At the time the logs of the  Zeewijk and Belviet showed that the prime meridian was 'Pico de Teide' ,Tenerife, Canary Islands and not Greenwich in England. Mariners believed that this was the highest peak in the world at that time. The longitude with respect to Greenwich is 16 degrees and 39 minutes, so the longitude of the 'Zeewijk's' wreck should be corrected to 111 deg 40 mins for present day co-ordinates. When the ship hit the reef it was only 2.6 deg 6mins to far north (5kms), but a massive 20 deg  10mins (208kms) too far to the East than reckoned.

On the 9th June 1727 the Zeewijk hit 'Half moon Reef near Gun Island in the Houtman Abrolhus Group 61 miles off Geraldton WA. She was a new ship of the worlds first 'Multi-National Company the Dutch East India Company or VOC as it was known. The ship did not sink immediately and 20 of the crew of 30 lived on board her for about 4 months. The remaining crew went onto the reef and built a makeshift shelter from flotsam from the wreck, later they were taken to Gun Island with provisions. The ships long boat was sent to Batavia (Jakarta) for help and failed to arrive there. When the remainder realised this, they built a small ship named the "Sloepie" from the wreckage of the Zeewijk. The "Sloepie" was the first ship to be built on Australian soil. The keel was laid on 7th November 1727 and it was launched on the 27th February 1728. Within a month she sailed for Batavia which lay more than 2000 miles away, with the 88 survivors of the original 208 who left Holland bound for Batavia. Of the 88, 82 souls finally reached Batavia, many other crew members died on Gun Island including 2 boys who were put on separate islands to die, as punishment for homosexuality.

  Only very few artefacts have been located from the 'Zeewijk' including this pewter jug and the bronze cannon below. The Dutch East India Company's sign VOC can be clearly seen on the cannon.

Below is a beautifully engraved snuff-box depicting the ship and sailor maybe, also (right) is a diver inspecting a cannon on site, maybe the cannon above?

The Captain of the Zeewijk was charged with carelessness and for not following his sailing orders, he was also charged with altering the ships log to cover up his offences. He was duly convicted, all his belongings were confiscated and he was banished for life from everywhere that came under the administration of the VOC.

 It is interesting to note, that after this period when The 'Batavia', the 'Zeewijk and the 'Gilt-Dragon' wre wrecked, although there were many ships wrecked there over the years, no more of the VOC ships were lost there. Probably for  two reasons, one the coming of the Chronometer to aid precise navigation and the fact that they had learned their lesson.