Dirk Hartog Voyage of Discovery: Shark Bay 1616
The Batavia Longboat sailed to Shark Bay to be a part of the celebrations that commemorated the landing of Dutch captain, Dirk Hartog, in Shark Bay in 1616. This marked the first recorded European landfall on the western coast of Australia. ‘Dirk Hartog Voyage of Discovery: Shark Bay 1616’ was a festival organized to mark this event and ran from the 21st to the 25th of October 2016.
On the 16th of October, the Longboat sailed from Geraldton to Shark Bay with a crew of 7 sailors, along with the replica ship Duyfken, arriving in Denham to participate in the general celebrations of the landing on Dirk Hartog Island on the 25th of October. The voyage took approximately 4 days, covering a distance of 295 nautical miles.
The Longboat, a replica of the type of longboat used by the VOC or Dutch East India Company, is moored in Geraldton and is maintained by a small group of volunteers. The boat had been to the Abrolhos Islands (Longboat to the Islands) twice, and this was its first trip to Shark Bay. The Longboat Association was excited to be a part of this event.
The Longboat Association and the crew, were able to complete the historic journey thanks to support from members, sponsors, and the community. The funds were used for new sails, insurance, safety equipment, maintenance, transport of ground crew to Shark Bay, and the transport of the Longboat back to Geraldton by road.
The Longboat Association is very grateful for the we support received to help us take part in this historical event.