The ship disappeared 343 years back on its maiden launch without a trace. Decking, permanent masts, and bearing a name are a few of the criteria one might use. Le Griffon was constructed and launched at or near Cayuga Island on the Niagara River and was armed with seven cannons. "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? While frozen rivers made traveling easy, finding food was not. Somewhere near present-day Toronto they were frozen in and had to chop their way out of the ice. The Griffon shipwreck is a legend where Wisconsin meets Michigan. TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan -- Steven J. Libert had been looking for the ship, Le Griffon, for 42 years. 2023 www.lenconnect.com. 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!' The accounts agree that this little vessel played a part in the building of Le Griffon. Quick Facts about Griffins. All Rights Reserved. Now, more than 335 years later, the wreck of the Griffon has not definitively been found. A 2015 book The Wreck of the Griffon by Cris Kohl and Joan Forsberg argues that the best "discovery" proposed to date remains the 1898 find by Albert Cullis, lighthouse keeper on the western edge of Manitoulin Island in northern Lake Huron. 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. "[5] J. C. Mills [4] quotes a letter from La Salle to the Minister of Marine that says, "The fort at Cataraqui (Fort Frontenac) with the aid of a vessel now building, will command Lake Ontario"[4] While no date is given for the letter, the location of Mill's reference to it suggests that it was sent before 1677, perhaps as early as 1675. A bowsprit is the spar that extends forward from the bow. The Atlas may be the oldest confirmed commercial schooner discovered in the Great Lakes. Several French explores built the exploratory vessel Ren-Robert Cavalier and Sieur de La Salle. La Salle oversaw the laying of Le Griffon's keel and drove her first bolt. 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. [10] The vessel carried anchors, chain, guns, cordage, and cable for Le Griffon, as well as supplies and provisions for the anticipated journey. 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. Charlevoix couple offers theory on 1679 shipwreck of Le Griffon All of those people have been wrong including Libert she says. The Griffon was the first European ship ever to sail the Great Lakes. 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. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). 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. 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. According to Mr and Mrs Libert, The Griffin is a good match for wreckage found in 2018 near Poverty Island, Lake Michigan. 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. We apologize to Great Lakes Exploration Group for any confusion this may have caused. These social birds live in vulture colonies. [19][20] Their claim was quickly debunked when Michigan authorities dove down on 9 June 2015 after receiving the coordinates to verify its authenticity. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Is Joe Biden Sick? Possible Resting Place of Great Lakes' Most Iconic Shipwreck Unveiled So, if the Griffons final resting place isnt where Libert believes it to be, where is it? One candidate is a wreck at the western end of Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, with another wreck near Escanaba, Michigan, also proposed. She was the largest sailing vessel on the Great Lakes up to that time. The Liberts say the Griffin is the exact wreck seen in 2018 close to Poverty Island right in Lake Michigan. WWII German shipwreck found in Black Sea Airborne laser reveals hidden city in Cambodia The ship, commanded by the French explorer La Salle, was never seen again after setting sail in September. The griffin is featured on one side of coins minted in Abdera, Greece. Some are thousands of years old. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. From the web site of Libert's company: "There were plenty of theories of what happened to the flagship. "They're looking for something else, they find an old ship and they've heard of the Griffin, so they pronounce it the Griffin," Baillod said. REVEALED: Huge sonic boom felt by thousands across the country was caused by RAF Typhoon jets scrambling to Wakey Wakey! La Salle was convinced that the pilot and crew treacherously sank her and made off with the goods. B. Mansfield reported that this "excited the deepest emotions of the Indian tribes, then occupying the shores of these inland waters". Jupiter and Venus 'kiss' in a stunning planetary conjunction tonight. Griffin Symbolism & Meaning (+Totem, Spirit & Omens) 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. 17th Century Shipwreck of Long-Lost Le Griffon Discovered at - IBT There is reason, however, to question his assertion. MICHIGAN -- Le Griffon, a well known shipthat sunk inLake Michigan during the 17th century, has been hiding at the depths of the lake for more than 300 years. They were concerned for their safety in as much that they tried to burn the ship during construction. ', He continued: 'Both the Seneca and Iroquois felt threatened by the construction and sight of Le Griffon, and felt that it was a threat to the 'Great Spirit. 