the the great lakes can see foul seas on par with the blue ocean too! (recall the Edmund Fitzgerald) be like body-boarding on epic surf but in a ship!

They can indeed! You can probably find pictures online of these boats in rough weather. Waves washed entirely over them most of the time... not something I'd wish to experience. I found it fascinating to see what life on shipboard was like over 100 years earlier. Some modern conveniences, unlike say the USS Constellation sailing ship, but still pretty crude!

yep, no cruise ship! it's made to work, grab 4 hours sleep *somewhere* then back the F to work!

I find it amazing to consider that ship was built before most people had ever seen an automobile or electric lighting. Crude by today's standards, yes, but amazing technology for a time when most things still went by horse.

I've seen pictures of how low those ships sit in the water and to be frank that is absolutely terrifying! No wonder the Cort sunk in 5 minutes!I'm shocked that none of the crew died in the multiple times it sank, it looks like you'd have no time to react and it would be hard to tell until the water was over the top deck. I have nothing but the highest respect for the crews of those ships, for it must have taken incredible fortitude to set one foot onto them! I've seen some pictures of waves sweeping over the entire top deck and honestly my heart dropped because I thought it was sinking! Though it is a very interesting piece of history for the great lakes! I've always had an interest in the ill fated Edmund Fitzgerald! I'm glad I came across this picture to broaden my interest in the ships in service!

You've got it right.

That's a job for real people!

Indeed it is! I can only imagine how much it sucked for the engineer to run out of a ship that would be over 50% sunk by the time he'd notice!