Defying the Captain to Survive the Great Lakes Storm of 1913

[@BigOldBoats]

Thanks Morning Brew for my daily news briefing - sign up for free here morningbrewdaily.com/BigOldBoats It was nice covering a survival story for a change. Hope you all enjoyed it!

[@salt_eater_tino]

yez

[@waltershumate5777]

You want to know what flip so many Freighters that day? it's very probably the same thing that flips so many crabbers up on the bearing Sea. Did they have ice stripping gear on board? They did say whiteout conditions... I've been in a white out so intense you can't see your porch light from 10 ft away from you in it!! That means dumping snow and ice faster than anyone can keep up with it. In this case we're talking a bit more ship than "the wizard" from "Deadliest Catch". And that could add up to a lot of ice in a very short time. Next thing you know ships are doing dog tricks, and people are taking a sled ride to Davy Jones Locker.

[@awildjared1396]

Taconite wasn't carried in bulk on the lakes in 1913, It was raw iron ore or "red ore", Taconite pellets weren't produced in bulk for lake travel until around the late 50's.

[@dennisstephens4199]

Excellent story telling B.O.B. !! 👍

[@grmpEqweer]

Comment. May the algorithm smile upon you.

[@marcmelvin3010]

Having, as a young tin can sailor 45 years ago, survived a massive storm on the North Atlantic, and then a hurricane in mid-Atlantic, I can still feel what this must have felt like. Sleeping, when you can, strapped into your bunk and hoping you live through the night, adds a certain spice to that morning when you can finally step safely out onto the open deck, stripped clean of everything that water can tear off, and inhale the cold fresh air and know that you have a future.

[@giggiddy]

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours..." G. Lightfoot

[@peterhall5070]

Very poetic and well put.

[@inmemoryoffrancoile9274]

Yup, that is yet another of the many reasons I keep my @$$ the fk out (and off of) the water. 🌊=Nope. 🏃👣👣👣💨✌️.....

[@DebbieOnTheSpot]

I remember that day also. We had biscuits and bacon.

[@terryatpi]

Yup , me too friend , me too

[@sultryjmac]

The captain didn't sell out the wheelman. That's a good captain. Having the wisdom to know his judgement was in error and recognizing even an 18 year old made the right call in defiance. I applaud him. That's a man who uses his head and a good captain.

[@Delta_NWAB747fan]

Still can’t get over how beautiful these classic Lake Boats are and were. Thank you for continuing the theme throughout November, by far the deadliest month on the lakes.

[@thomaskositzki9424]

I find it funny you call these lake freighters beautiful. I am German and the first time I saw one of these I though "What an ugly MF." ^^

[@tinypoolmodelshipyard]

🙏🙏

[@hamletksquid2702]

I was a little surprised by how much they look like the modern ones.

[@steakthedoggaming5333]

@@hamletksquid2702 Laker's have always looked similar since the design first came to be.

[@MissMyMusicAddiction]

if you ever get a chance, you should go dive on them. it's surprising how well they are preserved.

[@ellenbryn]

I've seen many documentaries on the ships that went down in this terrible storm. But I've never seen one on any of the ships that survived. I suppose by now most of the survivors have passed away as well. I appreciate giving them their do as well as those cut short many decades ago. Thank you.

[@ellenbryn]

DUE. Stupid voice dictation. You are not giving them a perm!

[@Spooky_Platypus]

@@ellenbryn😂😂😂

[@manuelacosta9463]

The 1913 storm is quite tragically notable, all hands lost and lethally nasty weather abounds. RIP to those lost then and recently. You know it's bad when the only way to survive is to literally ground your vessel.

[@reallyseriously7020]

I love that you are a full time KZbinr and you do it in a classy way. Fascinating history without the sensational crap that many channels rely on. Also, your smooth delivery is appreciated.

[@Teverell]

I recently watched your video on the Charles S. Price and the Regina... I hadn't appreciated that they had been seen by another ship before they went to the bottom, nor that the other ship had survived. That's just incredible that *anything* could survive that storm.

[@tinypoolmodelshipyard]

🙏🙏

[@Alaryicjude]

"What do you do when you witness the face of death and walk away?" You live. Thanks for another great story!

[@stevejewett3650]

My man, you make great videos, documentary films to be precise, and you're an excellent narrator too. This is why I go to KZbin and I don't go to the movies or watch television programs.

[@claytonbouldin9381]

My friend's Dad was a Merchant Marine who worked these boats and worked on the docks in Ashtabula, Ohio. So, your stories are great!

