Who Was The Flying Dutchman?

The Flying Dutchman never actually existed and indeed is not actually a person, but is or rather was, a ship.
According to sea legends the Flying Dutchman is a phantom ship which haunts the seas off the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. The ship is only seen when the sea is stormy and is said to be a warning of imminent danger.
According to one tale, the captain of the ship murdered a sailor and because of this he and his crew are doomed to sail the seas eternally, without ever reaching port.
Another version is that the captain made an oath that he would get around the cape, even if it took forever. A German version of the tale also exists, with the captain being preoccupied with playing dice with the devil for the possession of his soul.
It is thought that the story originated due to the perilous nature of the voyage around the cape and the heightened anxieties sailors often felt whilst on this journey.

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