Books
Telle Est La Guerre” – The Inkerman and Cerisoles: A number of ships have “gone missing” on Lake Superior. The Bannockburn, Lambton, Henry Steinbrenner, Steelvendor, Sunbeam and Merchant are only some of the lost fleet still lurking deep in the Big Lake’s dark and icy depths.
But the most inexplicable loss was that of the French Navy minesweepers Inkerman and Cerisoles, each with French 38 sailors and a Great Lakes pilot aboard. To this day their fate remains one of the inexplicable mysteries of the Great Lakes. They were part of dozen of the tough little vessels built by Canadian Car and Foundry in Port Arthur, Ontario. The pair, plus the minesweeper Sebastopol, left Port Arthur on November 23, 1918 bound for Montreal, before final delivery to France. Somewhere in Lake Superior the Inkerman and Cerisoles disappeared. Desperate searches failed to find the missing warships. No confirmed human remains were ever recovered and what little flotsam was found gave no clues. Accusations of poor construction, shoddy seamanship and collision followed but real evidence was illusionary. French Navy investigations were equally befit of solutions. While the book doesn’t solve the mystery it does point to the solution. Anticipated release 2021.
Special 50th Edition, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald – Unbelievably for those of use who remember the night the Fitz went down 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the wreck. It seems like yesterday. This special edition brings the story up to date including theories and pictures. It is a must for serious Great Lakes buffs. The book is due out in the spring of 2025 and published by Avery Color Studios. http://www.averycolorstudios.com/
Gold Medal Rescues, True Tales of Heroic Rescues by the U.S. Life-Saving Service – Throughout the 44-year history of the old U.S. Life-Saving Service, 16 crews were awarded the Gold Life-Saving medal for heroic rescues against overwhelming odds. The medal is extremely rare. From 1874 to 1971, 566 Gold Medals were awarded compared to 3,408 Medals of Honor during the same period. Gold Medal Rescues tells the dramatic story of the Storm Warrior’s courage and guts. It is the ultimate sea rescue adventure book. The Life-Saving Service lived by the motto, “Regulations say we have to go out. They say nothing about coming back.” I am deep in research and writing. My commitment to the old Life-Saving Service is profound. Of all the writing and research I do, that relating to the USLSS is easily the most personally rewarding (although the least financially remunerative). No release date or publisher has been determined.
Haunted Lake Erie – This is a continuation in theme of the Haunted Lakes series. Haunted Lake Michigan was released in October 2006 and Haunted Lake Huron in June 2007. The release date for Haunted Lake Erie is undetermined.
Lost on Lake Superior – Over 500 ships wrecked on the big lake. Some like the EDMUND FITZGERALD are well known. Others, the S.R. KIRBY, WILLIAM C. MORELAND, TIOGA, COMRADE, Barge No. 129 among others, are far less famous but in their own way, just as fascinating. Lost on Superior takes a close look at these less notorious shipwrecks. The publisher and release date are undetermined.