Registration now open for Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim

Open water swimmers are invited to participate in a multi-stage relay swim on Lake Superior later this summer to commemorate the 50th anniversary of one of – if not the most – famous shipwreck on the Great Lakes.

Registration opened at 8 a.m. Monday for the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim, which will start on July 26, 2025. The ship sank during a storm on Lake Superior in 1975, leaving 29 dead and 26,000 tons of iron ore.

Event organizers say the 17-stage relay will last 411 miles from where the ship currently sits to Detroit, Michigan, and will be part of a documentary called “The Legend Lives On.” CLICK HERE for additional information on the film.

According to organizers, 17 teams consisting of four relay swimmers will pass iron ore pellets between them on the symbolic route completion.

During the relay, swimmers will navigate the St. Mary’s River to Sault Ste. Marie and swim the entire length of the St. Clair River.

While the swim is expected to start above the site of the wreck, planners say they still need permits approved for the start and finish lines.

A memorial will be left at the start line during a ceremony before swimmers begin their journey to Belle Isle Beach in Detroit. There, a march starting at the finish line will take participants to Mariners’ Church of Detroit, where a bell will ring 29 times to symbolize the lives lost during the 1975 shipwreck.

The full course schedule can be found by CLICKING HERE.

In addition, participants will be asked to each raise $2,500 for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society to preserve the Whitefish Point Light Station. Fundraising will officially begin on Oct. 15, 2024; however, participants can start campaigning once registered.

If participants don’t meet fundraising milestones, event organizers say they will be replaced by someone on a waitlist. The replacement will then be responsible for meeting future milestones, adding to the total raised by the original swimmer.

Top fundraisers will be given special awards and honors with the 50th Anniversary Memorial Event held at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on Nov. 19, 2025.

CLICK HERE to register. Entry fees range from $500 to $2,000, depending on the stage of the race you’d like to participate in.

You can find additional event information by CLICKING HERE.