The Sinking of the SS Carl D. Bradley

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Sources:
Wreck of the Carl D. by Michael Schumacher
www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DC...
hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/archi...
• FrankMays 111618
www.carldbradley.org/THE%20MA...
www.mlive.com/news/2021/01/fr...
imradioha.org/WAD.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USCGC_H...
Library.wisc.edu
Music and Select Stock Footage:
Epidemic Sound: www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
Artlist: artlist.io/
Chapters:
00:00 SS Carl D. Bradley
1:38 Chapter 1: Building the Bradley
5:25 Chapter 2: Held Together With Rust
9:48 Chapter 3: A Heavy Weather Captain
14:08 Chapter 4: “We’re breaking in two!”
19:56 Chapter 5: Voices in the Storm
26:19 Chapter 6: Survival and Loss
32:23 Chapter 7: The Men on the Raft
42:13 Chapter 8: “We Shouldn’t Have Been Out There”
Disclaimer: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue providing free high-quality historical content.

[@Ohiotrucker1]

It's always that one last run.....

[@bluerazor7049]

Funny how Bethlehem and Oglebay Norton faced karma as they went into bankruptcy while the MLC became a part of the Great Lakes Fleet which now is in it's own predicament.

[@Ohiotrucker1]

@@bluerazor7049 karma is like the witch of the lakes she WILL come for you.

[@bluerazor7049]

@@Ohiotrucker1 oh absolutely, and it came hard for Bethlehem and Oglebay Norton. They both collapsed and died out in the mid 2000's.

[@Ohiotrucker1]

@@bluerazor7049 and the owners of the morrell too

[@bluerazor7049]

@@Ohiotrucker1 owners of the Morrell and Townsend were the Bethlehem Steel.

[@jonathanbrown7250]

"Them darned popping rivets. Sure hope this ship doesn't need them for anything"

[@grmpEqweer]

...Pop. Pop. Pop. Think I'll get a job somewhere else...

[@TBone-bz9mp]

@@grmpEqweer Perfect time to just say 'Aye yer a'right' and proceed to exit stage left, whatever story there is to be told here, I'm not going to be a part of it.

[@dfuher968]

My dad liked to tinker a little with his motorcycle, tho he was not good at it. He usually ended up with a bolt or knot or whatever spare. He collected those in a small box. But at least he had the sense to take the bike and the box to the mechanic at least once a year to make sure, the bike was still safe to ride!

[@jonathanbrown7250]

@@dfuher968 They could have used your dad on the Carl Bradley. He knew when there's a bunch of spare parts laying around, take it to someone

[@jvick953]

I learned from building legos that i should always have extra parts after fixing something ​@dfuher968

[@Madhouse_Media]

The saddest part is that the "tank" the German crew saw may have been the actual raft. Since such pontoon rafts aren't used in European shipping and would thus be unfamiliar to a German crew, it is very possible they saw the pontoon raft and mistook it for a tank from the ship.

[@user-yi3yx2fn7g]

Was here for the same reason!

[@thomas_dries]

Wow if that’s what happened then that makes this story even more tragic :(

[@shadowpulpfan1810]

@@thomas_dries Agreed. And I thought it wouldn't be possible. Remind me never to travel on 'last trip of the season' and 'last trip before overhaul' voyages. On the Lakes it too often doesn't end well. Why do so many stories from the Lakes sound like they have to be fiction?

[@CGoody564]

​@@shadowpulpfan1810 because sometimes reality is just too unbelievable to not sound like fiction. Reality is stranger than fiction, if only because it actually happened.

[@shadowpulpfan1810]

@@CGoody564 Agreed

[@thejudgmentalcat]

"...as they scooped the scattered ligaments of their ship into buckets" a very poignant description. She was a great ship but was (as we said in the horse business) "ridden hard and put away wet" too many times

[@bradsanders407]

Wouldn't you want it put away wet? Maybe rode heavy and put away dry

[@Oakleaf700]

@@bradsanders407 For horses, it's essential they they are cooled down after hard exercise- you'd not want to risk putting a sweaty horse in a stable without cooling her down first so she has stopped sweating. {To help avoid muscle damage } Basic good horsemanship. For a ship, she too needed routine good care. Too many short cuts taken.

