SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
Zeila shipwreck south of Henties Bay in Namibia
August 11:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1822: Triangle, this wooden-hulled sailing vessel was condemned and broken up in Table Bay in the Western Cape.
1890: Camperdown, this iron-hulled sailing ship was last seen on this day whilst leaving Simon’s Town in the Western Cape for Newcastle in New South Wales in Australia. It was never seen or heard from again and is presumed to have foundered shortly after leaving False Bay.
1902: Verona/Varuna/Varjuna, this sailing barque was abandoned in a sinking condition and was driven ashore during a north-westerly gale, wrecking off Danger Point in the Western Cape.
1906: William Porter, this iron-hulled steam-powered tug was being towed by the SS Ingerid from Walvis Bay in Namibia to Cape Town in the Western Cape when its tow cable parted during the night, and it foundered off the Northern Cape coast with two casualties.
1936: Rooiberg, this steel-hulled steam-powered whaler wrecked after striking Cap Rock in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape in hazy weather.
1974: Produce, this Norwegian bulk carrier wrecked on Aliwal Shoal in KwaZulu-Natal on a clear day in fine weather. It rolled over and disappeared beneath the water after a few days. When the crew was rescued by the Oranjeland, they claimed they did not know that the reef was there despite it being marked on all charts.
Today, the wreck is a popular dive spot; however, it is always vulnerable to strong currents, so caution is advised. It lies at its deepest at about 30 m and rises to 14 m at its stern with much of it having been removed by salvors over the years. Because of the size of the wreck, it has been described as quite an eerie dive as the current along with its huge plates creak quite often. However, being such a large vessel on Aliwal Shoal means that it is home to an abundance of marine life, from moray eels to scorpion fish and the rare harlequin goldie. The wreck is also home to a hydroid that causes a herpes simplex rash, which has been humorously described as “easy to explain to your diving buddy, but not your non-diving spouse”.
Aerial photo/video service/inquiries: info@traveltonamibia.com
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