Steve Libert diving on the ship in 2018. POTUS Had Cancerous Lesion Removed From His Chest Last February! Now, treasure hunters who believe they found it, said to have stumbled upon it by accident. Thirty Mile Point is an established location and fits better with the rest of the narrative. "When the Griffin left from Wisconsin, headed back to Niagara, it was never heard from again," Porter said. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. An Antarctic explorer's ship has been discovered 106 years after it sank. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The photos were taken in 1997 from the roof of the cofferdam that surrounded the ship and kept it in a semi-dry environment. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. More than 100 Native American bark canoes gathered around Le Griffon to look at the "big wood canoe". "[1] Bateaux were also common. 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. State archaeologists reviewed the footage, and "They've been very diligent to say, 'This is really interesting; these are some neat pictures,'" Dykstra said. La Salle seized two of the deserters and sent Tonti with six men to arrest two more at Sault Ste. That is my question. "[5] He also says that at Fort Frontenac in 1676, La Salle "laid the keels of the vessels which he depended on to frighten the English. The divers said they found Le Griffon in 2011, but are just announcing the discovery because they were consulting experts to confirm it. 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. Do not reproduce without permission. 'The Christian Indian's curse rests on you and on your great canoe. Le Griffon is considered by some to have been the first ship lost on the Great Lakes. All rights reserved. The wind did slightly decrease but they drifted slowly all night, unable to find anchorage or shelter. Armament: 50 iron cannons total. Read Also:Titanic Artifacts Found, New Discovery Mission "Like Opening a Treasure Box". Rather, it may be the remnants of a tugboat that was scrapped after "steam engines became more economical to operate," said Brendon Baillod, a Great Lakes historian who has written scholarly papers on the Griffin. Keen to get away from the neighbours? Libert became instantly fascinated by the Griffon mystery as a 14-year-old student in Dayton, Ohio, where he first heard from a teacher about the missing ship with its figurehead of a griffon, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. 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. The ship was a work of art, featuring a majestic griffin (half lion, half eagle) figurehead on its front and an eagle on its stern. 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. Characteristics Physical Description Unexpectedly, a nail attached itself to the magnet, and the treasure hunters only discovered it later, once they were above water. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Le_Griffon&oldid=1121719205, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2020, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from January 2015, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from August 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Disappeared on the return trip of her maiden voyage in 1679, This page was last edited on 13 November 2022, at 19:58. The Griffin shipwreck at the bottom of Lake Michigan. "They lost the ship from sight," Baillod said, "and that's the last anybody has ever seen the Griffin.". Or the Jesuits had something to do with the disappearance. For the second time, they used a dozen men and ropes to tow Le Griffon over the rapids of the St. Clair River into lower Lake Huron. More than 5,000 ship wrecks are scattered throughout the Great Lakes, and Porter said the Le Griffon is the most precious one. Heres the backstory as Libert tells it: LaSalle built the Griffon as his flagship upriver from Niagara Falls, probably on what is now the Canadian side of the Niagara River. "That was kind of telling to us that the ship probably weathered a storm; otherwise, there would probably be a rudder on it.". One of the most intriguing is that the wreckage of the Griffon may have been found nearly 100 years ago but went unrecognized. "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. They were concerned for their safety in as much that they tried to burn the ship during construction. "Can we call this the Griffin? His wishes and hopes to find the legendary ship were all granted when he, his wife Kathie, and a group of others discovered it on Sept. 10, 2018 in upper Lake Michigan. A history teacher inspired Libert in school. The vessel dragged its anchor for about nine miles to the east before grounding and breaking up near present-day Thirty Mile Point. Now, more than 335years later, the wreck of the Griffon has not definitively been found. FOR ALPENA, DETROIT, IRON MOUNTAIN, DETROIT, MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. In the meantime, the duo plans to continue their hunt for the gold bullion. Ever since I was a junior high schooler in Dayton, Ohio, Ive been interested in this ship, Libert said. Mr Libert said the evidence suggests that the ship was lost in a storm, A photo from the 2018 dive shows the bowsprit of the ship believed to be The Griffin. Mr Libert said: 'Our extensive research and deciphering of historic documents led us precisely to the resting place of an undiscovered colonial-age ship.'