[@HickSquatch]

I worked on the last refit of the Pacific Princess and rode that garbage scowl from Victoria BC to Hawaii and on to Tokyo. Underway out of Pearl, we hit weather. Just skimming the hurricane, we lost a head gasket on one of the two big Fial diesels, down one engine, the best we could manage was 3-5 knots against the storm. The PP was 550 feet long. The sound of the bow underwater, air beneath the keel and then the screws popping out of the water is something I’ll never forget. Crazy ride.

[@guodzillakaiju5683]

This summer I visited the SCHOONMAKER in Toledo. It was a true privilege to walk the decks of the only remaining ship that survived the storm of 1913.

[@jerrykinnin7941]

I've toured the Cleveland Cliffs ship in Toledo. That's something to see. Is that the same ship?

[@guodzillakaiju5683]

@@jerrykinnin7941 yes. The "American Valor" (née "Armco") is anchored nearby.

[@peterhall5070]

Thank you. VERY informative and well put together. 1975s wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald has become such a legendary ship wreck that we tend to forget and overlook the fact that these great lake storms, especially in November, had plagued MANY ship crews in previous decades, often with tragic results. This is a perfect example.

[@KingDogeTheIIII]

man idk why but i really love Theis ships videos, all i know is that I've watched them for a while and i don't intent to stop

[@salt_eater_tino]

same

[@scrappydoo7887]

Same here. It's a little covered but fascinating subject 👍

[@KingDogeTheIIII]

@@scrappydoo7887 ikr

[@tylerthompson5859]

I grew up reading books about shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. I was and still am absolutely fascinated about them. Your videos are quality material and I'm definitely gonna keep watching them.

[@mbryson2899]

I grew up in Chicago, I've seen what the remnants and outskirts of storms make of Lake Michigan even way down at the southern tip. I've also watched autumn and winter storms lash the shore in Sheboygan and Duluth. All the gold in the world couldn't get me out on the waters of the Great Lakes when it's storm season. Nope nopity nope nope nope nope.

[@darthdevious]

I like how the Schoonmaker got a mention. For those that aren't aware, she is a museum ship here in Toledo. I highly recommend taking the tour.

[@matthewzacher8879]

Living on the lakes I'm loving this attention. I've always wondered about how the ships evolved into what they are and what stories were waiting to roll off the waves.

[@robertmcleod9332]

My grandfather, Hugh McLeod, was captain of the Matoa that ran aground on Point Aux Barque during that storm with no loss of life. I have the barometer from that ship. It still works.

[@bluerazor7049]

One of the victims of the Great Storm of 1913 was also ironically the biggest of the one's that were lost. The 550 foot James C. Carruthers which was at that time a few months old, loaded with 375 train cars of wheat, she was designed with cargo capacity sacrificed for safety. My guess is that all of that thrashing got her train cars to snap loose and ultimately drag her down to the bottom. To this day she wasn't found. As for the wheelsman Ed Kanaby, he lived a long life passing away in 1993 at the age of 98!

[@arizona_anime_fan]

shifting cargo definitely could send a boat to the bottom; especially in that weather. what most people who don't live on and around those lakes understand, is the waves are TALL and NARROW, not like ocean waves which might be huge at sea, but which are gentle in slope. a LOT of shipping was lost on the great lakes due to the ship strattling one wave at the bow and one at the stern, with 30+ feet of empty air under the keel at the middle. snap in half in moments, and vanish to the deep. it wasn't till the 1960s they started making lake going ships which could withstand that type of force.

[@bluerazor7049]

@@arizona_anime_fan true, thank God that things like that won't happen again thanks to modern radar and overall equipment.

[@tinypoolmodelshipyard]

🙏🙏

[@mudduck1332]

The James C. Carruthers was a bulk carrier, not a railcar ferry. The "375 train cars of wheat" was just the total amount of grain on board. Enough to fill 375 cars, not the physical cars themselves.

[@bluerazor7049]

@@mudduck1332 my mistake but I still know that she was a bulk carrier and not a ferry. She ironically had a sister ship that lasted until the 1960's.

[@GIguy]

