ABOUT US

The Great Lakes Exploration Group (GLX)

Great Lakes Exploration Group’s main mission is to discover and preserve maritime history of the Great Lakes while encouraging state governments to seek community-based underwater archaeology to preserve our country’s historical assets. State governments have sidelined and ridiculed private, reputable individuals who seek to explore and discover these historical assets when in fact, they should embrace them and acknowledge the importance of their participation–benefiting the public and economies through education and inspiration.

Research, Research and then Explore.

Steve has always focused on researching the facts. His main drive is uncovering mysteries and legends from historical records, discovering the obvious truth and events that played in their creation. “I’m a researcher at heart, not a historian,” Libert admits. He and wife Kathie are inspired by history and legendary tales that challenge imaginations. Libert has spent years researching and studying the history of Le Griffon, the first European-owned vessel to sail the upper Great Lakes. He was driven by the prospect of finding a vital part of this country’s history. When the Liberts uncovered the location of the legendary Huron Islands, it ignited a lifelong quest to find this elusive vessel. Steve scheduled yearly dives with colleagues Jim and Tom Kucharsky and Vance Skowronski. In 2001 during a dive with limited visibility, Steve bumped into what appeared to be a mast or bowsprit protruding from the lake bottom. The discovery would lead to the historic 2013 Expedition, The La Salle-Griffon Project.

This would be the first international–interdisciplinary research and underwater community-based archaeology under taken in the Great Lakes. France’s underwater DRASSM team along with GLX’s team of experts would uncover the bowsprit during this expedition.

During the summer of 2018, the Liberts located the ruins of an extremely old ship wreck three miles from the bowsprit location. They found themselves faced with an exciting wreck with a high probability of being La Salle’s flagship Le Griffon. Lacking support from the State of Michigan in securing the necessary permits to complete its identification, the Libert’s provide substantial evidence in their new book as to why this discovery is of historical significance.

Le Griffon and the Huron Islands, 1679 chronicles their research by listing 8-CLUES they gleaned from primary source documents. Their research is supported with a detailed objective analysis by Shipwreck Interpreter, Allen Pertner.

Le Griffon’s discovery, if confirmed, will solidify the Libert’s intellectual property knowledge and research. If the mysterious ship proves not to be the elusive Le Griffon, there is little doubt she is waiting quietly under tribal waters among these beautiful islands… ready to raise her eaglehead and lioness body.

The Team