Dave.....The only reason I question exactly how much McSorley knew is that he had opportunity to beach the Fitzgerald but elected to try to make Whitefish Point. On the other hand, I know too that there were several factors that would have made running for a beaching a dicey proposition.

Probably the thing (outside of the song) that makes the sinking such a source of interest all these years later is the silence of any sort of alarm from McSorley and the Fitzgerald.

Spaw