Having lived my entire life in Toronto, growing up on the shores of Lake Ontario, I know firsthand how powerful these storms can be, and how incredibly quick they can hit. Many times I was out on the lake either fishing or just going for a cruise with a few friends, as many of my friends have small ships that they live on, and countless times we barely made it back to shore, scaring the hell out of me and all of us. Every time it was the same scenario. We would leave Toronto Harbour on a clear sunny day, and we would do this pretty much all year long with the exception of the hardest winter months being December, January, February, and early March. Depending upon the year, sometimes there was almost no ice, some years half the lake was frozen solid. Most of the boatside was on were about 100 feet long, and occasionally I would hitch a ride on a great lake tanker, as years ago when I was younger, many of my friends worked on board, and were allowed to bring a guest along to show us what it was like living on the lake. I have to say I was really surprised, and terrified, at just how fast a perfectly calm beautiful sunny day can suddenly turn into a life-threatening situation with huge waves and powerful winds seemingly out of nowhere come along. i’m 54, most of my adventures happened in my early 20s, because it just so happened I had a lot of friends that worked on the great lake freighters, and I’ve always loved being on the water, but after the experiences I had, I seldom go out anymore. I’ll never forget 1990, November, it was the last cruise for this lake freighter hauling a Cargo filled with grain leaving from Toronto, heading for Lake superior on the American side. The captain and my friend both promised me it would be soon sailing, the forecast showed nothing out of the ordinary, and even though November can be pretty sketchy, they assured me it would be perfectly safe, and just to have fun, because the shipping did have guest quarters, and because it was free, what the hell? It was the biggest mistake of my life that almost cost me my life. We had left Toronto harbour and we’re in the middle of the lake heading towards our destination when literally black clouds seemed to form right over top of the ship, it was the most bizarre thing I had ever witnessed in my life. We went from perfectly clear smooth sailing, with sunny skies and barely a ripple on the water surface, to sustained winds of 62 mph, and swells up to 30 feet high. The ship was fully loaded riding quite low, so each wave easily breached the side of the ship breaking over the hatches, scaring the living hell out of me as the ship felt like it was out of control. The captain was steaming at fullbore, yet we were hardly making any headway because the wind was hitting us straight on. That storm lasted for two days, and for two days I was convinced I was as good as dead, even the crew begin talking about evacuating the ship and taking their chances in the life boat, but the captain refused, and was adamant he could get us through it safely, and he did, but I have to tell you, I have never been that scared in my entire life. For two days solid you could not stand still, the ship was rocking so much, everybody was covered in cuts and bruises from falling over and hitting them selves against the walls, tables, and anything else that was in the way. They couldn’t just sit there, they had to do their jobs, and because I felt like a third wheel, I volunteer to give them a hand, and before I knew it I was out on the deck of the ship securing hatches that were not properly secured, it was a much older boat, one where the hatches, even though each one weighed several tons, had to be secured by hand with a wrench. Thank God after two days everything calm down, and after a couple of more days we reached our destination, but I flat out refused to get back on that ship, and arrange for ground transportation to get back home. Even though the ship got back to Toronto’s Harbour safely, I was not willing to take a chance. The guys that worked on the ships were used to it, but I was just a civilian along for the ride, and I’ll never do it again. I don’t think I’ve ever done that much praying in my life, and without any exaggeration there were times when the entire ship was underwater as wave after wave broke over the bow and seem to swallow the entire ship until it was pop back up only to hit another wave. The captain told me that these storms were normal for that time of year, I wish to God they would’ve told me that before I got on board, but it was what the captain told me after I told him I was taking ground transportation back home that truly terrified me. The guy had been captain for over 20 years, and has spent over 50 years of his life on the great lakes, he told me that was the worst storm he had ever been through, and he was thoroughly convinced we were going to sink, but he also knew to keep a calm cool head so the other crewmembers wouldn’t panic. No I will only go out in the summertime on pleasure crafts, I will never set foot on a ship on the great lakes in November ever again! I know it may sound like I’m exaggerating, but I’m not, the entire ship would be completely submerged as it broke through each wave, according to the captain, some of the waves exceeded 50 feet, I know that sounds impossible to believe, because it’s rare to get that even on the ocean, but if you were on board, trust me you would believe it. Thank God it was one, hell of a tough ship, and could take one hell of a beating. I can’t remember the name of the ship, but it was already 20 years old, retrofitted with modern technology. However, those waves did a lot of damage to the ship, damage that I only discovered months after that faithful voyage. Apparently the waves had hit the ship so hard, it actually split the bow right down the keel plate, and had caused massive damage to the superstructure. As they were heading back home while I was on the train going back to Toronto, water started pouring in, luckily not too fast that the pumps couldn’t keep up, but I’m just glad I wasn’t on board, because a lot of sailors that were on board we’re beginning to panic get there captain has made a foolish mistake not inspecting the ship when he got to port before returning to Toronto. That was the last voyage of that ship, that’s doing it done so much damage, it would have cost more to fix the ship than it was worth, so they scrapped it. That’s how close I came to dying, myself how long is 14 other crewmembers nearly went down, thank God we didn’t know just how bad the ship had been damaged. I don’t know if it’s true, but a lot of the friends I mention claim working on great lake freighters is more dangerous than freighters that cross the ocean, claiming that the storms in the Great Lakes are far more violent and sudden than anything you’ll find in the ocean, and even though I don’t know I would definitely agree with that, because I have never in my life seen the weather change that fast. I’m not exaggerating when I say it took less than five minutes to go from a sunny clear sky and smooth seas, to black clouds, pouring rain and heavy snow alternating, and waves breaking over the bow so hard it would knock you off your feet. Sounds unbelievable doesn’t it? That’s the great lakes in November, I finally understood Gordon lightfoots song!

