Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. "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? After Le Griffon was launched, she was rigged with sails and provisioned with seven cannon of which two were brass. Tonti's journal says it was adverse winds. I was mesmerized by what he was saying. Using sonar, two treasure hunters found the remains of a shipwreck in Lake Michigan. "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. 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). Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Excellence in Education Award Nominations. While diving in Lake Michigan, two men stumbled upon a shipwreck they think is a 1676 French ship named 'Le Griffon,' or The Griffin. MARIE, CHEBOYGAN AND ALL POINTS. Originally searching for lost gold, Kevin Dykstra and Frederick Monroe believe to have foundwhat more than 20 explorersclaim to be the first shipwreck ever to sail Lake Michigan. Ive seen dozens and dozens of 100- to 150-year-old ships, and that is not a 350-year-old ship. The Griffon, built in 1679, sank that same year somewhere in the Great Lakes. In September 1679, French explorers loaded the boat with furs and left Green Bay. The Liberts have since published their book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1649: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery.. ', 'The Seneca were in awe of the French for having built such a large canoe. Its discovery is credited to wreck hunters Stevie and Kathie Libert for the record. The griffin was a favourite decorative motif in the ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean lands. 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. [1][4] Beginning on Christmas Day, 1678, La Motte and Hennepin together with four of their men, went by snowshoe to a prominent Seneca chief who resided at Tagarondies[notes 2] a village about 75 miles (120km) east of Niagara[notes 3] and about 20 miles (32km) south of Lake Ontario. An Indian prophet called Metiomek of the Iroquois said legend had cursed the ship before it left; he told its owner La Salle it would sink deep water. 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. NY 10036. A history teacher inspired Libert in school. Valerie van Heest, a member of the board of directors of the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association, says, There have been 30 or more discoveries of the Griffon dating back to early 1800s. She was the largest sailing vessel on the Great Lakes up to that time. But the sinking was caused by a storm is the best explanation. An Antarctic explorer's ship has been discovered 106 years after it sank. [10] The vessel carried anchors, chain, guns, cordage, and cable for Le Griffon, as well as supplies and provisions for the anticipated journey. The vessel was loaded with furs so that they could be used to pay the French explorer and Griffon's master, Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle's creditors. Carbon dating of the bowsprit places suggests an age range within a year of the sinking. Quick Facts about Griffins. Over the years there have been 22 claims of the discovery of the Griffon. The vessel dragged its anchor for about nine miles to the east before grounding and breaking up near present-day Thirty Mile Point. It's a 300-year-old mystery that Carlson and his diving partner, Steve Libert, are determined to solve. There is reason, however, to question his assertion. They were concerned for their safety in as much that they tried to burn the ship during construction. Your comment will appear after being approved. - News and information from student journalists at the Michigan State University School of Journalism, About the Michigan State University School of Journalism, Michigan Chile Investigative Journalism Program, MSU journalism COVID-related reporting guidelines, Upcoming court ruling could impact trial court funding as deadline approaches, Why does your vote matter? 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. When they arrived there La Motte and Hennepin had not yet returned. Where are the cannons? Experts suspect the ship was lost as a consequence of a severe storm. 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. Some say that this vessel was named the Frontenac, while others say the other vessel used on La Salle's expedition was Frontenac. All of those people have been wrong including Libert she says. La Salle offered Hennepin the honor of driving the first spike, but Hennepin deferred to his leader. The other wreckage has been approximately dated to between 1632 and 1682. "[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 Liberts say the Griffin is the exact wreck seen in 2018 close to Poverty Island right in Lake Michigan. Welcome to the Coronation! La Salle whose full name was the noble-sounding Ren-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Sallewasnt aboard the Griffon. The Griffin, or gryphon, is a mythological creature with the body, hind legs, and tail of a lion and the wings, front talons, and head of an eagle. Lake Erie covers 2,000 of them, among the highest concentration of wrecks in the world. Rene-Robert Cavelier , Sieur de La Salle was a French explorer in 1679 and he wanted his ship, Le Griffon , to sail the Niagara River, Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan in order to . Charlevoix couple offers theory on mysterious 1679 shipwreck. 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. The Ruppell's griffon vulture is Critically Endangered. The griffin is a legendary creature with the head and wings of an eagle, and the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion. He continued exploring the Mississippi River until his murder in Texas in 1687. $19.95 plus $3 S&H. Some say Le Griffon was named for Count Frontenac whose coat of arms was ornamented with the mythical griffin. 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. More than 100 Native American bark canoes gathered around Le Griffon to look at the "big wood canoe". The bowsprit is seen here sticking out of the bed of Lake Michigan, The Liberts are prevented by the State of Michigan from conducting an in-depth excavation of the wreck site, Mr Libert said: 'It is just a matter of time before we achieve our goal. [4] They entered Lake St. Clair on 12 August, the feast day of Saint Clare of Assisi, and named the lake after her. Some are thousands of years old. 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]. 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. The loss of the Griffon is one of the great mysteries of the Great Lakes. For Mr Libert, it's the realisation of a childhood dream, sparked by a history teacher who told him about the ship. She says American marine archaeologists concluded that what Libert claims is the bowsprit was beyond a doubt part of a Native American fishing trap. There the crew ignored a warning from local Native Americans not to sail into the lake from the safe harbor at Washington Island because of high wind danger from a massive storm. Every one of these shipwreck hunters finds a bone pile and claims its the Griffon.. On the evening of 10th November 1975, Edmund Fitzgerald sank around 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point, Michigan. Le Griffon was the first ship of thousands to disappear in our upper Great Lakes, Libert, president of Great Lakes Exploration Group LLC, told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. Michigan state maritime archaeologist Wayne R. Lusardi presented evidence that the wreck was, in fact, a tugboat due to its 90-foot (27m) length and presence of a steam boiler. 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. Is Joe Biden Sick? 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. A couple in Charlevoix . Local shipwreck explorer Valerie van Heest spent a week on Manitoulin Island in August of 2018 searching for Le Griffon. Richard Gross. The exact size and construction of Le Griffon is not known but many researchers believe she was a 45-ton barque. Crude tools, green and wet timbers, and the cold winter months caused slow progress in the construction of Le Griffon. 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.. If it exists in the physical world, we think it will be there in deep water, she says. At 42.5 inches tall, the "Pisa Griffin" is the largest bronze medieval Islamic sculpture on the planet and was made in the 11th Century CE. 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.. 'The distance of 3.8 miles between the bowsprit and main sections highly suggests the Indians did not sink it either, nor did La Salle's men mutiny and sink the ship. Megan SampVoters at the Hannah Community Center share why voting matters to them. Their inefficiency at beating to windward made them impractical as sailing vessels, and they were not very safe in open water. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. No cannons have been found near the site Libert identified. 'She will sink beneath the deep waters and your blood shall stain the hands of those in whom you trusted!'. 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.. [1][2], Hennepin's first account says she was a vessel of about 45 tons; his second says 60 tons. TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) A debris field at the bottom of Lake Michigan may be the remains of the long-lost Griffin, a vessel commanded by a 17th-century French explorer, said a shipwreck . [Disasters at Sea: 6 Deadliest Shipwrecks]. Wherever the Griffon is, if its in deep water somewhere, there are cannons near it, she says. When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? turtix/Shutterstock. The nail, which has since been observed by historians, is believed to have been on the ship at the time of it's disappearance, being hauled for building purposes. Around 4:00pm the Shannon passed Oswego light and headed out into the lake. The divers said they found Le Griffon in 2011, but are just announcing the discovery because they were consulting experts to confirm it. Now, treasure hunters who believe they found it, said to have stumbled upon it by accident. The Griffon was the first ship ever to sail the Great Lakes, originally built to haul furs from the Green Bay area to Detroit. 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. A griffin (or gryphon) is a chimeric creature, part eagle and part lion. Acknowledging that French archeologists side with Libert, she asks what they know about Native American fishing practices. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Several historical and genealogical references show the Griffin making such journeys in 1633 and 1634. Characteristics Physical Description A party from the Iroquois tribe who witnessed the launching were so impressed by the "large floating fort" that they named the French builders Ot-kon, meaning "penetrating minds", which corresponds to the Seneca word Ot-goh, meaning supernatural beings or spirits. "[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. We asked the experts - and their answers will terrify you Five unexpected signs in your 20s and 30s you're at risk of developing heart disease later in life. 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. Her adventure is set be featured on national television as part of an hour . [Shipwrecks Gallery: Secrets of the Deep]. 3. Libert said the book reveals the location of the Huron Islands where Robert La Salles ship, Le Griffon, met her fate. The Mysterious Shipwreck of Le Griffon | Expedition Unknown 17,600 views May 8, 2019 The Griffon, a ship built by famed explorer Ren-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, sailed out of Lake. 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. 