Francisco Pelsaert
Francisco Pelsaert was the commodore of a fleet that was headed towards Batavia in Java on 4th June 1629. He was on board the 300 ton Batavia that fateful night. The captain, Ariaien Jacobszoon thought that his position was 28 degrees South latitude and his course was north-east-by-north and he was under full sail before a south-west wind. But he was wrong and the Batavia ran full into the Abrolhos Islands at high tide. The tide started falling and the wind picked up and rain squalls started pelting in. Waves were breaking over the reef. Finally the ship fell apart.
Pelsaert sails to Western Australia
The people on board were ferried inshore to two small islands. The crew got into the rum and there was complete chaos. Pelsaert landed on two larger islands to the west, the East and West Wallabi islands to search for water, but only found brackish pools left by the rain. Pelsaert then decided to sail to the mainland in the longboat to get water and possibly get help by sailing to Batavia. On the 8th June Pelsaert set sail to the mainland and by noon they had sighted land. Unfortunately it was rocky cliffs and big surf and they could not land so they sailed north. They were beset by storms and had to bail and were pushed further north.
They eventually were able to land just north of Point Cloates and found small holes in the rocks filled with water. They set off to sea again and the winds and swells forced them north so they decided to head for Batavia on the 17th June. After ten days and 1500 kilometers they made coast of Java and reached Batavia on the 7th July 1629.
Pelsaert Sails back to the Abrolhos
Pelsaert was ordered to go back and rescue the Batavia survivors. He sailed on the Sardam and made it back to the Abrolhos Islands on the 10th August and started searching for Batavia survivors. On the 16th September he recognised the East Wallabi Island and eventually found the survivors. Most of the mutineers were executed on the island and others were punished on the way back to Batavia. Pelsaert left Batavia's Graveyard on 25th November and arrived back at Batavia on 5th December 1629.
Francisco Pelsaert Resources
Google Earth - Pelsaert's Voyage
Google maps - pelsaert voyage
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