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Mr Libert has also highlighted several details in the wreckage indicative of contemporaneous French design. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Le Griffon is considered by some to have been the first ship lost on the Great Lakes. In the Great Lakes region, there may be no older and more intriguing historical mystery than the 1679 disappearance of the Griffon, one of French explorer Robert La Salles ships. The griffin was a favourite decorative motif in the ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean lands. As for the pieces of wreckage Libert photographed, they cant be the Griffons because they would have broken to bits long, long ago if theyd been in shallow water battered by storms and ice for more than three centuries, van Heest says. University Hospitals receives $10 million donation from Ahuja family to support community health center, reach underserved populations, Rousing The Choir of Man makes it a memorable reopening night at Playhouse Square, RTA receives no workable proposals for new railcars, will start search over, Paddleboards and kayaks suddenly in high demand amid supply chain shortage, Cleveland resident accused of starting fire at REBol during downtown riots May 30. In any case, Le Griffon was larger than any other vessel on the lakes at the time, and as far as contemporary reports can confirm, the first named vessel. By Michael Havis and Harry Howard For Mailonline, Published: 12:24 GMT, 16 June 2021 | Updated: 13:02 GMT, 16 June 2021. Some sources confuse the two vessels. Megan SampVoters at the Hannah Community Center share why voting matters to them. A bowsprit discovered a few miles away in 2001 is another part of the vessel, they claim. Widely considered the Holy Grail of undiscovered Great Lakes shipwrecks, the Griffon carried no treasure, nor anything. Menu viscount royal caravan. Titanic Artifacts Found, New Discovery Mission "Like Opening a Treasure Box", Adolf Hitler's Lost German U-Boat Allegedly Has Dead Nazis Aboard Along With Gold, Treasure, Antony Blinken Urges End to War in Face-to-Face Meeting with Sergei Lavrov on Sidelines of G20 Summit, Ukraine Official Says Kyiv Forces May Pull Back From Bakhmut as Wagner Surrounds Key City, Post-COVID Lung Health: Coping with Shortness of Breath and Other Respiratory Symptoms, Japan Hits Record Low in Birth Rate as Officials Consider Child Care Policy, Blame Citizens' Lack of 'Romantic Ability', Tom Sizemore Update: No Further Hope for Saving Private Ryan Star After Brain Aneurysm, TikTok Develops Tools To Help Parents Prevent Teens From Accessing Inappropriate Content, Set Time Limit. LeGriffon launched on Aug. 7, 1679, with LaSalle, Father Louis Hennepin and a crew of 32. So, if the Griffons final resting place isnt where Libert believes it to be, where is it? To skeptics who doubt Liberts identification of the wreckage, he responds, The clues are there., Van Heest says the books account of the expedition from the Niagara River to Lake Michigan has the facts down, but once we get to the story of the supposed bowsprit it all falls apart because its not a bowsprit.. Updated. In Photos: Arctic Shipwreck Solves 170-Year-Old Mystery, 'Runaway' black hole the size of 20 million suns found speeding through space with a trail of newborn stars behind it, 'Unreal' auroras cover Earth in stunning photo taken by NASA astronaut. The ship was lost in the depths of northern Lake Michigan over 300 years ago. Ive seen dozens and dozens of 100- to 150-year-old ships, and that is not a 350-year-old ship. Now after more than 40 years of searching, Charlevoix diver Steve Libert says hes 99.99% sure he found the answer, and he tells how in a new book. Alex Murdaugh Trial Ends with Guilty Verdict, Life in Prison Sentence; Ex-Lawyer's Court Exit Caught on Video, Russia-Ukraine War: Russian Diplomat Claims Ukraine War Was Launched Against Us, Sparks Laughter from Crowd, G20 India Leadership Says PM Modi's Stance on Ukraine Is Valid Despite Dissent, Cindy McCain Appointed as New Head of UN World Food Program, Promises To Address Global Humanitarian Needs, PLA Air Force J-11 Fighter Intercepts US Patrol Aircraft in the South China Monitoring Chinese Military, Japan Facing Major Population Headache as Birth Rate Plummets Again. The nonprofit was created in 1997 and remains the longest running film festival in Michigan. Eric Freedman is professor of journalism and former associate dean of International Studies and Programs. That is my question. Here's how to watch. Laura holds a bachelor's degree in English literature and psychology from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's degree in science writing from NYU. Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Possibly a cannon, hopefully with the date stamped on it.'. Those left behind proceeded with needed building projects. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. A teacher from Ottawa named Roy Fleming, in the 1930s through the 1950s, expanded the investigation of this wreck that he firmly believed was the Griffon. "It's a mystery ship that got in our way," Dykstra said, "and now, we're going for the gold.". But Dykstra and Monroe said they'll wait until they hear the final word. By 26 August the violence of the gale caused them to "haul down their topmasts, to lash their yards to the deck, and drift at the mercy of storm. But Libert says, Many people believe I continue to cry wolf and contact the press every time we find a wreck claiming them to be the Griffon. (Image: Great Lakes Exploration Group via Pen News) The wreck was found near Poverty Island on Lake Michigan, almost 350 years after it vanished. At noon the waves ran so high, and the lake became so rough, as to compel them to stand in for land. Great Lakes Exploration Group is not connected to this story or Kevin Dykstra and Frederick Monroe. The Griffin - or Le Griffon - was a sailing ship built on the Niagara River in the 1670s French explorer Robert de La Salle hoped to use it to find the Northwest Passage to China and Japan It. Le Griffon may have been found by the Great Lakes Exploration Group but the potential remains were the subject of lawsuits involving the discoverers, the state of Michigan, the U.S. federal government, and the Government of France. "The Great Lakes are a time capsule, the fresh water preserves the ship wreck," Porter said. Its exact size and construction isn't known, but it was armed with seven cannons and at the time was the largest sailing vessel on the Great Lakes. Some say that this vessel was named the Frontenac, while others say the other vessel used on La Salle's expedition was Frontenac. I was mesmerized by what he was saying. [10] The vessel carried anchors, chain, guns, cordage, and cable for Le Griffon, as well as supplies and provisions for the anticipated journey. Le Griffon mysteriously went missing in 1679 and no one knows what happened between the time it was last seen until it was discovered three years ago, Libert said. They arrived late on 5 December, but the weather was rough and they did not want to run the surf and outflow of the river at night, so they stayed a few miles off shore. Zebra mussels cover what may be a griffin on the bow of the ship. 'It is just a matter of time before we achieve our goal. [1], Le Griffon's pattern closely followed the prevailing type used by explorers to cross the Atlantic Ocean to the New World. "That was kind of telling to us that the ship probably weathered a storm; otherwise, there would probably be a rudder on it.". Michel L'Hour, a French government archaeologist who's been called 'Indiana Jones in a diving suit', took part in the excavation and theorised that the rest of the ship was nearby. The Griffin shipwreck at the bottom of Lake Michigan. And, as the curse foretold, La Salle was later murdered during a 1687 expedition by a member of his party. On its way back to Niagarafrom Green Bay, the Griffon disappeared with its entire crew and valuable cargo of furs commencing the centuries-long quest to discover its fate. Experts suspect the ship was lost as a consequence of a severe storm. It was a calm night and they believed the vessel was securely moored. La Salle and Father Louis Hennepin set out on the Le Griffon's maiden voyage on August 7, 1679 with a crew of 32, sailing across Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan through uncharted waters that only canoes had previously explored. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. That would also put their forward progress on 8 January, at about 20 miles (32km) from Niagara. In 2011, Michigan-based treasure hunters Kevin Dykstra and Frederick Monroe found a shipwreck as they were searching for the $2 million in gold that, according to local legend, fell from a ferry crossing Lake Michigan in the 1800s, they told WZZM, a western Michigan news station. Order from www.seawolfcommunications.com or call them at 630-293-8996. by Anonymous - While diving in Lake Michigan, two men stumbled upon a shipwreck they think is a 1676 French ship named 'Le Griffon,' or The Griffin. It's not clear what led to the ship's sinking more than 340 years ago. They hadn't sailed far before a storm picked up. [6] Some of La Salle's associates called this vessel a brigantine; others called it a bark. