“Oh, you couldn't see over 10 feet. That was one of the thicker fogs I've seen,” Leonard Gabrysiak, wheelsman and survivor of the S.S. Cedarville sinking told The St. Ignace News, recalling the morning that the ship went down.

May 7 will mark the 45th year since the ship sank into the icy depths of the Straits of Mackinac after being struck by another ship in fog thick enough to cut. The Mackinaw Maritime Festival will commemorate the sinking this year Friday, May 7, in honor of the 10 crew members who died.

The Cedarville sailed from the Calcite Plant at Rogers City on the morning of May 7, 1965, carrying 14,400 pounds of limestone for Gary, Indiana. As the ship entered the Straits of Mackinac, a dense fog enveloped her. With visibility reduced to a minimum, the Cedarville called out to the nearest eastbound ship. The German vessel Weissenburg responded, and notified the crew of an unidentified ship near their location. The Cedarville adjusted its course to avoid the Weissenburg, but it would be the unidentified ship that would cause 10 lives of the 35-man crew to be lost.

The Cedarville continued to call out to the unidentified ship, but received no answer. As the Cedarville continued along her course, the other ship, the Norwegian vessel Topdalsfjord, emerged from the fog. Mr. Gabrysiak remembers seeing the ship moments before it struck the Cedarville.

“I said, 'There it is, over there, I can see it,'” Mr. Gabrysiak told The St. Ignace News. “We tried to make a maneuver [to avoid the ship] but it was too late.”

The Topdalsfjord slammed into the port side of the Cedarville, tearing a large gash into the ship and enabling the frigid waters of the Straits to pour in. The Topdalsfjord vanished into the murk after dealing the mortal blow.

“The Topdalsfjord backed off and we never saw her again,” Mr. Gabrysiak said.

As the ship took on water, crew members scrambled to cover the damage with a crash tarp, but found the gap was too large.

The Cedarville changed course to beach at Mackinaw City, the situation growing increasingly dire as the ship took on more water. The Cedarville rolled over about 40 minutes after the collision, taking Mr. Gabrysiak and the rest of the crew with it. While wearing his life jacket, Mr. Gabrysiak grabbed a life ring before he plunged into the water.

“I figure I was underwater for two minutes,” he said.

Struggling to reach the surface, Mr. Gabrysiak ran out of air as he clung to the life ring. He took one gulping breath, inhaling freezing water as he did so, and made a final push to the surface. He broke through, yet had to wait an hour more before help arrived to rescue the survivors.

“I was banged up pretty good,” he said. “I was fortunate to be alive.”

The Weissenburg dropped anchor and recovered the survivors, transferring them to the Coast Guard icebreaker Mackinaw, where they were brought to shore and transferred to the hospital.

Mr. Gabrysiak remembers yelling and whistling for help as the Weissenburg searched for survivors. He passed out after being picked up, awakening in the hospital. The doctor caring for Mr. Gabrysiak remarked it was a good thing he was in such good physical condition, as many would not have survived his ordeal. After the sinking, Mr. Gabrysiak's physical recovery took a year before he was able to return to work.

He now volunteers at the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum in Rogers City. He will be present for the maritime festival in Mackinaw City May 7, where he will ring a bell each time the name of someone who died during the sinking is read. Chief Engineer F. Donald Lamp, Third Assistant Engineer Reinhold F. Radtke, Steward Wilbert Bredow, Watchmen Edward H. Jungman, Deckwatch Arthur J. Fuhrman, Wheelsman Stanley Haske, Wheelsman William B. Asam, Third Mate Charles H. Cook, Stokerman Eugene F. Jones, and Oiler Hugh Wingo were those who perished.

Mr. Gabrysiak has been invited to speak at the Mackinaw Area Public Library along with other survivors of the Cedarville that day at 3 p.m.

The Mackinaw Maritime Festival will begin with a memorial ceremony Friday at 10 a.m. at the Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum. It will continue Saturday, May 8, with several events.