[@JasonMcCord-qk3yb]

I can’t imagine shoveling rivets into a bucket and not getting terrified by that! I just can’t imagine that mindset; “ Uhhh, yeah… these were just extra rivets…. Not important.”

[@TheSaneHatter]

If you take the analogy further, and invoke the old cowboy doctrine that God will judge you chiefly by how you treat your horse, then between their neglect of the ship and their subsequent efforts to duck responsibility, the Carl D. Bradley's owners are definitely in hell.

[@ShortArmOfGod]

@TheSaneHatter You can't forget that the crew was complicit as well.

[@Lewdcina]

I really appreciate you taking the time in this video to talk about the people on board the ship. They all had real lives just like us and deserve to be remembered as people instead of just victims.

[@davidhollenshead4892]

My grandmother Esther had a book of the boats of the Great Lakes and would add the time, date and direction to it for the boats on the St. Clair River she sighted from her living room. She also noted the boats that would never be seen again in the book, as they had been lost to the Great Lakes, which could go from calm to deadly in minutes...

[@knitwit7082]

Amazing that the guy with no life jacket was one of only two survivors. A close friend of mine used to sigh, and say, "Mary, God has a Plan!" She's gone now, but I can still hear her sighing and saying that.

[@SadisticSenpai61]

The greatest irony is that if she had been allowed to take her time and take a safe route to where she was to be refitted over the winter season, she might not have sunk. Greed sunk the Bradley just like greed has sunk so many great ships on the Lakes.

[@Dov_ben-Maccabee]

​@@prarieborn6458 That same 'zero sum' business model is used by public utilities ( in Ohio ) and all the end of year profits are used to maintain modern equipment. It works.

[@ChickenJoe-tq6xd]

@@prarieborn6458but hey at least we have “diversity and inclusion equity”

[@prarieborn6458]

@@ChickenJoe-tq6xd Thank you for replying to my comment, lol-,good point.. . I am sorry but I had to delete my comment i because it was hacked, much of it was visible but had a line drawn through the text, changing the meaning completely. i enjoy this channel, and I l iike to read comments and occassionally post a comment. I understand that comments increase the circulation of a channel., And watching the ads, helps the channel creator.as they recieve a small% of the revenue. for ads watched at least 30 seconds. Oh, well, some days you get the beear and somet days the bear gets you. 😎

[@ChickenJoe-tq6xd]

@@prarieborn6458 and some days you get the liquor 🥃 not always the beer… urm I mean bear 🐻

[@charlesbosse9669]

I agree. How deep is the lake where the boat sunk,do you know? I know it doesn't matter,I was just curious.

[@patrickols]

My uncle was on the Ocean Ranger in 1982, I always have this image of him, alone in a storm in the North Atlantic knowing he won’t make it. The men who work these jobs on the water have my respect, you need nerves of steel to do this

[@MsAdventure531]

Know this… Your Uncle is not forgotten, and your family has my condolences. I pay homage to your Uncle and entire crew of Ocean Ranger. 🙏🏼🫶🏼🌹

[@kaialexander6806]

The story of the Carl D is one of those that I can't think about for too long or I'll end up rage-crying. If I remember correctly, Elmer and Frank were basically told they imagined her breaking in two by US Steel, which is genuinely gaslighting. Like they survived such a traumatic event to then be gaslit by a company so they didn't have to pay out as much money to all the families who were both emotionally and financiall wrecked by the sinking. It makes me so upset and so angry that I feel like I'm going to cry in anger. Then add onto the fact that if more action had been taken after the sinking, specifically around the type of steel used, the sinking of the Daniel J Morrell could have been prevented, and it's like, I did not know that you could fit this much anger into this 5'3" body and yet.

[@divitiae]

Truly horrible, but I just want to say that is not gaslighting. Gaslighting involves an existing relationship and long term manipulation, not someone you don't know just saying your wrong. Not trying to be confrontational, but it's a serious term that is losing its significance because of the internet and in turn harming victims of abusive relationships.

[@grmpEqweer]

​@@divitiae What would be the correct term, then? Legitimately asking. Dishonest authority figures tell us not to believe our lying eyes all the time, so what's a good label for that?

