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MaSS

stepping stones of maritime history

History

The Santa Clara a West Indiaman.

The Santa Clara is first mentioned in De Laet before the year 1634. The ship departed in January for Pernambuco in Brazil, carrying 130 lasts with 16 guns, 28 sailors, and 36 soldiers on board. On July 28, 1637, the ship departed for Brazil again.

Hurricane
In June 1638, the ship lay at anchor (Zandpunt) off Saint-Christoffel (Saint Kitts), a small island in the Lesser Antilles.

NL-HaNA_4.VEL_541

She was loaded with tobacco. There were other ships at anchor. One of them was the Kalmar Sleutel, a Swedish ship. A number of crew members from the Santa Clara, including skipper Jan van Leiden, went to the Kalmar Sleutel at sunset to dine there. In the evening, a hurricane raged over the island. Ships broke free from their anchors and became scattered.

The Kalmar Sleutel returned to the anchorage after days. The Santa Clara had disappeared. The ship likely capsized during the hurrican

Description

Armament: 20

SkipperLeijden, Jan van
Tonnage360 ton (180 last)

References

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