The most famous lost wreck in all of North American history is not in the shallow ocean waters around the continent but in the Great Lakes. This is where our intrepid host and producer Josh Gates is taking us on Wednesday night on Expedition Unknown.
Le Griffon went missing in September of 1679. The ship and its legendary explorer Robert Cavelier de La Salle sailed off from Lake Michigan then disappeared, possibly in Lake Huron, or maybe in Lake Michigan.
Using cutting edge technology, Gates is poised to crack the case.
Monsters & Critics has an exclusive clip at the bottom of the article where he finds the shipwreck, and it’s awesome!
What was the Griffon?
The Great Lakes are huge bodies of water that whip up in a death-defying frenzy in a flash. The bottom of them holds thousands of shipwrecks that bear witness to the mercurial nature of land and water.
Josh is after the “Holy Grail of Shipwrecks” — The Griffon.
Built by famed explorer Robert de Le Salle in 1679, the Griffon was the first wooden tall ship that mapped out the Great Lakes. But La Salle, a Frenchman, wanted to find a fast route to China using Le Griffon as his ship.
Gates collaborated with a historian who is convinced that a historic paper trail and cutting-edge technology together can get to the bottom of finding this elusive wreck.
Then, after using a state of the art two-man submersible, Josh and Valerie dive into the unpredictable Lake Huron to follow up a promising lead on one of North America’s most sought-after shipwrecks.
Who is exploring the Great Lakes with Josh?
When it comes to unpacking the lore of this fated 50-foot-long ship, Gates needs qualified experts to help guide him in the right direction.
Did the ship leave Lake Michigan and head to the Straits of Mackinac? Or perish in Lake Huron? Josh Gates will unravel the mystery.
Joining Josh for this exciting exploration are Tom Crossmon of Crossmon Consulting, Dave Phillips who is the ROV Operator in the clip, Cris Kohl who is a Great Lakes Maritime Historian and Valerie van Heest, a historian who dives with Josh into the lake to find the shipwreck.
Cris Kohl (with Joan Forsberg) published the book, The Wreck of the Griffon – The Greatest Mystery of the Great Lakes.
The official logline from Discovery:
Josh Gates tackles an enduring maritime mystery, the first ship to be lost in the Great Lakes, The Griffon….Josh dives in to find a ship so elusive, it’s known as “The Holy Grail of Shipwrecks.”
Expedition Unknown airs Wednesdays at 9 PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel.