The term Flying Dutchman
refers to a ghost ship…one that is doomed to sail the oceans forever and can
never pull into any port…there are few nautical myths that are as well- known
as the stories that surround the infamous Dutchman…it is said that the ship was
illuminated with a pale, ghostly light that sent waves of fear into those that
encountered it…if hailed by another ship, then the crew of the Flying Dutchman
would make an attempt to send messages to land…or to people who died long
ago...in the tall tales of ocean lore, the story of the Flying Dutchman may be
the tallest, for if anyone makes sight of this phantom ship, it is said that
the vessel that sees it will become doomed…some claim that the ‘sight’ of this
ship is merely an optical illusion…the task of this ship was to collect all the
unfortunate souls who had died at sea…they would then ferry these souls to the
afterlife…for these reasons, the ship became feared by many who sailed the
seven seas…it was not one they wanted to meet.
