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"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
of the big lake they called "Gitche Gumee."
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
when the skies of November turn gloomy.
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty,
that good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
when the "Gales of November" came early."
I remember this well. At the time I was living near Ashtabula Ohio one of the Great Lakes ports. Winter weather can be dangerous especially to cargo ships all along this area. You have strong storm systems sweeping in from Canada with high winds and snow. The land area on the south side of the lakes is in a snow belt where you can get a foot or more of snow from a single storm.
I've lived in Duluth and I've been down at the shore during bad weather. The power of the lake when the wind starts blowing hard is hard to fathom without seeing it firsthand, and I cannot imagine the experience of being out in it (I've only been out in calm conditions, and in the protected waters of the Apostle Islands archipelago).
In Duluth, there is a place called Canal Park, near the canal through which ore boats* pass from the harbor into the open lake. There is located the Lake Superior Maritime Museum, a small but fascinating place where one can spend a couple of hours looking at exhibits displaying the history of navigation on the lakes. Among other things, they have period rooms depicting various boat cabins and many large and detailed models of various boats. And admission is free. I've been there many times and it's highly recommended. There's also a lot of good eating in the immediate area. Word of caution: even in mid-summer, if the wind is blowing off that lake it will be cold.
*In Great Lakes terminology, there are no ships - all vessels on the lakes are referred to as boats.
I've lived in Duluth and I've been down at the shore during bad weather. The power of the lake when the wind starts blowing hard is hard to fathom without seeing it firsthand, and I cannot imagine the experience of being out in it (I've only been out in calm conditions, and in the protected waters of the Apostle Islands archipelago).
In Duluth, there is a place called Canal Park, near the canal through which ore boats* pass from the harbor into the open lake. There is located the Lake Superior Maritime Museum, a small but fascinating place where one can spend a couple of hours looking at exhibits displaying the history of navigation on the lakes. Among other things, they have period rooms depicting various boat cabins and many large and detailed models of various boats. And admission is free. I've been there many times and it's highly recommended. There's also a lot of good eating in the immediate area. Word of caution: even in mid-summer, if the wind is blowing off that lake it will be cold.
*In Great Lakes terminology, there are no ships - all vessels on the lakes are referred to as boats.
I've lived in Duluth and I've been down at the shore during bad weather. The power of the lake when the wind starts blowing hard is hard to fathom without seeing it firsthand, and I cannot imagine the experience of being out in it (I've only been out in calm conditions, and in the protected waters of the Apostle Islands archipelago).
In Duluth, there is a place called Canal Park, near the canal through which ore boats* pass from the harbor into the open lake. There is located the Lake Superior Maritime Museum, a small but fascinating place where one can spend a couple of hours looking at exhibits displaying the history of navigation on the lakes. Among other things, they have period rooms depicting various boat cabins and many large and detailed models of various boats. And admission is free. I've been there many times and it's highly recommended. There's also a lot of good eating in the immediate area. Word of caution: even in mid-summer, if the wind is blowing off that lake it will be cold.
*In Great Lakes terminology, there are no ships - all vessels on the lakes are referred to as boats.
I've lived in MN for 13 years and have found that Canal Park is one of my favorite places to visit and spend an afternoon. Very unique and special place.
*In Great Lakes terminology, there are no ships - all vessels on the lakes are referred to as boats.
Gordon Lightfoot corrected one factual error in the song when he sings it; maybe he will amend "ships" to "boats." Gordon researches his songs extensively when he sings about history or geography.
Gordon Lightfoot corrected one factual error in the song when he sings it; maybe he will amend "ships" to "boats." Gordon researches his songs extensively when he sings about history or geography.
Eh.
I see no point in that.
It's a song, not a documentary. While I find the boats parlance to be interesting, for mass public consumption the term would be confusing and/or odd. Poetic license is not a bad thing.
It's a song, not a documentary. While I find the boats parlance to be interesting, for mass public consumption the term would be confusing and/or odd. Poetic license is not a bad thing.
I agree. Lightfoot would disagree.
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