The mythical griffin is a creature of ferocity and nobility. All rights reserved. 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. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. LANSING Historical mysteries may take decades, even centuries, to solve if ever. A ship in shallow water gets beat up quickly. La Salle was convinced that the captain and his crew had staged a coup, destroyed the ship, and seized all of the furs on the boat. 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." 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. Dan Scoville, Jim Kennard, Craig Hampton, and Roland Stevens located the steamer thirty miles east of Fair Haven, New York - The Canadian schooner Royal Albert has been discovered in deep water off the southern shore of Lake Ontario near Fair Haven, NY. I left school at 16 with six GCSEs - and became a self-made millionaire. Mr Libert then spent two years sifting through satellite imagery before he made a breakthrough. [1][4], The site La Salle had selected for building Le Griffon has conclusively been identified as at or near the mouth of Cayuga Creek, at Cayuga Island. La Salle disembarked and on 18 September sent the ship back toward Niagara. 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!' Inside Prince Harry's finances from when he met Meghan Markle to landing 100M with Netflix and book Spare Royally hard work! LeGriffon launched on Aug. 7, 1679, with LaSalle, Father Louis Hennepin and a crew of 32. Ghost Ship of the Great Lakes: With Josh Gates, Joan Forsberg, Brendon Baillod, Greg Busch. When the wind suddenly veered to the southeast they changed course to avoid Presque Isle. 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. 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. The Griffin, a large ship built by Frenchman Rene Robert Cavalli, disappeared on its maiden voyage some 343 years ago. The photos were taken in 1997 from the roof of the cofferdam that surrounded the ship and kept it in a semi-dry environment. [1][4] The exact size and construction of Le Griffon is not known. [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. They come in contact with the important newsmakers of the day, from the Supreme Court justices and the governor to members of the Legislature and the people who run the state government departments, to lobbyists and public-interest organizations. 1. The 1633 journey left from Downs, England and landed at Plymouth in Plymouth Colony on September 3. Unexpectedly, a nail attached itself to the magnet, and the treasure hunters only discovered it later, once they were above water. We have corrected the story and replaced it with video and pictures that belong to FOX 17 News and Kevin Dykstra. "It's very difficult to access a wreck based on photo and film footage," Anderson said. But Dykstra and Monroe said they'll wait until they hear the final word. "They lost the ship from sight," Baillod said, "and that's the last anybody has ever seen the Griffin.". Local shipwreck explorer Valerie van Heest spent a week on Manitoulin Island in August of 2018 searching for Le Griffon. Griffin was the name of a 17th-century ship known to have sailed between England and English settlements in Massachusetts. 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. "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. In any case, Le Griffon was larger than any other vessel on the lakes at the time, and as far as contemporary reports can confirm, the first named vessel. Shipwreck of the SS American Star. Several French explores built the exploratory vessel Ren-Robert Cavalier and Sieur de La Salle. A bowsprit is the spar that extends forward from the bow. 3. It takes nine months for the puppies to reach the adult weight and can take up to one and a half years for larger dogs to achieve adult weight. 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. No cannons have been found near the site Libert identified. [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. [4] La Salle had instructed Hennepin and La Motte to go 75 miles (120km) into wilderness in knee-deep snow on an embassy to the great village of the Seneca tribe, bringing gifts and promises in order to obtain their good will to build "the big canoe" (Le Griffon), but many tribal members did not approve. French explorer Ren-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle built the Griffin in 1679, but it was lost in Lake Michiganthe same year. It was a calm night and they believed the vessel was securely moored. [1][2], Hennepin's first account says she was a vessel of about 45 tons; his second says 60 tons. About 30 adventurers have claimed to have found the Griffin, usually by happenstance, Baillod said. Website User Guide The Griffon was built by La Salle near Niagara Falls and was the first ship to sail on the upper Great Lakes. 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. Original article on Live Science. Single mother faces 170 parking fine after overstaying at McDonald's for just 14 minutes while she treated Public Service Announcement, do NOT watch these ads! 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. 2023 www.lenconnect.com. He continued exploring the Mississippi River until his murder in Texas in 1687. Despite photos from several underwater dives, it's still unclear whether the wreck is the 1679 French Griffin. In the Spring of 2021, veteran shipwreck hunters Joe Van Wagnen and Mark Gammage located the remains of the passenger/freight Propeller Challenge in northern Lake Huron. The Liberts have since published their book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands 1649: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery.. A bit of history: The Griffon was built in 1679 and launched that year, believed to be the largest ship on the Great Lakes. 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 . LaSalle had the ship built on a creek near the Niagara River to accomplish his mission of finding a passage to China. [Shipwrecks Gallery: Secrets of the Deep]. But, the Liberts say her final. It would be awesome if true, she says, a story shed love the museum to be able to tell visitors, with the aura of amateur treasure-hunting and Indiana Jones. Some are thousands of years old. Its fate has been a puzzlement for maritime historians for more than three and a half centuries. @ 2023 HNGN, All rights reserved. Kingsford says it was either contrary wind or they were becalmed. These films range from comedies to dramas to long and short films. The uneasy truce with the Indians was tested by threats and attempts of sabotage and murder. Other experts insist Liberts absolutely wrong. Copyright 2023 HNGN. Over the years there have been 22 claims of the discovery of the Griffon. While there La Salle selected a site for building Le Griffon. 