The lost Friese Jager 1638 treasure ship.

[Crow]

​

The following missing Dutch ship Friese Jager could of been carrying an immense treasure after Attack on Spanish and Portuguese colonial trade

In 1628, three fleets sailed from the Netherlands to the West Indies to cut of Spanish and Portuguese trade. This happened in the context of the 80 Years' War to aid the war efforts in Europe. A fleet of twelve ships under the command of Simon van Uytgeest was destined to go to Brazil. At least twelve Spanish and Portuguese merchant ships were captured by them.

The second fleet, also consisting of twelve ships led by Admiral Pieter Adriaanszoon Ita left for Cuba.

The third fleet was to depart later that year and was commanded by Piet Hein. The Friese Jager (also spelled Vriesche Jager) was part of the second fleet.

To be continued.......

Crow

 

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[Crow]

Battle off Havana​

After capturing a few Portuguese ships, the fleet went after the treasure ships from Honduras, that were bound to arrive near Havana. They found the two galleons, the Nossa Senhora de los Remedios and the S. Jago around 31 July. Ita's fleet managed to keep them from entering the port of Havana and they tried to flee.

The Leeuwinne engaged the S. Jago and in this process they both ran aground. Meanwhile, the Fortuin and the Dolfijn chased the other fleeing galleon, which also got stuck on the same sandbank as the first.

The two Dutch ships did not want to get stuck as well so they fired from a distance. The Leeuwinne was badly damaged in this encounter and her captain (Jan Pieterszoon) died.

The Kater, Friese Jager and Eendracht engaged the Nossa Senhora, which was abandoned by its crew. Both galleons were taken with heavy casualties on the Spanish side (around 600) and hardly any on the Dutch side (13 dead, 50 wounded).

When the battle was won, they needed to leave soon, fearing the arrival of the Spanish Terra Firma fleet. They set fire to the S. Jago and took the Nossa Senhora with them.

After this victory, Ita continued his exploits in the Caribbean. At present, the fate of the Friese Jager is unclear.

The question remains what happened to the treasure that was on Nossa Senhora de los Remedios? Was it transfered to Friese Jager ?

to be continued.......

Crow

 

[Crow]

in the following picture of the battle is below

Left part of a print depicting the battle at Cuba, ca. 1629. This part shows Ita's fleet with the names of the ships, consisting of the: Walcheren (admiral), Dolfijn van Amsterdam (vice admiral), Eendracht van Dort (rear admiral), Goede Fortuin (Zeeland WIC Chamber), Leeuwinne (yacht), Friese Jager (Groningen WIC Chamber, yacht), Kater, Noordster and a sloop (Rijksmuseum PR-P-OB-79.403).

Crow

 

[Crow]

There is only fragmentary records and mention of the vessel. And its fate seemed unknown. it was suspected it was returning to squadron Brazil when it came grief treasure any all.

It falls out of history books becoming a ghost as other vessel are given the same name. this is more common than people think.

References in De Laet wrote in 1844 gives fragmentary confused references.

1628 - captain Jan Braems with 74 men
1629 - captain Claes Hendricksz (140 last; 4 bronze, 18 iron cannon; 90 sailors, 22 soldiers)
1630 - captain Claes Hendricksz (150 last; 6 bronze, 18 iron cannon; 66 sailors, 32 soldiers)
1631 - Yacht de Vriessche Jager
1633 - Vriessche Jager, Groningen chamber, (140 last; 6 bronze, 18 iron cannon; 43 sailors, 47 soldiers)
1634 - 78 soldiers
1636 - Jagher (not Vriessche), (140 last; 6 bronze, 14 iron cannon; 48 sailors; 110 soldiers)

The vessel Friese Jager and captured Spanish treasure galleon Nossa Senhora de los Remedios vanishing into oblivion.

Crow

 

[WaveJunky757]

Wonderful information, thank you.

 

[Crow]

Wonderful information, thank you.

Its my pleasure sharing these shipwreck treasure stories.

There are literally billions of treasure scattered around the world on sea and on land. Going back to ancient times right until today.

There an unsubstantiated rumor that shipwreck is North off Ricife in Brazil. Of course even if you find a wreck proving it is a particular vessel is not as easy as it seems.

The hypothesis was the captain was returning with a captured Spanish treasure ship catch with the Southern squadron.

Here is a map below of Recif in 1629. The dutch squadron had agreed to meet off the coast here after the raid on Havana.

Crow

 

[treasurediver]

Its my pleasure sharing these shipwreck treasure stories.

There are literally billions of treasure scattered around the world on sea and on land. Going back to ancient times right until today.

There an unsubstantiated rumor that shipwreck is North off Ricife in Brazil. Of course even if you find a wreck proving it is a particular vessel is not as easy as it seems.

View attachment 2172973
The hypothesis was the captain was returning with a captured Spanish treasure ship catch with the Southern squadron.

View attachment 2172974

Here is a map below of Recif in 1629. The dutch squadron had agreed to meet off the coast here after the raid on Havana.