[@jjnich4915]

Thanks for sharing this unreal story. Living on and growing up on the coast of Lake Huron I know that even taking your boat out in late October is a big no no on the lake. On land it can get to 0C. It has snowed on Halloween here within the last 4 years. Out on the lake would be even colder going down to -5C or even below with wind chill etc. I can only imagine what being out on ANY of the Great Lakes would be like in November, let alone in a winter storm. Screw that. There was the Winter where Georgian Bay completely froze over I think it was back in 2016. You could literally walk across the bay from Parry Sound to Tobermory. To me that is insane as I have driven that on land it is an absolute ludicrous distance to be frozen over and I believe it's the only recorded year to have done so (could be mistaken on that). The fact that anybody sails these lakes in November especially 40 years ago is crazy. You will not see me on any ship outside the months of May to September on the Great Lakes. I often catch myself down at the breakwall at beach in my town staring out to the horizon of Lake Huron. Seeing the massive waves miles out and that's just what my eye can see. I envision myself 100 miles out on the lake in a boat alone at night and the anxiety it gives me just thinking about it is almost unbearable. I have personally seen 15+ft waves near the shore on Lake Huron. I entirely believe you when you say there was 50ft waves on Lake Ontario. The lakes may be smaller than the oceans but the water and waves inside of it is a lot more choppy than the ocean that's a fact!

[@DanFan2042]

Thanks for your post. I lived right on the banks of Lake Erie when I was younger. The Great Lakes are notorious and taken seriously by anyone with maritime experience. Lightfoot's song is as haunting as it is painfully accurate with regard to the perils that come in an instant. Greetings from Ohio.

[@cbmbdb]

What a excellent story! So glad you made it home. Prayers for those souls who werent as lucky.

[@chucksnightmare7674]

Thank you for taking the time to type out your excellent told adventure of that trip. Had to rewind the video because reading your tale, I didn't hear a word from the video playing in the back ground because you told such a detailed account. I live close to the Saginaw bay/lake Huron and have been out on those waters on pleasure boats, so I have heard alot of stories about how fast the weather can change on the Great lakes. Again thank you.

[@mr.sir.]

What boat were you on good sir?

[@mbvoelker8448]

You are correct. As a person who has had the experience, when you have looked death in the eye and seen death blink you are never again quite the same. But I don't believe that I'd be brave enough to go back to the water after an experience that intense and harrowing.

[@tinypoolmodelshipyard]

🙏🙏

[@ericcriteser4001]

I have twelve minutes before ai have to get ready for work. I will take 15 to watch this. Love your content. Thanks for sharing and good morning from Detroit, six blocks from the Detroit River.

[@johnlshilling1446]

My father, born in 1929, ran away from home at the age of 14. He lied about his age and hired on as a Merchant Marine on the Great Lakes. That's all we ever learned about those years, and not from him. He never spoke about it. Now that I'm almost 70, and having a layman's understanding of PTSD, I wonder if he experienced these terrifying storms. It seems likely. Why else would he refuse to talk about it, as many soldiers refuse to talk about their war experiences? 🤔

[@himbourbanist]

I've been learning a lot more about Great Lakes shipping and boats through your channel, and it really struck me today how truly huge the Great Lakes are, and how they really are like small, inland seas that massive freighters use regularly. There's an entire seafaring culture based around the Great Lakes that's wholly separate from ocean-faring vessels. It's really damn cool and even more insane that they're all freshwater

[@michaelimbesi2314]

The reason that the storm was so deadly is simply its extreme duration. The size of the waves in a storm is a function not just of the wind speed, but also the fetch, and of how long the wind has been blowing. Most of the storms on the lakes likely don’t last long enough to create a fully developed sea state, but because this storm was so much longer than most, the waves likely resembled seas you’d find in a storm in the mid-ocean, rather than on the lakes. This would mean that the waves would be much taller and have a much longer wavelength than those of typical Great Lakes storms. This matters a lot because things like the minimum freeboard and hull section modulus of Great Lakes freighters are allowed to be less than oceangoing ships, because it is assumed that they will not face the same conditions. When you combine that with the fact that ship structures and steel were not nearly as well understood back in 1913, those freighters ended up in conditions that they were never designed to handle. It’s frankly a miracle that any of them survived.

