Edmund Fitzgerald Investigation Presented by Ric Mixter, Shipwreck Historian

Join shipwreck historian Ric Mixter for an unforgettable presentation on the Edmund Fitzgerald, the largest and most famous shipwreck in the Great Lakes. This program, Fitzgerald Investigations, follows Ric’s acclaimed PBS documentary and 300-page book Tattletale Sounds and offers a rare, firsthand perspective on the ship’s building, career, and tragic sinking.

Through exclusive footage, rare interviews, and firsthand accounts, Ric brings the story of the Fitzgerald to life. The ship was lost in a violent storm on Lake Superior in 1975, taking all 29 crew members with her. Few have explored the wreck site, but Ric is among them—diving 550 feet below the surface in 1994 to personally visit the resting place of the “Pride of the American Side.”

Drawing from over 20 years of research, Ric shares:

• Archival footage of the Fitzgerald’s construction near Detroit—when it launched, it was the largest object ever dropped into freshwater.
• Interviews with shipyard workers and former crew, including a mate who sailed under Captain McSorley.
• Insights from the Coast Guard, Jacques Cousteau’s team, and other key investigators who explored the wreck between 1976 and 1995.
• His own expert analysis of what may have caused the tragedy.

Ric’s documentary on the Fitzgerald remains the most comprehensive and best-selling film on Great Lakes shipwrecks. His presentations have captivated audiences across the region and even earned him an invitation to share his findings at NASA’s Goddard Space Laboratory in 2019.

Don’t miss this powerful and immersive look into one of the Great Lakes’ greatest mysteries.