[@divitiae]

@@grmpEqweer Lying. And in this case, it was simply denying allegations. It did not involve using a long standing relationship of trust and using said trust to manipulate the survivors into doing what they wanted. And the sad truth is eyewitness accounts of traumatic effects are statistically not great (eyewitnesses both said the Titanic split in two and did not split in two), so why would someone/a company willingly admit to fault of something that was not a proven fact? We know now the ship split, but a company would not admit to bad product if they could simply say the facts were wrong. We all know that's a shitty thing to do, but it's not gaslighting

[@TheSaneHatter]

Sadly, that wasn't the first example of "shipwreck gaslighting," or sadly, the last. As late as 1982, a "Titanic" survivor speaking at a seminar had her microphone *snatched out of her hand* in mid-speech by the moderator when she described the ship breaking up, and no doubt had to sit there, fuming and hurt, as the man told the entire audience that she was wrong. Thankfully, both wronged witnesses had the satisfaction of being proven right. And yes, it IS gaslighting, no matter what anyone else here says.

[@divitiae]

@@TheSaneHatter Telling someone they are wrong is not gaslighting. I don't know about the panel, but it sounds like the mod is just an asshole. He was not manipulating her (I am guessing he probably didn't know her up until that seminar), he was a dumbass who believed the other witnesses who said it didn't breakup. Actual gaslighting survivors' abuse is discredited by people calling everything gaslighting.

[@Kolana42]

I lived off Lake Michigan for many years and my brother in law was a merchant marine. My sister use to “chase the boats” with the other wives. She remembers vividly when the Edmond Fitzgerald went down as her husband was also sailing at that time. Your videos are so incredibly good and brings back a lot of memories for me. I appreciate you keeping the memories of these historical times and honoring those who have and continue to risk their lives. Truly unsung heroes.

[@Cat-rc5bp]

I joined the Navy two weeks after the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald 🙀🙀🙀

[@jbgpromotions]

I touched her bell at the ship museum in Rogers city this summer. Last week I touched the anchor of the Edmund Fitzgerald at Dossin ship museum. Crazy amount of goosebumps were caused by those two artifacts

[@Kolana42]

Wow that must have been powerful. I visited the museum at Port Huron a few years back.

[@suebaldwin943]

If you’re looking for another tragic story of a cargo vessel, you should check out the story of the Marine Electric that sank off the coast of Virginia in 1983. The investigation into her sinking caused major changes to the industry including the mandatory use of immersion suits, the creation of the Coast Guard swimmer program and more rigorous inspections of older cargo vessels.

[@steppedonapoptop]

I read a book about the Marine Electric. Big Old Boats could do justice to that story. And what a story it is. Thanks for reminding me.

[@JoshSimpson]

Your compelling storytelling invokes the humanity that all of us have craved for in historical documentaries. Ken Burns needs to see your work.

[@mariekatherine5238]

Yes, this channel needs more subscribers. It’s Ken Burns quality, for sure.

[@mbvoelker8448]

I love the way you tell individual stories that humanize these disasters without milking them for drama and horror.

[@michaelimbesi2314]

What actually caused the Bradley to break in half and sink was probably metal fatigue caused by her hull undergoing a type of vibration called springing. This is a problem that occurs with Great Lakes bulk carriers, because they are very long and have less longitudinal strength than oceangoing ships of comparable size

[@will7its]

So would the springing be worse with a light load compared to fully loaded?

[@wolflilith5137]

Also there was a problem with the steel used and the sulfur content, iirc. It couldn't handle the chill and became significantly more brittle than modern steel.

[@ironcityrailfan8467]

I suspect this may have also happened to the Edmund Fitzgerald the night of its sinking

[@WatchMan1962]

@@wolflilith5137You’re confusing this boat with the Titanic. High sulfur wasn’t a problem with these boats. Metal Fatigue was.

[@wolflilith5137]

@WatchMan1962 Yes, high sulfur content *was* a problem with these boats. Go look at the Edward Y. Townsend or the Daniel J. Morrell (which is the ship I probably confused with this one.)