[@Wolfintery]

It's wild how intense lake superior gets in November. I like watching marine traffic, and it's super interesting to read up on/watch freighters hurrying to finish up a final run before November hits peak severe weather. And also watching groups of freighters hurrying to dock up for the season. Great to see someone covering Great Lakes freighters! They're truly something else

[@Dat-Mudkip]

I think Captain May was _very_ aware that Kanaby defied orders. I think he never wrote it down just to keep Kanaby from getting _any_ grief, as Kanaby did save not just his life but everyone else's on board as well.

[@kacieogle513]

To me the mystery and danger of the ocean and large body of waters are incredible! The violence it can generate is just amazing!

[@AaronShenghao]

Many people know the tragic fate of Titanic. But these people's stories were no less tragic. Both failed because of bad safety standards at the time and cut throat competition...

[@sorrenblitz805]

Titanic didn't fail because of bad practices or cut-throat competition. Titanic failed because the practices that worked just fine 99% of the time in those days failed. They changed course to avoid the ice still ended up in it due to an abnormally warm spring season that calved more ice than normal. This left her stranded outside the traffic zone where help would've been readily available. As for the lifeboat quantity, she set out with 4 more boats than the law required, and absolutely no ship had enough lifeboats for everyone, because that's not what the boats were for. Even if passengers weren't being stubborn that night waiting for the other ship they could see, that wasn't coming, those boats were meant to go back and forth and be joined by boats from the rescue ship. They were never intended to be used long-term for hours drifting. Let's talk about quantity, even if they did have enough, they wouldn't have time to ready them or launch them. Titanic sank in 2 hours and 45 minutes, and they only had about an 1 hour and 40 minutes to launch the boats as it took some time to realize they were actually sinking. They managed to get 18 of their 20 boats off properly in that time and had to float the other two off the deck. More boats would've just gotten more people killed as they'd create blockages and ultimately take even more time that the Titanic didn't have. In truth lifeboats at that time weren't even seen as safe to begin with as most stories of the time talk about how the boats couldn't even be launched or they'd fail and get everyone in them killed. At this point with all that history known to us now in 2023 we really should design some kind of escape pods system, sealable buoy type containers that can be launched above or below the waterline

[@amyburgess7684]

I live in Toledo. Ive seen so many ships docked in our port. Ive also been out on Lake Erie during a storm. We were coming back from Put-in- Bay to Sandusky. That was enough for me to last a lifetime. I can only imagine what these sailors went through. The Great Lakes are no joke. Thank you for your video. 😊

[@livinglikeananimal]

I love the detail and care you put into your videos! And I especially dug all the old black and white ship footage of the old freighters. The November gales are fearsome indeed!

[@Redblockish]

I can only compliment this channel appropriately by saying that you've been added to my very very short list of "KZbinrs whose ads I don't skip so they can make money". Never stop, my friend.

[@sugarapplesweet]

I live very near to Port Austin, and like most kids who grew up on the Great Lakes, we can't help but grow up to wonder about the ships and storms of the past. The mysteries are numerous, and I've had the good fortune to snorkel above some wrecks. I always loved listening to my junior high science teacher talk about his youth working on freighters. Thank you for this lovely channel. I found it by happenstance, and I've been listening in to every episode that I can while writing.

[@GrumpyIan]

Gotta give the captain props for not putting in the report that the wheelman didn't follow orders, because the blame for running the ship around fell on the captain and not the wheelman.

[@FlorenceSlugcat]

I believe he may have done it out of respect for the wheelman, realizing after the storm have passed how severe it was and how unlikely they would survived if they turned around, he may not have wanted him blamed for either the beaching or for having disobeyed commands.

[@lizlovsdagmara5525]

Giving the captain a lot of credit here.

[@DolleHengst]

​@@lizlovsdagmara5525 Exactly. Imagine putting in the reports that the wheelman disobeyed your catastrophic, lethal order

[@lizlovsdagmara5525]

@@DolleHengst That would be quite embarrassing.

[@porkopolitan]

4:22 not ashamed to admit my heart skipped a beat there

[@deecawford]

Ive watched so many documentaries about this storm. I truly enjoyed this one. Finally a good story from that horrible event. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[@jeancolley8908]

stories of this truly lend credence to those famous lyrics - "does anybody know where the love of god goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours". It's the whole profession, of sailing, the very nature of the water....

[@BTScriviner]

It's only been fairly recently that I've become aware of the maritime history of the Great Lakes thanks to channels like yours. Another great job. 👍

[@VS-kf5qw]

Underpowered, overburdened, dangerously unstable and plopped into a vicious quickly-changing climate... god I'm amazed this ship survived and I'm glad the captain was humble enough to be grateful to his men for defying him.

[@mauricedavis2160]

Gotta give the young helmsman some credit, amazing history thank you Big Old Boats!!!🙏👌⚓❣️

[@0belly9]

beautifully narrated with a calm, clear voice that paused and subtly conveyed tragedy and hopelessness on a night destined to bring devastation to those aboard ships doomed to sink to the bottom of the Great Lakes. Every part of this documentary was perfectly put together and executed. Brilliant. Thank you

[@kylieirwin1325]

Hi, I grew up with my father being very interested in old boats, building models and such. I wasn't very interested at all really, but as I grew older, I got some interest in them. When my dad passed away I felt that it was right that I learn more about the things he liked. Well now I watch all your video's and love how informative they are. Thanks for all of the research and pictures that you do. My dad would have loved your channel. 😶

[@giggiddy]

Thats a nice tribute to your dad. Im sure you miss him like I miss mine. Thanks for sharing.

[@snydedon9636]

I don’t think you can come up with a explanation of why one ship survived and others didn’t. I survived a stage 4 cancer in 2013 after being given a 5% chance of survival. I have no idea why I survived and often, to this day, I still ponder that question. I feel awful for those I met at the treatment center who didn’t survive. I’m obviously not complaining but it does make me think about something that is really incomprehensible.

[@sorrenblitz805]

Luck my dude. Pure luck. Sometimes it's there sometimes it's not. Congrats on surviving by the way.

[@snydedon9636]

@@sorrenblitz805 thanks for replying. Me personally I think it might be a little more than luck. I was fortunate enough to end up in a hospital with some of the most talented healthcare professionals in the world. Plus I had a lot of people praying for me. Have a great day!

[@ladyzapzap9514]

@@snydedon9636that’s as good a reason as any.

[@snydedon9636]

@@ladyzapzap9514 thanks

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

These two were tremendous - probably your best yet. Well done capuring such brutal human drama.

[@atreyuprincipalh4043]

the closing words on this wonderful history of marineering as so true , as I sailor I thank You

[@bigben028cards1]

I think some credit should go to Ric Mixter who found Ed Kanavi and interviewed him before his death.

[@charlescomly1]

Great story friend, if you hadn't brought it to us we probably would never have known about it. Thank you.

[@micoasters]

Best ship channel. As a Michigander I love freighter wrecks. I found a pice of steel plating with rivets still in it in Mackinac from a wreck

[@boredandconfused]

Respect to him for not taking it personally and admitting the incident saved lives.

[@jetsons101]

The sailors that made it through the night probably had a new love for Life, Family and Friends.

[@Cheezwizzz]

I can’t get enough of your channel 🚢

[@changeshifter4852]

Me neither.

[@cantfindmykeys]

I love the old film footage at the end. My mother was Miss Navy in a parade in Portland OR back in those days, before I was born. I want a time machine to go back and live in a better world. We traveled the world in the 70s and 80s and those were the golden years of flying. Each passing year takes us further away from a better time, imo. Better music, better food, better values.. just better. Thanks for your videos, I'm enjoying them. Oregonians are a bit um, different. LOL. I should know because I was born there. Even if I didn't live there for very long, it was still my first impression of the new world.

[@thebomb18wheels]

Look up the Henry B Smith story. A victim of poor judgement and pressure from operating companies to leave port on time. When she departed Marquette, the crew was still hogging down the hatches. She disappeared in the snow. Later a bottle found described the ship breaking in two and foundering some two hundred miles off course. The Smiths owners, The Hannah Steamship Company dismissed it as a hoax. One hundred years later in 2013, she was found broken in two exactly where the bottle specified. To this day, she is the only Great Lake steamer lost in the 1913 besides the Wexford and Argus to be found up right on the bottom. Apparently she is remarkably preserved due to her depth and the lack of Zebra Mussels in Superior.

[@FRLN500]

The letter was a hoax. It was dated several days AFTER the Smith had gone down.

[@rodpaget9796]

In Collingwood Ontario a funeral for the men lost on the lakes took place and a lad showed up to one of the funerals finding he was the dead man ….The father had identified his son mistakenly, The Mother fainted on site of her son who arrived back from a trip to Toronto.

[@winstonchurchill5791]

Big old boats it is me again. This is a masterpiece! Just wondering if you can please do a video on the SS Pendleton and the SS Fort Mercer that both broke apart in 1952. Great content by the way keep up the good work!

