Fitzgerald's Storm Shipwrecks have a way of bringing out the dark side. Jealousies. Back stabbing. Name calling. Lawyers. Controversy has dogged the world's great shipwrecks. The Titanic, Andrea Doria, and now the Edmund Fitzgerald. Dr. Joe MacInnis, writer, TV show producer, underwater explorer and author has a new book out that is a must read. But, make no mistake of it, this is a hot hot work that is sure to bend a few snorkels. The book is aptly named Fitzgerald's Storm. It chronicles the loss of the US lake freighter Edmund Fitzgerald in a November 10th, 1975 gale. It also gives an insider's look at the storm that still swirls around her remains as divers, writers, photographers, explorers and TV crews probe her deep water secrets. The soft cover book breaks down into two sections-the Edmund Fitzgerald above water and the Fitz below. Section number one dominates the book, but part two will captitivate most readers. Dr. Joe might look like a serious guy, but, he has a breezy down-to-earth style of writing. By the time you put this well crafted book down, you'll know a lot more about the ship, her American crew, the Lake Superior storm that sank her and the words to Gord Lightfood's ode to the shipwreck. That is not all, you will also get an insider's look at the murky world of high stakes underwater exploration. Even the legion of Fitz Freaks will learn something about a ship that was thought to be unsinkable. Did you know she could carry enough raw material to build 7,600 cars, or that she was two city blocks long? Until I read McInnis' book I never knew who Edmund Fitzgerald really was-turns out he was the president of the American insurance company that built her; upon his retirement the ship was named in his honour as a parting gift. Die hard dive industry insiders will notice that the book has a real edge to it when the Toronto author flash forwards his story to the 1990s. It is 1995 and there is an expedition to the wreck involving the US research ship, Edwin Link, Canada's now retired dive ship HMCS Cormorant and the makers of the Newt Suit. Along too are a host of divers and writers including Joe MacInnis, Emory Kristof (famed National Geographic underwater photographer) and Tom Farnquist (founder of the Great Lakes Historical Shipwreck Society). The goal? To use the Cormorant, the Link and the Canadian built Newt Suit-the Newt is a cross between a robot suit and a one man submarine-to dive down 500 feet and remove the ship's bell for later display in the Society's Michigan museum. Although at the time Dr. MacInnis was involved in the expedition (I had been on the Cormorant just before it sailed to Whitefish Bay, at that time Dr. Joe was being touted as the journalist who would write the story of the bell's recovery for the prestigious National Geographic magazine), two years later in his book he is highly critical of Canada's role in the expedition. "The real bonanza came out of the pockets of Canadian taxpayers," reads McInnis' book. "Under fire from a national scandal in Somalia and eager for some positive publicity, the Department of National Defence agreed to donate HMCS Cormorant, her 90-men crew and her two subs for ten days of diving at a cost estimated to be in the range of $400,000." MacInnis is likewise critical of Farnquist's motivation for retrieving the famous bell. "Farnquist had a long history of illegally removing archaeologically significant objects from shipwrecks," writes MacInnis. Kristof is arguably one of the world's best underwater photographers. He and Dr. MacInnis have worked on stories together and have lectured together at dive conferences. Despite their apparent closeness, MacInnis frowns on what motivated Mr. Kristof back in '95. "For Kristof, the rules of the game were simple. You took what you wanted and apologized later if you were caught. Money was more important than loyalty." Kristof and MacInnis didn't end up working together on this book nor on the magazine story. When the National Geographic piece came out it featured Kristof's pictures, but the text was penned by Tom Farnquist. MacInnis' comments about the Cormorant have not sat well with the Canadian Navy. Lt.Cm Glenn Chamberlain, a PR officer in Cormorant's home base in Halifax, reacted quickly to the new book. "Utter nonsense," he told Diver Magazine. "No additional monies were spent. We didn't fly in anyone (for the Fitzgerald expedition). As for the costs, well we were going to be in Lake Superior with or without the job so there were no additional cost involved in the Fitzgerald expedition." The naval