An Antarctic explorer's ship has been discovered 106 years after it sank. 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. 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.. Brooklyn celebrates turning 24 by heading out in Paris with wife Nicola Peltz and Nicola Peltz's fans question if 'feud' with mother-in-law Victoria Beckham is REALLY over as she posts Supermarkets strip vape device from stores after being found to be at least 50 per cent over legal nicotine Tragedies of Everest: The adventurers forever frozen in ice after losing their lives scaling the world's 'Why the last-minute delay?' She also reports on general science, including archaeology and paleontology. The two men did not bring up the nail on purpose, and they plan to return it to the state, said Dean Anderson, the state archaeologist for Michigan. 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. 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. There is an excellent book written by Cris Kohl on the Griffon and the various discovery claims. They recovered the anchors, chain, and most of the materials critical for Le Griffon, but most of the supplies and provisions were lost. In January of 1679, the Griffon's building party arrived at the mouth of Cayuga Creek on the Niagara River (about a mile from my high school) where the ship would be built. ", 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. A ship in shallow water gets beat up quickly. About 1,500 shipwreckshave been found on the bottom of Lake Michigan, Anderson said, and it's unclear whether this one is the Griffin. Crude tools, green and wet timbers, and the cold winter months caused slow progress in the construction of Le Griffon. Where are the cannons? 1. The Griffin disappeared returning from its maiden voyage in 1679 and was last seen struggling in a storm near what is now Washington Island in Wisconsin. It was a calm night and they believed the vessel was securely moored. 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. Lake Erie covers 2,000 of them, among the highest concentration of wrecks in the world. 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. 2023 www.lenconnect.com. They sailed across the open water of Lake Erie whose shores were forested and "unbroken by the faintest signs of civilization". The uneasy truce with the Indians was tested by threats and attempts of sabotage and murder. 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. She carried a cargo of furs valued at from 50,000 to 60,000 francs ($10,000 $12,000) and the rigging and anchors for another vessel that La Salle intended to build to find passage to the West Indies. the griffon shipwreck facts. 'If any of the latter was true the ship would rest in deeper water instead of shallow waters.'. 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. According to Mr and Mrs Libert, The Griffin is a good match for wreckage found in 2018 near Poverty Island, Lake Michigan. The loss of the Griffon is one of the great mysteries of the Great Lakes. She was found by an aircraft belonging to the US Navy on 14th November 1975. The unrest of the Seneca and dissatisfied workmen were continually incited by secret agents of merchants and traders who feared La Salle would break their monopoly on the fur trade. The ship landed on an island in Lake Michigan where the local tribes had gathered with animal pelts to trade with the French. They again sounded their way through the narrow channel of the St. Clair River to its mouth where they were delayed by contrary winds until 24 August. Megan SampTickets can be bought online or at Studio C in Okemos. 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. There is no conclusive evidence about any of the theories about Le Griffon's loss.[1]. [citation needed], A female Native informant who was of the tribe foiled the plans of hostile Senecas to burn Le Griffon as she grew on her stocks. I was mesmerized by what he was saying. La Salle whose full name was the noble-sounding Ren-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Sallewasnt aboard the Griffon. 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. Carbon dating of the bowsprit places suggests an age range within a year of the sinking. In the meantime, the duo plans to continue their hunt for the gold bullion. 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. 'We are confident the ship was wrecked due to a severe storm. Francis Parkman says that by 1677, "four vessels of 25 to 40 tons had been built for the lake Ontario and the river St. Charlevoix couple offers theory on mysterious 1679 shipwreck. Many authors since Mansfield have followed suit. La Salle decided to stay behind with four canoes to explore the head of Lake Michigan. 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. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. once I broke the surface. The Le Griffon was discovered in Sept. 2018 after going missing in 1679.Steven Libert. Loaded with furs in what's now Wisconsin, the Griffon was said to have sunk somewhere in northern Lake Michigan in 1679. "The [American] Indians told the captain not to sail out, to wait the storm out, but he wouldn't listen to them," Baillod said. It would no longer exist. 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 . [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. Marie. Most often described as a 45-ton barque, Le Griffon is considered the first full-sized sailing ship to ply the upper Great Lakes. Each November, the East Lansing Film Festival showcases independent films. [citation needed], La Salle arrived on 20 January 1679 from Fort Frontenac with the full rigging, anchors, chains, cordage, and cannon that were transported by barge, then salvaged and dragged 30 miles (48km) overland to the construction site. The Griffon was built by La Salle near Niagara Falls and was the first ship to sail on the upper Great Lakes. 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. He also teaches public affairs reporting, international journalism, feature writing and media law and serves as director of the schools Capital News Service. The cursed shipwreck, the 'Griffin,' is an incredible find with the history and the tales associated with it till now. 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. 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). Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Scholastic, Popular Science and Spectrum, a site on autism research. La Salle sent Tonti ahead on 22 July 1679 with a few selected men, canoes, and trading goods to secure furs and supplies. Mr Libert said: 'There are numerous theories as to what happened to The Griffin. They fly at an altitude of 4,900 and 11,500 feet. La Salle seized two of the deserters and sent Tonti with six men to arrest two more at Sault Ste. "Can we call this the Griffin? We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Tonti learned of a plan to burn the ship before it could be launched, so he launched ahead of schedule and Le Griffon entered the waters in early May 1679. the griffon shipwreck facts the griffon shipwreck facts. Here's how to watch. Some said that the Ottawas or Pottawatomies boarded her, murdered her crew, and then burned her. Le Griffon set off on 7 August with unfurled sails, a 34-man crew, and a salute from her cannon and musketry. "It's the holy grail of shipwrecks in the Great Lakes.". 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. He teaches environmental journalism and serves as director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. They made their way north and west to Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron where they were becalmed until noon of 25 August. 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. 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. 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. FOR ALPENA, DETROIT, IRON MOUNTAIN, DETROIT, MARQUETTE, SAULT STE. [21], There has yet to be any consensus regarding the location of the shipwreck of Le Griffon. Its discovery is credited to wreck hunters Stevie and Kathie Libert for the record. [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. Rochester, New York - The wreckage of the schooner Atlas which sank in 1839 during a gale has been located in Lake Ontario. People remember the cautionary TV commercials from Do not sell or share my personal information. 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. The Griffin sank to the murky depths of. THE WRECK OF THE GRIFFON by Cris Kohl and Joan Forsberg, published and distributed by Seawolf Communications Inc. 224 pages. [8], Progress on Le Griffon was fraught with problems. Griffin is an English East India Company ship which sank in Sulu Sea near Basilan Island in 1761. 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. Join the discussion, Playing Nov. 3-10: East Lansing Film Festivals silver anniversary. Cris Kohl and wife Joan Forsberg have conducted over 20 years of research in order to write their new book The Wreck of the Griffon, the explorer La Salles ship that disappeared in 1679 on its return voyage from Lake Michigan. The Griffin shipwreck at the bottom of Lake Michigan. "[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. A bowsprit discovered a few miles away in 2001 is another part of the vessel, they claim. Over the years there have been 22 claims of the discovery of the Griffon. The Griffon has not been found, Wayne Lusardi, the state archaeologist in the Department of Natural Resources, says bluntly. ', The wreck believed to be the Griffin was found near Poverty Island on Lake Michigan. A bowsprit is the spar that extends forward from the bow. No villain can mess with the griffin! 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.. Several French explores built the exploratory vessel Ren-Robert Cavalier and Sieur de La Salle. [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. 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.. Tonti's journal says it was adverse winds. The straight-line distance is about 75 miles (121km). That is simply not true.. Le Griffon launched August 7, 1679 from Cayuga Island (Niagara Falls, NY). 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.. It would be busted up, she said. 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. Shipwrecks are found either beached on land or sunken to the seabed of a body of water. 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.. One candidate is a wreck at the western end of Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, with another wreck near Escanaba, Michigan, also proposed. [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. At noon the waves ran so high, and the lake became so rough, as to compel them to stand in for land. Those left behind proceeded with needed building projects. An infamous 'cursed' ship that disappeared more than 340 years ago has been found. On 8 January 1679, the pilot and crew decided to spend the night ashore where they could light a fire and sleep in some warmth. 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. He recounts his hunt and discovery in Le Griffon and the Huron Islands, 1679 (Mission Point Press), written with his wife. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Acknowledging that French archeologists side with Libert, she asks what they know about Native American fishing practices. 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. Barge 129 was found in Lake Superior, 35 miles off Vermilion Point in 650 feet of water. He was 43. The ship left Conneaut for Port Stanley, Ontario in late morning on Dec. 7, 1909 with a captain and . Green and Ken Vrana, the principal of Maritime Heritage Consulting, advocate an independent assessment by professionals. The photos were taken in 1997 from the roof of the cofferdam that surrounded the ship and kept it in a semi-dry environment. A big Beckham birthday! Le Griffon is reported to be the "Holy Grail" of Great Lakes shipwreck hunters. WHITEFISH POINT, MICH.- The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) is proud to announce the discovery of the 292-foot Whaleback vessel, Barge 129. Below Niagara Falls: first ships on Lake Ontario. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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 HNGN. There are three acceptable English spellings of the word: griffin, griffon and gryphon. 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. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Liberts' book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1679: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery, is available via Amazon for 24.69. A bit of history: The Griffon was built in 1679 and launched that year, believed to be the largest ship on the Great Lakes. Suffering from cold and low on supplies, the men were close to mutiny. 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. In September 1679, French explorers loaded the boat with furs and left Green Bay. Kingsford's text says Thirty-nine Mile Point, but modern charts do not show that name. This ship was 471 tons. The Griffon was the first ship ever to sail the Great Lakes, originally built to haul furs from the Green Bay area to Detroit. Welcome to the Coronation! They were concerned for their safety in as much that they tried to burn the ship during construction. 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. "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. Ghost Ship of the Great Lakes: With Josh Gates, Joan Forsberg, Brendon Baillod, Greg Busch. Do not reproduce without permission. Comment why voting matters to you at the end of this story. Le Griffon, 17th-century sailing ship built by Robert de La Salle may have been found in Lake Michigan 335 years after it disappeared.