[@skipast75]

My sister and her husband are friends with the owner of the Sundew. The Coast Guard gifted her to the City of Duluth years ago. The city had her tied up directly behind the William A Irvin in Canal Park and just like the Irvin you could pay to take a tour of her. But upkeep cost more than the revenue she was creating so the city put her up for auction. He won the auction and now it’s his pleasure craft. I’ve had the opportunity to spend time on her out on the lake several times and I’ve even had the awesome experience to take the wheel and follow coordinates. I’ve researched her history but there isn’t a lot of info out there besides her location history… so this video was a real treat. Knowing she was the vessel that saved the lives of the only survivors of the Bradley really makes her extra special. Thank you. Your videos just keep getting better…

[@THEGODROD]

Fun fact the John G Munson and the Wilfred Sykes both sail today. Even the sister ship of the John G Munson still sails under the name Saginaw.

[@bluerazor7049]

The Munson and the Saginaw had a third sister, the Detroit Edison. The Saginaw (John J. Boland back then) and he Detroit Edison sailed for the American Steamship Company while the Munson as we knew sailed for the Bradley Transportation line before going to the Great Lakes Fleet.

[@ericreese7792]

Lakers can have remarkably long service lives, if the lakes don't take them. Oceangoing freighters might ply the seaways for 30 years, when lakers are typically just reaching mid-life.

[@thomas8188]

My buddy Johnny worked on the Saginaw for years very cool I didn't know that

[@bluerazor7049]

@@thomas8188 did he work on her before or after she was converted from steam to diesel? Just curious-

[@treize6832]

I work on a bluff overlooking Lake Ontario from the southeastern end, and every time I watch storms blasting even THAT lake I just imagine what it must have been like in the old days. These videos are real life horror movies, but I love them, thank you for keeping the stories alive.

[@Oakleaf700]

I think for all of us who live near the Seas and Great Lakes and see the storms blowing in- it gives you a huge respect for the Oceans and Lakes. I had no idea how ferocious the Storms on the Great Lakes could be..We did them very briefly in Geography at school, {U.K} but as a child I imagined a 'Lake' to be calm, and different to the ocean.

[@peterj5106]

Conditions would probably be comparable to the North Sea if comparing with the UK. Short sharp waves with the shallow depth rather than the longer swells to the West from the Atlantic.

[@sunsetlights100]

Similar to north sea english channel except for Fresh water lake /less bouyancy more challenging to stay afloat once in the water

[@peterj5106]

@@sunsetlights100. Not really any tide in the Lakes either, unlike the channel. Comparison was really just the depth & rough area.

[@ss-2203]

I actually knew Frank Mays for a few years when he visited Michigan from his home in Florida. Just a quiet humble man who had the courage to talk about the disaster. He even visited the wreck in 2007. RIP Frank

[@patrickglaser1560]

Bet he was like i told ya so

[@ss-2203]

@@patrickglaser1560 Not even close. he talked about the entire story of working on that boat not just when the wreck happened.

[@bluegreenglue6565]

A truly harrowing tale. I so appreciate you naming and giving life and history to the crew members.

[@flyin4352]

You did it again Big Old Boats. You made me cry. I've seen other videos of the Carl.D.Bradley tragedy and you are the one who made me cry for those men.

[@TachiTekmo]

_The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound_ _And a wave broke over the railing_ _And every man knew, as the Captain did, too_ _T’was the Witch of November come stealin’..._ 😢

[@jonathanbrown7250]

"hey, check out my cool rivet collection!"

[@StunningHistory]

It's amazing these ships lasted as long as they did considering the haphazard patchwork done on them. Fantastic work as always. I love the choices in background music!

[@PereMarquette1223]

Its not as haphazard as you may think. That stuff is inspected regularly in the winter offseason

[@merru-mun7414]

Your storytelling is absolutely incredible. It truly feels like an old mariner telling you a story at the bar, poignant details and descriptions and all, and even more so accentuated by your editing. I've heard plenty about the Bradley, but your video is so poignant and informative, it's what I wish dramatized documentaries were, equally informative as they are dramatized.

