Swimmers Finished the Edmund Fitzgerald’s Final Voyage. Their Story Premieres on the 51st Anniversary.
Before it became one of the most famous shipwrecks in Great Lakes history, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was a record-breaking freighter. Launched in River Rouge, Michigan, in 1958, the 729-foot vessel held the title of the largest ship on the Great Lakes for 13 years. It spent its years hauling massive loads of iron ore pellets across the lakes, supplying the Midwest’s steel industry.
On November 10, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald was crossing Lake Superior with more than 26,000 tons of iron ore pellets bound for Detroit. Under the command of Captain Ernest M. McSorley, the ship encountered a powerful storm and sank about 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point. All 29 crew members were lost, and the freighter never reached its destination.
The tragedy left behind unanswered questions about the ship’s final moments, and its story has remained an important part of Great Lakes maritime history. The ship’s bell was recovered from the wreck in 1995, but the Fitzgerald itself still rests on the bottom of Lake Superior.
Now, 51 years later, the Edmund Fitzgerald continues to be remembered through memorials and annual tributes, including the playing of Gordon Lightfoot’s famous “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” song. In the summer of 2025, for instance, a group of determined swimmers found an extraordinary new way to honor the lost crew – by setting out to finish the journey the Fitzgerald never could.
A 411-Mile Swim to Honor the Edmund Fitzgerald’s Lost Crew
On July 26, 2025, the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim began directly above the ship’s resting place in Lake Superior. Organized by endurance swimmer Jim “The Shark” Dreyer, the ambitious undertaking brought together about 70 open-water swimmers to symbolically complete the Fitzgerald’s final voyage to Detroit, nearly 50 years after the tragedy.
The 411-mile relay was divided into 17 stages, with teams of four swimmers taking turns in the water for 30-minute intervals. The route took participants through Lake Superior, the St. Marys River, Lake Huron, and eventually into the waterways leading to Detroit.
The swim wasn’t just about covering the distance, though. The swimmers carried iron ore pellets from the same Wisconsin dock where the Fitzgerald had loaded its final cargo. Passing the pellets from team to team, they hoped to deliver what the freighter never could. And the journey certainly wasn’t easy.
Strong currents, thunderstorms, and chilly Great Lakes waters tested the swimmers throughout the monthlong effort. Mechanical problems with escort boats caused additional setbacks, while injuries and other health concerns complicated an already demanding schedule. At one point, organizers even had to arrange an alternative swimming course near Sturgeon Point after losing access to a support boat.
Despite the challenges, the relay reached its final destination on August 27, 2025. The last four swimmers completed a 30.5-mile stage from Algonac across Lake St. Clair and into the Detroit River, finishing at the Detroit Yacht Club on Belle Isle.
The following day, the swimmers gathered at Mariners’ Church of Detroit for a memorial service honoring the Fitzgerald’s crew. The iron ore pellets were ceremonially presented to Detroit Deputy Mayor Melia Howard, completing the symbolic delivery. The church bell also rang in remembrance of the 29 men who never made it home.
Beyond the tribute itself, the memorial swim raised more than $200,000 to help preserve the historic Whitefish Point Light Station near the site of the sinking. And while the swimmers’ journey had come to an end, their experience will reach an even wider audience through a new documentary.
The 411-Mile Memorial Swim Comes to the Big Screen
The swim may be over, but the story doesn’t end at the shoreline. On November 10, 2026, the 51st anniversary of the Fitzgerald’s sinking, a new documentary titled “We Finished Their Journey: The Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim” is scheduled for release in theaters and on streaming platforms.
Produced by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society and Big Fin Pictures, the film takes viewers behind the scenes of the ambitious undertaking, capturing the challenges, personal experiences, and emotional moments that unfolded along the way. Watch the trailer here.
Executive producer and director Corey Adkins brings together more than 20 individual stories from the people involved in the relay. From unpredictable weather and equipment failures to the determination of the swimmers and their support crews, the documentary offers a closer look at what it took to complete the journey. “I’ve never had so many moving parts in all of the documentaries I’ve produced,” Adkins said in a statement, adding that “you’d think watching over 70 swimmers for all those miles would be boring…well that wasn’t the fact, and you’re in for a treat.”
Dreyer noted, “This film tells the story of a remarkable journey, completed by good people for all the right reasons. These athletes pushed their personal limits to write a new chapter in the legacy of the Edmund Fitzgerald …” The film is also an opportunity to keep the memory of the crew alive, particularly for the families who lost loved ones in the tragedy.
