1965 — May 7, Ships collide in fog, Cedarville sinks, Lake Huron, Mackinac Straits, MI– 10

— 10 Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News, May 2009.
— 10 Presque Isla County Advance. “May 7, 1965: Cedarville collides with freighter…” 5-5-2005.
— 10 Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (Revised). 1969, p. 84.
— 10 Rogers. “Honey Fitz Found…Bay City Ships Dwindle…” March 27, 2004.
— 10 Swayze. Shipwreck!…Directory of…Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. 1992, p. 49.
— 10 Thompson, Mark L. Graveyard of the Lakes. 2004, p. 196-197.
— 10 USCG. Marine Board of Invest. Collision…CEDARVILLE…TOPDALSFJORD…, 1967.

Narrative Information

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive: “On May 7, 1965, the CEDARVILLE was struck by the ocean vessel TOPDALSFJORD in the Straits of Mackinac during dense fog. The CEDARVILLE sank about 40 minutes after the collision with the loss of ten crewmembers.” (Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News, May 2009.)

Rogers: “Divers report the nearly 600 foot long Cedarville lying almost upside down in 110 feet of water and describe it as one of the most impressive shipwrecks in the Straits. It is a tomb to 10 crewmen trapped below decks [sic]. The captain had made a run for shore after the crash but the wounded giant took on water faster than the pumps could work and she went down only a mile or so from shore.” (Rogers 2004)

USCG: “Findings of Fact. 1. At approximately 0945R (EST) on 7 May 1965, the American SS Cedarville and the Norwegian MC Topdalsfjord collided in fog in the Straits of Mackinac, Michigan. As a result the SS Cedarville sank at approximately 1025R on the same day with the loss of seven lives thereon. In addition, there are three more crew members still missing. 16 other crew members of the SS Cedarville were injured, while nine were rescued uninjured….There were no injuries or loss of life on the MV Topdalsfjord….” (p. 3 of 21)

“31. Immediately following the collision, the Cedarville stopped her engines, sounded the general alarm, broadcast a Mayday message, and dropped the port anchor. Chief Officer____ went aft to assess the damages sustained in the collision. Captain Joppich radioed the Weissenburg asking for the name of the Norwegian vessel. The collision was reported to the Mackinac Island Coast Guard Station at 0950R by radiotelephone. No tank soundings were taken. The chief mate reported by telephone later to the master that the Cedarville was taking a tremendous amount of water in No. 2 hold over the cargo and that an attempt to cover the hole with the emergency collision tarpaulin had been unsuccessful due to the size of the hole.

“32. The Cedarville’s two lifeboats located port and starboard on the after house were swung out and lowered to the spar deck bulwark. The crew, excluding those on watch and those assisting in the engine room, mustered in their life preservers on the spar deck and stood by awaiting further orders….The order to abandon ship was never given. Three life jackets were brought to the pilothouse, but only helmsman_____ had put his on before the capsizing.

“33. As soon as the extent of the damage and its visible effects were realized, the master of the Cedarville commenced operations to raise the anchor and to beach the vessel. At 1010R the Mackinac Island Coast Guard Station heard the Cedarville radio she was attempting to beach the vessel at Mackinaw City. The vessel came hard left, full speed ahead taking the Mackinac Bridge Lighted Gong Buoy No. 2…close aboard to starboard. A course of 140⁰ gyro was set…” (p. 11)
“….At approximately 1025R the Cedarville with little freeboard remaining rolled over suddenly to starboard and sank…17,000 feet from the south tower of the Mackinac Bridge. The distance traveled from the point of collision to where the vessel sank was approximately 2.3 miles. The distance remaining to the beach was approximately 2.0 miles….” (p. 12)

“39, As the Cedarville turned over to starboard, the crew standing by the lifeboats made last minute attempts to launch them. The No. 1 lifeboat was never released and sank with the Cedarville. The No. 2 lifeboat with several crew members aboard was released from the falls as the Cedarville sank beneath it. Both life rafts floated free. The majority of the crew were thrown into the cold water.

“40. Third Mate_____ was last seen attempting to don a life preserver in the wheelhouse as the vessel heeled over. His body has not been recovered to date. Captain Joppich was rescued clinging to his life jacket. He had never put it on.

“41. _____, Stokerman, and _____, Oiler, were both on the 8-12 watch in the engine room and had been attending to their duties just prior to the vessel’s sinking. Their bodies have not been recovered to date…..

“42….At about 1030R the bow lookout of the Weissenburg reported hearing men crying out from the water ahead. At approximately 1033R the first man was seen swimming in the water…Shortly thereafter both lifeboats were launched from the Weissenburg. Six survivors were taken from the water. The Cedarville’s No. 2 lifeboat and after life raft with 21 survivors were found and towed back to the Weissenburg….

“43. Paul Jungman, Deckwatchman, one of the survivors, was dead from asphyxiation by drowning and shock when taken aboard the Weissenburg.