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. They fly at an altitude of 4,900 and 11,500 feet. Josh Gates tackles an enduring maritime mystery, the first ship to be lost in the Great Lakes, the Griffon. [4] Some charged fur traders, and even Jesuits with her destruction. When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? Le Griffon launched August 7, 1679 from Cayuga Island (Niagara Falls, NY). They sailed from the Straits of Mackinac to an island (either Washington Island or Rock Island)[1] located at the entrance of Green Bay. The bowsprit is thespar running out from the bow (front) of a ship), He said: 'My interest began the day my teacher reached over and touched my shoulder, and said out loud in class, "maybe one day, someone in this class will find it. He arrived there nearly starved only to find that his detractors had succeeded in stirring up doubt and opposition with his creditors. Spartan Newsroom Navagio Beach in Greece is famous for its shipwreck. Mobile Reporting Kit After Le Griffon was launched, she was rigged with sails and provisioned with seven cannon of which two were brass. the griffon shipwreck facts. New York, On its way back to Niagara from Green Bay, the Griffon disappeared with its entire crew and valuable cargo of furs commencing the centuries-long quest to discover its fate. [1], French explorer Ren Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, sought a Northwest Passage to China and Japan to extend France's trade. The other wreckage has been approximately dated to between 1632 and 1682. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 'Michel was spot on when he said the main body of the wreck would be within four miles of the bowsprit. The wind did slightly decrease but they drifted slowly all night, unable to find anchorage or shelter. On the evening of 10th November 1975, Edmund Fitzgerald sank around 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point, Michigan. [citation needed], On 18 November 1678, after just over a month of preparations at Fort Frontenac, La Salle dispatched Captain La Motte and Father Louis Hennepin together with 15 men and supplies in a vessel of 10 tons. Talia Lakritz. But the latest finding, made popular again by Wreck Diving Magazine in its latest issue, holds a number of clues about the ship's past. Negotiations with the Senecas were only moderately successful, so when they left the village they still wondered if the natives would permit them to finish their project. But the sinking was caused by a storm is the best explanation. Other experts insist Liberts absolutely wrong. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. It is now believed to be the famous ship, The Griffin, which disappeared on its maiden voyage in 1679, has been called the 'holy grail' for shipwreck hunters probing North America's Great Lakes. Thought the bowsprit discovered about 3.8 miles and the remains of the wreck make the Indian attack not possible, or even a mutinous uprising. On September 18, 1679, the bark Griffon was sent back toward Fort Frontenac (a French trading post and military fort at the mouth of the Cataraqui River where the St. Lawrence River leaves Lake Ontario). As noted above, sources give its size as either 20 tons or 40 tons. We have corrected the story and replaced it with video and pictures that belong to FOX 17 News and Kevin Dykstra. Some say La Salle made multiple trips, especially after the spring thaw. [1][4], The site La Salle had selected for building Le Griffon has conclusively been identified as at or near the mouth of Cayuga Creek, at Cayuga Island. Only about 375 of Lake Erie's wrecks have been found. The ship was lost on the return leg of her maiden voyage due to a violent boiler A rare daggerboard schooner, Three Brothers, has been discovered in deep water off Oswego, New York by a team of shipwreck enthusiasts. The Griffin (Le Griffon) was a sailing ship built byRen-Robert Cavelier in 1679 that mysteriously disappeared during its maiden voyage on the Great Lakes. They also found a part of the ship that they said could be a mussel-covered griffin, the mythical beast carved onto the ship's bow. Now, treasure hunters who. by | Jun 6, 2022 | ephesus elementary school principal | kristen modafferi kristin smart | Jun 6, 2022 | ephesus elementary school principal | kristen modafferi kristin smart La Salle decided to visit the Senecas at Tagarondies himself. [4] They were navigating Le Griffon through uncharted waters that only canoes had previously explored. [8], Meanwhile, La Salle and Henri de Tonti, had departed Fort Frontenac in a second vessel some days after La Motte and Hennepin. They attempted to sail further upstream, but the current was too strong. The Le Griffon, a barque ship, was carrying bison and furs at the time it disappeared, Libert said. Megan SampTickets can be bought online or at Studio C in Okemos. But members of the Potawatomi tribe brought pieces of the ship to the explorer, including some moldy beaver furs and a pair of sailor's britches, said Baillod, who translated La Salle's journal from French to English. Mr Libert said: 'I believe the state feels we are encroaching upon their sovereignty and feels we are nothing more than treasure hunters intruding on the rights of academia and archaeologists. ', The wreck believed to be the Griffin was found near Poverty Island on Lake Michigan. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook& Google+. But, the Liberts say her final. [citation needed]. By Jack Timothy Harrison. On 23 June 2014, Steve Libert told the Associated Press he believed he found Le Griffon in Lake Michigan after extensive searching, in a debris field near where a wood slab was found the previous year. The Liberts' book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1679: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery, is available via Amazon for 24.69. Divers and shipwreck enthusiasts have spent years trying to piece together clues from the ship's last days to. The entire 29-member crew went down with it in what has become the greatest Great Lakes Shipping Tragedy of all time. A ship in shallow water gets beat up quickly. While the journals of Tonti, Hennepin, and LeClercq (participants with La Salle) do mention a little vessel of 10 tons, none of them apply a name to it. (Wikipedia) The age could have proved if the plank came. (Image credit: Father Louis Hennepin Public Domain ). Their inefficiency at beating to windward made them impractical as sailing vessels, and they were not very safe in open water. While they recognize that conclusive evidence has not been found, the evidence that has been found there fits with what is known of the history of that time and they postulate that if Le Griffon is found elsewhere, that would deepen the mystery of the find by Cullis.[22]. ', 'The Seneca were in awe of the French for having built such a large canoe. Decking, permanent masts, and bearing a name are a few of the criteria one might use. "[6] H. W. Beckwith says that in September 1678, La Salle "already had three small vessels on Lake Ontario, which he had made use of in a coasting trade with the Indians. In September 1679, French explorers loaded the boat with furs and left Green Bay. La Salle and Father Louis Hennepin set out on the ship during its maiden voyage on August 7am , 1969 along with a crew of 32. This Virtual History Talk will feature Valerie van Heest, who's a Michigan historian, underwater explorer, and author, talking about the facts and legends surrounding the Le Griffon shipwreck . We have been on the hunt for over 40 years systematically ferreting out the locations of this widely scattered wreck, he says, referring to his wife, Kathie, and himself. With La Salle back aboard their vessel, the company again sailed west until, about 25 miles (40km) from Niagara, weather checked their progress. Le Griffon was a 40 foot long barque (sailing ship) with 7 cannons. Other experts insist Liberts absolutely wrong. The Griffon, built in 1679, sank that same year somewhere in the Great Lakes. Libert said some theories are supposed to explain what happened to the vessel. Griffin was the name of a 17th-century ship known to have sailed between England and English settlements along Massachusetts Bay in British America. As for the pieces of wreckage Libert photographed, they cant be the Griffons because they would have broken to bits long, long ago if theyd been in shallow water battered by storms and ice for more than three centuries, van Heest says. Their mission was to begin selecting a site for the construction of Le Griffon and to erect necessary structures for shelter, storage, and defense. The divers said they found Le Griffon in 2011, but are just announcing the discovery because they were consulting experts to confirm it. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No cannons have been found near the site Libert identified. Steve Libert, from the Great Lakes Exploration Group, said he is 99.9% certain . Usually depicted as half lion and half eagle, this ancient beast is more than the sum of its parts. James Mansfield[1] says that in the fall of 1678, La Salle built a vessel of about 10 tons burden at Fort Frontenac and that this vessel, named Frontenac, was the first real sailing vessel on the Great Lakes; specifically, on Lake Ontario (which some at the time called Lac de Frontenac). Until there is an expedition (to the site) with politically unaligned professionals, I will not weigh in one way or another, said Vrana, whose nonprofit group has consulted with Libert. The Liberts have since published their book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1649: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery.. Having lost needed supplies, La Salle left the building of Le Griffon under Tonti's care, and set out on foot to return to Fort Frontenac. After disembarking, the ship and the exploration disappeared into history. Do not reproduce without permission. [1][4] The Griffin, a large ship built by Frenchman Rene Robert Cavalli, disappeared on its maiden voyage some 343 years ago. Welcome to the Coronation! Heres how it works. During his 20-year newspaper career, he covered public affairs, environmental issues and legal affairs for newspapers in New York and Michigan, winning a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of a legislative corruption scandal. MARIE, CHEBOYGAN AND ALL POINTS. Pictured: Images of the 2018 dive on a wreck found in 2018 near Poverty Island, Lake Michigan. Interactive map reveals when you may see