officer went on to say that the Navy from time to time supports "private" research projects including an earlier Great Lakes filming expedition with Dr. MacInnis. Almost a year later, in April 1996 many members of the crew of the Cormorant attended the Underwater Canada dive show in Toronto. Tom Farnquist, the Newt Suit team and Emory Kristof turned up too. Farnquist had hoped to bring the Edmund Fitzgerald bell, but, at least one relative of a dead crew member protested the move of the bell and the ensuing brouhaha killed the plan. Instead, pictures of the bell were put on display. Everyone involved, save for Joe MacInnis, signed Fitzgerald wreck posters (a copy of which is in Joe's book) in return for a donation to the museum. Both MacInnis and Kristof appeared on stage and talked about the Fitzgerald mission at the popular film show. I was working for Underwater Canada at the time and found myself slightly embroiled in the Fitz' storm. A number of elderly ship family members asked the show to set up a meeting between themselves and a variety of Canadian government departments, dive associations and training agencies. They were and continue to press Canada and the Province of Ontario to make the ship off limits to divers. Although not unhappy with the removal of the bell, the families were distressed that another film expedition to the Fitzgerald had brought back video images of a dead body inside the sunken freighter. They wanted to lobby for the diver ban at the Toronto show. Steve Blasco, an engineer with the federally controlled Bedford Institute met with the families, as did the Ontario Underwater Council, PADI and ACUC. A shipwreck expert from the Provincial Government had promised to meet with the relatives but stood the women up. The one person who spent the most time with the family members was Dr. MacInnis. He listened and offered words of compassion to the still grieving family members. Over the next year he consulted with the group about the writing of his book and the making of his Discovery Channel documentary. At the November 10th launch for his book at the Maritime Chapel in Toronto's harbour district-could there be any better time or place?-Dr. MacInnis acknowledge the help that he received from the families. He also told Diver Magazine that he will be donating part of his royalties to their cause. As for tech divers continuing to dive the Fitzgerald, Dr. MacInnis sides with the families. "I believe they should stay off her, unless of course there is a sound scientific reason to go back down there." Even though it should, Fitzgerald Storm may not storm the best sellers list. McMillian, the Canadian publishers haven't yet given the book the splash it deserves. And the paper that was used in the first print run just does not do MacInnis' pictures justice. I've seen some of the originals and it is sad to see their muddy black and white reproductions in this book. Fitzgerald's Storm is agood read; it is an informative and timeless reference work. This is a tale that will fire the imagination of shipwreck afficiandos and titilate those interested in a behind-the-scenes look at large scale underwater expeditions.   Big Sharks. Big Show. Skiles and Kristof fill their down deep cameras' with visions of oversized sharks Toronto is getting set to take a big bite out of the International Year of The Ocean. The venerable Underwater Canada dive show is debuting video images of the world's largest shark at its three day exhibition. 1998 is the International Year of The Ocean and it is also the theme of the 27th running of Underwater Canada which will be held April 3rd, 4th and 5th at the Regal Constellation Hotel near the city's International Airport. Two heavy weights in the underwater film world-Emory Kristof and Wes Skiles-are talking and showing movies of BIG sharks at the show's popular International Film Festival. Skiles is acting as the evening's MC and is presenting two videos at the show. Kristof, National Geographic's award winning photographer and film maker, is debuting a video that features a world's first-sharks lying on the ocean bottom over a mile deep. "I have a new piece of gear-a deepwater computer-controlled ROV (unmanned mini sub) that allows me to take my betacam video equipment to depths of 6,000 feet and beyond," explained Emory Kristof. " I took it to Rongelap in the Marshall Islands where the Atom Bomb was tested in the 50s. This was an expedition, in part, to study fish life around these now unpopulated atolls." "It was amazing", the photographer told Diver Magazine. "There were