Welcome to Gaia! ::

'Cause I'm nerding out pretty hardcore about boats lately, especially the big lake freighters that I see float by everyday, so why not?


*An early design type of lake freighter known as a Whaleback was only used for about 40 years because of many fundamental design flaws, such as hatches that weren't adequately water-tight or how close the deck was to the water's surface when the ship was fully-laden. The ship's low profile made it especially dangerous in foggy conditions, as other ships would often unknowingly collide with or ride out on top of the Whaleback's deck, causing the ship to snap in half under the weight.

*The Arthur M. Anderson was the last ship to hear from the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald before it capsized during a massive storm in the 1970's, and was the first on the scene to try to find any survivors. The Anderson is still being used today, 63 years after being built.

The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is recounted in a song by Gordon Lightfoot.