SNOW. [notes 1], Before 1673, the most common vessel on the lakes was the canoe. The Liberts say the Griffin is the exact wreck seen in 2018 close to Poverty Island right in Lake Michigan. "They're looking for something else, they find an old ship and they've heard of the Griffin, so they pronounce it the Griffin," Baillod said. Libert said the book reveals the location of the Huron Islands where Robert La Salles ship, Le Griffon, met her fate. We have been on the hunt for over 40 years systematically ferreting out the locations of this widely scattered wreck, he says, referring to his wife Kathie and himself. On 6 December, they landed safely on the east bank of the river at about where Lewiston, New York is today. The traders had collected 12,000 pounds (5,400kg) of furs in anticipation of the arrival of Le Griffon. He says that the ship must have been caught in a four-day storm, where the ship part found farther away would have broken off due to a powerful storm. A bowsprit is the spar that extends forward from the bow. Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowski, and Roland Stevens located the schooner in early July utilizing high resolution On June 20th 1874 the two masted scow schooner Shannon let loose her lines from the coal dock at the port of Oswego. Green and Ken Vrana, the principal of Maritime Heritage Consulting, advocate an independent assessment by professionals. Read Also:Titanic Artifacts Found, New Discovery Mission "Like Opening a Treasure Box". Long a subject of local lore and backed up with some convincing historical archival work and artifacts, including 16th century coins and several bodies, the Mississagi Straits wreck, which local Native oral tradition had named "the whiteman's ship," remains a strong candidate. He put ashore near present-day Rochester, New York, and arrived at Tagarondies very shortly after La Motte and Hennepin had left. While there have been many theories over the years, there is no clear consensus as to the fate or current location of Le Griffon. They made their way north and west to Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron where they were becalmed until noon of 25 August. Around 4:00pm the Shannon passed Oswego light and headed out into the lake. [18] Steve and Kathie Libert have since published a book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands - 1679: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery (Mission Point Press, 2021). Le Griffon. The Plaque reads: Steve Libert diving on the ship in 2018. Rochester, New York - The wreckage of the schooner Atlas which sank in 1839 during a gale has been located in Lake Ontario. This was a "great bark" (Hennepin's words) of about 20 tons burden[8] although Tonti's journal says this was a 40-ton vessel. Where to Find the Griffon Vulture. From the web site of Libert's company: "There were plenty of theories of what happened to the flagship. Because the wind was strong from the north, they sailed close to the north shore of the lake, putting in for the nights in various bays along the way. Francis Parkman says that by 1677, "four vessels of 25 to 40 tons had been built for the lake Ontario and the river St. The 1633 journey left from Downs, England and landed at Plymouth in Plymouth Colony on September 3. State archaeologists reviewed the footage, and "They've been very diligent to say, 'This is really interesting; these are some neat pictures,'" Dykstra said. 'The Christian Indian's curse rests on you and on your great canoe. They were driven northwesterly until the evening of 27 August when under a light southerly breeze they finally rounded Bois Blanc Island and anchored in the calm waters of the natural harbor at East Moran Bay off the settlement of Mission St. Ignace, where there was a settlement of Hurons, Ottawas, and a few Frenchmen. Tests on the ship part are dated to 1679; close to a year, dating of the wreck is 1632 to 1982. 2 is a much sought after shipwreck. Others say he did not return to Niagara until July. Copyright 2023, Michigan State University. Libert may be a secret agent by day-- he works as a senior defense analyst for the U.S. Navy -- but by night he's a passionate hunter for the old and precious. But other experts aren't convinced that the wreck is the Griffin. Legions of searchers have tried to track down its. Now shipwreck hunters Steve and Kathie Libert say they have found the infamous vessel, which was the first to sail the Great Lakes beyond Niagara Falls. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. They dragged the materials to the mouth of the Niagara, rested and warmed up a few days in an Indian village, then carried the materials single file through the snow to their settlement above the falls. They come in contact with the important newsmakers of the day, from the Supreme Court justices and the governor to members of the Legislature and the people who run the state government departments, to lobbyists and public-interest organizations.