Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim Completes 411-Mile Michigan Relay

Nearly 70 swimmers completed the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim, a 411-mile relay tracing the route of the ill-fated freighter that sank in Lake Superior in 1975. The month-long event began near the shipwreck site and concluded at the Detroit Yacht Club on Belle Isle, one day later than planned, with the final leg finished by four swimmers. The relay, organized by marathon swimmer Jim Dreyer, faced numerous challenges including storms, mechanical issues with four different boats, and poor air quality, but the team persisted to finish all 17 stages. The swimmers raised funds for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society to help preserve the Whitefish Point Light Station, which was not operational when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank. A memorial service was held at the Mariners’ Church in Detroit, where a bell rang 30 times in honor of the 29 crew members lost and all who have died on the Great Lakes. Family members of the Fitzgerald crew and supporters greeted the swimmers at the finish, celebrating the successful tribute on the 50th anniversary of the tragedy.