Pick up any book on hauntings of the Great Lakes and you’ll be sure to see the story of Le Griffon, Lake Michigan’s first ghost ship. The ghost of Le Griffon has haunted the northern waters of Lake Michigan since its disappearance in 1679. It was one of the first ships of its kind to sail the Great Lakes but her first voyage on August 7, 1679, was doomed to be her last. Some say the ship and her crew had been warned by Native Americans about treacherous waters, but the warnings went ignored and the ship went down in the turbulent waters of a stormy Lake Michigan. Ever since then, her ghost has been seen gliding silently across the waters.

It’s believed Le Griffon is somewhere in the depths of northern Lake Michigan. According to esteemed maritime historian Frederick Stonehouse, an interesting discovery was made in the early 1900s when skeletons were uncovered by the light keeper of Manitoulin Island in a cave. One of the skeletons was described as being unusually large, leading some to speculate that it may have belonged to Luke the Dane, the imposing captain of Le Griffon. Could it be that Le Griffon still remains hidden somewhere in the area, waiting to be discovered? Perhaps those skeletal remains are those of the ill-fated crew. The next time you find yourself in the vicinity of northern Lake Michigan, keep your eyes peeled – you never know what otherworldly spectacles might be lurking beneath the waves.