They were open vessels (no deck) made of wood measuring up to about 35 feet (11m) long and capable of carrying three or four tons of cargo. He was 43. "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? Le Griffon (French pronunciation:[l if], The Griffin) was a sailing vessel built by Ren-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in 1679. Some sources confuse the two vessels. In the meantime, the duo plans to continue their hunt for the gold bullion. UNESCO estimates that worldwide over 3 million shipwrecks. [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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Here's how to watch. [12] A number of sunken old sailing ships have been suggested to be Le Griffon but, except for the ones proven to be other ships, there has been no positive identification. No cannons have been found near the site Libert identified. The comments below have not been moderated. 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. La Belle was the ship of French explorer La Salle, lost at Matagorda Bay in 1686. The griffin is featured on one side of coins minted in Abdera, Greece. 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. 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. Jupiter and Venus 'kiss' in a stunning planetary conjunction tonight. 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. As the eagle was considered the 'king of the birds', and the lion the 'king of the beasts', the griffin was perceived as a powerful and majestic creature. Mobile Reporting Kit 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. "[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. [citation needed]. 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. [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. The wreck of the cursed ship "Griffin" has been found 343 years after 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. Having lost needed supplies, La Salle left the building of Le Griffon under Tonti's care, and set out on foot to return to Fort Frontenac. 'What I suspected was a ship was confirmed by me during a dive in September 2018. Marie. Lawrence. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. If it exists in the physical world, we think it will be there in deep water, she says. Heres how it works. La Salle gave instructions for Le Griffon to off-load merchandise for him at Mackinac that would be picked up on the return trip. 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Underwater Archaeologists May Have Discovered the Oldest Shipwreck in Other experts insist Liberts absolutely wrong. the griffon shipwreck facts the griffon shipwreck facts. once I broke the surface. I was mesmerized by what he was saying. 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. La Salle never saw the Griffin again. The Great Lakes hold the secrets of about 8,000 shipwrecks. Explorer Won't Budge on Shipwreck Mystery - ABC News 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. 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. Tests on the ship part are dated to 1679; close to a year, dating of the wreck is 1632 to 1982. Now, treasure hunters who believe they found it, said to have stumbled upon it by accident. (https://news.jrn.msu.edu/2022/03/charlevoix-couple-offers-theory-on-mysterious-1679-shipwreck/). Shipwreck of the SS American Star. [1], Le Griffon's pattern closely followed the prevailing type used by explorers to cross the Atlantic Ocean to the New World. 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. About 1,500 shipwreckshave been found on the bottom of Lake Michigan, Anderson said, and it's unclear whether this one is the Griffin. Thirty Mile Point is an established location and fits better with the rest of the narrative. They reached Niagara again on 14 January. Le Griffon is reported to be the "Holy Grail" of Great Lakes shipwreck hunters. "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. An Indian prophet called Metiomek of the Iroquois said legend had cursed the ship before it left; he told its owner La Salle it would sink deep water. [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. As noted above, sources give its size as either 20 tons or 40 tons. [notes 1], Before 1673, the most common vessel on the lakes was the canoe. Loaded with furs in what's now Wisconsin, the Griffon was said to have sunk somewhere in northern Lake Michigan in 1679. Each November, the East Lansing Film Festival showcases independent films. The ship was constructed and launched on Cayuga Creek on the Niagara River as a seven-cannon, 45-ton barque. Francis Parkman says that by 1677, "four vessels of 25 to 40 tons had been built for the lake Ontario and the river St. LaSalle had the ship built on a creek near the Niagara River to accomplish his mission of finding a passage to China. But the wreckage suggests that The Griffin was lost in a storm. Griffin | Facts, Pictures & Characteristics | Mythical Creatures Mr Libert has also highlighted several details in the wreckage indicative of contemporaneous French design. "That was kind of telling to us that the ship probably weathered a storm; otherwise, there would probably be a rudder on it.". There is reason, however, to question his assertion. It's the only artifact so far to be brought back from the ship wreck. 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. Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. 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. Joe Porter, publisher for Wreck Diving Magazine, has penned articles on famous ship wrecks including the Titanic, but saidthe Griffon is the most fascinating. The other wreckage has been approximately dated to between 1632 and 1682. Great Lakes' shipwrecks and the intriguing stories behind them - cleveland They added that a bowsprit was found close by in 2001, assuming it is another part that broke off from the ship. She also reports on general science, including archaeology and paleontology. TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan -- Steven J. Libert had been looking for the ship, Le Griffon, for 42 years. [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. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 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. Megan SampVoters at the Hannah Community Center share why voting matters to them. 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. All of those people have been wrong including Libert she says. 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. He recounts his hunt and discovery in Le Griffon and the Huron Islands, 1679 (Mission Point Press), written with his wife. 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. A Eurasian griffon vulture can be found throughout Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Iran among other areas. the griffon shipwreck facts It would be busted up, she said. [4] They were navigating Le Griffon through uncharted waters that only canoes had previously explored. The 1633 journey left from Downs, England and landed at Plymouth in Plymouth Colony on September 3. Charlevoix explorer says he's found the 'Holy Grail' of Great Lakes While there have been many theories over the years, there is no clear consensus as to the fate or current location of Le Griffon. Its true fate remains a mystery, though it's commonly believed that the ship may have foundered in a storm or been scuttled by a mutinous crew. [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. Her adventure is set be featured on national television as part of an hour . 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. He learned to dive, and the quest was on. The Griffon has not been found, Wayne Lusardi, the state archaeologist in the Department of Natural Resources, says bluntly. Lake Erie covers 2,000 of them, among the highest concentration of wrecks in the world. 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.