Eric Freedman is professor of journalism and former associate dean of International Studies and Programs. Since its disappearance in 1679, the Griffon has taken on a mythic air. A bit of history: The Griffon was built in 1679 and launched that year, believed to be the largest ship on the Great Lakes. "Some would believe that the Griffon sank somewhere in Lake Michigan in the northern part of the lake and has yet to be found," explained Van Heest. An explorer claims to have found the long lost French ship Le Griffon at the bottom of Lake Michigan. But, the Liberts say her final. Wherever the Griffon is, if its in deep water somewhere, there are cannons near it, she says. Now, more than 335years later, the wreck of the Griffon has not definitively been found. When they arrived there La Motte and Hennepin had not yet returned. The sails were merely supplemental for traveling down wind. The exact place where the Griffon was constructed is marked by a boulder and historical plaque at 9317 Buffalo Avenue, just north of the city marina. About 1,500 shipwreckshave been found on the bottom of Lake Michigan, Anderson said, and it's unclear whether this one is the Griffin. Libert says the evidence hes amassed pinpoints where the wreckage of the 40- to 45-ton ship now rests: in shallow water near Poverty Island and Summer Island. [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. Lost after 350 years, the cursed ship, The Griffin, went on a voyage that became one of the most legendary disappearances solved in modern times. Libert said some theories are supposed to explain what happened to the vessel. New York, Ghost Ship of the Great Lakes: With Josh Gates, Joan Forsberg, Brendon Baillod, Greg Busch. Navagio Beach in Greece is famous for its shipwreck. The Holy Grail of Great Lakes shipwrecks is Le Griffon, the first European-style ship built by explorer Robert De La Salle that is believed to have sank in Lake Michigan in a storm in 1679.. Kids Encyclopedia Facts. Libert says the evidence hes amassed pinpoints where the wreckage of the 40- to 45-ton ship now rests: in shallow water near Poverty Island and Summer Island. The horror of Japan's death railway captured by cartoon: Top secret US mission to scatter Pearl Harbour mastermind Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' It's a 300-year-old mystery that Carlson and his diving partner, Steve Libert, are determined to solve. Widely considered the Holy Grail of undiscovered Great Lakes shipwrecks, the Griffon carried no treasure, nor anything. After Griffin sank, it was a ghost ship with the souls of the sailors heard chanting by anyone who could see the ship sailing in the moonlight. A ship that was 'cursed' by native tribesmen has been identified nearly 350 years after it vanished, solving one of America's oldest and most notorious maritime mysteries. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Excellence in Education Award Nominations. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1649: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery. Marie. After launching, it sailed the Niagara River to Lake Ontario, onward to Lake Erie, then by way of the St. Clair River to Lake Huron and northward to St. Ignace, the Straits of Mackinac and, finally, Lake Michigan. The accounts agree that this little vessel played a part in the building of Le Griffon. 3. No villain can mess with the griffin! A bowsprit discovered a few miles away in 2001 is another part of the vessel, they claim. Darkness like a cloud is ready to envelop you. Le Griffon was the largest fixed-rig sailing vessel on the Great Lakes up to that time,[3] and led the way to modern commercial shipping in that part of the world. The griffin (also called gryphon, gryphen, griffon, griffen, and gryphin), is a legendary creature.It has the head, front legs, and wings of an eagle.The rest of the body looks like a part of a lion.. The exact size and construction of Le Griffon is not known but many researchers believe she was a 45-ton barque. Over the years there have been 22 claims of the discovery of the Griffon. The ship left Conneaut for Port Stanley, Ontario in late morning on Dec. 7, 1909 with a captain and . 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. The Liberts' book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1679: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery, is available via Amazon for 24.69. Copyright 2023, Michigan State University. [notes 5][pageneeded] When La Salle heard of the loss (through a messenger or one of the natives), he left Niagara and joined in the salvage effort. La Salle returned to the area in 1682, to try again to locate the Mississippi's mouth. [10] The vessel carried anchors, chain, guns, cordage, and cable for Le Griffon, as well as supplies and provisions for the anticipated journey. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook& Google+. Most often described as a 45-ton barque, Le Griffon is considered the first full-sized sailing ship to ply the upper Great Lakes. 1 Answer. "It's a mystery ship that got in our way," Dykstra said, "and now, we're going for the gold.". Pictured: Some of the wreckage. Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Capital News Services articles may be reprinted exclusively by subscribing media organizations. Its discovery is credited to wreck hunters Stevie and Kathie Libert for the record. 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. About 30 adventurers have claimed to have found the Griffin, usually by happenstance, Baillod said. La Salle who was not aboard The Griffin when it disappeared never found out what happened to his ship, but the wreckage sheds new light on its fate. Le Griffon set off on 7 August with unfurled sails, a 34-man crew, and a salute from her cannon and musketry. The details of these discoveries along with numerous illustrations are contained in the pages of this thought provoking book. 