3. That is simply not true.. 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. No villain can mess with the griffin! By Jack Timothy Harrison. According to legend, natives even cursed the ship. [6] Some of La Salle's associates called this vessel a brigantine; others called it a bark. Griffin is an English East India Company ship which sank in Sulu Sea near Basilan Island in 1761. More than 5,000 ship wrecks are scattered throughout the Great Lakes, and Porter said the Le Griffon is the most precious one. Megan SampVoters at the Hannah Community Center share why voting matters to them. [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. @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Several French explores built the exploratory vessel Ren-Robert Cavalier and Sieur de La Salle. I left school at 16 with six GCSEs - and became a self-made millionaire. That is simply not true.. 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. '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. [1], Le Griffon's pattern closely followed the prevailing type used by explorers to cross the Atlantic Ocean to the New World. [8], Progress on Le Griffon was fraught with problems. Website User Guide 'She will sink beneath the deep waters and your blood shall stain the hands of those in whom you trusted!'. Their sonar caught a mass below, and Dykstra dove into the water to take video. If it exists in the physical world, we think it will be there in deep water, she says. 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. [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. [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. Lake Michigan shipwreck may be 335-year-old Le Griffon, researcher 'The Christian Indian's curse rests on you and on your great canoe. In the meantime, the duo plans to continue their hunt for the gold bullion. 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. A griffin (or gryphon) is a chimeric creature, part eagle and part lion. An Antarctic explorer's ship has been discovered 106 years after it sank. "It's very difficult to access a wreck based on photo and film footage," Anderson said. Steve Libert, from the Great Lakes Exploration Group, said he is 99.9% certain . Carbon dating of the bowsprit places suggests an age range within a year of the sinking. 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. Here are 26 other famous shipwrecks around the world. Dykstra said he took photos of old cannons, a sword, and the griffin sculpture, evidence he says reveals the wreck and itsmissing secrets. It dragged anchor and ran aground near Thirty Mile Point on Lake Ontario, where it broke apart. When the wind suddenly veered to the southeast they changed course to avoid Presque Isle. He was 43. Spartan Newsroom Le Griffon - meaning 'The Griffin' - vanished during its maiden voyage in 1679 in one of the oldest and most notorious maritime mysteries in US history. The ship was constructed and launched on Cayuga Creek on the Niagara River as a seven-cannon, 45-ton barque. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He arrived there nearly starved only to find that his detractors had succeeded in stirring up doubt and opposition with his creditors. ', Shipwreck hunters Steve and Kathie Libertset 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, A scan of the wreck taken by the Great Lakes Exploration Group. The entire 29-member crew went down with it in what has become the greatest Great Lakes Shipping Tragedy of all time. turtix/Shutterstock. 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. She was the largest sailing vessel on the Great Lakes up to that 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. 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. Now, treasure hunters who. There's no way," Henriksen said. Wood can break up. 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. Prince Harry shares struggles to be his 'authentic true self' growing up, saying he felt pressures to 'come As Prince Harry says he felt like the film 'the boy in the bubble' before having therapy, who was What will the next pandemic be? ", La Salle sailed the Griffon through the Great Lakesand crossed into Lake Michigan in an effort to reach the mouth of the Mississippi River, Baillod said. Explorer Won't Budge on Shipwreck Mystery - ABC News [4] La Salle left Italian officer Henri de Tonti and Father Hennepin in charge while he journeyed to Fort Frontenac to secure replacements for lost supplies. Tornadoes Hit Central US; Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Columbus Ohio Brace For Intense Weather. Creating a fur trade monopoly with the Native Americans would finance his quest and building Le Griffon was an "essential link in the scheme". 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 .
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