Michigan viewers can catch a special screening on November 10 at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle in Detroit as part of its anniversary remembrance events. The film is also expected to be available through streaming, although specific platforms have yet to be announced.
Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald: 2026 Memorial Events Around the Great Lakes
More than five decades after the Edmund Fitzgerald disappeared beneath Lake Superior, communities around the Great Lakes continue to gather each November to honor the 29 men who lost their lives.
For the 51st anniversary, museums, historic sites, and maritime organizations are hosting everything from bell-ringing ceremonies and shipwreck presentations to special tours and remembrance services. Several events are free, and those unable to attend in person can participate in select ceremonies through livestreams.
Here’s where you can remember the Edmund Fitzgerald in 2026, with events listed by their starting dates.
Edmund Fitzgerald Special Event Station | Detroit, Michigan
November 7, 2026 | 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle begins its anniversary programming with a special amateur radio event. Members of the Livonia Amateur Radio Club will operate station W8F, connecting with radio enthusiasts around the world while sharing the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Visitors can observe the operators, learn how amateur radio works, and explore the museum’s maritime exhibits. Regular admission is $5, with free entry for members and children ages 5 and younger.
National Museum of the Great Lakes | Toledo, Ohio
November 7–8, 2026 | Tours every 30 minutes, with the last starting at 3:30 p.m.
Ever wondered what life aboard a massive Great Lakes freighter was like? The National Museum of the Great Lakes is offering special Edmund Fitzgerald tours aboard the historic Col. James M. Schoonmaker museum ship.
The 75-minute guided experience uses the Schoonmaker’s similarities to the Fitzgerald to explore the ship’s final voyage, theories surrounding its sinking, and stories about the crew.
Tours are limited to 12 participants and cost $25 for museum members or $40 for non-members, including museum admission. Keep in mind that the ship is unheated, has exposed decks, and is not wheelchair accessible.
Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum | Rogers City, Michigan
November 7, 2026 | 1 p.m.
The Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum is holding a special bell-ringing ceremony. Located in Rogers City, the museum preserves the stories of the people who worked aboard Great Lakes vessels, with exhibits featuring shipping artifacts, nautical equipment, and personal accounts from the region’s maritime past.
The anniversary gathering is part of the museum’s ongoing tradition of honoring sailors who lost their lives on the Great Lakes.
Sanilac County Historic Village & Museum | Port Sanilac, Michigan
November 7, 2026 | 2–4 p.m.
For a different perspective on the Edmund Fitzgerald, head to Forestville Church on the grounds of the Sanilac County Historic Village & Museum.
Maritime historian, filmmaker, and diver Ric Mixter will share stories from his decades of Great Lakes shipwreck research, including his experience descending approximately 550 feet in a submersible to explore the Fitzgerald wreck.
Mixter has investigated more than 100 Great Lakes shipwrecks, and his presentation will also touch on the devastating Storm of 1913 and interviews with shipwreck survivors.
The afternoon begins with a musical performance by Jack Broadwell before Mixter takes the stage at approximately 2:30 p.m. Admission is free, although donations to the Sanilac County Historical Society are welcome.
Lost Mariners Brunch | Detroit, Michigan
November 8, 2026 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dossin’s Lost Mariners Brunch brings together Great Lakes history, live music, and a meal inspired by the dining traditions of lake freighters.
The morning includes a presentation about Great Lakes history and a musical performance by balladeer Lee Murdock. Guests will then enjoy a lunch prepared by Detroit’s Common Pub, featuring recipes from George Yaworski’s Ships of the Great Lakes Cookbook, including dishes from its Edmund Fitzgerald chapter.
Tickets are $85 per person, and advance reservations are required.
Mariners’ Church of Detroit | Detroit, Michigan
November 8, 2026 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Mariners’ Church of Detroit has a particularly meaningful connection to the Edmund Fitzgerald. Following the sinking in 1975, the church famously rang its bell 29 times in memory of the lost crew, a tribute immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot’s song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
For the ship’s 51st anniversary, the church will dedicate its annual Great Lakes Memorial Service to remembering the Fitzgerald’s crew and other mariners who lost their lives on the Great Lakes.
