History
The Astrea left Texel for Asia on its third voyage on September 30, 1725. Together with five other ships Heesburg, Linschoten, Susanna, Velserbeek and Westerdijkshorn.
On board were 31 chests of silver and gold. The weather deteriorated in the English Channel. A south-westerly storm arose. The ships started looking for shelter. They found shelter in Plymouth Sound. The Astrea anchored just outside the Cattewater. The force of the waves broke the anchor cables. The Astrea was pushed onto a cliff by the wind and waves. The crew couldn't get off. After hours the ship broke in half and sank (October 9, 1725). Only the skipper and a few men survived the disaster.
Contemporary newspapers report that 28 of the 31 cash boxes were rescued from the wreckage. The five remaining ships were retained
Description
Type: Dutch East Indiaman
Yard: Delfshaven, 1720
VOC chamber Delft
Length: 145 ft
Tonnage: 800, 400 last
Complement: 200
Master: Jacob Thoorn
| Master | Thoorn, Jacob |
|---|---|
| Length | 140 feet (42.7 m) |
Status
1725 wreck of Dutch East Indiaman which stranded off Cattewater while outward bound from the Texel to Jakarta with gold coins; a wooden sailing vessel built in 1720. The site of the discovery of cannons, cannon balls and other objects at Ramscliff Point has been suggested as the remains of the Astrea, although no coherent wreck structure was discovered at this site.
References
- Dutch-Asiatic Shipping.
Details of voyage 2630.2 from Texel.
Huygens ING. - The ships project.
Astrea. - Astrea Grootboek NL-HaNA_1.04.02_13921_0005.
- NL-HaNA_1.04.02_4935_0107.