The Mystery of the Flying Dutchman
The Story Behind the Spectral Ship
Sailors have always been a superstitious lot and nautical folklore is full of hair-raising tales of spectral ships, sea monsters and skeletal crews. Perhaps no tale is more universally known or repeated than that of “The Flying Dutchman.”
Cursed Ship and Crew
Although there are vaious versions of The Flying Dutchman tale, the general consensus among historians and folklorists is that the mystery dates back to 1641. A Dutch man-of-war was rounding the Cape of Good Hope captained by a man named Vanderdecken or Vanderstraaten bound for India when a ferocious gale arose. The captain ordered his men to sail into the storm with the tragic result of foundering on the rocks. It is said that Vanderdecken shouted an oath to God that he would make the voyage around the Cape if he had to sail until Judgement Day. The legend says that for his blasphemy, he is doomed to sail the seas forever. www.newadvent.org/cathen/09121a.htm
The Flying Dutchman usually appears at night and often presaging a storm or hurricane off the Cape of Good Hope. Regardless of the condeitio under which it is seen, all agree it is a very bad omen. Many sailors have reportedly sickened and died after a sighting of the ghostly Dutch ship, others have suffered fatal accidents. There have been near-miss collisions…