The Sunday morning service includes Holy Communion and offers an opportunity to reflect on the tragedy at a church that has honored the Fitzgerald’s crew for more than five decades. Visitors are welcome to attend.
Great Lakes Brewing Co. | Cleveland, Ohio
November 8, 2026 | 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. & November 9–11, 2026 | 5:30–7:15 p.m.
Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing Co., known for its Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, is hosting several presentations titled The Last Voyage: Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The program traces the freighter’s construction, years of service, and final voyage while exploring its connections to Great Lakes communities and the lasting impact of the sinking. Each presentation concludes with a moment of silence for the crew.
The brewery will also donate $1 from every pint of Edmund Fitzgerald Porter sold during the events to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. Reservations are available through the brewery’s event calendar.
Lost Mariners Remembrance Ceremony | Detroit, Michigan
November 8, 2026 | 3–4 p.m.
One of Detroit’s most meaningful annual maritime traditions returns to Belle Isle with the Lost Mariners Remembrance Ceremony.
A memorial wreath will arrive from the Detroit River and be placed near the Edmund Fitzgerald’s anchor outside the museum. The ceremony includes the ringing of bells to remember the Fitzgerald’s crew and others lost on the Great Lakes, along with an Honor Flotilla of Canadian and American vessels.
Afterward, visitors can head inside for warm drinks and songs of remembrance performed by Lee Murdock. The ceremony is free and includes museum admission, although advance registration is requested.
Lost Mariners Day At The Dossin | Detroit, Michigan
November 10, 2026 | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On the actual anniversary of the sinking, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum will open its doors for a special Lost Mariners Day with free admission.
Rather than a scheduled ceremony, visitors are invited to explore the museum at their own pace and reflect on the people and ships that shaped Great Lakes maritime history.
Split Rock Lighthouse | Two Harbors, Minnesota
November 10, 2026 | 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Memorial ceremony at 5:15 p.m.
Perched above Lake Superior, Split Rock Lighthouse hosts one of the most recognizable annual tributes to the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Throughout the day, visitors can explore the historic lighthouse, fog signal building, and visitor center. Guided tours and a film about the Fitzgerald offer additional background on the ship and its final voyage.
At 5:15 p.m., the memorial ceremony begins with the naval hymn and the reading of the 29 crew members’ names, accompanied by the tolling of a ship’s bell. The lighthouse beacon is then illuminated in their memory, continuing a tradition that draws visitors to Minnesota’s North Shore each November.
Advance ticket purchases are strongly encouraged, but the ceremony will also be livestreamed on Split Rock Lighthouse’s Facebook page and the Minnesota Historical Society’s YouTube channel. Visitors attending in person should dress for November weather and bring a flashlight or headlamp for the unlit grounds after dark.
Lost Mariners: An Evening of Remembrance | Detroit, Michigan
November 10, 2026 | 6:30–9 p.m.
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum concludes its anniversary programming with a special screening of “We Finished Their Journey,” the documentary about the 2025 Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim.
Following the screening, swim organizer Jim Dreyer and ground operations director David Volk will participate in a question-and-answer session about the relay and the making of the film.
The evening also includes an opportunity to reflect on the Fitzgerald’s crew and other Great Lakes mariners, with warm drinks and cookies available for guests. Tickets are required for this special evening program and cost $20 for members and $25 for non-members.
Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum | Whitefish Point, Michigan
November 10, 2026 | 7 p.m. (Livestream only)
Just miles from where the Edmund Fitzgerald sank, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point will hold its annual memorial ceremony for the lost crew.
The museum is home to the Fitzgerald’s original 200-pound bronze bell, which was recovered from the wreck in 1995 and remains one of its most significant artifacts.
Unlike the public ceremony held for the 50th anniversary in 2025, this year’s service will be a private gathering for surviving family members and others connected to the ship and crew. There will be no public daytime ceremony, and the museum buildings will be closed.
However, the evening memorial will be livestreamed so that people across the Great Lakes and beyond can participate in honoring the 29 men. The viewing link will be posted on the museum’s website and social media channels, including Facebook.
There’s More to the Edmund Fitzgerald’s Story
The Edmund Fitzgerald’s history goes well beyond its tragic final voyage. From its record-breaking size to the unanswered questions surrounding its sinking, there are plenty of fascinating details about the freighter that you might not know.
Want to learn more? Check out these little-known facts about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald for a closer look at one of the Great Lakes’ most famous ships.