The sea has always attracted people who dreamed of seeing new lands and discovering uninhabited islands. In the 16-17 centuries, seafaring rapidly developed and thousands of ships went on sea voyages. Not everyone was destined to return home. When the sailors did not return, their relatives did not want to believe in the worst and came up with the most incredible stories. So it was easier to accept the loss of loved ones.

Thus, the legend of the Flying Dutchman appeared, telling about the Dutch captain Philip Van der Decken, or Van Straaten ... There are several variants of the captain's name. Here is one of the versions of the legend ....

The Flying Dutchman was an ordinary Dutch sailing vessel that, like all ships, plowed the waters of the seas and oceans. One day, when the ship was on its way from the Dutch colonies of the East Indies to Europe, the captain took several passengers on board. Among them was a young beautiful girl with her fiance. The captain immediately fell in love with her. Passion seized him so that in a fit, he killed a young man, deciding to take the place of the girl's fiancé. But the girl loved her contented and, saying that she wanted to be with her beloved forever, jumped overboard.

The captain just went crazy, began to empty one bottle after another. And then, as luck would have it, the ship got into a strong storm not far from the Cape of Good Hope. This place was famous for hurricane winds and strong currents. The sailors persuaded their captain to return and wait out the storm in some quiet place. But the one who was drunk with alcohol decided that everything was for him nothing. Having gathered the team, he announced that he would do everything to go around the cape of Good Hope! The captain swore terribly and threatened to kill those who disagree with him. A riot broke out on the ship and the captain shot all the assailants, fulfilling his threats.

Nobody will leave the ship until it goes around the cape, even if you have to swim for ages.

As soon as these words were uttered, the captain and his ship were cursed by the creator. Immediately, a huge wave rose and swallowed the ship with everyone on board. Obviously, the captain thought that alone he could bear with the powerful forces of nature and not rely on the help of God.
So the captain, his crew, the passengers found immortality. It is said that once in ten years the captain gets the opportunity to go ashore. He goes to dry land to find himself a new bride. And as soon as there is a believing girl who truly loves him and marries him, the curse will be lifted and all the prisoners of the ghost ship will be able to return to their homes. In the meantime, the “Flying Dutchman” has been surfing the oceans for almost 400 years and cannot land at all.

The Flying Dutchman appears in a storm, especially often at the Cape of Good Hope. In these latitudes, any vessel caught in a storm is almost certainly doomed. And the terrible stories about the ghost ship, over which a luminous halo is visible, and its mad captain panic over the superstitious sailors.

There are many versions of the appearance of this legend. There are even logical explanations from scientists, but the mystery of the Flying Dutchman still has no clear explanation. Drifting ships, from small yachts to huge liners, abandoned by their teams, even today are found on the waters of the oceans. And they all have one common name - the ship "Flying Dutchman".

Photos of the ship-restaurant "Flying Dutchman" in St. Petersburg. By the way, it is moored on Mytninskaya Embankment, opposite the smallest St. Petersburg Square - Academician Likhachev Square.

Passed by and inspired. I don’t know anything about food, I didn’t have a chance to try it. "Our people" in such places do not go.