The Haarlem: Historian believes he has found where the wreck is buried

Archaeologist Bruno Werz believes he may have located the final resting place of the shipwreck of the Haarlem that led to the establishment of Cape Town as a Dutch outpost.

On 25 March 1647 a Dutch ship, the Nieuwe Haerlem, one of a fleet of Indiamen, was wrecked in a storm in Table Bay. The crew survived the incident and the cargo was salvaged but the incident led directly.

The Dutch ships that sailed around the Cape were ill-equipped for their journeys to India and a Cape refreshment station had been mooted as early as 1642. The wreck of the Haarlem showed the Dutch that they could establish an outpost on what would become Cape Town.

A portion of the crew remained behind and would later compile a report on the feasability of a station. The station led to the establishment of Cape Town and the spread of Dutch occupation of land in the Cape.

To say that South Africans might have mixed feelings about the incident is a gross understatement. The wreck remains a crucial piece of history though and Werz – a leading expert on the ship – believes he knows where it lies.

The Haarlem’s resting place

Werz believes the wreck is buried beneath the sands on the famous Blouberg Strand just meters from the Dolphin Hotel.

“No shipping disaster worldwide has ever had such an impact on the history of an entire nation,” Werz told the press on Friday.

“The Haarlem was wrecked in Table Bay in March 1647 and the events that followed had far-reaching consequences for the history of this country.

“Test excavations and data show that there is a structure about three to four metres below the seabed that fits the description of what one would expect to find as the remains of the Haarlem.

“The objective is to locate both the shipwreck and its associated survivor camp and, once found, to excavate these historical sites according to the highest achievable standards.

“Based on the combined results of these different research approaches, there is a chance of 95% that the location of the wreck of Haarlem has been found. The ultimate proof will be the discovery of 19 iron cannon and four iron anchors, as it has been recorded that these items were left behind when the wreck was abandoned. Only future excavation can tell.” 

Future excavation

Werz has brought his findings to the attention of the press in the hopes of funding further research and eventually excavating the site.

To date all the work has been conducted by volunteers with the support of donors including Guerrini Marine Construction, Broadband Geophysical, WSP Coastal Engineers, Shango Solutions and the University of the Witwatersrand. 

The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) has already issued a permit for a survey to establish the exact location of the wreck of the Haarlem.