When they got back to Amsterdam on 1 November 1597, De Veer, Van Heemskerk and their teacher and maritime expert Robbert Robbertsz Le Canu who taught sailing skills at a school in Amsterdam got into an argument about the Novaya Zemlya effect which caused a breakup between the men.
Robbert who delivered the Captains with maps and astronomical instruments couldn’t accept the fact that the sun had gone down two weeks earlier. In his astronomical measurements this effect did not exist.

In 1563, Robbert Robbertsz Le Canu was born in Amersfoort as the son of a baptist church servant.
The meaning of “canu” redirected from “sugar cane” is: “to sing or to chant”
Le Canu was a poet and maritime expert and moved to Amsterdam in 1586 to become a school teacher.

In the eyes of his students Robbert was a very knowledgeable and belligerent person who at that time rebelled against, errors in protestant churches. By focusing on maritime topics and seafaring in his lessons, he quickly gained the commitment of many students: Cornelis de Houtman, Jacob van Heemskerck, Gerrit de Veer, Jan Cornelisz Rijp and Jacob Cornelisz van Neck among them, learned their sailing skills from him.

Robbert was very keen on teaching his students to keep track of a sailing journal and to note the events that had happend from day to day.
Due to his knowledge as a mathematician and astrological expert he became a very popular teacher at his school in Amsterdam, which he attended from 1586 until he moved to Hoorn in 1611.

He played a very big part in spreading navigational technology and nautical principals and was a fellow countryman of Petrus Plancius, Snellius, and Jodocus Hondius and at that time renowned for being professor of grand seafaring.

Le Canu provided maps of sea routes and astronomical equipment such as the nocturnal (instrument) and astrolabe. He was renowned for teaching his students navigational skills by looking at the night sky and stars.
He even wrote a song for the sailors to memorize the time of day during the dark arctic winters:

THE STAR SONG

The star song by Robbert Robbertsz Le Canu (ᴱⁿᵍˡⁱˢʰ ᵗʳᵃⁿˢˡᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ)
A song to keep track of the time at night. Composed by Robbert Robbertsz for the benefits of his students.

A poem about how the hours of night,
link to all off the stars that are clearly in sight.
If you see one down South then you’ll know,
This song will tell you what time it is, so.
When the stars are standing in line,
distance about half an hour in time.
A star sign or twelve will go by in this tune,
where the sun is now at it will surely be noon.
Two stripes ahead shall be then one ‘o clock,
Count four this makes two when you just add them up.
Spot a bright shining star that glitters down South,
You’ll know what the rules of our time are about.
These three verses hereby just declared,
how this song should be liked distributed and shared.

ᴴᵉᵗ ˢᵗᵉʳʳᵉⁿˡⁱᵉᵈ ⁱⁿ ʰᵉᵗ ᴴᵒˡˡᵃⁿᵈˢᵉ ᶻᵉᵉᵛᵃᵃʳᵗ ᵒⁿᵈᵉʳʷⁱʲˢ. ᴮᵉʳⁱʲᵐᵈᵉ ⁱⁿˢᵗʳᵘᶜᵗⁱᵉˢ ᵛᵒᵒʳ ʰᵉᵗ ᵛⁱⁿᵈᵉⁿ ᵛᵃⁿ ᵈᵉ ˢᵗᵉʳʳᵉⁿᵇᵉᵉˡᵈᵉⁿ ᵉⁿ ʰᵉᵗ ᵘᵘʳ ᵛᵃⁿ ᵈᵉ ⁿᵃᶜʰᵗ. ⁻ ᵀʰᵉ ˢᵗᵃʳ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ⁱⁿ ᴰᵘᵗᶜʰ ˢᵉᵃᶠᵃʳⁱⁿᵍ ᵉᵈᵘᶜᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ. ᴿʰʸᵐᵉᵈ ⁱⁿˢᵗʳᵘᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ ᶠᵒʳ ᶠⁱⁿᵈⁱⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵒⁿˢᵗᵉˡˡᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉ ʰᵒᵘʳ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿⁱᵍʰᵗ, ₁₅₈₀₋₉₀ ᵇʸ ᴿᵒᵇᵇᵉʳᵗ ᴿᵒᵇᵇᵉʳᵗˢᶻ ˡᵉ cᵃⁿᵘ. 𝒮ᵒᵘʳᶜᵉ: ᴳᴱᵂᴵᴺᴬ/ ᵀᴳᴳᴺᵂᵀ, ᵛᵒˡᵘᵐᵉ ₂₈, ⁱˢˢᵘᵉ ₄, ᵃʳᵗⁱᶜˡᵉ/ᵖᵈᶠ, ₂₀₀₅ ᵖʳⁱⁿᵗᵉᵈ ᵇʸ ᴳᵉⁿᵗ, ᴿᵒᵇ ᴴ. ᵛᵃⁿ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵒˡˡᵃᵇᵒʳᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᴿᵘᵈᵒˡᶠ ᴿᵃˢᶜʰ. ᵂʳⁱᵗᵗᵉⁿ ᵘⁿᵈᵉʳ ᵃ cʳᵉᵃᵗⁱᵛᵉ cᵒᵐᵐᵒⁿˢ ᴬᵗᵗʳⁱᵇᵘᵗⁱᵒⁿ⁻sʰᵃʳᵉᴬˡⁱᵏᵉ ᴸⁱᶜᵉⁿˢᵉ ³.⁰.

