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. Its discovery is credited to wreck hunters Stevie and Kathie Libert for the record. Negotiations with the Senecas were only moderately successful, so when they left the village they still wondered if the natives would permit them to finish their project. He recounts his hunt and discovery in Le Griffon and the Huron Islands, 1679 (Mission Point Press), written with his wife. Barge 129 was found in Lake Superior, 35 miles off Vermilion Point in 650 feet of water. [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. The other wreckage has been approximately dated to between 1632 and 1682. The loss of the Griffon is one of the great mysteries of the Great Lakes. The figurehead likely isn't the remains of a griffin, he said, but a "big encrustation of zebra mussels," on burned wood. 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.. Crude tools, green and wet timbers, and the cold winter months caused slow progress in the construction of Le Griffon. Inside Prince Harry's finances from when he met Meghan Markle to landing 100M with Netflix and book Spare Royally hard work! 2 - The Almiranta, Santo Cristo de San Roman, Nuestra Seora del Rosario y San Jose (Presumably a galleon). No cannons have been found near the site Libert identified. Read Also:Titanic Artifacts Found, New Discovery Mission "Like Opening a Treasure Box". 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 griffon shipwreck facts Western Dental Careers September 20, 2021 | 0 September 20, 2021 | 0 Michel L'Hour, a French government archaeologist who's been called 'Indiana Jones in a diving suit', took part in the excavation and theorised that the rest of the ship was nearby. Le Griffon is reported to be the "Holy Grail" of Great Lakes shipwreck hunters. As noted above, sources give its size as either 20 tons or 40 tons. The uneasy truce with the Indians was tested by threats and attempts of sabotage and murder. Wherever the Griffon is, if its in deep water somewhere, there are cannons near it, she says. La Salle took personal command at this point due to evidence that the pilot was negligent. It was another vessel used by La Salle and Tonti, however, that was the first loss on 8 January 1679. 3. The Wilhelm Gustloff (1945): The deadliest shipwreck in history On January 30, 1945, some 9,000 people perished aboard this German ocean liner after it was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine and . Armament: 50 iron cannons total. The fate of the Le Griffon offers many intriguing mysteries to those interested in shipwrecks, most notably the fact that the ship's discovery has not been confirmed. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook& Google+. THE WRECK OF THE GRIFFON by Cris Kohl and Joan Forsberg, published and distributed by Seawolf Communications Inc. 224 pages. ", 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. [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. [6] Some of La Salle's associates called this vessel a brigantine; others called it a bark. by | Jun 6, 2022 | ephesus elementary school principal | kristen modafferi kristin smart | Jun 6, 2022 | ephesus elementary school principal | kristen modafferi kristin smart La Salle returned to the area in 1682, to try again to locate the Mississippi's mouth. The British steamship Nisbet Grammer, the largest steel steamer to have foundered in Lake Ontario has been discovered by a team of shipwreck explorers. 2 is a much sought after shipwreck. They discovered a 15-inch slab of blackened wood that might have been a human-fashioned cultural artifact. Those left behind proceeded with needed building projects. From the web site of Libert's company: "There were plenty of theories of what happened to the flagship. Comment why voting matters to you at the end of this story. Despite photos from several underwater dives, it's still unclear whether the wreck is the 1679 French Griffin. According to legend, natives even cursed the ship. The Liberts say the Griffin is the exact wreck seen in 2018 close to Poverty Island right in Lake Michigan. Only then did the Liberts and the Great Lakes Exploration Group discover that the bowsprit was separate from the remainder of the vessel. Quick Facts about Griffins. The Liberts have since published their book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1649: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery.. Griffin was the name of a 17th-century ship known to have sailed between England and English settlements in Massachusetts. Other experts insist Liberts absolutely wrong. The loss of the Griffon is one of the great mysteries of the Great Lakes. More than 100 Native American bark canoes gathered around Le Griffon to look at the "big wood canoe". They are considered to be symbolic of power . 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. The 1633 journey left at Downs, England and landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts on September 3. . One of the most intriguing is that the wreckage of the Griffon may have been found nearly 100 years ago but went unrecognized. [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. Order from www.seawolfcommunications.com or call them at 630-293-8996. by Anonymous - These films range from comedies to dramas to long and short films. 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. The entire 29-member crew went down with it in what has become the greatest Great Lakes Shipping Tragedy of all time. [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. Libert added the wooden timbers of the ship show no evidence of damage done by fire. A Eurasian griffon vulture can be found throughout Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Iran among other areas. (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/03/charlevoix-couple-offers-theory-on-mysterious-1679-shipwreck/). 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.. [10] The vessel carried anchors, chain, guns, cordage, and cable for Le Griffon, as well as supplies and provisions for the anticipated journey. 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 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. [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. 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 . Their mission was to begin selecting a site for the construction of Le Griffon and to erect necessary structures for shelter, storage, and defense. It would be busted up, she said. Kids Encyclopedia Facts. [1][4], Father Hennepin wrote that Le Griffon was lost in a violent storm. The griffin is featured on one side of coins minted in Abdera, Greece. Libert says the evidence hes amassed pinpoints where the wreckage of the 40- to 45-ton ship now rests: in shallow water near Poverty Island and Summer Island. [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. She has won multiple awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association for her reporting at a weekly newspaper near Seattle. 'Some say that the native Indians boarded the ship and killed the crew. 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]. The traders had collected 12,000 pounds (5,400kg) of furs in anticipation of the arrival of Le Griffon. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. [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. MICHIGAN -- Le Griffon, a well known ship that sunk in Lake Michigan during the 17th century, has been hiding at the depths of the lake for more than 300 years. Only about 375 of Lake Erie's wrecks have been found. While there have been many theories over the years, there is no clear consensus as to the fate or current location of Le Griffon. While the journals of Tonti, Hennepin, and LeClercq (participants with La Salle) do mention a little vessel of 10 tons, none of them apply a name to it. [15] On 19 June 2013, teams of scientists determined the wood pole discovered was not attached to a ship, after it came loose and was placed on the lake bed during an excavation. 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. 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? Zebra mussels cover what may be a griffin on the bow of the ship. 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. Addressing his problems long delayed his return to the expedition. The Griffin sank to the murky depths of. Le Griffon, 17th-century sailing ship built by Robert de La Salle may have been found in Lake Michigan 335 years after it disappeared. A history teacher inspired Libert in school. The griffin is a legendary creature with the head and wings of an eagle, and the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion. It would no longer exist. 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). Legions of searchers have tried to track down its. [1][4], On noon of 25 August they started out northwest with a favoring northerly wind. Menu viscount royal caravan. Capital News Services articles may be reprinted exclusively by subscribing media organizations. 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. 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. 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. Do not reproduce without permission. Dykstra said he took photos of old cannons, a sword, and the griffin sculpture, evidence he says reveals the wreck and itsmissing secrets. 'The imagery depicted the keelson and frames,' he said. Kingsford's text says Thirty-nine Mile Point, but modern charts do not show that name. Some said that the Ottawas or Pottawatomies boarded her, murdered her crew, and then burned her. The exact size and construction of Le Griffon is not known but many researchers believe she was a 45-ton barque. ', The wreck believed to be the Griffin was found near Poverty Island on Lake Michigan. Green and Ken Vrana, the principal of Maritime Heritage Consulting, advocate an independent assessment by professionals. Her adventure is set be featured on national television as part of an hour . "I didn't go down there with the expectation of seeing a shipwreck I can tell you that," Dykstra told Live Science. People remember the cautionary TV commercials from Do not sell or share my personal information. 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. 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. Pictured: Some of the wreckage. 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.