[@wapartist]

Look at that image at 12:10… ‘hull looks awesome, let’s go’ are you kidding me

[@trreb1]

I met Frank about 16 yrs ago or so at a museum in Rogers City. He showed me the display they had there on the ship and told me of that night she sank. He was an awesome man.

[@cynthiaisabell3001]

The SS Carl D. Bradley was the ship my father, Louis Isabell, worked on. He wasn't on the ship for this last voyage. My brother, Mark, was a newborn and my dad didn't want to leave my mom at home with 8 children. All of the men on that ship were his friends. Even when I was a young teen and he talked about the lives lost, it caused a great sadness in him. But he also always said that "Mark saved my life when he was just a baby".

[@luketdrifter2100]

Growing up in Cheboygan my mom and aunt were sometimes babysat by neighbor Clyde Enos who was a stokerman on the Bradley. His body was never recovered. This was a great episode, keep up the good work

[@PereMarquette1223]

Gotta do her Fleetmate the Cedarville now. She’s on the bottom in the straights. Only the Munson sails now, the last of the Bradley fleet.

[@tristanprice7572]

What an amazing video! My great uncle Gary Price’s photo was featured in this video! A distant cousin named Keith Schuler also went down on the Bradley. Im from the town neighboring Rogers City that was mentioned often in this video. My father has been a great lakes freighter sailor for over 20 years now. Please please do more Great Lakes wrecks!!! So so interesting to me and my family. My great grandfather Eugene Jones went down on the tragic wreck of the Cedarville in the Straits of Mackinaw in 1965 and was the only body never recovered after the wreck. I would absolutely love to see a video done on the Cedarville!! Thank you!

[@iamrichrocker]

the owners/companies that owned these ships have so much blood on their hands..the horror of the last minutes cannot be imagined...another great video..

[@charlesclager6808]

A well told story including the personal lives of some of the crew. Thank you for your considerable efforts in constructing this tale.

[@dkmorris713]

Thank you for this brilliantly created documentary.

[@WilliamRWarrenJr]

You've done a good job, this is a good start! Low key, just the facts, no frantic arm-waving histrionics ... Consider me subscribed! Happy New Year!

[@mattmccormick5042]

Thank you for an excellent year for your channel. I subscribed early this year-and its honestly a favorite. Please know of the hard work you put into making your videos is greatly appreciated and enjoyed by myself, and others that I know who are also subscribers. Cant wait to see what 2024 holds for this channel. Thanks again for being you!

[@timd4524]

There was a girl I grew up with as a neighbor who owned a beautiful MGB. The big body model. One day it wasn't there and I asked where her car was. She said, oh you know. It had a noise so I turned the radio up. The noise got louder overtime but I just turned up the radio more. It's in the shop having the motor rebuilt now. Whereas that became a harmless anecdote, this company totally blew it.

[@jennifers6435]

Well told story…my friend was an engineer on a Greek ship..on one voyage the were in a storm in the Bering sea, when in started popping rivets…the captain wanted to continue on to Korea…the crew mutinied..tied him up and headed down to Hawaii…thus saving the ship, cargo, and all their lives….the former captain was deemed mentally unfit and was hauled away.

[@garypaulstratton]

Thank you for this, and all your work during the last year to bring us such heartfelt, well presented stories.

[@jimdandy9671]

Very intriguing story, well told.

[@woodsy168]

My great uncle is Gary Price. It's absolutely devastating what happened. The tragedy of the wreck, and the generational effects on small towns like Rogers City, Onaway, and Metz. So many people lost husbands, sons, uncles and brothers. Everyone in those towns were affected. Fair winds and following seas.

[@StephanieElizabethMann]

In a country where the dollar is held high and companies fight to hold on to every one of them there is no room to accept the word of an eye witness. The crew's knowledge of the event vindicated too late to be more than an academic agreement with the facts. The company by that time faced no liability and quite obviously never had an concern about the men of the crew and even less concern for their families.

[@dfuher968]

It wasnt just the Bradley. All the survivors of the Titanic said, that she broke up on the surface, but all their eyewitness accounts were ignored, and the falsehood of her sinking in 1 piece stood, until Bob Ballard found her in 1985. I know, eyewitness accounts arent always completely reliable. But when all eyewitnesses agree, whether the 2 survivors of the Bradley or the 100s of survivors of the Titanic, maybe they should be believed!