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.. Griffin was the name of a 17th-century ship known to have sailed between England and English settlements in Massachusetts. A 'cursed' shipwreck which sank almost 350 years ago has been identified in one of North America's Great Lakes, bringing to an end a maritime mystery. Now, more than 335 years later, the wreck of the Griffon has not definitively been found. Lake Erie covers 2,000 of them, among the highest concentration of wrecks in the world. 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. The ship was constructed and launched on Cayuga Creek on the Niagara River as a seven-cannon, 45-ton barque. 'But we can systematically search the bottom using non-intrusive techniques and remote sensing devices for conclusive diagnostic evidence. The ship disappeared 343 years back on its maiden launch without a trace. [1] The French flag flew above the cabin placed on top of the main deck that was elevated above the hull. 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. All rights reserved. "Can we call this the Griffin? Mr Libert then spent two years sifting through satellite imagery before he made a breakthrough. On a subsequent dive, Dykstra took a magnet with him to help determine the metal composition of the ship. Some say Le Griffon was named for Count Frontenac whose coat of arms was ornamented with the mythical griffin. He continued exploring the Mississippi River until his murder in Texas in 1687. Related Article:Adolf Hitler's Lost German U-Boat Allegedly Has Dead Nazis Aboard Along With Gold, Treasure, Get HNGN's Top Stories Newsletter Everyweek. However, Dykstra said they've been advised to not disclose where they found the wreck in order tohelp preserve what's left of the ship. WHITEFISH POINT, MICH.- The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) is proud to announce the discovery of the 292-foot Whaleback vessel, Barge 129. Website User Guide Barge 129 was found in Lake Superior, 35 miles off Vermilion Point in 650 feet of water. Shipwreck explorers, Jim Kennard and Roger Pawlowski located the shipwreck utilizing a high resolution Rochester, New York The battered remains of the Canadian schooner Ocean Wave, which capsized and eventually sank from a sudden and violent squall, has been found in the depths of Lake Ontario. One candidate is a wreck at the western end of Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, with another wreck near Escanaba, Michigan, also proposed. MARIE, CHEBOYGAN AND ALL POINTS. Cruise-goers reveal their most terrifying incidents at sea - from watching a ferocious Do YOU know your Adam and Eve from your Ruby Murray? Charlevoix couple offers theory on mysterious 1679 shipwreck. He arrived there nearly starved only to find that his detractors had succeeded in stirring up doubt and opposition with his creditors. Loaded with furs in what's now Wisconsin, the Griffon was said to have sunk somewhere in northern Lake Michigan in 1679. In July 2010 the Great Lakes Exploration Group issued a press release stating that they, the state of Michigan and France had reached agreement to co-operate in the next phase of an archaeological site assessment for identifying the shipwreck. The widely referenced antique woodcutting of Le Griffon shows her with two masts but many researchers believe she was a 45-ton barque with a single mast with several square sails and 30 to 40 feet (9.1 to 12.2m) long with a 10-to-15-foot (3.0 to 4.6m) beam. "The [American] Indians told the captain not to sail out, to wait the storm out, but he wouldn't listen to them," Baillod said. Read Also:Titanic Artifacts Found, New Discovery Mission "Like Opening a Treasure Box". But Dykstra and Monroe said they'll wait until they hear the final word. La Salle decided to visit the Senecas at Tagarondies himself. also was the first ship to sail the Great Lakes. These films range from comedies to dramas to long and short films. 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. Comment why voting matters to you at the end of this story. Do not reproduce without permission. In the Spring of 2021, veteran shipwreck hunters Joe Van Wagnen and Mark Gammage located the remains of the passenger/freight Propeller Challenge in northern Lake Huron. 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. Megan SampTickets can be bought online or at Studio C in Okemos. Others say he did not return to Niagara until July. Native tradition holds that The Griffin became a ghost ship, whose crew are sometimes heard chanting as she sails among the clouds on a moonlit night. We hear from the Association of Counties, state court administrator and the president, from Gratiot County, of the Michigan Judges Association. 'I was emotionally drained of all my energy, and was in a complete state of relief and exhaustion, but I could still yell out the words "we found it!" The Wilhelm Gustloff (1945): The deadliest shipwreck in history On January 30, 1945, some 9,000 people perished aboard this German ocean liner after it was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine and . The first full-size cargo ship to sail the inner Great Lakes, Le Griffon was built by explorer Robert de La Salle in 1679. [In Photos: Arctic Shipwreck Solves 170-Year-Old Mystery]. That evidence? 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. Van Heest responds, Most people that are not dreamers say that for it to still exist, it must be in deep water not affected by ice and storms.. "It's not a pond net stake. The Griffon was built by La Salle near Niagara Falls and was the first ship to sail on the upper Great Lakes. In September 1679, French explorers loaded the boat with furs and left Green Bay. Copyright 2023 HNGN. Using sonar, two treasure hunters found the remains of a shipwreck in Lake Michigan. