Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Wreck of LaSalle's Ship, La Belle-- Part 2

Jan. 1685-- After five months, LaSalle lands just west of the Mississippi River. Incertain of his location, he sails west and mistakes Matagorda Bay as the western arm of the river. The land was described as having lots of bison, fish and fowl.

Jan. 1686-- A north wind blows La Belle across the bay and she runs aground stern first and sinks.

March 1867-- LaSalle is murdered by his own men near the Trinity River in Texas.

THE COFFERDAM

A $1.4 million dollar cofferdam around the little La Belle was huge compared to the little shop. It consisted of two concentric octagonal walls of interlocking steel plates sunk 40 feet below the bay floor and rising to about 6 feet above the water.

Always Interested in Sunken Ships. --Cooter

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