[@arrgorndenethor]

Greed before people, always has been

[@igostupidfast3]

not using booze when launching a ship and it sinking is a common theme

[@bluerazor7049]

You need to cover the Cedarville!

[@ashleigheperry]

This video was absolutely incredible. Your storytelling is amazing I was totally enthralled.

[@bos2pdx2yvr]

Another incredible video. You obviously have a love and a passion for these ships, whether they're the most luxurious liners from the 1930s or the humblest lake limestone carriers. Your stories are always so informative and interesting, and I love that you humanize these tragedies by telling the tales of the people who lived (or didn't) through them. Thank you so much for the work you do, can't wait to see more in 2024!

[@beedalton9675]

I worked for oglebay Norton and interlake we passed the Bradley wreck all the time...sadly her and the fitz still hold the record as the biggest wrecks on the lakes

[@FuckPalestineFuckHamas]

As someone who has lived in Michigan my entire life, and who knows Lake Michigan like the back of my hand, I appreciate you covering Great Lakes shipwrecks. So many people think that just because its not the ocean, the lakes arent dangerous. But until you stand high up on the sand dunes looking out over the endless expanse of Lake Michigan, its hard to put into perspective. There are literally thousands of shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. And I hope you cover every single one of them in the way that only your channel can. Thanks again

[@jarigustafsson7620]

pure quality, thank you.

[@danwrigley7955]

Im addicted to your videos. I can't imagine how you do so much research so often. Thank you

[@JMK571]

Of all of the documentaries on the Carl D Bradley I have seen (and I have seen A LOT), this is one of the very best. My mom’s uncle, Joseph Krawczak, passed away in the sinking of the Bradley. That’s his family at 42:39 . Thank you for the wonderful job in telling the story of his ship and for putting such care into this presentation. I am very, very impressed and grateful.

[@lookoutleo]

What a brilliant dramatic adaptation of a very sad disaster . Brings a tear to your eye thinking of the poor crew. Very sad

[@Feline_Frenzy53]

Thank you so very much for the in depth discussion. I especially liked your introducing the men with their pictures. It makes the video so much more meaningful. I really like your channel and the wonderful job you do presenting these "Big Old Boats" to us.

[@dracorex426]

If you ever hear the phrase "one last run" on the Great Lakes it's time to get off the boat.

[@markkinsler4333]

The self-unloader David P. Thompson was 550 feet long and carried 12,000 tons of cargo: coal, limestone, and big chunks of rock salt. It called at Duluth, Detroit, Cleveland, and presumably other ports on the Lakes. Powered by an oil-fired boiler that drove a 3-cylinder steam engine, it was in much better shape than the Carl D Bradley. I worked as an Incompetent 3rd-class oiler/deckhand/someone to yell at for only a couple of weeks in 1967, and this video scared the hell out of me. The officers, including the captain, were nice guys: in the winter the captain drove a Greyhound bus. We weren't nearly as fancy as the Bradley, though the crew (and officer's) lunchroom looked just like that shown in the video. There were no white tablecloths anywhere. The only adventure was that a coupling on the spare steering gear seized (the primary steering gear had broken months earlier) and we found ourselves rotating majestically off the Indiana shore.

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

What a story - my goodness. One of your best videos yet.

[@JDB-XIVII]

Your videos are always great, but this one is exceptional. The music, stock footage, effects, etc. really pushed this video the extra mile. I’ve seen several videos about this sinking, but your research and depth of knowledge really shine here. I’ll be watching this more than once. Kudos, and thank you!

[@altoncrane9714]

Well done, an admirable presentation of a true tragedy.

[@pissedoff-is1mt]

Great story telling. Coming from the Uk its hard to visualize lakes of that size. My father was on a ship, well tugboat, that was sinking once but rather than running down to his cabin for his life jacket, he ran down to get his limited edition John Wayne belt buckle. He was quite a fan. Luckily the ship limped into port and everyone including the ship and belt buckle was fine😄

[@mariekatherine5238]

Imagine the North Sea a little calmer near the shore and fresh water, not salt. If you get the chance, come visit the USA and tour the lakes. You can also visit from the Canadian side.