sharks at every step of the food chain; at almost every depth. Near the surface the ROV swam with sharks as they circled our shark cage; so you get to see a shark's eye view of divers. But, the real find was a 20 foot Pacific Sleeper at 6,000 feet!" Film maker and environmentalist Wes Skiles used a Canadian made Newt Suit-a fully pressurised fibreglass and metal dive suit-to take himself and his cameras to a depth of 600 feet off the coast of British Columbia. Skiles was able to take never before seen pictures of the shy, but very large, six gill shark. Skiles not only will be showing a movie about his west coast dives on Saturday night, he will also be debuting a film about his exploration of a submerged cave in Brazil at Underwater Canada's Sunday matinee movie show. Underwater Canada's two film festivals will be held in the ballroom of the Constellation Hotel. This huge room is able to seat over 1,000 people and is traditionally sold out days before the show. The heart of Underwater Canada continues to be the extensive world leading seminars, lectures and workshops. Explorers, safety experts, historians, chefs and photographers will take part in over 50 lectures and seminars which are held throughout the three day event. Other not-to-be missed events include a Friday night TGIF beach party, a Travel Video programme, a Silent Auction and Scuba Experience-and an underwater introduction to scuba in the hotel pool! Show hours, including evening film shows and dances are Friday, April 3rd 7 pm - 1 am, Saturday, April 4th 9 am - 1 am, Sunday, April 6th 9 am - 3:30 pm plus an exhibition hall of dive gear, travel and services will be opein for the duration. Admission to the hall is $7:00 for adults, $3.00 for youth. There are a variety of passes and tickets available for the seminars, movies and workshops. The Regal Constellation Hotel is located on Airport Road in the city of Etobicoke, near the Pearson International Airport. Underwater Canada is a non-profit show run completely by volunteers. The show is owned and administered by the not-for-profit Ontario Underwater Council. For show information call the Ontario Underwater Council at: (416) 426-7033.     DIVE SHORTS Ontario Shops on the Move: Two Ontario dive shops have moved their operations to larger and easier to reach locations. Look for Diver Down at 2700 Dufferin Street Unit 7 in Toronto. The shop's phone number remains 416-787-0264. Windsor Aqua Sports is now located in the Central Mall at 3699 Tecumseh road East. Alan Armbruster's full service shop is now supplying Nitrox to certified divers. The phone number is 519-944-4268.   The Ontario Underwater Explorers Scuba Club presents their 7th Annual Scuba Swap and Sale, April 25th from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm at the Etobicoke, Olympium, 590 Rathburn Road, Etobicoke, Ontario. This annual event, held by the non-profit club, features inexpensive scuba gear to purchase. Several dive shops will be on hand to sell their surplus equipment, and divers interested in recycling their unwanted equipment are invited to participate in the swap. In addition, there will be seminars and slide shows for the benefit of divers and non-divers alike. Admission is $2.00. Divers interested in selling their equipment through the swap should drop off their gear at the Etobicoke Olympium on Friday, April 24th from 6:00 pm until 10:00 pm. On Saturday May 2nd, the weekend following the Swap, is an Easy Scuba Experience which provide non-divers with an opportunity to try scuba diving with a certified instructor before deciding to take a full course. Registration for the Scuba Experience is at 12:00 noon. The event will take place in the deep Etobicoke Olympium pool. Participants must bring proper swimming attire. Information about both events can be accessed on the club's website: www.onramp.ca/~adb/ontdive/oue/   Funeral services were held in Hamilton, Ontario on New Year's day for Captain Archie Hodge. The 82 year old retired Great Lakes captain died of pneumonia. British born Captain Hodge was a former officer in the Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard. He gained national attention in 1973 when his research vessel discovered the remains of two 1812 warships. Considered the archeological find of the century, the two ships, the Hamilton and the Scourge, are the most complete and undisturbed wrecks from that time period anywhere in the world. For his part in the discovery of the wrecks, the captain was named a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society of Great Britain.