The Houtman Abrolhos
The Houtman Abrolhos is an archipelago of small, low islands off the west coast of Australia. They extend in a line about 85km long and are clustered in 4 groups, with North island being the most northerly, followed by Wallabi Group, Easter Group and Pelsaert Group. That name is erroneous; Pelsaert’s encounter was with the Wallabi group.
You can see quite clearly that half a degree right or left and the ship would have sailed on without anyone even knowing they’d passed the islands.
The islands had been seen and named only a few years before, in 1619, by Fredrik de Houtman. But he happened upon them in daylight. Both the Batavia (1629) and the Zeewijk (1727) struck an Abrolhos reef at night and in both cases, the lookouts mistook the tell-tale breakers for moonlight on the waves.
Nowadays, the Abrolhos islands are fished for rock lobster. The fishermen stay on the islands in the season but there are no permanent inhabitants.
Go over to West Wallabi (the Cats’ Island) and (if you have the right settings turned on in Google) you will find photos of what is believed to be Wiebbe Hayes’ fort. Notice also the shallow water between the two large islands. Attackers would have to cross there from East Wallabi to West Wallabi – a slippery route to travel.
