In the harbour at Scarborough, Tobago, deep down on the seabed beneath the busy ferry terminal where cars and passengers board and disembark, lie the archaeological remains of a dozen 17th-Century Dutch and French warships.Camera crews and divers working on an international film production have been filming underwater (as well as on land and from the air) for eight months, producing the film Tobago 1677.They did not find gold on board any of the sunken vessels, as German director Rick Haupt explains, "You rarely find gold on warships, but the real gold is the educational treasure."
Tobago 1677 has been six years in the making and involved extensive research before filming could begin in April of this year.It features a cast of Tobagonian actors and tells the story of the Dutch soldiers and sailors who, having arrived at Scarborough, built a fort to defend what they saw as their new territory."That era was about European wars, fighting for dominance in the New World and getting the riches of the colonies," says Haupt.When asked whether Tobago belonged to the Netherlands he says, "Back then it belonged to anyone who was able to defend it. In 1676 the Dutch set foot on the island but they knew the French were coming, their spies told them so, so they built a fort with cannon ready for the attempted invasion."
In May of 1677 the French arrived, under orders from King Louis XIV to head to the Caribbean to destroy Dutch holdings.The French were badly beaten and their expensively assembled galleon severely damaged.What was left of the fleet sailed back to France claiming a great victory and asking the crown for more money to build a reinforced fleet to head back to the Caribbean and capture more islands.Outfitted with powerful ships they returned to Tobago to confront Dutch forcers who had sustained large casualties, destroyed ships and a damaged fort.
The French sailed right into the harbour, came on land, fired a firebomb into the Dutch magazine and killed everyone left in the fort.Tragically, three supply ships full of Dutch women and children who were attempting to flee the island came under fire and sank in flames.The film includes re-enactments of these epic battles, marine archaeological film of the naval artefacts (cannon, anchors, bottles etc.) and aerial footage looking at the battle archaeology.The film is produced by Oceans Discovery Tobago Ltd and premieres tonight at an event featuring the entire cast and crew at the Magdalena Grand, Lowlands, Tobago, at 8 pm.