Captain
Carl Fismer
Spanish Main Treasure
Company
info@DiveForTreasure.com
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Eendracht
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- The Dutch
Warship
-
- The year is 1624; the date, January 26. Under the command
of Dutch privateer, Pieter Schouten, three ships set sail from the
Netherlands: the Hoop, captained by Willem Jacobszoon, the
Eendracht (Unity), captained by Hillebrandt
Janszoon and the yacht Trouwe captained by Hendrik
Worst. Sponsored by the Dutch West
Indies Company, they are en route to
the Caribbean intent on pirating the riches of the New
World. At some point the
Eendracht becomes separated from the other vessels,
but continuing on alone she meets two Spanish ships as
they sail from Honduras. One of these is the San Juan
Baptista, which Janszoon overpowers and takes as his prize.
With the ship's supplies now running low, the captain directs
his crew toward land to search for game and fresh water. Here the
Eendracht's good fortune changes and she runs
aground. Janszoon and his crew are forced to
abandon ship and sail home on the captured Spanish
vessel. They arrive in the harbour of Vlissingen on 13 September
1624 with a cargo from the captured Spanish vessel of
sugar, animal skins, a large amount of Salsaparilla, balm
oil, and several chests full of
silver. |
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Research
Working with Triton Quest, Inc.
and noted archivist, Jack Haskins, Capt. Fismer believes the
remains of the Eendracht have been located. Research
of Spanish records in Seville, dated 1624 - 1632, has
uncovered reference to a vessel that was lost while
coming out of the mouth of Ensenada de Carlos
(believed to be present-day San Carlos Bay on the west coast
of Florida). The Spanish at first believed this to be the
Almiranta of Honduras (San Juan Baptista) that had
been taken by the enemy (Eendracht). A Frigata was
dispatched with soldiers and sailors to salvage the
Almiranta's guns and it was discovered that, in actuality, it
was the Dutch navio that had gone down.
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Exploration and Recovery
 Capt. Fismer, left, holding a
cannonball and Dr. Harvey Kaltsas, president of Triton Quest,
Inc., with a ballast stone recovered from the wreck site.
Research from Jack Haskins has led to the mouth of the
Caloosahatchee River. Careful and sometimes tedious underwater
exploration with magnetometers and viewcams, has, it is
believed, pinpointed the wreck of the Eendracht.
A number of 17th century artifacts have been located,
mainly pieces of pottery and porcelain. There are also two
distinct ballast piles which, according to archeologist
Dr. Duncan Mathewson (well-known for his work with Mel Fisher
on the Spanish Galleon, Atocha), "look like 17th
century..."
Working with the sanction of the state of Florida, Capt.
Carl will soon begin careful excavation of the site.
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Treasure Potential
According to Dr. Mathewson the "Dutch
vessel may have very significant cargo." It is not unlikely
that some treasures would have been transferred from the
Spanish ship to the Eendracht to be under the
watchful eye of Capt. Janszoon. And the Eendracht
would have carried a number of versos, a breech-loading
swivel gun used to repel boarders. These would shoot scrap
iron, stones, etc. and might have been bronze or iron.
Mathewson further states, "This is a significant find in a
number of different ways. We don't have very many Dutch
vessels that we've archeologically examined in Florida".
The first chapter closed on the Eendracht 377
years ago. The second chapter is just beginning. Check back to
read how the story unfolds.
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Dutch West Indies Company
 The flag of the Dutch West
Indies Company (WIC)
The WIC was a Dutch company that existed from 1621-1791.
The company was mainly active in three areas: Shipping slaves
to America, Establishing Dutch colonies in the West Indies and
Privateering.
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