Katie O'Reilly
@drkatfish.bsky.social
Aquatic Invasive Species with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant | #GreatLakes | Come for the #ecology & #scicomm, get reeled in by the fish puns
https://iiseagrant.org/about/our-team/katie-oreilly/
https://iiseagrant.org/about/our-team/katie-oreilly/
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
24 years ago, I was on the first research cruise to the newly established Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Lake Huron to map all of the shipwrecks in the area.
We had a huge binder of research on all the suspected wrecks. Most of them sank in a "collision in the fog."
We had a huge binder of research on all the suspected wrecks. Most of them sank in a "collision in the fog."
In the century leading up to 1975, nearly 6000 freighters went down in the Great Lakes.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last.
The last. In 50 years, not a single commercial freighter has been lost in the Great Lakes.
Why?
It's NOAA. Of course it's NOAA.
November 11, 2025 at 2:41 AM
24 years ago, I was on the first research cruise to the newly established Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Lake Huron to map all of the shipwrecks in the area.
We had a huge binder of research on all the suspected wrecks. Most of them sank in a "collision in the fog."
We had a huge binder of research on all the suspected wrecks. Most of them sank in a "collision in the fog."
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Here is the Newsweek magazine article that led to the song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," marked up to show key passages that Lightfoot borrowed. Short thread at quoted post. Thanks to @bikeguy.bsky.social for reminding me about this. #EdmundFitzgerald50
November 9, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Here is the Newsweek magazine article that led to the song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," marked up to show key passages that Lightfoot borrowed. Short thread at quoted post. Thanks to @bikeguy.bsky.social for reminding me about this. #EdmundFitzgerald50
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Everything I will say and more is in this blog post. Great use of early generation satellite images and reanalysis data, showing how and why wind direction, fetch, and speed changed as the ship crossed the lake, with the worst near the end. cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-bl...
November 11, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Everything I will say and more is in this blog post. Great use of early generation satellite images and reanalysis data, showing how and why wind direction, fetch, and speed changed as the ship crossed the lake, with the worst near the end. cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satellite-bl...
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Twenty-nine sailors drowned when the Edmund Fitzgerald went down in the Great Lakes' icy waters on Nov. 10, 1975. The ship was immortalized in a surprise hit 1976 folk ballad by Gordon Lightfoot.
50 years ago, the Edmund Fitzgerald, a 'rock star' ship, sank in Lake Superior
Twenty-nine sailors drowned when the Edmund Fitzgerald went down in the Great Lakes' icy waters on Nov. 10, 1975. The ship was immortalized in a surprise hit 1976 folk ballad by Gordon Lightfoot.
n.pr
November 10, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Twenty-nine sailors drowned when the Edmund Fitzgerald went down in the Great Lakes' icy waters on Nov. 10, 1975. The ship was immortalized in a surprise hit 1976 folk ballad by Gordon Lightfoot.
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
"Chris and his dad held on to the capsized hull as the storm grew around them. If they didn’t get help soon, they were going to die."
A story of other men who were caught in the same gales of November that sunk the Edmund Fitzgerald, 50 years ago today -
via @iprnews.bsky.social
A story of other men who were caught in the same gales of November that sunk the Edmund Fitzgerald, 50 years ago today -
via @iprnews.bsky.social
The Other Side of the Storm
November 10, 1975: The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sinks in a massive storm on Lake Superior. But just miles away, a few fishermen are struggling in the same storm — fighting for survival.
www.interlochenpublicradio.org
November 10, 2025 at 7:24 PM
"Chris and his dad held on to the capsized hull as the storm grew around them. If they didn’t get help soon, they were going to die."
A story of other men who were caught in the same gales of November that sunk the Edmund Fitzgerald, 50 years ago today -
via @iprnews.bsky.social
A story of other men who were caught in the same gales of November that sunk the Edmund Fitzgerald, 50 years ago today -
via @iprnews.bsky.social
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Fifty years ago, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior after hitting a ferocious storm. None of the 29 crew members survived. Learn more about this wreck and others at wisconsinshipwrecks.org.
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
November 10, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Fifty years ago, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior after hitting a ferocious storm. None of the 29 crew members survived. Learn more about this wreck and others at wisconsinshipwrecks.org.