[@Terribleathletes]

Great lakes sailor here, I just wanted To say that I really enjoyed this video, and that the footage and photographs you have collected for it are truly remarkable. Loved seeing all the footage, ships and people of the bygone era of our trade, and also seeing what has changed and what has stayed the same since then.

[@Echo2-2]

This video was very well made. Your Great Lakes content is incredible

[@thomas_dries]

Brilliant video as always! I have really grown to appreciate how you cover not only the stories of ships but of those who sailed on them as well. I think it would comfort those aboard these vessels to know that their memories are being honored in such a way.

[@b.w.22]

Great, great job telling the story of these men. Yours is my favorite in this genre and you do a credit to those who have dared the wind and waves and whose lives were taken by the water. Thank you for what you do.

[@oceanlinerguy.]

Wonderful video, as always. One of the best ocean liner-based channels I know! Also, I never expected to see my favorite freighter in a video, but lo and behold, the Wilfred Sykes appeared.

[@renandavidsoriaahumada6093]

Dude this is Profesional level Editing and story telling here is my like and my subscription

[@DancinDane]

Tragic, moving and well told. Thank you for this.

[@_KRose]

These big rectangle boats are already horribly vulnerable to wicked weather, let alone when they are allowed to slip into such disrepair...

[@rrmike90]

Another great video from Big Old Boats, well worth the wait! I'm looking forward to your videos this coming year.

[@Rudreax]

I've been watching your videos for a long time now and they're all quite good. But...I think this is your best so far. Never have I been so utterly captivated from start to finish. You make incredible work, and it is always getting better. Please keep making these videos for as long as you.

[@richsuykerbuyk7983]

So well researched and put together. This documentary is better than almost any I've seen on TV. Thank you!

[@Breenild]

Very well made documentation!

[@mariekatherine5238]

Agree and made a donation, something I rarely do! Well researched, well narrated, and brings to life the regular men and their families who make their living on the lakes.

[@parsleypalace3272]

Heartbreaking. It must have been so frustrating for the survivors to know what happened, only to be contradicted by the "official" report.

[@HandyMan657]

I've seen this covered several times, and this is by far one of the better renditions of the story of the Bradley. Well done, good show. Happy New Year and we'll see ya for the next one.

[@amandacamdyl5610]

This is an underrated channel !!!!!!

[@donallan6396]

What an incredible story so well told. I was able to watch this video looking out into Lake Huron from the Sarnia Waterworks .As I watch these majestic ships sail out into Lake Huton , I always think of how mighty they are , and yet so fragile in the face of Mother Nature.

[@philipfrancis2728]

Excellent production. Thank you so much.

[@steadyasshegoes7795]

You have a gift for telling these stories. The producing, music, narration, content all come together so well. I'm glad you found this calling and do it so well. Wishing you continued enjoyment and success.

[@marktaylor9975]

Love these. I grew up 80 miles from Duluth, and spent time there up to a few years ago even. I’ve heard this story and find it fascinating. Thanks for covering it. Well done.

[@p.k.5455]

I guess the fresh coat of paint didn't help! Who'd have thought😮😢 Sad story, but greed will always beget problem! Thank you, and great video on the Bradley! You definitely did her justice!

[@Kernowyon]

This is quickly becoming my favourite YT channel, fantastically informative content!! 👏

[@Floortile]

Very moving; brings a lump to the throat. Thank you for your thoughtful, touching, narration

[@JasonMcCord-qk3yb]

As usual, this is a fantastic video! Very well done! Thank you! I don’t know how you could make it any better, but I can’t wait to see you try!👍

[@evanmalin539]

I’d say that the ships are safer today but they are a disaster waiting to happen at one company. I worked on American steamship this summer and the ship was a rust bucket. I’m told the holds are rusting from the inside out and are patched with sheet metal and putty. The chief engineer told me this and he worked on those for almost 40 years.

[@bradsanders407]

I'd say if he has been doing it for 40 years he knows what he's talking about.

