Graveyard of the Lakes (Great Lakes Books Series) - Tapa dura

In Graveyard of the Lakes, Thompson suggests that most of the accidents and deaths on the lakes have been the result of human error, ranging born simple mistakes to gross incompetence. While some writers and historians have attributed the reduction in casualties in recent years to safety programs, Thompson's analysis indicates that it is largely the result of a continuing decline in the size of the U.S. and Canadian fleets. While there were 2,500 to 3,000 ships a century ago, there are only about 200 today.

In addition to his compelling analysis of the causes of shipwrecks, Thompson includes factual accounts of more than one hunched wrecks. An eye-opening chapter is devoted to Thompson's "common sense" post mortem on the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald that challenges the conclusions arrived at by the U.S. Coast Guard investigators and other maritime writers and historians. Graveyard of the Lakes will forever change the reader's perspective on shipwrecks. Great Lakes historians and mariners alike will find this study compelling.