'The ship has no indications of fire damage to the wooden remains,' said Mr Libert. 'She will sink beneath the deep waters and your blood shall stain the hands of those in whom you trusted!'. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook& Google+. 1 Answer. Great Lakes Exploration Group is not connected to this story or Kevin Dykstra and Frederick Monroe. 'What I suspected was a ship was confirmed by me during a dive in September 2018. They reached Niagara again on 14 January. Beneath the cold waves of Lake Michigan rests an aging shipwreck, its wooden planks encrusted with brown-and-gray zebra mussels, that may be the remnants of a 17th-century ship called the Griffin, two Michigan-based treasure hunters say. 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. She also reports on general science, including archaeology and paleontology. While they were at times fitted with mast and sails, their primary propulsion was either oars or poles. Several historical and genealogical references show Griffin making such journeys in 1633 and 1634. If it exists in the physical world, we think it will be there in deep water, she says. The divers said they found Le Griffon in 2011, but are just announcing the discovery because they were consulting experts to confirm it. Le Griffon may have been found by the Great Lakes Exploration Group but the potential remains were the subject of lawsuits involving the discoverers, the state of Michigan, the U.S. federal government, and the Government of France. 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. 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. It's a 300-year-old mystery that Carlson and his diving partner, Steve Libert, are determined to solve. The nonprofit was created in 1997 and remains the longest running film festival in Michigan. The traders had collected 12,000 pounds (5,400kg) of furs in anticipation of the arrival of Le Griffon. Wood can break up. Widely considered the Holy Grail of undiscovered Great Lakes shipwrecks, the Griffon carried no treasure, nor anything. Its discovery is credited to wreck hunters Stevie and Kathie Libert for the record. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "[1] 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, which disappeared on its maiden voyage in 1679, has been called the 'holy grail' for shipwreck hunters probing North America's Great Lakes. There are three acceptable English spellings of the word: griffin, griffon and gryphon. Legions of searchers have tried to track down its. LANSING Historical mysteries may take decades, even centuries, to solve if ever. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Excellence in Education Award Nominations. [4] When the Seneca again threatened to burn the ship, she was launched earlier than planned in Cayuga Creek channel of the upper Niagara River with ceremony and the roar of her cannons. The ship was righted and brought back to the port in Milwaukee and returned to service. 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. 'Many believed the Jesuits were responsible for the ship's disappearance. La Salle and Father Louis Hennepin set out on Le Griffon's maiden voyage on 7 August 1679 with a crew of 32, sailing across Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan through uncharted waters that only canoes had previously explored. 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. They believe the carving is of a mythical creature known as a griffon, half lion and half eagle. La Salle gave instructions for Le Griffon to off-load merchandise for him at Mackinac that would be picked up on the return trip. Mr Libert believes the Griffin was caught in a four-day storm and the bowsprit, which was held in place only by wooden wedges, broke off before the rest of the ship sank. They attempted to sail further upstream, but the current was too strong. So, if the Griffons final resting place isnt where Libert believes it to be, where is it? MARIE, CHEBOYGAN AND ALL POINTS. Those left behind proceeded with needed building projects. turtix/Shutterstock. Baillod said he is "99 percent sure" that the wreck is not that of the Griffon. Le Griffon is reported to be the "Holy Grail" of Great Lakes shipwreck hunters. Dykstra said he took photos of old cannons, a sword, and the griffin sculpture, evidence he says reveals the wreck and itsmissing secrets. She was the largest sailing vessel on the Great Lakes up to that time. The ship left Conneaut for Port Stanley, Ontario in late morning on Dec. 7, 1909 with a captain and . La Salle was convinced that the pilot and crew treacherously sank her and made off with the goods. [4] She had the figure of a griffin mounted on her jib-boom and an eagle flying above. Le Griffon set off on 7 August with unfurled sails, a 34-man crew, and a salute from her cannon and musketry. "That was kind of telling to us that the ship probably weathered a storm; otherwise, there would probably be a rudder on it.". 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. [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. It would no longer exist. 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. 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. [1][4], La Salle found some of the 15 men he sent ahead from Fort Frontenac to trade with the Illinois but they had listened to La Salle's enemies who said he would never reach the Straits of Mackinac. 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. [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. [1][4] 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. James Mansfield[1] says that in the fall of 1678, La Salle built a vessel of about 10 tons burden at Fort Frontenac and that this vessel, named Frontenac, was the first real sailing vessel on the Great Lakes; specifically, on Lake Ontario (which some at the time called Lac de Frontenac). This book relates the fascinating story of the Griffon, its background, and information about the 22 claims of discovery made in the past 200 years. [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.