Lost 17th-Century Ship Possibly Found
A ship that lies at the bottom of Lake Michigan is thought by experts to possibly be the lost French exploration ship Le Griffon, the first European ship to navigate the Great Lakes. The ship, discovered in 2001 by Steve Libert after a 28-year search, lies in 100 feet of water, and carbon dating of the wood places it to before 1670. Additional clues that it may be the missing vessel are the axe marks on the wood, which are indicative of it being worked by hand. Le Griffon was last known to have departed from Washington Island, on the return leg of its maiden voyage in 1679 when it was lost. Further investigation and excavation attempts are hampered by a legal tussle with the state of Michigan over ownership rights.