Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

[Bobadilla]

Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

Hello,

The wreck of VERELST, the richest Dutch ship ever lost, that went down with 2 millions of golden Dutch Florins and dozens of treasure chests on board in 1771, is said to be found in Mauritius. It was also said that nothing was recovered. Does anybody know why? (probably Cornelius could give us some explanation.....)

Lobo

 

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[Bobadilla]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

Hello TR,

Thanks for your answer. But if the wreck is in ony 20 feet of water and was found and positively identified, why nobody tried to salvage it?

Lobo

 

[Darren in NC]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

on the outside of a very dangerous reef.

How dangerous? Maybe this is why...

 

[Danimal]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

This guy claims that he not only found the wreck of the Verelst, but saw the coins and chests of diamonds!

http://business.fortunecity.com/ziff/739/navassa/owner.html

 

[Bobadilla]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

Hello Cornelius,

Thanks for your information about VERELST. I was sure that you would have right information about tis shipwreck. It was exactly the article telling story about Bill Warren and his attempt to ask government of Mauritius for salvage permisson for this ship. It was told that he compared even number of cannons, etc. and that everything was exactly as old documents were stating about that ship. The truth is that it was a little intriguing for me that sometimes the information from various sources was stating that the shipwreck was in waters of Mosambique, then in reefs of Mauritius, that it was the richest lost Dutch ship ever, then it was a huge article written I think by Bill Warren himself that according to the "very good" English law they should pay him all the salvage costs and give him percentage and therefore he will ask British governemnt and not of Mauritius....... My confusion led me to post this topic to know the truth. So, thanks, guys....

Lobo

 

[Bobadilla]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

Thanks a lot, Cornelius. It would be great if you could find something about this very interesting wreck.

Lobo

 

[mtibbitts]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

I dove on the shipwreck believed to be the Verelst back in April.

While only in 10-20 feet, it was some of the most dangerous diving I have done. I'm sure most of you are better divers than I, but imagine diving in 10 feet with 5 foot waves breaking over your head. I could not maintain position without a crow bar in each hand. The swells would send you 5-10 feet to the left and to the right every 10 seconds or so. The dive area is simply inaccessible most of the year to boot. I have never seen anything like it.

So...we waited waited waited until we got a few good days, and dove.

We were very intrigued by what looked to be encrusted chests simply sitting on the bottom. One was one top of a pyramid of cannons.

We found 3 anchors, many many cannon, 2 stone cannon balls and several pieces of redwood. We focused on the chests....why wouldn't we! Legend had it that they were full of diamonds. Well, After many days of McGuyvering we liberated 2 enormously heavy chests from the floor, brought them to shore and opened them up.

Only to find that the "chests" were really slag iron ballast lol. Not my proudest moment!

Since that trip we have accomplished a few minor tasks:

1--We finally got a photocopy of the actually log book of the Verlest (log, not manifest), and found that the captain at the time wrote down *everything*. Including the cargo of so many bales of muslim wool, 30 tons of redwood, and something like 900 bags of saltpeter. No mention of diamonds or gold coins.

2--I brought back to the US several pieces of redwood that we pulled from the site, and had it carbon dated. Not that the results could not tell you it definitely *was* the Verelst, only if it wasn't. Get it? Anyway, the numbers came back 1680 plus or minus 40 years. Quite reasonable for timber being shipped in 1771, IMO.

So, I believe that the wreck is *likely* the Verelst; however, I am now pretty skeptical about claims of "chests of diamonds" and "2 million gold florins". So far I can't find the original source to these claims. So far, I haven't found any underwater verification.

Marty Tibbitts

 

[Bobadilla]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

Hello Marty,

Many thanks for your info you shared with us. It must have been really diifficult and dangerous diving over there. It sounds strange to me that captain would not mention diamonds and golden coins on board in his logbook. Why?
Thanks anyway.

Lobo

 

[ivan salis]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

that whole general area is very dangerous water and highly shark infested to boot. ---good luck --- Ivan

 

[mtibbitts]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

My gut tells me he didn't mention it because it was never there. Of course, I could simply be jaded. As another poster mentioned, that place is simply a bitch to dive. Didn't see any sharks, but I have some nice video of a moray that surprised me : ).


BTW this was an English ship, not a Dutch one, as some have thought.

I'd sure like to know where the story of the 740 lbs of diamonds came from. I wonder when that was first cited...

Marty

 

[ivan salis]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

Indain ocean area is well know for sharks surprized you didn't encounter any ---Ivan

 

[Cablava]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

Welcome back Cornelius.

I also have not found much about gold and diamonds on this ship however there is some gold there.

"This shipwreck took place off the island of Mauritius. At midnight the vessel struck upon a reef of hidden rocks, and broke her back right in two. My uncle, Mr. William Compton, who accompanied his brother, the Captain, told me, that so tremendous was the concussion, he was thrown bolt upright in his berth. A melancholy yet instructive lesson is to be learned from the conduct of one individual on board. The only means of safety for the crew was the construction of a raft; which being completed, every body was importuned to jump overboard, or descend upon it as quickly and cleverly as they could ?the breakers beating a-head with an astounding uproar. The individual in question had 1500 double gold moors, which he wished to be his companions on the raft. He entreated my uncle, the captain, to take them under his special protection, adding that, he would not charge him and interest!?My uncle, spurning his offer, told him he had not a moment to lose. The unhappy man could not bear the thought of parting with his mammon. He strapped the bag, in which the moors were contained, to his waist; and making a leap to reach the raft, the weight of the precious metal?paralysed his efforts. He feel greatly short of the raft, and sunk to rise no more"

 

[thepirate]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

Welcome back Cornelius - this site is enriched by your presence , Mike

 

[ivan salis]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

glad to see you back --- Ivan

 

[mtibbitts]

Re: Wreck of "VERELST" found, why not salavged?

Nice datapoint, from Reminiscences of a Literary Life
By Thomas Frognall Dibdin.

I've got to remember to use Google's book search feature more often!

I had a blast on that dive, and may go back there someday, but from where I sit there are many more viable (not to mention less dangerous) hunts to participate in.

But absolutely everyone who comes into my office asks me about the cannonballs


Marty