. He and his wife set out their case for having discovered the ship in a new book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1679: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery. [1] The French flag flew above the cabin placed on top of the main deck that was elevated above the hull. We apologize to Great Lakes Exploration Group for any confusion this may have caused. She was the largest sailing vessel on the Great Lakes up to that time. It wanted to sail across Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan through waters only canoes had previously explored. 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. The couples book shares details of how they believed the ship sank near the Huron Islands, a group of small, rocky islands northeast of Green Bay. fremont hospital deaths; what happened to tropical tidbits; chris herren speaking fee; boracay braids cultural appropriation; the griffon shipwreck facts. Test yourself with this Cockney Rhyming Slang quiz. Every one of these shipwreck hunters finds a bone pile and claims its the Griffon.. Because his second account has numerous exaggerations and cases where he credits himself for things that La Salle had done, Hennepin's first account is considered more reliable. by | Jun 6, 2022 | ephesus elementary school principal | kristen modafferi kristin smart | Jun 6, 2022 | ephesus elementary school principal | kristen modafferi kristin smart (Image: Great Lakes Exploration Group via Pen News) The wreck was found near Poverty Island on Lake Michigan, almost 350 years after it vanished. According to Father Louis Hennepin, one of them was caught in a violent storm and never survived, notedthe Daily Mail. [14] After years of legal squabbles the Michigan Department of Natural Resources issued a permit, and on 16 June 2013, an underwater pit was dug allowing US and French archeologists to examine the object for the first time. Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. A ship in shallow water gets beat up quickly. But the sinking was caused by a storm is the best explanation. A bowsprit discovered a few miles away in 2001 is another part of the vessel, they claim. But, the Liberts say her final. Maritime historians best guess, she says, is that it sank between Beaver Island and the southern coast of the Upper Peninsula, possibly within sight of shore between what are now Manistique and Naubinway. People remember the cautionary TV commercials from Do not sell or share my personal information. By Michael Havis and Harry Howard For Mailonline, Published: 12:24 GMT, 16 June 2021 | Updated: 13:02 GMT, 16 June 2021. Legions of searchers have tried to track down its. "We like to turn the sonar on and just go to places that we haven't been before, and just try and see what we can find down there," Dykstra said. It was built with the intention of finding a route across the Great Lakes of North America to reach China and Japan. The ship landed on an island in Lake Michigan where the local tribes had gathered with animal pelts to trade with the French. Alternatively, another . The Atlas may be the oldest confirmed commercial schooner discovered in the Great Lakes. Updated. 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. 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 reached Niagara again on 14 January. After Le Griffon was launched, she was rigged with sails and provisioned with seven cannon of which two were brass. 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. "If you take the picture of the carving of the griffon and overlay it on what these gentleman have, it's very compelling," Porter said. Most of the ship remnants were in shallow, not deep water makes the other claims inaccurate. Loaded with furs in what's now Wisconsin, the Griffon was said to have sunk somewhere in northern Lake Michigan in 1679. Pictures show the bow of the ship with a carved sculpture. 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. Metiomek, an Iroquois prophet, apparently told La Salle: 'Beware! While diving in Lake Michigan, two men stumbled upon a shipwreck they think is a 1676 French ship named 'Le Griffon,' or The Griffin. CNS correspondents cover all aspects of Michigan state government. I'm a vet, and here are five dog breeds most prone to cancer - including Golden Retrievers and Rottweilers, Prince Andrew chuckles as he encounters female jogger on way to his weekly Windsor horse-riding trip. Marie. 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. 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. On its return trip from the island, said to be located in the mouth of the body of water which is now known as Green Bay, it vanished with all six crew members and its load of furs. They are schooners, freighters, steamships, tugs and fishing boats, and thanks to the cold, fresh water, many of them are perfectly preserved. 'La Salle was certain that the captain and his men committed mutiny, sank the ship and absconded with all the furs. Father Hennepin wrote that during the fearful crisis of the storm, La Salle vowed that if God would deliver them, the first chapel erected in Louisiana would be dedicated to the memory of Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron of the sailor. Your comment will appear after being approved. Original article on Live Science. 