Published November 27, 2007 05:49 pm - A tale of maritime disaster and ultimate survival is the story of Dennis Hale’s life.
Shipwreck survivor tells tale of fateful trip Dennis Hale to present story of Daniel J. Morrell wreck at Geneva library
By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com Star Beacon
GENEVA — A tale of maritime disaster and ultimate survival is the story of Dennis Hale’s life.
Hale’s near-death experience as the sole survivor of the 1966 sinking of the Daniel J. Morrell will be presented at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Geneva Public Library, located at 860 Sherman St. Hale survived the 38-hour ordeal in the icy waters of Lake Huron, in late November that year, to tell the tale of his incredible experience.
“We try to bring in speakers and programs on topics that will move people to come into the library,” community relations coordinator Tom Milligan said. “We want to spark interest in the topic and in the library.”
Hale’s presentation is a spin-off of the library’s shipwreck program. Hale attended the last program on the topic and was invited to give his own take on the subject, Milligan said.
Hale was a 26-year-old watchman on the ill-fated 600-foot iron ore carrier. His library presentation will mark the 41st anniversary of the disaster.
“Mr. Hale spent years recovering from the experience and has only relatively recently begun to write and speak of it,” Milligan said.
The Morrell was on its 34th and last scheduled voyage of the shipping season when it broke apart and sank in one of the worst storms ever recorded on the Great Lakes.
Wearing nothing but his underwear and sailor’s pea coat, Hale clung to an open life raft with three other men. The other three died of hypothermia before rescuers found them.
“It is an incredible story of the structural collapse of the ship, Mr. Hale’s will to live and his experience as he watched others lose their lives as he struggled to survive,” Milligan said
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