Episode idea: The Flying Dutchman

[petrarch1603]

I would like to hear Brian's analysis on the Flying Dutchman.

[Frying Dutchmen]

Should be an interesting tale.

[skepticalfred]

he's real. there's no doubt about that.

[Wildtime]

he's real. there's no doubt about that.

Who? The Flying Dutchman or Brian?

Well, here's the Legend of the Flying Dutchman, for those who don't know:
The legend of The Flying Dutchman is said to have started in 1641 when a Dutch ship sank off the coast of the Cape of Good Hope:

Captain van der Decken was pleased. The trip to the Far East had been highly successful and at last, they were on their way home to Holland. As the ship approached the tip of Africa, the captain thought that he should make a suggestion to the Dutch East India Company (his employers) to start a settlement at the Cape on the tip of Africa, thereby providing a welcome respite to ships at sea.

He was so deep in thought that he failed to notice the dark clouds looming and only when he heard the lookout scream out in terror, did he realise that they had sailed straight into a fierce storm. The captain and his crew battled for hours to get out of the storm and at one stage it looked like they would make it. Then they heard a sickening crunch - the ship had hit treacherous rocks and began to sink. As the ship plunged downwards, Captain VandeDecken knew that death was approaching. He was not ready to die and screamed out a curse: "I WILL round this Cape even if I have to keep sailing until doomsday!"

So, even today whenever a storm brews off the Cape of Good Hope, if you look into the eye of the storm, you will be able to see the ship and its captain - The Flying Dutchman. Don't look too carefully, for the old folk claim that whoever sights the ship will die a terrible death.

Many people have claimed to have seen The Flying Dutchman, including the crew of a German submarine boat during World War II and holidaymakers.

On 11 July 1881, the Royal Navy ship, the Bacchante was rounding the tip of Africa, when they were confronted with the sight of The Flying Dutchman. The midshipman, a prince who later became King George V, recorded that the lookout man and the officer of the watch had seen the Flying Dutchman and he used these words to describe the ship:

"A strange red light as of a phantom ship all aglow, in the midst of which light the mast, spars and sails of a brig 200 yards distant stood out in strong relief."

It's pity that the lookout saw the Flying Dutchman, for soon after on the same trip, he accidentally fell from a mast and died. Fortunately for the English royal family, the young midshipman survived the curse.

Other versions have the Flying Dutchman around Australia and in the North Sea. As well, the different reasons for damnation have been attributed to playing dice with the devil, shooting at a ghostly apparition, and challenging god during a storm. Looming and hallucinations (ergot poisoning was pretty common in early seafaring days) have also been attributed, but makes for a lousy story. Quite frankly, I think "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" was a better tale.

As for this Brian character, until there is conclusive evidence that he exists, I'll remain skeptical :D.

** Parts plagiarized from Wikipedia, Occultopedia, and essortment.com

[bob_cadaver]

To captain the Flying Dutchman was my Christmas wish every year when I was a child. Not only was it the coolest ship around, there was a virtually un-dead crew at your command. What's not to love about that if you're 7 years old?

Anyhoo, I find Skeptoid to be one of my favorite podcasts. It's interesting, funny and always educative. It's a great resource.

[Eligbak]

Thanks, Wildtime, but you've left out the juicy bits:
According to some sources, the captain made his pact with the devil in return for a quick passage to the Spice Islands, plus a willing female. But like a pious woman should, the girl preferrend to pray rather than surrender to the captain, so he murdered her and threw her body into the sea. And so he is cursed to sail the sea forever, until he finally finds true love. To accomplish this, the captain is allowed to set foot on land in certain time intervals (every ten, a hundred or, as in Richard Wagner's opera, every seven years). If his chosen one is not the right one, he kills her and continues to eke out his terrible existence.

For anyone who's wondered if Davy Jones from "Pirates of the Caribbean" is the American cousin of Captain Van der Decken:
Davy Jones's Locker is an idiom for the bottom of the sea: the state of death among drowned sailors. It is used as a euphemism for death at sea (to be sent to Davy Jones's Locker), whereas the name Davy Jones is a nickname for what would be the devil, saint, or god of the seas. The origins of the name are unclear and many theories have been put forth, including incompetent sailors, a pub owner who kidnapped sailors, or that Davy Jones is another name for the devil—as in "Devil Jonah." This nautical superstition was popularized in the 1800s.
Mhm, devil, saint, or god of the seas - sounds like a diverse job. :D

P.S: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner may have the better soundtrack (from Iron Maiden), but it's more of an English language tale. I hadn't heard of it until I fell in love with the soundtrack. Whereas I bet most European children have heard of the Flying Dutchman, even if it's probably British propaganda to slam a competitor for his greed. ;)