Zeepaard Wreck

Field Value
Zeepaard Wreck Location
Marine Coordinates (DMM) 		54 15.464 N,9 52.762 W
Latitude, Longitude
Decimal Degrees
  • Latitude: 54.257730
  • Longitude: -9.879360
Name ZEEPAARD
Type East Indiaman
Original Source Brady 2012; Brady 2017; Wignall 1982, 76
WRECK MAP LOADING ... 54 15.464 N,9 52.762 W
Zeepaard on Wreck Map Zeepaard Wreck on Google Map
Wreck No: W06923, Place of Loss: Inver Point, Inver, Broadhaven Bay, Mayo, Source of Coordinate: National Monuments Service, Description: The Zeepaard (Seahorse) was a of 400 ton jacht built in Zeeland in 1655 for the Dutch East India Company or Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC). Between 1656 and 1663 the Zeepaard made two successful return trips from Wielingen, Holand to Batavia (Jakarta), Indonesia. On 28 October 1665 the Zeepaard set forth again for Batavia along with three other Dutch East Indiamen including the Gouden Leeuw, the Wittem Leeuw and the Zwarte Leeuw. The other three VOC ships safely made their destination in the Far East but the Zeepaard was not as fortunate and was reported as being wrecked west of Shetland in November 1665 along with its 150 crew. Recent dive survey work and historical research has confirmed that Zeepaard was not lost off the Shetlands but was wrecked in Broadhaven Bay, Co. Mayo. The location of the wreck was known about since 1969 but its identification was open to much speculation because it is located at the supposed site of a Spanish Armada wreck. The wreck site has been dived a number of time since the 1960s by various groups who were looking for the location of an armada wreck which is reputedly lost at the same location. In 1969 Sydney Wignall dived a wreck in Broadhaven Bay locating boat-shaped lead ingots, Dutch clay pipes (dating to c. 1675) and cast iron cannons (Wignall 1982, 76). The site was first reported to the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) in 1979 by Crochur O’Ceileachair, a radio officer from Belmullet who recovered a number of artefacts including which were handed over to the NMI. In 1986 members of the Leinster Divers Subaqua Club led by Leslie Lawrence began searching location and located a number of Iron cannon, boat shaped lead ingots and bellarmine Jars. In the following years up until 1991, the Leinster Divers carried out further survey work at the site accompanied by Nessa O’Connor of the National Museum of Ireland. The Underwater Archaeology Unit carried further survey work at the wreck site in 2012.

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FAQ

Where is the ZEEPAARD wreck located?

The ZEEPAARD wreck is located at coordinates 54 15.464 N,9 52.762 W.

What type of wreck is the ZEEPAARD?

The ZEEPAARD is classified as a east indiaman.

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