Robbert had a wild and lively way of writing. In 1611 he sought refugee in Hoorn where he met Pieter Jansz Liorne.
Pieter who was known for helping design a much slimmer and unarmed ship then the Dutch “Fluyt” in 1595. He was a trustee, patron and mayor of Hoorn. He build a house for Robbert on “‘t Baatland” where he sold brandy until he past away in 1632.

Jan Huygen reproduced some Portugese maps and wrote a book “Itinerario.” He was a Dutch merchant, writer, accountant and drawing artist. His books contained a lot of information about the routes to sail to the Far East. This information was later used by the British East-Indian Company.

A childrens song was written about him called “Jan Huygen in de ton.”
Gerrit de Veer kept a journal about the journey and wintering in “The Kept House.” He named it:

(In English)
“The true and perfect description of three voyages so strange and wonderful, which have never been heard of before: done and performed three years, one after another, by the ships of Holland and Zeeland, on the north sides of Norway, Moscovia, and Tartaria, towards the kingdoms of Cathaia & China, as well as the experiences from the Weygates, Nova Zemlya, and from the land on 80 degrees, what people think is Greenland.”

(In Dutch)
“Waerachtighe Beschrijvinghe van drie seylagien, ter werelt noyt soo vreemt ghehoort, drie jaren achter malcanderen deur de Hollandtsche ende Zeelandtsche schepen by noorden, Noorweghen, Moscovia, ende Tartaria, na de coninckrijcken van Catthay ende China, so mede vande opdoeninghe vande Weygats, Nova Sembla, eñ van ‘t landt op de 80 gradẽ, dat men acht Groenlandt te zijn.” by Gerrit de Veer from Amsterdam,” published by Cornelis Claesz in 1598.