[@Oakleaf700]

It's insane that this is allowed in the 21st Century. Are Ships not independently checked for seaworthiness? Most Cross channel ferries around UK have a working life of around 30 years or so.

[@NashmanNash]

This is something that can be blamed on...Murica The EU for example had some brilliant plans for "Binnenschiffe"....aka River crossing vessels(be that small transport vessel like those on the Rhine,or the odd 130 year old tourists boat...) etc The idea was to effectively require them to be high seas capable...including anchor chains that allow for anchoring off shore,the captain being able to perform C sections or appendectomies... As you can surely guess,these ideas did not even survive the planning stage :D@@Oakleaf700

[@thedaisiesgrow]

@@Oakleaf700 The Great Lakes ships tend to last quite a lot longer because it’s all freshwater, which damages them much more slowly.

[@TBone-bz9mp]

@@thedaisiesgrow And there's the greatest killer of them all, complacency.

[@Pullisto]

Superb work. Clear concise and a pleasant voice to listen to. Many thanks.

[@michaelmackey976]

another outstanding doc really appreciate these and the work you put into them. i also commend the respect you have for the ships and footage and sounds. you are talented sir !

[@carlmontney7916]

I came across your channel by accident. As a young boy who grew up in Michigan right along the St Lawrence seaway living in Port Huron and also Algonac. I remember going down by the river and parking for picnics with my parents and watching the freighters come up and down the seaway headed to and from Detroit. Many people who have never lived in the Great lakes area have no idea what a dangerous and treacherous job it is navigating those waters. Just as dangerous if not more than sailing the oceans. My grandfather was in the merchant Marine at age 16 served aboard many a freighter. He often told stories about sailing Lake Superior and the horrible storms. He said it was pretty tough for a 16-year-old kid but he gained a lot of experience from it. I can't say If some of the ships you are talking about in your videos were ones that I saw at one time or another or not. However, the Edmund Fitzgerald was the exception. I did see that ship sailing in the St Lawrence seaway. It's a pretty tight knit group of people who sail those ships and the word would get out all along the route whenever the Fitzgerald was scheduled to travel it. People would head down to the shoreline and wait for the mighty Fitz to come by. Sad memories when we had all heard that she had gone down. Thanks for posting these stories I really enjoyed it and you have earned a sub from me.

[@kenelliott8944]

Your videos are always so good! I love watching and learning about these things!!

[@darlenejohnson2662]

Thank you for sharing. Love the way you put the videos together.

[@steppedonapoptop]

Well done! The lives of the crew and the life of the ship tells an incredible story. Thank you!

[@oldtavernfarm]

I so enjoy your content! Thanks for all you do! Happy new year ❤

[@peterj5106]

It's clear how much work you put into your research! 10 out of 10 bro.

[@davenamanda]

Hi Bradley! Another EXCELLENT video that's well produced, researched and assembled. I always anticipate your next production and greatly appreciate the longer videos, and there is so much information you provide that probably wouldn't fit in shorter videos. I just wanted to say another great job. Thank you!

[@jonilougy6608]

Well said friend!

[@joshais2499]

I really like your movies, lots of info! It scratches the itch of my fascination for the brutal parts of the open waters.

[@GloriousSEAGRUB]

Amazing video!

[@earthstepper]

Your videos are a piece of art work. I watch/ listen to so much content from a ton of subjects and you are in a league of your own bud. 100%.

[@amywright2243]

You're a wonderful storyteller. I enjoy setting time aside to watch your videos and really absorb them without tinkering on my phone. Another fascinating history lesson! Happy New Year!

[@beedalton9675]

I worked for interlake steamship.....even the big ships get tossed around. I worked as a convayorman and wiper. I'm a salty now....i do miss the lakes

[@tactical_pat6449]

Nice work on this doc.

[@dougknight1720]

Thanks. Very interesting but tragic story… well delivered

[@DarrenLee73]

Getting close! 100K subscribers.Glad to be apart of this ship channel 😂 Look forward to more Big Old Boats vids soon.

[@stratter71]

Thoroughly enjoy your episodes! Thank you abs you have an incredible gift of storytelling.

[@jamie91995]

Thank you for the great upload

[@zlee11]

Fantastic work. Excellent narrative. Thank you.