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
I'm so worried about what'll happen when our kids are old enough to have phones!!!! 😮😮😮
![A meme depicting a woman staring at her phone with one hand on her head, with the following text below:
IS YOUR CHILD TEXTING ABOUT THE WRECK OF THE EDMUND FITZGERALD?
What your Great Lakes maritime history-obsessed teen's text messages actually mean:
brb = bell rang bro
rofl = rang out for lost (crew)
bff = big freakin' freigher
lol = Load of Ore on the Lake
smh = shift minutes to hours
glhf = Great Lakes hella freighter
tbh = taconite be haulin'
stfu = steer the freighter upwind
tfw = that freakin' witch (of November)
asl = a ship lost
gg = Gitche Gumee
idc = immoderate deadweight capacity
btw = beneath the waves
afk = a freighter kaput
hbd = hauler's beacon down
ily = iron load yonder
jk = just [24] kilometers
lmao = lost my abyssal ore
nbd = north bound draft
glhf = good lord, hold flooding
omg = obliteratingly massive gales
tmi = too much iron
wtf = White Fish (Bay)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ccm7gttkbfs2eyyrlpshmeun/bafkreib6ughtj23oqdskaisavrueyn6fijujbp2e663h6p6ukx74lbibyu@jpeg)
November 10, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
AKA my normal monday morning routine
I listened to the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald on repeat this morning for reasons that would be obvious for the #GreatLakes folks in the room.
November 10, 2025 at 2:08 PM
AKA my normal monday morning routine
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Combining the life cycle theme for #sundayfishsketch h with #GarWeek for a quick ink sketch of the Alligator Gar life cycle. Eggs -> larval -> juvenile -> adult -> back to eggs!
Don't eat those eggs!
Don't eat those eggs!
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Combining the life cycle theme for #sundayfishsketch h with #GarWeek for a quick ink sketch of the Alligator Gar life cycle. Eggs -> larval -> juvenile -> adult -> back to eggs!
Don't eat those eggs!
Don't eat those eggs!
While the Edmund Fitzgerald is the most famous, the #GreatLakes are home to an estimated 6000 - 10,000 shipwrecks. Many wrecks occur in fall due to the "November Witch" winds caused by a clash of cold Canadian air from the north + warm Gulf air from the south www.discovermagazine.com/as-an-underw...
As an Underwater Graveyard, the Great Lakes Have Claimed Close to 10,000 Ships
Though called the Great Lakes, these massive bodies of water are actually inland seas, and can be just as unpredictable as the ocean.
www.discovermagazine.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:46 PM
While the Edmund Fitzgerald is the most famous, the #GreatLakes are home to an estimated 6000 - 10,000 shipwrecks. Many wrecks occur in fall due to the "November Witch" winds caused by a clash of cold Canadian air from the north + warm Gulf air from the south www.discovermagazine.com/as-an-underw...
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
November 9, 2025 at 10:48 PM
ngl, the Pacific salmon lifecycle has been my Roman Empire since watching that one Magic School Bus episode as a small child #SundayFishSketch
November 9, 2025 at 11:39 PM
ngl, the Pacific salmon lifecycle has been my Roman Empire since watching that one Magic School Bus episode as a small child #SundayFishSketch
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
The anadromous life cycle of the American Shad for this week’s #SundayFishSketch theme!
November 9, 2025 at 7:29 PM
The anadromous life cycle of the American Shad for this week’s #SundayFishSketch theme!
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Some juvenile lake whitefish and eggs for this week’s #SundayFishSketch
November 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Some juvenile lake whitefish and eggs for this week’s #SundayFishSketch
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
A non-fishhead bestie asked me "What is your pick for most underrated fish?" and of course I replied the eel. Etched in the history of many cultures, yet full of mystery across their metamorphosis and epic migrations between the open sea to rivers far inland. For "life cycle" #SundayFishSketch 🦑🐡🧪
November 9, 2025 at 4:56 PM
A non-fishhead bestie asked me "What is your pick for most underrated fish?" and of course I replied the eel. Etched in the history of many cultures, yet full of mystery across their metamorphosis and epic migrations between the open sea to rivers far inland. For "life cycle" #SundayFishSketch 🦑🐡🧪
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Definitely inspired by @lampichthys.bsky.social's theme post for this week's #SundayFishSketch.
November 9, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Definitely inspired by @lampichthys.bsky.social's theme post for this week's #SundayFishSketch.