Arctic voyages of Willem Barentsz ₁₅₉₄₋₁₅₉₇. 𝒮ᵒᵘʳᶜᵉ: ᴳᴵᴹ/ГИМ. ᴵᵐᵃᵍᵉ/ʲᵖᵍ ₂₀₀₉ ᴬᵘᵗʰᵒʳ: ᵘⁿᵏⁿᵒʷⁿ. ᵀʰⁱˢ ʷᵒʳᵏ ⁱˢ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖᵘᵇˡⁱᶜ ᵈᵒᵐᵃⁱⁿ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵃˡˢᵒ ʰᵃˢ ᵃ ᵁⁿⁱᵗᵉᵈ 𝒮ᵗᵃᵗᵉˢ ᵖᵘᵇˡⁱᶜ ᵈᵒᵐᵃⁱⁿ ⁽ᴾᴰ⁻ᵁ𝒮⁾ ᵗᵃᵍ. ᵀʰᵉ 𝒮ᵗᵃᵗᵉ ᴴⁱˢᵗᵒʳⁱᶜᵃˡ ᴹᵘˢᵉᵘᵐ ʰᵃˢ ᵖʳᵉˢᵉⁿᵗᵉᵈ ᵗʰᵉ ᵇᵒᵒᵏ ᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᴰᵘᵗᶜʰ ᴱᵐᵇᵃˢˢʸ ⁱⁿ ᴿᵘˢˢⁱᵃ. ᵀʰᵉ ʷᵉˡˡ⁻ᵏⁿᵒʷⁿ ᵂⁱˡˡᵉᵐ ᴮᵃʳᵉⁿᵗˢᶻ ᵉˣᵖᵉᵈⁱᵗⁱᵒⁿ ʲᵒᵘʳⁿᵃˡˢ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵇᵉᵉⁿ ᵗʳᵃⁿˢˡᵃᵗᵉᵈ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ᵗʰᵉ ᵒʳⁱᵍⁱⁿᵃˡ ᵒˡᵈ ᴰᵘᵗᶜʰ ⁱⁿᵗᵒ ᴿᵘˢˢⁱᵃⁿ ᶠᵒʳ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠⁱʳˢᵗ ᵗⁱᵐᵉ. ᴵⁿˢᵃⁿᵉ ᵗᵉⁿᵃᶜⁱᵗʸ, ⁱⁿⁱᵗⁱᵃᵗⁱᵛᵉ, ᵃ ˡᵒᵛᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵃᵈᵛᵉⁿᵗᵘʳᵉ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵒᵖᵗⁱᵐⁱˢᵐ ᶠᵒʳ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵘᵗᵘʳᵉ ᵃʳᵉ ᵃˡˡ ᵈⁱˢᵖˡᵃʸᵉᵈ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗʳᵃᵍⁱᶜ ˢᵗᵒʳʸ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵒᵘʳᵃᵍᵉᵒᵘˢ ᴰᵘᵗᶜʰᵐᵉⁿ ʷʰᵒ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉᵐˢᵉˡᵛᵉˢ ᵒⁿ ᴺᵉʷ ᴱᵃʳᵗʰ. ᴳᵉʳʳⁱᵗ ᵈᵉ ⱽᵉᵉʳ’ˢ ʲᵒᵘʳⁿᵃˡ ʷʰⁱᶜʰ ᵍⁱᵛᵉˢ ᵃⁿ ⁱⁿᶜⁱˢⁱᵛᵉ ᵃⁿᵈ ⁱⁿ⁻ᵈᵉᵖᵗʰ ᵈᵉˢᶜʳⁱᵖᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵂⁱˡˡᵉᵐ ᴮᵃʳᵉⁿᵗˢᶻ’ ᵗʳᵃᵛᵉˡˢ ʰᵃˢ ʳᵉᶜᵉⁱᵛᵉᵈ ᵐᵃⁿʸ ˡⁱᵗᵉʳᵃʳʸ ᵃʷᵃʳᵈˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ʰᵃˢ ᵇᵉᵉⁿ ᵗʳᵃⁿˢˡᵃᵗᵉᵈ ⁱⁿᵗᵒ ᵐᵃⁿʸ ˡᵃⁿᵍᵘᵃᵍᵉˢ. ᵀʰᵉ ᴰᵘᵗᶜʰ ʷᵉʳᵉ ᵘⁿᵃᵇˡᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵘˢᵉ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿᵒʳᵗʰᵉʳⁿ ᴿᵘˢˢⁱᵃⁿ ˢʰᵒʳᵉˢ ᵃˢ ᵃ ˢᵉᵃ ʳᵒᵘᵗᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᴱᵃˢᵗ. ᴬˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᴬʳᶜᵗⁱᶜ ⁱᶜᵉ ʳᵃᵖⁱᵈˡʸ ᵐᵉˡᵗˢ, ᵃ ⁿᵉʷ ᵒᶜᵉᵃⁿ ᶜᵒʳʳⁱᵈᵒʳ ʷⁱˡˡ ˢᵒᵒⁿ ᶠᵒʳᵐ ᵒᵖᵉⁿⁱⁿᵍ ᵘᵖ ᵖᵒˢˢⁱᵇⁱˡⁱᵗⁱᵉˢ ᶠᵒʳ ᵖᵉᵃᶜᵉᶠᵘˡ ⁱⁿᵗᵉʳⁿᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿᵃˡ ᶜᵒᵒᵖᵉʳᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ⁱⁿ ˢᶜⁱᵉⁿᶜᵉ, ʳᵉˢᵒᵘʳᶜᵉ ᵘˢᵉ, ᵗʳᵃⁿˢᵖᵒʳᵗᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ, ᵉⁿᵛⁱʳᵒⁿᵐᵉⁿᵗᵃˡ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵉᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉ ᵖʳᵉˢᵉʳᵛᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᵃⁿᶜᵉˢᵗʳᵃˡ ˡᵃⁿᵈˢ ᶠᵒʳ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿᵃᵗⁱᵛᵉ ᵖᵉᵒᵖˡᵉˢ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᴺᵒʳᵗʰ. ᵀʰⁱˢ ᵖᵃˢᵗ ᵈᵃᵗᵉˢ ᵇᵃᶜᵏ ʰᵘⁿᵈʳᵉᵈˢ ᵒᶠ ʸᵉᵃʳˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ⁱˢ ˢʰᵃʳᵉᵈ ᵇʸ ᴿᵘˢˢⁱᵃ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉ ᴺᵉᵗʰᵉʳˡᵃⁿᵈˢ ˢⁱⁿᶜᵉ ᵃᵗ ˡᵉᵃˢᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ₁₁ᵗʰ ᶜᵉⁿᵗᵘʳʸ.

Cornelis Claesz was a publisher who started out selling books in Enkhuizen in 1578 and moved to Amsterdam. He specialized in maps and sea route descriptions and also published the works of Jehan Cauvin/ John Calvin and the travel journals of Jan Huygen van Linschoten in 1595/1596.
Van Linschoten received secret routes from the Portuguese and copied these and made sea maps of the Far East when he stayed in Goa.

These texts were of great importance to the VOC merchants. In his “Travel journals from the navigation of the Portugese in Oriental habitats” / “Reys-gheschrift van de navigatien der Portugaloysers in Orienten” and the “Itinerario Sailing Voyage of Jan Huygen Van Linschoten to East or Portugese India” / “Itinerario, Voyage orte schipvaert van Jan Huygen van Linschoten naer Oost ofte Portugaels Indien,” he described the routes to sail to China, Indonesia and Japan.

This Dutch cultural heritage, some very accurate descriptions and many paintings from historical VOC figures and drawings about the journey to Novaya Zemlya are still on display in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.