ON LAKE MICHIGAN NEAR POVERTY ISLAND, MI (AP)-- A team of explorers has begun a close examination of a northern Lake Michigan site that may be the resting place of a 17th century ship called the Griffin.
U.S. and French experts began opening a pit Saturday near Poverty Island, at the spot where team leader Steve Libert found a large timber wedged into the lake bottom in 2001. He believes it's part of the ship commanded by French explorer La Salle that disappeared in 1679.
By late afternoon, technicians had removed 3 feet of sediment and found what project manager Ken Vrana described as a "cultural artifact." He declined to elaborate.
The Associated Press is onboard a boat accompanying the explorers.