[@lewis7315]

I, We of the coast guard cutter Evergreen, a 180 ft long bouy tender were sent to do oceanographic work on the North atlantic January 1967... the 3rd week of January 67,we experiences a week long storm with sets of 80 foor waves that broached the ship nearly capsizeing her after hitting verticle walls of water... I was barely 18 years old, was on the bridge when the broach happened... we all thought she was going all the way over... the starboard bridge wing was in the water... the guy hanging onto the inclimeometer later swore that she had gone over 67 degrees... any other ship would have capsised,,, we fell down the backside of that wave which righted the ship... sets of 80 foot waves continued several hours, but somehow we avoided broaching again, but just barely... it was all we could do to just maintain steerage way... to this day when I drive through an area with lots of rolling hills somewhere in the pit of my stomach I just know that those hills are really winter north atlantic waves...

[@medea27]

Is it just me or is there a tiny black outboard @ 4:24 about to be run over by the _much_ larger freighter??! 😲 Love all the vintage photos & footage that you use, they are a perfect match for your storytelling. 👌

[@iainjohnston788]

Yup I mention it as well , no way that wee boat survived.

[@justinsalzl1517]

What a fantastic story and well done video. I’ve seen the gales of November from the safety of shore on Lake Superior. I’ve never seen waves crash into the land, breakers, and shore with such incredible force. I couldn’t imagine being on the Great Lakes during a storm like that, let alone a stronger storm. Very humbling.

[@crivket1233]

👏 well done !!!! Relaxed storytelling , without babble. 👍👍

[@yoptastic8463]

Cheers big old boats man, I haven't watched your latest post yet but I will be this evening but I just know it'll be great as usual, so I'm looking forward to that later, thanks. Will leave a comment when I do.

[@thurayya8905]

I never thought I cared about large ships in all their variety (except for my father being in the Navy in World War II), until I found your channel. I don't know why, perhaps your excellent and thorough writing, but I find myself drawn to each.

[@mgrzx3367]

Thank you for uploading. I live near Lorain Ohio where we used to go to see the big ships. It was like an event. Keep up the great work.

[@kimberlyault9242]

Thank you so much for doing these fascinating videos on some Great Lakes maritime history! As a Michigander from birth, I have always been intrigued by the lakes and their shipping history. We have a great many lighthouses and lifesaving stations that are open for tours as well as museums that tell the stories but it's super awesome to see one of the most interesting time periods to have an international stage. To all who love lighthouse and shipping history, come visit us in the summer when they're open!

[@cdd4248]

Michigan in on my bucket list!

[@EllenCFarmGirl]

I’m always learn something! My most common saying “I had NO idea”❤ thank you

[@whoohaaXL]

I love the spirituality and the, trying to think of the words here, the way you articulate things. Your videos are amazing, Bradley. I love how you end each video with "be nice to each other" I can tell you're probably a man of faith and honestly? This is a channel I am honored to subscribe to. I love the stories you tell, I love the way you portray things and again, articulate them. Keep fighting the good fight, my brother. Love the stories you pick too! I remember reading about the 1913 Great lakes storm and I remember the helmsman beaching the freighter, I believe she broke up later I can't remember it's been a while, but he was absolutely right, his words very prophetic and apropos; "had we not landed on the shore, there would have been another freighter on the bottom"

[@simonwilliams4514]

Perhaps your best video yet, always a highlight when I see a new BoB tale turn up in my subscription feed

[@hillbillytrucker8347]

Glad I found this channel I am learning about the great lakes and the men and vessels that sail our own inland sea.

[@yoptastic8463]

Thank you again B. O. B. for another excellent true ship-fairing tale, your storytelling ability is fabulous for a late-night watch/listen and your voice is calm and soothing - just what I need at the end of the day. I wish more officers would have had the same sense as he did and defiy the Captain if by every instinct he felt that Captains can be wrong occasionally. Then maybe some diasaster's could've been averted, lives and these beautiful ships would've been saved.

[@Ravenfellblade]

I would really love for you to do some kind of video discussing the Whalebacks of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The last surviving Whaleback hull, the SS METEOR, is in rougher shape every year and has an uncertain future. I'd love to see these vessels get some love before they are vanished and forgotten. I learned of them driving past the Meteor museum in Superior, WI when I mistook the vessel for a submarine and wondered why a sub was on the Great Lakes.

[@aarondeck1884]

Thank you so much for another top-notch video.

[@carolinemansfield-wright3923]

Love these fascinating stories Thank you!

[@E.C.Animation]

That was a beautiful sentiment you made at the end. Words to live by.

[@nightrider6769]

Very educational video I didn't know about the storm of 1913 I only know about the one 1975 when the Edmonton Fitzgerald went down I was born in 1967 so that was way before my time but I found your video very interesting.

