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July 19, 2010:
Great Lakes Exploration Group, France and Michigan Establish Cooperative Agreement for Shipwreck Exploration

Unique public-private partnership to move forward in identifying 331-year old Lake Michigan shipwreck

MCLEAN, VA - July, 2010 - Great Lakes Exploration Group, the state of Michigan, and the Republic of France announced today that they have reached an historic agreement for cooperating in a Phase 2 archeological site assessment for identifying what may be the site of a 331-year old shipwreck at the bottom of Lake Michigan.

Shipwreck explorer Steve Libert, president of Great Lakes Exploration, discovered the site while diving in northern Lake Michigan in the summer of 2001. In the interim six years, Great Lakes Exploration has engaged in discussions and litigation with the state of Michigan, which claims exclusive ownership of the bottomlands of Lake Michigan. In 2008, at the request of Great Lakes Exploration, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit directed the District Court of Western Michigan to proceed with the arrest of the vessel, which created federal admiralty jurisdiction.

The agreement, which represents a unique partnership between a foreign sovereign nation, a state of the U.S. and a private exploration group, allows assessment to proceed of what Libert believes may be the final resting place of Le Griffon (English: Griffin), the first decked European-built ship to sail the upper Great Lakes.

The vessel “Le Griffon” was lost in 1679 and was the flagship of famed French explorer, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. LaSalle went on to claim exstensive lands in North America, a portion of which became “The Louisiana Purchase.”

The location of the site Libert discovered correlates with historical accounts of Le Griffon’s voyage. In addition, initial carbon testing, while ambiguous, has not ruled out that the discovery may be of sufficient age to date from the 17th century.

Libert expects that the second phase of non-invasive surveys using remote sensing equipment will begin in 2010. Under the terms of the new agreement, Great Lakes Exploration will partner with the Center for Maritime Underwater Resource Management (CMURM), in the archeological site assessment.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan will continue to provide protection to the site. It’s expected that the U.S. Marshal will also continue to play a role in protecting the heritage of the site.

“It has always been the aim of Great Lakes Exploration Group to preserve the scientific, cultural and historical values of this site. We’re pleased to have established an historic agreement for a unique public-private partnership in exploring and preserving our shared heritage. We believe we’re on the verge of important archeological and historical discoveries which will enrich our understanding of our history and culture,” says Libert.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT Rick Robol at rrobol@robollaw.com, or media contact kathie@kensingtoncreative.com. Center for Maritime & Underwater Resource Management: www.cmurm.org