The wreck of the De Nieuwe Haerlem
The Nieuwe Haerlem and Schiedam were two Dutch East India Company ships that left Batavia to return to Holland in December 1646. On 22 March 1647, the Haerlem ran aground near Table Bay.
Another VOC ship, the Elephant, was in the area and attempted to help, but the crew of the Haerlem was forced to abandon the ship.
The sixty survivors, along with the help of the Elephant and Schiedam’s crews began building a wooden fort, which they called Sandenburgh. They tried to save as much of the company’s property as possible.
Therefore the first European settlement in South Africa was the result of a shipwreck.
While they were at the Cape the crew of the Haerlem traded with the local population for fresh meat. However, they were anxious to return home. In 1648They were saved by a fleet of 12 ships under the command of W G de Jongh.
When they got back to Holland the former crew of the Haerlem suggested that the Cape be used as a VOC service station. Ships traveling from Europe to the East could restock with fresh supplies. The rest is the story of South African history.
Archaeologist Bruno Werz believes he may have located the final resting place of the shipwreck and he claims it is buried beneath the sands on the famous Blouberg Strand just meters from the Dolphin Hotel.
Image: Searching for the wreck of the Haerlem, thescubanews.com