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
We are getting some beautiful autumn weather here in NE. This season always evokes a sense of things coming to pass and a year coming to an end. Thus, the #SundayFishSketch #Fishytheme for this weekend is "lifecycles." Sketch a fish lifecycle, can be as simple or complex as you want! #sciart 🦑
a close up of a bunch of eggs with a national geographic logo on the bottom
ALT: a close up of a bunch of eggs with a national geographic logo on the bottom
media.tenor.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:35 PM
We are getting some beautiful autumn weather here in NE. This season always evokes a sense of things coming to pass and a year coming to an end. Thus, the #SundayFishSketch #Fishytheme for this weekend is "lifecycles." Sketch a fish lifecycle, can be as simple or complex as you want! #sciart 🦑
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Today #GarWeek is visiting some other species. Here are some pictures of spawning Lake Sturgeon in the Wolf River. Wisconsin is home to the largest lake sturgeon population in the world in the Lake Winnebago system, largely because of early protection of the species here.
November 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Today #GarWeek is visiting some other species. Here are some pictures of spawning Lake Sturgeon in the Wolf River. Wisconsin is home to the largest lake sturgeon population in the world in the Lake Winnebago system, largely because of early protection of the species here.
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Let’s see what you’ve got 😎
#GarWeek #Conservation #Fisheries #GarLab #Garology #FishSciComm #SciComm
#GarWeek #Conservation #Fisheries #GarLab #Garology #FishSciComm #SciComm
November 5, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Let’s see what you’ve got 😎
#GarWeek #Conservation #Fisheries #GarLab #Garology #FishSciComm #SciComm
#GarWeek #Conservation #Fisheries #GarLab #Garology #FishSciComm #SciComm
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Enjoying #GarWeek? Join us for a webinar on Weds, Nov 12, at 2 pm EST, highlighting positive social and conservation developments for important native fishes, including gars. Featuring @solomonrdavid.bsky.social, Alec Lackmann, & @dirtydog.bsky.social. Register now: fisheries.org/2025/10/webi....
November 5, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Enjoying #GarWeek? Join us for a webinar on Weds, Nov 12, at 2 pm EST, highlighting positive social and conservation developments for important native fishes, including gars. Featuring @solomonrdavid.bsky.social, Alec Lackmann, & @dirtydog.bsky.social. Register now: fisheries.org/2025/10/webi....
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
For #GarWeek, here is a juvenile gar from southern Green Bay that we encountered this summer. Look that those pectoral fins go! After length measurement, this fish was released on site. #GreatLakes
November 5, 2025 at 8:25 PM
For #GarWeek, here is a juvenile gar from southern Green Bay that we encountered this summer. Look that those pectoral fins go! After length measurement, this fish was released on site. #GreatLakes
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Hundreds of salmon currently stacked up in skinny Spencer Creek, a groundwater-fed tributary to the Klamath. These guys are ragged with decay but determined to fulfill the spawning imperative, zombies who outlived Halloween. Resilience embodied.
November 5, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Hundreds of salmon currently stacked up in skinny Spencer Creek, a groundwater-fed tributary to the Klamath. These guys are ragged with decay but determined to fulfill the spawning imperative, zombies who outlived Halloween. Resilience embodied.
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
Grateful to spend two days on the Klamath watching chinook, liberated by dam removal, return to streams from which they’d been precluded since the Titanic sank. Fish are everywhere, in numbers that stagger the mind & locations that biologists figured would take years to repopulate. Too beautiful.
November 5, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Grateful to spend two days on the Klamath watching chinook, liberated by dam removal, return to streams from which they’d been precluded since the Titanic sank. Fish are everywhere, in numbers that stagger the mind & locations that biologists figured would take years to repopulate. Too beautiful.
Reposted by Katie O'Reilly
TODAY 11 am CST!!!
LIVESTREAM feeding @garlab.bsky.social featuring our juvenile Alligator Gars (and maybe some other fishy cameos too!) #GarWeek
Join us on InstaGARm 11:00 am CST 11.5.2025 for a glimpse into GarLab and other fishy friends!
Ask questions, share puns, see some ancient fishes in action!
Join us on InstaGARm 11:00 am CST 11.5.2025 for a glimpse into GarLab and other fishy friends!
Ask questions, share puns, see some ancient fishes in action!
November 5, 2025 at 1:39 PM
TODAY 11 am CST!!!