View attachment 2172972

Crow

There is a lot of confusion about the Dutch West India Company expeditions of 1627/28.
Bob Marx wrote a book about Piet Heyn and the attack on Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. He gave me a copy of the book when I showed him the wreck of one of the Dutch ships, the "Orangeboom" lost in the battle.
The funny part is, he had written a dedication in the book, to Michel de Bourbon, (heir to the throne of the kingdom of France). But, he was so made up with that shipwreck, that he gave me the book. Years later I gave the book to Bill Glenn, from "Shipwrecks Inc", complete with Bob Marx's dedication.
Bob was very excited about the "Orangeboom", (we found some nice treasure) because this galleon sank (blew up) during the battle for Salvador, while trying to save Piet Heyn who had run aground under the cannon of the battery of the fort. Depending on the sources, Piet Heyn was on the "Amsterdam" or the "Hollandia". this was one of Bobs most desired shipwrecks.
Later, Piet Heyn captured the treasure fleet in Cuba.
During his return to the Netherlands, while in the Straits of Florida, 2 of the ships got lost in a storm

It has been speculated that the "Lucaya" shipwreck and the Gorda Key shipwreck might be the 2 missing shipwrecks. However, in 1981, with Bob
Marx, we actively searched on the northern part of the Great Bahama Bank for these shipwrecks.

 

[WaveJunky757]

I have often thought Gorda Cay and Lucayan were somehow connected. In the case of Lucayan, who leaves a small boat full of coins to never return? It’s so shallow, unless there were no survivors. I’ve never seen any pictures of things from Gorda.

 

[treasurediver]

I spent one afternoon on the Lucaya wreck in 1981. There was wreckage in the staghorn coral field, but we did ot find anything of interest.
the wreck had been found years earlier and there is a book about that expedition.
Later Mel Fisher had a blower boat working the site and they recovered a few thousand silver coins and an astrolabe.
I dont know if an indepth analysis on the date of the coins and astrolabe has been made. If the most recent date is less than 1628, there might be a possibility it is one of Piet Heyn's lost silver fleet ships.

Similar thing happened with the Gorda Cay wreck. It was found early and the first large silver bars, maybe about 5 of them, recovered. The silver bars, on the pictures I saw of of them, looked similar to the ones of the Atocha.
I visited the site in about 1988 and made a few dives. I am fairly sure that the balast pile has never been turned over. There migt be all kinds of stuff under it. We had a lease, but I found a clandestine airfield and a stash of aviation fuel on the island and considered it unsafe to stay longer.

Ah, and for the wannabe experts: Why would there be treasure under the ballast pile? After digging under many ballast piles, I accumulated enough experience to understand the wrecking process.
The wrecking process and disintegration of the ship covers a time span of many years. Things keep disintegrationg and changing. There are innumeral signs indicating the timing and circumstances of these changes.
After working on many shipwrecks in different dept, different regions and climates etc, one beginns to be able to read these signs.

 

[Darren in NC]

Putting treasure as ballast first and then piling on ballast stones on top of it is a security measure. It serves as a deterrent to those who might otherwise steal it with easy access. That is why you should check below the ballast pile.

 

[Crow]

I spent one afternoon on the Lucaya wreck in 1981. There was wreckage in the staghorn coral field, but we did ot find anything of interest.
the wreck had been found years earlier and there is a book about that expedition.
Later Mel Fisher had a blower boat working the site and they recovered a few thousand silver coins and an astrolabe.
I dont know if an indepth analysis on the date of the coins and astrolabe has been made. If the most recent date is less than 1628, there might be a possibility it is one of Piet Heyn's lost silver fleet ships.

Similar thing happened with the Gorda Cay wreck. It was found early and the first large silver bars, maybe about 5 of them, recovered. The silver bars, on the pictures I saw of of them, looked similar to the ones of the Atocha.
I visited the site in about 1988 and made a few dives. I am fairly sure that the balast pile has never been turned over. There migt be all kinds of stuff under it. We had a lease, but I found a clandestine airfield and a stash of aviation fuel on the island and considered it unsafe to stay longer.

Ah, and for the wannabe experts: Why would there be treasure under the ballast pile? After digging under many ballast piles, I accumulated enough experience to understand the wrecking process.
The wrecking process and disintegration of the ship covers a time span of many years. Things keep disintegrationg and changing. There are innumeral signs indicating the timing and circumstances of these changes.
After working on many shipwrecks in different dept, different regions and climates etc, one beginns to be able to read these signs.

Exactly. these shipwrecks depending on circumstances can act like giant cheese grater as ship that founder on coral reefs tend to disintegrate with light pieces floating off and small heavier item falling between ballast piles.

Some vessel strike a reef but manage to sail on leaving a huge progressive debris trail. Some ships flounder and sink in deeper water virtually intact.

It really depends the circumstances of the sinking geology of sea floor wind and tides. Some wooden ships sank below the surface but not of sea floor where they found neutral buoyancy. only to break apart progressively scatter debris over miles.

Crow

 

[WaveJunky757]

Any theories on why these two wrecks were never salvaged? They are in shallow water very close to shore. If there were survivors surely the areas would be easy to relocate?

 

[Crow]

Any theories on why these two wrecks were never salvaged? They are in shallow water very close to shore. If there were survivors surely the areas would be easy to relocate?

I am not sure of anything in that regards. They may of been salvaged or may not have been. And besides it its not easy to prove the identity of these vessels. And some times some wrecks are salvaged in secret. So nothing is certain.

You guess is good as mine.

Crow