“44. Stanley Haske, Wheelsman, one of the survivors died on board the Weissenburg an hour later from shock and exposure.” (p. 13)

“47. Commercial divers provided by the US Steel Corporation from 10 May to 12 May 1965 recovered five bodies found trapped on the Cedarville. The bodies recovered were as follows:

Donald Lamp, Chief Engineer.
Reinhold Radtke, Third Assistant Engineer.
Wilbert Bredow, Chief Steward.
William Asam, Wheelsman.
Arthur Furhran, Deckwatchman.” (p. 14)

Conclusions
¬¬¬¬
“1. The SS Cedarville and the MV Topdalsfjord collided on nearly perpendicular headings in the Straits of Mackinac….
….
“6. There is evidence that the master of the Cedarville failed to navigate his vessel at a moderate speed in fog and restricted visibility as required by Rule 15 of the Great Lakes Rules (33 USC 272). The speed averaged under reduced visibility from Cheboygan Traffic Buoy to the point of collision coincided closely with the maximum speed potential of the Cedarville loaded. The Cedarville was allowed to proceed at full speed to the time of her evasive maneuvers taken in close proximity to the Topdalsfjord, ignoring the considerable momentum of the heavily laden and comparatively low-powered vessel. The Cedarville had adequate advance notice of vessel traffic approaching from the Mackinac Bridge from information provided by the radar, radiotelephone communications and later the sound fog signals heard. A moderate speed under the circumstances would have provided more time to study the situation and react to the collision pattern that was developing….” (p. 15)
….
“8. There is evidence that the master of the Cedarville failed to sound the danger signal when there was no reply from the approaching Topdalsfjord to his one blast passing signals, as required by Rule 26 of the Great Lakes Rules (33 USC 291)…..

“9. There is evidence that the master of the Cedarville was in doubt as to the intentions of the approaching Topdalsfjord and failed to reduce speed to bare steerageway, or as was necessary in this case, to stop and reverse when within one-half mile radar range of the other vessel, in violation of Rule 26 of the Great Lakes Rules (33 USC 291).

“10….At the time of the collision, the Topdalsfjord was practically stopped….” (p. 16)
….
“16. Since the master knew that, with the particular design of the vessel involved, any sizeable hole into the cargo holds at deep draft would denote a sinking situation, his action taken of attempting to beach is vessel is considered proper. The master, however, judged poorly the peril to his crew and vessel and the time remaining for him to beach his ship. He should have beached his vessel on the nearest shoal or deciding against that he should have steered the correct course for the nearest land. The beaching curse furnished by the third mate was incorrect and the master should have immediately realized this. It is tragic that the Cedarville steamed enough miles following her fatal would to have made the beach at Mackinaw City.

“17. There are no readily apparent or conclusive reasons why radiotelephone communications were not established between the Cedarville and the Topdalsfjord….
….
“20. There is evidence of considerable false optimism on the Cedarville that the vessel would be successful in its beaching operation. Due to this a plan for minimizing personnel in the engine room or abandoning ship was never initiated. The unexpected and rapid heeling of the vessel to starboard precluded any final abandon ship order….

Recommendations

“1. It is recommended that further action under the Suspension and Revocation Proceedings of RS 4450, as amended, be initiated in the case of Captain Martin E. Joppich of the SS Cedarville concerning conclusions 6, 7, 8 and 9….” (p. 18)

Remarks

“1. Concurring with the Board, it is concluded that the cause of the casualty was the failure of the Master of the SS Cedarville to navigate his vessel in a period of reduced visibility in compliance with the Statutory Rules of the Road. Despite the presence of radar, radio-telephone and recommended track lines, the primary anti-collision deterrent must continue to be compliance with the Rules of the Road. The prudent mariner must not allow habit, familiarity with route, frequency of passage or the presence of various navigational aids to lessen his duty to comply with the Rules of the Road.” …. (p. 1.)

Sources

Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping News Archive. Report News (May 2009). Accessed at: http://www.boatnerd.com/news/archive/5-09.htm

Presque Isla County Advance. “May 7, 1965: Cedarville collides with freighter and sinks…” 5-5-2005. Accessed 11-15-2020 at: https://piadvance.com/2005/05/may-7-1965-cedarville-collides-with-freighter-and-sinks-in-the-straits/

Ratigan, William. Great Lakes Shipwrecks & Survivals (New Revised and Enlarged Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1969.

Rogers, Dave. “Honey Fitz Found Basking in Florida; Bay City Ships Dwindle to Precious Few.” MyBayCity.com. 3-27-2004. Accessed at:
http://www.mybaycity.com/scripts/Article_ViewB.cfm?ArticleID=398&NewspaperID=107

Swayze, David D. Shipwreck! A Comprehensive Directory of Over 3,700 Shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. Boyne City, MI: Harbor House Publications, Inc., 1992.

Thompson, Mark L. Graveyard of the Lakes. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 2004.

United States Coast Guard, Marine Board of Investigation. Collision between the SS CEDARVILLE, ON 226492, and the Norwegian MV TOPDALSFJORD, ON 36485, in the Straits of Mackinac, Michigan 7 May 1965 with the resultant sinking of the SS CEDARVILLE and loss of life (5943/SS CEDARVILLE MV TOPDALSFJORD A-9 Bd). Wash., DC: Treasury Dept., Commandant, USCG, Feb 6, 1967. Accessed 11-15-2020 at: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/docs/boards/cedarville.pdf