[@burgwinkel]

The 'home movie' montage at the end, and your commentary with it, was seriously just superb. Nice touch.

[@erickrobertson7089]

They are wicked lakes indeed. Lake Superior in particular.

[@georgewnewman3201]

I grew up listening to folk songs like "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" and "The Battle of New Orleans" on radio at least once a week.

[@changeshifter4852]

This was excellent, thank you very much! Congratulations on firing the 9 to 5 too.🎉Really looking forward to more videos from you now that you work for you.😉

[@JIMBO_UKNO]

excellently write especially at the end. keep the good work up on these mini docs, I've been hooked to them since I've stumbled across your channel .

[@quickhistories6747]

The H.B Hawgood had six other sisters, two of which were also present for the storm, the Umbria and the Edwin F Holmes. The Umbria took severe and heavy damage during the storm, and both ships were reported overdue. The Holmes story, however, was a little different, after she departed the soo locks she steamed on into the storm where she was struck by massive waves, these waves destroyed her pilothouse causing debris to wash up on shore, after her being reported missing wreckage was found on shore and she was reported as sunk, she would then steam on into the Duluth harbor a few days later with a crippled bridge. The Holmes fist captain was, in fact, James Jimmy Ownes who was the captain of the Henery B Smith which went down with all hands. Both ships would continue on with their lives after repairs the Umbria being scrapped in 1959 and the Edwin F Holmes being sold for scrap in 2015 as the JB Ford, her breaking up finished only a few months ago. On a side note, another sister in this class was the Etruria which was sunk in 1905 with zero loss of life after a collision with the vessel Amasa stone.

[@Sustainable1492]

Great chance I have enjoyed your site … great investigative work

[@seanogallchoir3237]

Thank you, keep on sailing and smiling. # HeroesAtSea.

[@intosound913]

as a sailor i enjoy your channel, have you considered doing a ride along with a msc ship and record with actual ship sounds? also you could also try stories from other countries that we didn't grow up hearing.

[@tinypoolmodelshipyard]

🙏🙏

[@Kimberlaina]

Love the Great Lakes videos! I grew up on Lake Michigan and these boats are very much a part of our landscape. I would love to see a video on a carferry.

[@skychief7716]

It’s my first time here on your channel. I’m always intrigued with old boats, old trains, and old guns. I’ve subscribed. I’ll be back. Thanks for this unique look into history!!!

[@farfle]

Another fabulous video! Thank you for covering the Great Lakes ships!

[@susanfaulkner2304]

These reports of the Great Lakes freighters are so informative. This part of American history is always welcome. History class was BORING in the Seventies.

[@Meglenger]

The Schoonmaker is still on display as a museum ship where I live in Toledo Ohio... really cool to see it here being built!

[@garylefevers]

I have seen quite a few vids considering shipwrecks. I believe I saw an old video of an interview with this man. Either way I'm truly glad he defied his captains order.

[@garylefevers]

Btw: excellent content.

[@Keifsanderson]

I grew up on Lake Erie and loved watching the freighters coming and going from Port Colborne. I'm a big history buff but had never heard of this storm. Thank you. Subscribed.

[@Thesiouxempirepodcast]

Just found this channel on Friday and have been binging it all weekend with my nephew. Keep up the great work!

[@mattshannon4578]

Having grown up spending my summers on an Island in the Straits of Mackinac, I grew up with many stories of lost vessels and the efforts of the US Life Saving Service. I plan on spending a substantial amount of my retirement exploring the surrounding waters of the Island for undiscovered vessels and artifacts.

[@Myrea_Rend]

5:52 Even a century ago, there was always that one guy showing off his speedboat whenever he could

[@bradcarpo5917]

Thank you for this great story, there aren't many of the treditional old boats left. I grew up in P.H. watching them from my Grandparents front window just north of ft. Gratiot light., Nhard to get to sleep cuz I was always waiting for the next one.

[@maxnikolenko2302]

Please make more videos. Great stuff

[@Nik.No.K]

Good for you for chasing your dreams at 31! I'm 29 and often fear it's too late...

[@animeicity]

To Big Old Boats: I'm not sure if you live in Oregon (Eugene represent!) but on a side note, seeing a Powell's Bookstore mug in this video warmed my heart. I've seen many of your videos and I just wanted to say I appreciate your sincerity and sensitivity relating these stories that are just as much a part of the human narrative as any other part of history. Thank you for your commitment to making these videos. Good job!

[@sherryab3964]

This one was fantastic! I've been binge watching your channel. It was so surreal to see the view of the storm from the view of the ship. Your videos are an experience.

[@davehecht4316]

Liked the film footage as well. Thanks for rembering the history