The Great Lakes Historical Society’s Peachman Lake Erie Shipwreck Research Center (GLHS/PLESRC) and the Maritime Archaeological Survey Team (MAST) will be conducting their annual Nautical Archaeology Workshop April 12-13, 2008 with skills practice dives scheduled for May 17-18, 2008.
The workshop teaches divers why underwater archaeology is important, how they can impact and protect Ohio’s wrecks, techniques they will use during shipwreck surveys and much, much more. For a good idea of what the weekend will be like you can visit http://ohio-archaeology.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html .
In conjunction with the workshop, MAST will hold their annual dinner on the evening of April 12 and the Vermilion on the Lake Historic Community Center. This years Keynote Speaker is Brendon Baillod from the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History. His topic will be Lasalle’s Legendary Griffon: Searching for the Truth.
He will explore the myth and reality of the Great Lakes’ most historic shipwreck, Lasalle’s legendary Griffon. The first decked vessel on the western Lakes, she vanished after leaving the Door Peninsula in 1679. Brendon will give an overview of Griffon’s place in history along with a critical review of primary historical material written by those who sailed her. Modern day discovery claims will be critiqued from an archaeological perspective and a reconstruction of the Griffon’s likely fate will be made using the original letters of Lasalle.
Brendon Baillod has been researching, writing about and searching for Great Lakes shipwrecks for 20 years. He has appeared on the History Channel, Discovery Channel and has published over 50 articles on various Great Lakes maritime history topics. He is a director at large of the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History and founder of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Research Foundation which holds Milwaukee’s annual Ghost Ships Festival.
Both events are open to the diving and non-diving public. For more information on the workshop and dinner you can go to: http://www.ohiomast.org/IMAGES/WORKSHOP/WorkshopFlyer08.pdf
