The legend of The Flying Dutchman is said to have started in 1641 when a Dutch ship sank off the coast of the Cape of Good Hope:
Captain van der Decken was pleased. The trip to the Far East had
been highly successful and at last, they were on their way home to
Holland. As the ship approached the tip of Africa, the captain thought
that he should make a suggestion to the Dutch East India Company (his
employers) to start a settlement at the Cape on the tip of Africa,
thereby providing a welcome respite to ships at sea.
He was so deep in thought that he failed to
notice the dark clouds looming and only when he heard the lookout
scream out in terror, did he realise that they had sailed straight into
a fierce storm. The captain and his crew battled for hours to get out
of the storm and at one stage it looked like they would make it. Then
they heard a sickening crunch - the ship had hit treacherous rocks and
began to sink. As the ship plunged downwards, Captain VandeDecken knew
that death was approaching. He was not ready to die and screamed out a
curse: "I WILL round this Cape even if I have to keep sailing until
doomsday!"
So, even today whenever a storm brews off the Cape of Good Hope,
if you look into the eye of the storm, you will be able to see the ship
and its captain - The Flying Dutchman. Don't look too carefully, for
the old folk claim that whoever sights the ship will die a terrible
death.
Many people have claimed to have seen The Flying Dutchman,
including the crew of a German submarine boat during World War II and
holidaymakers.
On 11 July 1881, the Royal Navy ship, the Bacchante was rounding
the tip of Africa, when they were confronted with the sight of The
Flying Dutchman. The midshipman, a prince who later became King George
V, recorded that the lookout man and the officer of the watch had seen
the Flying Dutchman and he used these words to describe the ship:
"A strange red light as of a phantom ship all aglow, in the
midst of which light the mast, spars and sails of a brig 200 yards
distant stood out in strong relief."
It's pity that the lookout saw the Flying Dutchman, for soon
after on the same trip, he accidentally fell from a mast and died.
Fortunately for the English royal family, the young midshipman survived
the curse.
