Terneuzen: home of The Flying Dutchman
Would you like to enjoy nature, beach, sea, space and good food in your own country? Then Zeeland is the place to be. Port city Terneuzen is the largest municipality of Zeeland and is in an ideal location. Located on the Westerschelde estuary, Terneuzen has a direct connection to the North Sea. And it is the home port of a centuries-old legend, namely that of the Flying Dutchman.
Hiking trails and other excursions
There are plenty of interesting walking routes in Terneuzen. These take you past both historic and modern Zealand spots. On the Scheldt boulevard, you can walk along the busiest waterways in the Netherlands. Because Terneuzen is surrounded by water, there are many water recreation opportunities. For example, you can sail on the Westerschelde or row, surf and swim in one of Terneuzen’s beautiful creeks. You might even come across the Flying Dutchman!
In fact, Terneuzen as a port city was quickly linked to the ghost ship The Flying Dutchman. It is not surprising that Terneuzen has taken this legend to its heart, for a fine legend it certainly is. “Ghost Captain” Van der Decken has been appearing at fairs and other events since the 1960s. In 1971 the Foundation “the Flying Dutchman” was founded and a year later Terneuzen even got a real monument of the ship. In 2006, the Flying Dutchman festival was held for the first time, and furthermore, beer, pastries and glasses with this theme can be found all over Terneuzen.
The legend of the Flying Dutchman
But what about this legend? Because by now we know this ship mainly because of the attraction in the Efteling and from the movies of Pirates of the Caribbean.
The Flying Dutchman; the cursed ship that must forever roam the seven seas. The ship is said to have departed on the fateful day from the Zeeland-Flemish town of Terneuzen.
Captain Willem van der Decken left on Easter morning with his VOC ship for the East Indies despite the bad weather forecast and against his wife’s wishes. Competition was fierce and he wanted to get there before the English fleet. After a long and arduous voyage, the ship reached the Cape of Good Hope. It was storming and the ship bobbed on the waves, but nevertheless Van der Decken wanted to sail around the southern point. Cape of Good Hope was notorious for the many ships that wrecked there, so the crew protested the plan. Van der Denken became furious, threw his helmsman overboard and shouted, “God or the Devil! The Cape I’ll sail around, even if I have to sail until the Last Judgment!” For punishment, the ship fell under the spell of the Devil, as a result of which it must sail around the sea for all eternity…
To the death of the Flying Dutchman
Over the centuries, many sailors have seen the Flying Dutchman. Often this was preceded by a disaster. As a result, the old-fashioned three-master with her blood-red sails was seen as a bringer of doom. In 1880 Prince George of England reported seeing the ghost ship in the waters around Australia. The sailor sitting in the crow’s nest was so startled by the sight of the old-fashioned ship that he fell down in terror and crashed to the deck. As recently as 1941, the three-master was reportedly seen by a German U-boat!
Not a Dutch but an English story
Funnily enough, the legend of the Flying Dutchman is not Dutch but English in origin. Tales of ghost ships have been around for centuries, but this ship was not mentioned in English literature until the 18th century. The Dutch fleet was a great competitor to the English fleet. We regularly snatched the best spices from under the noses of the English. The English did not think highly of our skippers and for a long time the word “Dutch” stood for “cowardly, stupid and inferior.” They saw us as smoking gin drinkers who had to arrive in the East Indies before the English at any cost. Thus was born the legend of “The Flying Dutchman.”
Taking a break
After all the excitement and walking, you need to catch your breath. You can relax in one of the many restaurants in Terneuzen. Fish lovers in particular can indulge themselves here!
And how fun is it to end the day at Museum Café De Vliegende Hollander! For those who still have energy left, there is a puzzle route that starts and ends at the café. You then compete against other groups. You can even win a cup and learn all about the VOC era and of course the Flying Dutchman! Participation is €10 and would you like to enjoy a snack and a drink afterwards? Then the museum café will arrange a nice package. But note: the museum café is not open every day, so check the website before your visit.
Credits photos: www.canva.com
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