. That led to a series of factual books, with this being the first from AAeB. This well-illustrated volume lists the ships and their stories — including the Edmund Fitzgerald heralded in the Gordon Lightfoot song.

Brief accounts of storms, fires and other disasters that caused shipwrecks on the Great Lakes in the 19th and 20th centuries.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the tragedy by survivors, witnesses and rescuers *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "And then movement caught my eye. I looked across the river. As I watched in disoriented stupefaction a steamer large as an ocean liner slowly turned over on its side as though it were a whale going to take a nap. I didn't believe a huge steamer had done this before my eyes, lashed to a dock, in perfectly calm water, in excellent weather, with no explosion, no fire, nothing. I thought I had gone crazy." - Jack Woodford, writer The Great Lakes have claimed countless thousands of vessels over the course of history, including swallowing up gigantic freighters like the Edmund Fitzgerald, the largest ship of its day to sail the Great Lakes and still the largest to lie below Lake Superior's murky depths. Given the dangerous conditions and precarious history associated with America's largest freshwater lakes, it's somewhat ironic that the deadliest maritime disaster took place in Chicago aboard a ship that capsized while docked to a pier. When people discuss deadly maritime disasters during the second decade of the 20th century in which more than 800 people were killed, they're often talking about the Titanic or Lusitania, not the Eastland on the Chicago River. However, shockingly enough, on July 24, 1915, a ship full of sightseers out for a day on the Great Lakes capsized while still tied to a dock, sending more than 2,500 passengers into the frigid water. By the time the ship was righted and rescue efforts were completed, nearly 850 people had been killed. As unbelievable as the incident seemed, the Eastland was actually susceptible to just such a problem as a result of its issues with listing, and on top of that, the ship seemed to have all sorts of bad luck in its past, including a collision with another boat and even a mutiny on board. If anything, the safety protocols established after the sinking of the Titanic, most notably the inclusion of enough lifeboats on board for every passenger, made the Eastland even more top heavy and contributed to the disaster. Ultimately, several individuals were charged with crimes in connection with the Eastland disaster, but none would be found guilty. The SS Eastland Disaster: The History of the Deadliest Shipwreck on the Great Lakes chronicles the story of the disaster and its aftermath. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Eastland like never before, in no time at all.

One of the most prominent geographical features of North America, the Great Lakes played a pivotal role in the economic and industrial development of Canada and the United States. While allowing the establishment of a highly efficient transportation system, these freshwater seas have also proven particularly unforgiving when stirred up by the forces of nature. Capable of producing some of the most treacherous conditions faced by mariners anywhere on the globe, the Great Lakes have claimed thousands of vessels since the earliest days of navigation on their waters. Sailing Into Disaster details the stories of ten vessels that met their demise without leaving a single survivor. Ranging from early wooden schooners to steel steamships, the tales included in this volume represent not only the perils faced by these vessels but also their crews prior to the advent of modern navigation equipment. While a few of their number have been uncovered through concerted search efforts, the majority of these lost ships remain elusively hidden in the watery depths of these landlocked oceans. Among others, this book includes the loss of an early Great Lakes schooner on Lake Superior, the mysterious disappearance of a steel steamer that sparked tales of it becoming a wandering ghost ship, the unexplained sinking of two naval trawlers, a small tugboat that sailed into oblivion on Lake Erie, and a self-unloading bulk carrier that remains missing in the depths of Lake Michigan to this very day. A lifelong resident of Michigan, Constance M. Jerlecki has written four books concerning the history of the state she calls home. This is her first book on Great Lakes shipwrecks.

Most of work covers the Great Lakes storm of November 1913, but also includes sections on the Armistice Day storm of 1940, and November storms of 1958, 1966, and 1975. Shipping losses in all of the storms are recorded. Includes material about the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

A pictorial chronicle of the events of July 24, 1915, when the steamship Eastland capsized and sank in the port of Chicago, killing over eight hundred people.