Eight other vessels wrecked that day, which resulted in a total of 208 lives and £160 000 of cargo being lost. At the time of the gale, the commanders of the ships were onshore to get the documentation for the fleet to leave for the Netherlands.

The Westerwijk was driven ashore in a north-westerly gale at 14h30 on 21st of May. Luckily, she landed high on the beach without breaking up, and most of the crew was saved.

Of the vessels that ran aground on that day, the Westerwijk was the only ship not completely torn apart by the waves and wind after it parted from its anchors because the crew had managed to cut down two of its masts when it beached. This allowed the Westerwijk to stay relatively intact.

The only ship that remained unscathed and ready to sail was the Papenberg.

• Bruijn et al. (eds).
  DAS 7003.1.
• SAHRA Database.
• Lesa la Grange, Martijn Manders, Briege Williams, John Gribble and Leon Derksen (2024).
  Dutch Shipwrecks in South African Waters: A Brief History of Sites, Stores and Archives [Unpublished].
• Jan Lettens.
  Westerwijk (+1737).
• Scheepsmodel van Oost-Indisch Compagnieschip.