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Its fate has been a puzzlement for maritime historians for more than three and a half centuries. That is my question. [1], Upon Le Griffon's safe arrival at St. Ignace, the voyagers fired a salute from her deck that the Hurons on shore volleyed three times with their firearms. They sailed across the open water of Lake Erie whose shores were forested and "unbroken by the faintest signs of civilization". It vanished while loaded with furs and other trade goods gathered in Lake Michigan after the captain ordered it return towards Niagara. 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. LANSING Historical mysteries may take decades, even centuries, to solve if ever. Several French explores built the exploratory vessel Ren-Robert Cavalier and Sieur de La Salle. Quick Facts about Griffins. Arriving at Fort Frontenac in late September, he had neither the time for nor the interest in building a vessel at Fort Frontenac to transport building materials, some of which he had recently obtained in France, to a site above Niagara Falls where he could build his new ship. Its true fate remains a mystery, though it's commonly believed that the ship may have foundered in a storm or been scuttled by a mutinous crew. Ive seen dozens and dozens of 100- to 150-year-old ships, and that is not a 350-year-old ship. "[1] Now, treasure hunters who. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. If the state underwater archaeologist were to look at the wreck, he would look for artifacts that could be dated, such as ceramics or glass. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Alex Murdaugh unanimously found GUILTY of murder of wife and son, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts. 3 Griffon Vulture Amazing Facts. [8], Meanwhile, La Salle and Henri de Tonti, had departed Fort Frontenac in a second vessel some days after La Motte and Hennepin. All rights reserved (About Us). When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? One of the most intriguing is that the wreckage of the Griffon may have been found nearly 100 years ago but went unrecognized. The entire 29-member crew went down with it in what has become the greatest Great Lakes Shipping Tragedy of all time. Le Griffon is considered by some to be the "holy grail of Great Lakes Shipwrecks" largely because it was the first sailing ship to cruise the Great Lakes. "There was no rudder on the boat," Dykstra said. That would also put their forward progress on 8 January, at about 20 miles (32km) from Niagara. They were open vessels (no deck) made of wood measuring up to about 35 feet (11m) long and capable of carrying three or four tons of cargo. Content is produced by MSU students under the guidance of journalism faculty. 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. Every one of these shipwreck hunters finds a bone pile and claims its the Griffon.. 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. Le Griffon launched August 7, 1679 from Cayuga Island (Niagara Falls, NY). [1][4], Father Hennepin wrote that Le Griffon was lost in a violent storm. FOR ALPENA, DETROIT, IRON MOUNTAIN, DETROIT, MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. Moreover, Baillod said he hasn't heard of anyone looking for the Griffin near the Beaver Island archipelago, which is likely the area mentioned in La Salle's journal, Baillod said. 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. Shipwreck explorers Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowski and A group of maritime history enthusiasts have the announced the discovery of the schooners Peshtigo and St. Andrews, lost in 1878 in northern Lake Michigan. Kingsford says it was either contrary wind or they were becalmed. 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. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, (Image credit: Father Louis Hennepin Public Domain ). Is Joe Biden Sick? They added that a bowsprit was found close by in 2001, assuming it is another part that broke off from the ship. La Salle followed the southern shore of the lake. 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. We have corrected the story and replaced it with video and pictures that belong to FOX 17 News and Kevin Dykstra. Ice flowing down the river threatened to damage their little brigantine and after a cable was broken, they hauled the vessel ashore and into a small ravine for protection. [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). His conclusion: The remains of the ship Le Griffon in French sank in shallow water in the Huron Islands of northern Lake Michigan, northeast of Green Bay, Wisconsin, with the loss of all the crew members aboard. With La Salle back aboard their vessel, the company again sailed west until, about 25 miles (40km) from Niagara, weather checked their progress. [notes 6][pageneeded], After La Salle's departure, Tonti refloated the little brigantine, and attempted to use it for more salvage work at the wreck, but the winter weather prevented success. Some said that the Ottawas or Pottawatomies boarded her, murdered her crew, and then burned her. 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. The ship landed on an island in Lake Michigan where the local tribes had gathered with animal pelts to trade with the French. 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). A Eurasian griffon vulture can be found throughout Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Iran among other areas.

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