Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim
- Date Wed 27th August 2025
- Location Paradise, Michigan
- Price $526.00 - $2,081.00
- Races 17 races
Event summary
As swimmers take to the waters, they will retrace the intended route of the legendary vessel, symbolically delivering iron ore pellets from the same dock in Superior, Wisconsin, where the ship loaded its last cargo. This epic journey pays tribute to the 29 mariners who lost their lives in the 1975 gale, forever immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot's haunting ballad, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." Be part of this remarkable event that blends adventure, history, and tribute, creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience for participants and spectators alike. Don't miss your chance to be part of history in Paradise!
Organiser's Description
The year 2025 marks 50 years since the _Edmund Fitzgerald_, bound for Detroit with over 26,000 tons of iron ore, went down in that horrific 1975 Lake Superior gale, taking 29 souls with her. Immortalized in Gordon Lightfoots _Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald_, this has become the world's most famous shipwreck not named _Titanic_.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this historic maritime tragedy and to pay tribute to the 29 lost mariners, open water swimmers plan to carry on their legacy with a 17-stage, 411-mile relay swim from the point where the _Edmund Fitzgerald_ lies in Lake Superior to Detroit. Participating swimmers will symbolically complete the intended route and cargo delivery that the ship was tragically unable to complete on that fateful night 50 years ago, by passing between them iron ore pellets from the same dock in Superior, Wisconsin, where the "Big Fitz" took on its last load.
Races
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STAGE 1: Edmund Fitzgerald Wreck Site
Incl. $81.00 Fee & Jersey
Sat 26th July 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$2,081.00
It is planned that four relay swimmers will have the honor of ceremoniously starting the event over the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and finishing at the Whitefish Point Lighthouse and site of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. * Stage 1 requires a special permit and approval is pending at this time. Stage 1 may be waitlisted. -
STAGE 2: Whitefish Bay Crossing
Incl. $61.00 Fee & Jersey
Mon 28th July 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$1,561.00
Relay swimmers cross Whitefish Bay, starting at the Whitefish Point Lighthouse (and site of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum), and finishing at the Point Iroquois Lighthouse. -
STAGE 3: Soo Locks
Incl. $61.00 Fee & Jersey
Wed 30th July 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$1,561.00
Relay swimmers begin at the Point Iroquois Lighthouse and enter the St. Marys River to swim to Sault Ste. Marie. Swimmers may have the chance to safely get up close and personal with massive freighters around the Soo Locks. Swimmers however, must board their support boat just before entering one of the three U.S. locks, and may return to the water just after exiting the lock. The finish line is at the William Gregory Boat Launch on the far east end of town. -
STAGE 4: Upper St. Mary's River
Incl. $38.50 Fee & Jersey
Fri 1st August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$788.50
Relay swimmers will share the course with massive freighters passing between Lake Superior and Lake Huron while swimming the upper half of the St. Mary's River. -
STAGE 5: Lower St. Mary's River
Incl. $38.50 Fee & Jersey
Sun 3rd August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$788.50
Relay swimmers will share the course with massive freighters while swimming the lower half of the St. Mary's River to reach Lake Huron. -
STAGE 6: Lake Huron Crossing
Incl. $71.00 Fee & Jersey
Tue 5th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$1,821.00
Four relay swimmers will have bragging rights to crossing Lake Huron between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. -
STAGE 7: 40-Mile Point - Presque Isle
Incl. $38.50 Fee & Jersey
Thu 7th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$788.50
Kick off the lower peninsula portion of the event, swimming between Rogers City and Presque Isle ... and then some. The relay starts at the 40-Mile Point Lighthouse and finishes on the beach at Presque Isle. -
STAGE 8: Presque Isle - Thunder Bay Island
Incl. $38.50 Fee & Jersey
Sat 9th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$788.50
Starting on the beach at Presque Isle, relay swimmers set a course for the lighthouse on Thunder Bay Island. After finishing, your support boat returns you to the mainland in Alpena. -
STAGE 9: Thunder Bay Crossing
Incl. $38.50 Fee & Jersey
Mon 11th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$788.50
Your support boat takes you from Alpena to Thunder Bay Island. There, the relay swim starts from the Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse, crosses the mouth of Thunder Bay, and finishes at the Sturgeon Point Lighthouse. -
STAGE 10: Sturgeon Point - Au Sable
Incl. $38.50 Fee & Jersey
Wed 13th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$788.50
Starting at the Sturgeon Point Lighthouse, relay swimmers follow the Lake Huron shoreline to finish in Au Sable. -
STAGE 11: Saginaw Bay Crossing
Incl. $61.00 Fee & Jersey
Fri 15th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$1,561.00
Starting in Au Sable and finishing in Grindstone City, 4 relay swimmers will have bragging rights to crossing the mouth of Saginaw Bay. -
STAGE 12: Grindstone City - Harbor Beach
Incl. $38.50 Fee & Jersey
Sun 17th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$788.50
Four swimmers continue the relay on Michigan's thumb, starting at Grindstone City on the tip, and finishing in Harbor Beach. -
STAGE 13: Harbor Beach - Forester / Port Sanilac
Incl. $38.50 Fee & Jersey
Tue 19th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$788.50
This relay swim along the Lake Huron shoreline starts in Harbor Beach and finishes near Port Sanilac. -
STAGE 14: Forester / Port Sanilac - Lexington
Incl. $26.00 Fee & Jersey
Thu 21st August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$526.00
Starting north of Port Sanilac, this relay swim along the Lake Huron shoreline, finishes on the beach in Lexington. -
STAGE 15: Lexington - Port Huron
Incl. $38.50 Fee & Jersey
Sat 23rd August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$788.50
Starting in Lexington and taking aim at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, this relay swim concludes the Lake Huron portion of the event. -
STAGE 16: St. Clair River
Incl. $61.00 Fee & Jersey
Mon 25th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$1,561.00
Four relay swimmers will cross under the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, and have bragging rights to swimming the entire length of the St. Clair River. Your time to the finish line in Algonac will surely be impressive, due to riding the swift current. You are also likely see your share of passing freighters along the way. -
STAGE 17: Lake St. Clair Crossing
Incl. $81.00 Fee & Jersey
Wed 27th August 2025 (7:00AM EDT)
$2,081.00
Four relay swimmers will proudly finish the event at the Detroit Belle Isle Beach and can brag that they swam across Lake St. Clair from Algonac in doing so. These swimmers will also have the opportunity to present our cargo of iron ore to dignitaries the next day before the March to the Mariners' Church of Detroit.
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Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim