WHITEFISH POINT, MICH.- The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) is proud to announce the discovery of the 292-foot Whaleback vessel, Barge 129. They recovered the anchors, chain, and most of the materials critical for Le Griffon, but most of the supplies and provisions were lost. 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. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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. Every one of these shipwreck hunters finds a bone pile and claims its the Griffon.. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). While there have been many theories over the years, there is no clear consensus as to the fate or current location of Le Griffon. Stunning gem-covered gold earrings discovered in 800-year-old hoard in Germany, Jurassic Worlds bizarre, scythe-clawed dinosaur couldn't have been a slasher, study confirms, Insect that flings pee with a butt catapult is 1st known example of 'superpropulsion' in nature, Lab-grown minibrains will be used as 'biological hardware' to create new biocomputers, scientists propose, Otherworldly 'fairy lantern' plant, presumed extinct, emerges from forest floor in Japan, Cosmic rays reveal 'hidden' 30-foot-long corridor in Egypt's Great Pyramid, The ultimate action-packed science and technology magazine bursting with exciting information about the universe, Subscribe today and save an extra 5% with checkout code 'LOVE5', Engaging articles, amazing illustrations & exclusive interviews, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. But the sinking was caused by a storm is the best explanation. When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? 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. [4] They were navigating Le Griffon through uncharted waters that only canoes had previously explored. Le Griffon set off on 7 August with unfurled sails, a 34-man crew, and a salute from her cannon and musketry. Le Griffon was constructed and launched at or near Cayuga Island on the Niagara River and was armed with seven cannons. Those left behind proceeded with needed building projects. There is an excellent book written by Cris Kohl on the Griffon and the various discovery claims. 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. 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. There's no way," Henriksen said. La Salle decided to stay behind with four canoes to explore the head of Lake Michigan. [citation needed]. I was mesmerized by what he was saying. The Griffin shipwreck at the bottom of Lake Michigan. But Dykstra and Monroe said they'll wait until they hear the final word. The entire 29-member crew went down with it in what has become the greatest Great Lakes Shipping Tragedy of all time. A bowsprit discovered a few miles away in 2001 is another part of the vessel, they claim. According to Mr and Mrs Libert, The Griffin is a good match for wreckage found in 2018 near Poverty Island, Lake Michigan. 'It is just a matter of time before we achieve our goal. 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). 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. also was the first ship to sail the Great Lakes. Already have an account? Le Griffon was constructed and launched at or near Cayuga Island on the Niagara River and was armed with seven cannons. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. LOCAL COURT FUNDING: A quarter of local trial court funding is set to expire in 2024 or even earlier if the state Supreme Court says judges cant continue to impose costs on convicted criminal defendants. 'The ship has no indications of fire damage to the wooden remains,' said Mr Libert. Now, more than 335years later, the wreck of the Griffon has not definitively been found. Somewhere near present-day Toronto they were frozen in and had to chop their way out of the ice. [9][pageneeded] They wished to secure a reliable truce lest the natives interfere with their projects. Darkness like a cloud is ready to envelop you. 3. Mr Libert said: 'Our extensive research and deciphering of historic documents led us precisely to the resting place of an undiscovered colonial-age ship.'. The Liberts have since published their book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1649: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery.. $19.95 plus $3 S&H. [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). Cruise-goers reveal their most terrifying incidents at sea - from watching a ferocious Do YOU know your Adam and Eve from your Ruby Murray? We apologize to Great Lakes Exploration Group for any confusion this may have caused. The Native Americans told La Salle the crew planned to sail toward the Straits of Mackinac in stormy weather. '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!" 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. 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. 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. Its fate has been a puzzlement for maritime historians for more than three and a half centuries. "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. Bateaux were also common. But, the Liberts say her final resting place is near the Huron Islands in Lake Michigan, northeast of Green Bay. While diving in Lake Michigan, two men stumbled upon a shipwreck they think is a 1676 French ship named 'Le Griffon,' or The Griffin. 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. Marie. Its discovery is credited to wreck hunters Stevie and Kathie Libert for the record. [21], There has yet to be any consensus regarding the location of the shipwreck of Le Griffon. 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. Lawrence. Around 4:00pm the Shannon passed Oswego light and headed out into the lake. 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. 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. Hennepin said she was named to protect her from the fire that threatened her. French explorer Ren-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle built the Griffin in 1679, but it was lost in Lake Michiganthe same year. 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. 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. Enter the text you see in the image below. 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. Justin Windsor notes that Count Frontenac by 1 August 1673, "had already ordered the construction of a vessel on Ontario to be used as an auxiliary force to Fort Frontenac. Their inefficiency at beating to windward made them impractical as sailing vessels, and they were not very safe in open water. Test yourself with this Cockney Rhyming Slang quiz. 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.. The Liberts say the Griffin is the exact wreck seen in 2018 close to Poverty Island right in Lake Michigan. [1] The tumultuous sound of Le Griffon's cannons so amazed the Native Americans that the Frenchmen were able to sleep at ease for the first time in months when they anchored off shore. He was planning to map the Great Lakes, initially thinking they might be a connecting gateway to the Orient. The comments below have not been moderated. He was 43. All Rights Reserved. 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. In this article, the word "ship" is used in its broader sense, not in the technical sense of referring to a vessel with three or more masts rigged with square sails. "It's a mystery ship that got in our way," Dykstra said, "and now, we're going for the gold.". Do not reproduce without permission. Your comment will appear after being approved. Characteristics Physical Description She was found by an aircraft belonging to the US Navy on 14th November 1975. 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. 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. Where to Find the Griffon Vulture. They reached Niagara again on 14 January. '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. Experts suspect the ship was lost as a consequence of a severe storm. 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. [4] While work continued on Le Griffon in the spring of 1679 as soon as the ice began to break up along the shores of Lake Erie, La Salle sent out men from Fort Frontenac in 15 canoes laden with supplies and merchandise to trade with the Illinois for furs at the trading posts of the upper Huron and Michigan Lakes.