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. The ship was righted and brought back to the port in Milwaukee and returned to service. [4], Le Griffon may or may not be considered the first ship on the Great Lakes, depending on what factors one deems necessary to qualify a vessel for that designation. La Salle offered Hennepin the honor of driving the first spike, but Hennepin deferred to his leader. The mythical griffin is a creature of ferocity and nobility. UNESCO estimates that worldwide over 3 million shipwrecks. Dan Scoville, Jim Kennard, Craig Hampton, and Roland Stevens located the steamer thirty miles east of Fair Haven, New York - The Canadian schooner Royal Albert has been discovered in deep water off the southern shore of Lake Ontario near Fair Haven, NY. The two treasure hunters were taking measurements of the ship when Dykstra's magnet, tethered to his scuba gear, picked up an object that few people have ever seen: a hand forged nail that dates back to 1679. Biden Student Loan Forgiveness Plan To Be Weighed By US Supreme Court, San Antonio Couple Allegedly Trained Their Dogs To Be Aggressive Before Air Force Veteran Gets Mauled to Death, Hungary Says Sweden Is Spreading Fake News Concerning Budapest Will Not Help Its NATO Bid, Vanderpump Rules' Tom Sandoval-Ariana Madix Split: Raquel Leviss Admits Doing 1 Thing Amid Affair Rumors. "An expedition of historic significance: the search for the elusive, "France claims historic Great Lakes wreck", "Great Lakes Exploration Group, France and Michigan Establish Cooperative Agreement For Shipwreck Exploration", "Divers begin Lake Michigan search for Griffin ship", "Griffin Shipwreck: Wooden Beam Not Attached To Buried Vessel, Researchers Say", "Explorer says Griffin shipwreck may be found", "Treasure hunters find mysterious shipwreck in Lake Michigan", "Four reasons why the Frankfort-area shipwreck can't be the Griffin", "Le Griffon: The Great Lakes' greatest mystery", "If you are in need of a mystery, here is a historic puzzle: What happened to La Salle's Griffon? French historical documents and shipbuilding techniques, colonial-era maps, contemporary reports, what he says is a bowsprit retrieved from the wreckage, carbon-4 dating and underwater photographs of submerged parts of a vessel. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. This book relates the fascinating story of the Griffon, its background, and information about the 22 claims of discovery made in the past 200 years. Forsberg said several of the bolts. Kingsford says it was either contrary wind or they were becalmed. Widely considered the Holy Grail of undiscovered Great Lakes shipwrecks, the Griffon carried no treasure, nor anything. I left school at 16 with six GCSEs - and became a self-made millionaire. The Griffin sank to the murky depths of. 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.. They concluded it was likely a bowsprit dating from a ship hundreds of years old, although some think it was a common pound net stake used for fishing nets in the 19th century. The loss of the Griffon is one of the great mysteries of the Great Lakes. Historian J. Megan SampVoters at the Hannah Community Center share why voting matters to them. [4] Some charged fur traders, and even Jesuits with her destruction. [12] A number of sunken old sailing ships have been suggested to be Le Griffon but, except for the ones proven to be other ships, there has been no positive identification. He was 43. On 27 December 2014, two divers, Kevin Dykstra and Frederick Monroe, announced the discovery of a wreck that they believe is Le Griffon, based on the bowstem, which to some resembles an ornamental griffin. (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/03/charlevoix-couple-offers-theory-on-mysterious-1679-shipwreck/). Enter the text you see in the image below. One candidate is a wreck at the western end of Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, with another wreck near Escanaba, Michigan, also proposed. 'Some say that the native Indians boarded the ship and killed the crew. Addressing his problems long delayed his return to the expedition. The 1633 journey left from Downs, England and landed at Plymouth in Plymouth Colony on September 3. 175 Year Old Great Lakes Atlas Schooner Located in Lake Ontario, Early 1800s Dagger-board Schooner Three Brothers Discovered in Lake Ontario, 1926 Steamship Nisbet Grammer Discovered in Lake Ontario, 158 year old Canadian Schooner Royal Albert Discovered in Lake Ontario, Mid-Nineteenth Century Canadian Schooner Ocean Wave Discovered by Shipwreck Explorers, Major Shipwreck Discovery in Lake Michigan. Here's how to watch. 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. Some say that this vessel was named the Frontenac, while others say the other vessel used on La Salle's expedition was Frontenac. Newsroom Calendar [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. Copyright 2023 HNGN. They sailed from the Straits of Mackinac to an island (either Washington Island or Rock Island)[1] located at the entrance of Green Bay. That is simply not true.. 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. Sources disagree on how long this delay was. The Native Americans told La Salle the crew planned to sail toward the Straits of Mackinac in stormy weather. [1][2], Hennepin's first account says she was a vessel of about 45 tons; his second says 60 tons. I was mesmerized by what he was saying. [13] Originally discovered in 2001 near Poverty Island, Michigan sonar has shown an object approximately 40 by 18 feet (12.2 by 5.5m) (similar to the dimensions of Le Griffon) located under several feet of sediment. The Liberts say the Griffin is the exact wreck seen in 2018 close to Poverty Island right in Lake Michigan. ", 'Fifty-one years later, I am still intrigued by this story.'. "It's a mystery ship that got in our way," Dykstra said, "and now, we're going for the gold.". 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!' [notes 4][pageneeded] There was some disagreement between La Salle and the ship's pilot, and La Salle and Tonti went ahead on foot to Niagara. La Salle whose full name was the noble-sounding Ren-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle wasnt aboard the Griffon. The Plaque reads: On a subsequent dive, Dykstra took a magnet with him to help determine the metal composition of the ship. Editor's Note:In our original version of this story, we inadvertently used video that belonged to Great Lakes Exploration Group, LLC. 