TREASURE QUEST
News Articles By Lisa McKay/St. Maarten Island
CUTTER SALVAGE DOES IT AGAIN.
Known for their uncanny ability to discover some of the world’s most valuable, and historical relevant, ship wrecks, the three brother’s helming CUTTER SALVAGE have yet another coup.
After a four year search, the company hit the mother lode this week with the discovery of a three hundred year old wreck on Wednesday.
The Dutch ship the Vrijheid was found off the coast of the Caribbean island of St. Marten by youngest Cutter brother, Zane. The wreck is said to contain pirated gold and silver coin, emeralds and other treasures from the Spanish “treasure fleet”.
The Dutch Vrijheid, a 110 foot galleon, was recorded as carrying 20 passengers and 65 infantrymen to protect the wealthy passengers from attack or enemies from boarding. Ironic, since Captain Witte van Wassenaer, was himself a pirate.
Cutter said on how he found the wreck, “It was only after exhaustive search through Spanish fleet records that I found a mention of the Dutch Vryheid. The Dutch East India Company plied the waters on the other side of the world, and a mention of this lone ship on the route of the Spanish “treasure ships” was intriguing. With research, intuition, and a great deal of luck, I charted the unlikely course of the Vryheid from Rotterdam, Holland to South America.”
The Vryheid was scheduled by the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, or VOC, to put into port in Cape Town. The Dutch knew the Spanish had a ‘treasure fleet’ that ran regular missions from Spain to the South American colonies.
So on March 12th 1629, instead of accompanying the rest of the Dutch ships to the horn of Africa, van Wassenaer traveled with stealth and speed to reach South America months ahead of the Spanish fleet. Once in Cartagena, he and his men scooped up gold, silver and emeralds which had been transported by mule overland from the mines in Muzo and Chivor. The treasure was so vast that their estimated loading time was extended by over two months. Dangerously close to the arrival of the Spanish fleet, not to mention a dangerous change in the weather.
Van Wassenaer set sail for the return trip to Holland with days to spare. Sitting low from the heavy cargo, he set course north to the island of St, Maarten. The weather, according to the records from the time, was near perfect, and he raised anchor on the last day of July. One of the passengers become ill, and the Captain decided to leave him on St. Marten island to recover or die. That decision sealed the fate of all on board. It was the start of hurricane season, and a squall hit, sinking the ship and drowning all on board.
Bad fortune for Captain van Wassenaer and his passengers, but extraordinary good fortune for Cutter Salvage. The Vrijheid treasure is estimated in the multi-millions of dollars.
TREASURE REVEALED
By Lisa McKay/St. Maarten Island
Zane Cutter’s latest treasure hunt has paid off in a big way. So far the estimated value to Cutter Salvage and her investors is in the multi-millions of dollars. Retrieved silver and gold from Peru and Ecuador, a king’s ransom in emeralds from Columbia, and ropes of pearls from Venezuela. These are the finds from the Dutch galleon the Vrijheid. Discovered two weeks ago, the estimated final worth of Cutter Salvage’s new wreck is staggering.
STORY OF A SHIP WRECK
By Lisa McKay/St. Maarten Island
The discovery of a three-hundred-year-old wreck by Zane Cutter has fueled romanticized speculation as to the events leading up to the sinking of the treasure-rich Vrijheid.
From a handful of eye witnesses’ written reports at the time, this reporter has been able to piece together the last desperate hours of the pirate ship.
Having stolen the Spanish treasure from right under their noses, the Dutch galleon makes plans to stealthily retreat with her spoils back to Holland. But a desperately ill passenger, and the upcoming hurricane season, force the Vrijheid to change course at the last minute. The galleon hastily put into port at St. Maarten, barely taking time to replenish water supplies for the long return trip back to Rotterdam, Holland.
For several weeks, the weather had held, but late that afternoon the wind picked up out of the northwest and intensified through the night. By daybreak the seas were mountainous. Seasick or praying, everyone was sent below decks. Gold, silver and other pilfered treasure kept the ship’s hull dangerously low, and crates and other containers were securely lashed to prevent them being swept overboard.
The wind shifted again, and with the seas dangerously choppy, and an even more vicious storm inbound, the Vrijheid was driven back toward St. Maarten and the safety of the harbor. But it was too late. The tail end of the storm reduced their sails and rigging to shreds, masts and tillers were battered or broken. The ship was driven towards the reef. The weighty galleon was lifted high on a wave and smashed violently on the coral reef. She sank instantly, pulled to the bottom by her heavy canon and treasure. Tons of gold and silver pulled her to the bottom of the sea
The next day a small merchant ship, making its way through the debris, rescued three Vrijheid survivors in 50 foot deep water. When the storm passed, divers tried to get to the treasure, but they couldn’t hold their breath for long enough.
Several people knew the exact location of the wreck and more people attempted to recover part of the now fabled treasure. But days later a second, more powerful, hurricane hit, and the wreck shifted and broke apart. It was never found again. Until three weeks ago when she was discovered by Zane Cutter.