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. Griffin was the name of a 17th-century ship known to have sailed between England and English settlements along Massachusetts Bay in British America. La Salle seized two of the deserters and sent Tonti with six men to arrest two more at Sault Ste. [4] La Salle dressed in a scarlet cloak bordered with lace and a highly plumed cap, laid aside his arms in charge of a sentinel and attended mass with his crew in the chapel of the Ottawas and then made a visit of ceremony with the chiefs. Cathy Green, the executive director of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, is also skeptical, calling it highly unlikely that its the Griffon and nearly impossible to definitively know because of the centuries of damage to shallow water wrecks from ice, storms and rising and falling lake levels. When a strong wind suddenly arose, they could not make it back to the ship. A bowsprit is the spar that extends forward from the bow. Most often described as a 45-ton barque, Le Griffon is considered the first full-sized sailing ship to ply the upper Great Lakes. The Griffin was last seen struggling off Washington Island and was never heard from again. 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. While there have been many theories over the years, there is no clear consensus as to the fate or current location of Le Griffon. 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. Onboard the ship was furs for trade, and a legend that an Iroquois tribe Shaman or prophet foretold it would be lost to history, reportedthe Express UK. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Finding the wreck is the goal of most Great Lakes shipwreck hunters due to the notoriety, and they call it the Holy Grail amongst them. [4] They were navigating Le Griffon through uncharted waters that only canoes had previously explored. Divers and shipwreck enthusiasts have spent years trying to piece together clues from the ship's last days to. Addressing his problems long delayed his return to the expedition. 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. Alpena County reference. There's no way," Henriksen said. 1 Answer. Now, more than 335years later, the wreck of the Griffon has not definitively been found. Great Lakes Exploration Group is not connected to this story or Kevin Dykstra and Frederick Monroe. Several French explores built the exploratory vessel Ren-Robert Cavalier and Sieur de La Salle. Comment why voting matters to you at the end of this story. Bateaux were also common. Below Niagara Falls: first ships on Lake Ontario. [1] They reached the mouth of the Detroit River on 10 August 1679 where they were greeted by three columns of smoke signaling the location of Tonti's camp whom they received on board. La Salle followed the southern shore of the lake. myth bird lion hippogriff griffin, also spelled griffon or gryphon, composite mythological creature with a lion's body (winged or wingless) and a bird's head, usually that of an eagle. On 6 December, they landed safely on the east bank of the river at about where Lewiston, New York is today. Metiomek, an Iroquois prophet, apparently told La Salle: 'Beware! They're not going back to the wreckage for a while, so they don't make the site vulnerable to other treasure seekers. A big Beckham birthday! Other experts insist Liberts absolutely wrong. 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. The 1633 journey left at Downs, England and landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts on September 3. . 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. So, if the Griffons final resting place isnt where Libert believes it to be, where is it? 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A Eurasian griffon vulture can be found throughout Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Iran among other areas. Then they also talk with real people the individual citizens and businesses in communities to get their reactions to whats happening in Lansing. [In Photos: Arctic Shipwreck Solves 170-Year-Old Mystery]. [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). I was mesmerized by what he was saying. 'The imagery depicted the keelson and frames,' he said. The book's title, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1679 , indicates the importance the couple places on understanding the location of the Huron Islands in their search. REVEALED: Huge sonic boom felt by thousands across the country was caused by RAF Typhoon jets scrambling to Wakey Wakey! That is my question. It would no longer exist. Le Griffon. 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. Cathy Green, the executive director of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, is also skeptical, calling it highly unlikely that its the Griffon and nearly impossible to definitively know because of the centuries of damage to shallow water wrecks from ice, storms and rising and falling lake levels. Using a state of the art two-man submersible, Josh dives in to find a ship so elusive it's known as "The Holy Grail of Shipwrecks." 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.. Green and Ken Vrana, the principal of Maritime Heritage Consulting, advocate an independent assessment by professionals. La Salle's prime focus in 1678 was building Le Griffon. Pictured: Images of the 2018 dive on a wreck found in 2018 near Poverty Island, Lake Michigan. The furs on board would have cost 640,000 in today's value, sinking with the vessel. They reached Niagara again on 14 January. That evidence? 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. One candidate is a wreck at the western end of Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, with another wreck near Escanaba, Michigan, also proposed. The Le Griffon was discovered in Sept. 2018 after going missing in 1679.Steven Libert. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. [8], La Salle's men first had to build their lodging and then guard against the Iroquois who were hostile to this invasion of their ancient homeland. 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. La Salle decided to visit the Senecas at Tagarondies himself. While frozen rivers made traveling easy, finding food was not. [4] Some charged fur traders, and even Jesuits with her destruction. The divers who discovered the wreck believe it to be the Griffin, an exploration ship laden with furs, cannon, muskets and shipyard supplies that went down in a storm in 1679 in Lake Michigan, on . The Griffin sank to the murky depths of. 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. 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.