SS Cedarville

SS ''Cedarville'' was a bulk carrier that carried limestone on the Great Lakes in the mid-20th century until it sank after a collision with another ship, on May 7, 1965.

Service history

''Cedarville'' was built in 1927 by the Great Lakes Engineering Works in River Rouge, Michigan. The ship was launched as SS ''A.F. Harvey'', and entered service for the Pittsburgh Steamship Company division of US Steel. The following year, she received slight damage when she collided with whaleback steamer John Ericsson in heavy fog. In 1956, the ship was transferred to the Bradley Transportation Company, still owned by US Steel. As part of the transfer, the ship was converted to be a self-unloading vessel and was renamed ''Cedarville'' in honor of a port she frequently visited. She was a fleet mate of the .

May 7, 1965

The SS ''Cedarville'' left Port Calcite at 5:01 a.m. with a crew of 35 men. She was travelling between Rogers City, Michigan and Gary, Indiana with a load of of open-hearth limestone. Her captain, Martin Joppich, had gotten the position the previous year. Elmer Fleming, one of the two survivors from the ''SS Carl D Bradley'' shipwreck, had been scheduled to command the ''SS Cedarville'' when she came out of winter lay-up in 1964. On March 27, 1964, Fleming had boarded the ship, but left a few minutes later. He never sailed again. There was speculation that the current bad weather caused traumatic memories of his previous shipwreck to resurface. Ed Brewster, who had served as a wheelsman under Fleming, stated that he was "a real nervous person." Fleming's sudden departure allowed many deck personnel to move up in position, including the promotion of first mate Martin Joppich to captain. In the early morning hours of May 7, third mate Charles Cook had left the ''SS W F White'' to join the crew of the ''Cedarville.'' Since he had more seniority, current third mate Len Gabrysiak was demoted to wheelsman. Wheelsman Ed Brewster was bumped down to watchman.

As the ''Cedarville'' continued on her upbound course, the dense fog worsened. Due to conditions of low visibility, two ships had grounded near the Soo Locks and the ''J E Upson'' had had crashed into the Gray's Reef Lighthouse. Despite this, Captain Joppich maintained top speed of about 12.3 mph. Headed for the busy Straits of Mackinac, the ''Cedarville'' made radio contact with the '' Benson Ford.'' Through radio communication and whistle blasts, they were able to plan and execute a successful port-to-port passing arrangement. Third mate Cook was monitoring his radar screen for approaching ships. Captain Joppich attempted radio contact with the nearest one. Captain Werner May of the ''MV Weissenburg'' responded. The captains agreed on a port-to-port passing arrangement. Captain May then advised Joppich that another ship was directly ahead of his, and they would encounter her shortly. Captain Gilbert of the ''George M Steinbrenner'', directly ahead of the ''Cedarville'', contacted Captain Joppich. Gilbert cautioned him about the approaching ''Topdalsfjord'', stating that she had "nearly run us down a few minutes ago."

In the pilothouse, Cook watched the radar as the ships neared one another. Wheelsman Gabrysiak was following a series of course changes ordered by the captain, who was attempting to radio the other ship. Joppich ordered the engine room to slow ahead. Cook told the other two men in the pilothouse that they were about to get hit. Gabrysiak saw the bow come out of the fog. They attempted to avoid the collision by putting the wheel hard left, but it was too late.

Collision and sinking

east of the Mackinac Bridge, ''Cedarville'' collided with the Norwegian ship MV ''Topdalsfjord'' as a result of miscommunication between the two ships. Both changed course a mile away from each other, with ''Topdalsfjord'' s captain, Rasmus Haaland, steering his ship on a course that would lead to the two vessels passing each other on their starboard sides. Haaland claimed that he had also been attempting radio contact, and that their intentions had been broadcast. When it became apparent that collision was unavoidable, he ordered the engines to emergency full reverse. The captain of Cedarville, however, intended for his vessel to cross the bow of ''Topdalsfjord.'' His message stating such was not received by ''Topdalsfjord.'' Although the engine was put in reverse, momentum carried her forward into ''Cedarville's'' port side. Captain Joppich stopped the engines and ordered Gabrysiak to sound the general alarm. Then he got on the radio to issue a mayday. The ''Cedarville'' dropped her anchor.

The collision caused only superficial damage above the waterline of the ''Cedarville'', consisting mainly of broken railings and deck plates. The bow of ''Topdalsfjord,'' which was reinforced for working in ice, had created a large hole in ''Cedarville''s hull below the waterline. Within minutes of the collision, a slight list to the port had developed. The captain of Cedarville ordered water to be pumped into the starboard ballast tanks to counteract the list, and intended to try to run the ship aground to prevent it from sinking. As the ship moved towards land, however, the weight of the water within the hull forced the bow down, and the ship began listing to starboard, eventually rolling over before sinking. Most survivors of the collision, in which ten out of the 35 aboard died, were picked up by the German freighter MV ''Weissenburg'', and subsequently transferred to the US Coast Guard cutter ''Mackinaw''.

Inquiry into sinking

A U.S. Coast Guard inquiry into the incident found that the captain of ''Cedarville'' was at fault for the sinking and was charged with four counts of faulty seamanship. He initially pleaded innocent, but in August 1965 changed his plea to guilty. His license was suspended for a year as a result of the inquiry.

Wreck site

The wreck of ''Cedarville'' lies in the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve in water around deep, although the highest point of the hull is around below the surface and the cabins of the ship are around underwater. Expert divers are able to enter the ship, as most parts remain fairly undamaged. It is not recommended for those with less experience, as three divers have lost their lives at this shipwreck site.''Cedarville'' is the fourth-largest ship lost on the Great Lakes after , and fleet mate .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cedarville, SS
Great Lakes freighters
Shipwrecks of Lake Huron
Ships sunk in collisions
Maritime incidents in 1965
1927 ships
Ships built in River Rouge, Michigan