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. 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. All of those people have been wrong including Libert she says. June 3, 2022 . The Griffin was last seen struggling off Washington Island and was never heard from again. It is not clear if the ship had advanced west after the departure of La Salle and Tonti. LaSalle's Griffon has not been found. In September 1679, French explorers loaded the boat with furs and left Green Bay. He then charged La Motte with salvage by use of canoes. Kingsford's text says Thirty-nine Mile Point, but modern charts do not show that name. He arrived there nearly starved only to find that his detractors had succeeded in stirring up doubt and opposition with his creditors. [Shipwrecks Gallery: Secrets of the Deep]. La Salle disembarked and on 18 September sent the ship back toward Niagara. They believe the carving is of a mythical creature known as a griffon, half lion and half eagle. THE WRECK OF THE GRIFFON by Cris Kohl and Joan Forsberg, published and distributed by Seawolf Communications Inc. 224 pages. 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.. Hennepin's journal says 32 leagues (converts to 96 miles (154km)), but his figure is an estimate made while snowshoing through the country. Great Lakes Exploration Group is not connected to this story or Kevin Dykstra and Frederick Monroe. "There was no rudder on the boat," Dykstra said. The male wirehaired pointer weighs around 50-70 lb, and the females are around 35-50 lb. [6][8][11][pageneeded] There the keel was laid on 26 January 1679. As the eagle was considered the 'king of the birds', and the lion the 'king of the beasts', the griffin was perceived as a powerful and majestic creature. Joe Porter, publisher for Wreck Diving Magazine, has penned articles on famous ship wrecks including the Titanic, but saidthe Griffon is the most fascinating. 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. 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 Salle's ships. But the ship vanished while delivering a valuable cargo of furs, amid rumours that she had been cursed by a prophet from the Iroquois tribe. According to legend, natives even cursed the ship. He put ashore near present-day Rochester, New York, and arrived at Tagarondies very shortly after La Motte and Hennepin had left. [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). The first full-size cargo ship to sail the inner Great Lakes, Le Griffon was built by explorer Robert de La Salle in 1679. The Griffin - 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. They then set the ship on fire. [citation needed], In July 1679, La Salle directed 12 men to tow Le Griffon through the rapids of the Niagara River with long lines stretched from the bank. We have corrected the story and replaced it with video and pictures that belong to FOX 17 News and Kevin Dykstra. She says American marine archaeologists concluded that what Libert claims is the bowsprit was beyond a doubt part of a Native American fishing trap. Suffering from cold and low on supplies, the men were close to mutiny. Tornadoes Hit Central US; Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Columbus Ohio Brace For Intense Weather. He continued exploring the Mississippi River until his murder in Texas in 1687. The 1633 journey left at Downs, England and landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts on September 3. . Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). [21], There has yet to be any consensus regarding the location of the shipwreck of Le Griffon. The cargo of furs, estimated at up to $12,000 in value nearly $900,000 (640,000) in today's money likely went to the depths with her. 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. Her adventure is set be featured on national television as part of an hour . But, the Liberts say her final resting place is near the Huron Islands in Lake Michigan, northeast of Green Bay. La Salle gave instructions for Le Griffon to off-load merchandise for him at Mackinac that would be picked up on the return trip. ', 'The Seneca were in awe of the French for having built such a large canoe. General Ubilla's New Spain Fleet was composed of: 1 - The Capitana, Nuestra Seora de Regla, San Dimas y San Francisco Javier (Presumably a galleon). Heres how it works. The 2001 discovery of a bowsprit sticking out the lakebed sparked a 10-year legal battle with the State of Michigan, preventing the explorers from excavating for the rest of the ship until 2013. 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. WHITEFISH POINT, MICH.- The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) is proud to announce the discovery of the 292-foot Whaleback vessel, Barge 129. "I didn't go down there with the expectation of seeing a shipwreck I can tell you that," Dykstra told Live Science. A Eurasian griffon vulture can be found throughout Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Iran among other areas. It was built by the French explorer Ren Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, with a view to finding a route through the lakes to China and Japan. Griffin was the name of a 17th-century ship known to have sailed between England and English settlements in Massachusetts. According to Mr and Mrs Libert, The Griffin is a good match for wreckage found in 2018 near Poverty Island, Lake Michigan. The Griffon shipwreck is a legend where Wisconsin meets Michigan. 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.