The roadstead off Texel

During a week-end trip to the island of Texel, Netherlands, I got to know that during the times of the VoC (Dutch East India Company) ships gathered at the roadstead off this island's coast as it was better suited for various reasons than the port of Amsterdam to the south.

I was astonished to learn, that between 500 and 1000 (!) ships sank while at the roadstead during the period of its use, a large portion of which were total losses. This is a tremedous, almost unbelievable number, which bears witness to the importance of seafaring had for the Dutch.

Does anyone know of numbers of ship losses in other important roadsteads? Was the roadstead of Texel merely an insecure one or are these extrodinary numbers of ship losses to be explained by its importance/massive use?


Lt. Bush