"le Griffon"

In 1679, The Griffin—or Le Griffon—set sail into the uncharted waters of the Great Lakes, a bold creation of French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. Built near Niagara Falls, this 45-ton barque was the first European ship to navigate these wild waters, destined to expand the fur trade and explore the western frontier.

 

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With a crew of thirty, The Griffin journeyed across Lake Erie, the Detroit River, and Lake St. Clair, pressing into Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. After delivering cargo near present-day Green Bay, it set out for home, laden with furs—and vanished, likely claimed by a Great Lakes storm.

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Le Griffon is the “Holy Grail” of Great Lakes shipwreck hunters. 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.

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The legacy of The Griffin lives on as a story of ambition, adventure, and the enduring mystery of the unknown.