European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 28, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A amps photos by Jim  builds 17th-Century ship the old fashioned Way by Norm Zeigler travel outdoor writer on a Barren Patch of land reclaimed from the old Guider Zee some 70 men and women Are re creating a piece of the Netherlands past. Their 61/2-year project building a replica of a 17th-Century dutch merchant ship has captured the imagination of tourists and experts from around the world. On a typical workday dozens of workers clamber Over and around the massive Oak Hull of the Batavia. At 186 feet Long 34 feet wide and nearly 60 feet from keel to poop deck it looms like an Ark above the surrounding Flat polder land. And like Noah s Rescue ship it grew out of one Man s dream. The Story of the Batavia harks Back to the 1 7th Century when the Netherlands was the world s leading sea Power with a trading Empire stretching from the shores of the North sea to the Indian Ocean. Much of the Trade was controlled by the All powerful dutch East India company whose Amsterdam shipyards continually turned out vessels for the country s huge merchant Fleet. It was from these Yards that the original Batavia was launched in the summer of 1628. It set sail for the far East later that year an ill fated trip that would become one of the most infamous chapters in dutch maritime history. The ship s Maiden voyage turned bad on june 4, 1629, when a thunderous crash signalled that the Batavia had run onto a reef off the West coast of Australia. As shipwrecks go this one was not unusual. But its aftermath was. Only 40 of the 316 passengers and Crew died in the grounding. The other 276 luckily made their Way to two Small islands nearby. But by the time the survivors were rescued three months later 125 More had died in a Mutiny and massacre that shocked and horrified the dutch Public. It contravened the image of dutch seamen As resourceful compassionate and disciplined. To this Day among maritime history Butts the name Batavia Calls up a chilling tale of derring do a Carpenter positions a piece of Timber on the upper deck while others in the Crew work on the rigging. And disaster heroism and treachery. The modern Batavia Story began in the 1960s with the discovery of the wreck and its subsequent recovery and display in the Western australian maritime museum. The recovery piqued the interest of dutch shipbuilder Willem Vos who had been researching the Era and in 1 980 he began a crusade to build a new Batavia. In five years the task progressed from research and fund raising to the creation of a Batavia shipyard at Lel Ystad where the keel was Laid on oct. 4, 1985, since its inception the project has attracted Loyal and dedicated people. Just As torches and jackhammers have been used to sear and Pound Oak planks and rivets into the shape of a ship s Hull a burning sense of purpose has toughened and annealed the Batavia Yard Crew. Crew members Are a team with a passion and a purpose that unite them like a family. Quot the atmosphere Here is Brilliant it s fantastic. It s a unique atmosphere you Don t find anywhere Quot said Francesca running one of five Sailmaker who Are hand May 28, 1992 stripes Magazine 3