The Night the Fitz Went Down (Paperback)

~ (Author), Dudley Paquette (Author) "Comfortably seated in front of a large bank of windows overlooking the shoreline of his summer home on Lake Vermilion in northeastern Minnesota, Captain Dudley..." (more)
Key Phrases: Coast Guard, Captain Paquette, Lake Superior (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The year 2000 marks the 25th Anniversary of one of Lake Superior's unsolved mysteries. On November 10, 1975, a "mega-storm" over Lake Superior sank the ore carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald at the east end of Lake Superior. Although many theories have been expressed on the cause of this catastrophe, one widely held but rarely spoken reason has never been published -- until now. As the last living captain of an ore boat that also sailed through the worst of that storm, Captain Dudley Paquette relates his harrowing memoir of those hours leading up to the Fitzgerald wreck and of the dangerous search afterward. In the process, the reader gains deep insight into the mind of Great Lakes captains and what might have been the situation in the wheelhouse of the Fitzgerald as the big lake crashed across the decks. The real cause of the wreck might finally be known.

From the Publisher

An extremely popular book, we went back to press within days of receiving the first printing. Sure to add significantly to the literature on the Fitzgerald. Noted Great Lakes historian Dr. Julius F. Wolff Jr. says about the book's revelations, "I think you hit the nail right on the head."

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Lake Superior Port Cities (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0942235371
• ISBN-13: 978-0942235371
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #884,213 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The night the Fitz went down, April 14, 2001

By	"nitronewt" (Englewood, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

Overall, the book was not too bad. I do nearly agree with the theory presented regarding the reason the ship sank, as it is certainley more believable than the Coast Guard's reasoning. The one thing I did not care for is the "arrogance" I felt was displayed by Capt. Parquette. Although I did not mind reading about his experiences, he talked (wrote?) like he was all knowing, and could never do wrong. I sailed on the Great Lakes for a bit as an engineer, and I still get up there once a year to do work in March, so I have met some Captains here and there, and most seem pretty reasonable. However, I do not think much of this guy. Nonetheless, a good book regarding the ship itself, and it does present some interesting facts. So, in closing, I would recommend it if you are into the history of this ship, and would like to know as I why it went down.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Night the Fitz Went Down, December 27, 2000

By	Stephen K. Huffman (Madison, WI United States) - See all my reviews

An excellent book on the Fitz. I found it to be a very feasable look at a possible theory of what went wrong on the Fitz that November day. The book gives a theory on the disaster from the viewpoint of a very experienced Captain that loaded beside the Fitz in Superior and followed it out to sea 2 hours later. He was on the lake at the same time and assisted in the search with his ship. An extremely knowledgable and thought provoking look into the tragedy. The reasoning and ideas put forth are well documented and the writing style very captivating. I would call this a must read for anyone interested in Great Lakes shipping or the Fitzgerald tragedy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Captain with a ego so large no lake boat could carry!!!, December 4, 2002

By	Marc Findlay (Joliet, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have read this book and found it very informative. The book is mostly about a ego driven Captain who has never made a mistake. Once you get to page 80 or so, the book is very well written and actually talks about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Up until this part of the book the Captain tell endless storys about how great he was as a Captain. He does have great evidence on what happened to the Edmund Fitzgerald.