SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
January 16:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1690: Noord, this VOC wooden sailing galiot wrecked at Klippen Point near Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape. The Noord was on its second voyage to search for survivors of the Stavenisse, when it found three of them at the Bay of Natal. It crossed the bar there and was the first recorded ship to have moored in the Bay of Natal. On its way back to Cape Town it struck Klippen Point and wrecked. The entire crew survived the wrecking and reportedly abandoned the stricken vessel during low tide without even getting their feet wet. After unloading some cargo, the choice was made to head to Cape Town overland on foot. The survivors split into smaller parties and only five of the 19 ever made it back to Cape Town, with the rest believed to have lost their lives along the way.
1834: Linnaeus, this wooden sailing barque wrecked on a reef off Dyer Island in the Western Cape.
1859: Atlas, this wooden sailing barque wrecked on the eponymous Atlas Reef, about 10km north-west of Arniston/Waenhuiskrans in the Western Cape. It was on a return trip from Batavia with sugar, rice, nutmegs, hides, and sundries.
1891: Arab, this British iron steam-powered ship wrecked after striking an unknown rock near the Great Fish River mouth in the Eastern Cape.
1901: HMS Sybille, this British Naval cruiser was used as a patrol boat at Lamberts Bay on the west coast in the Western Cape during the Anglo Boer war when it was lost.
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| SAHRA interpretive signage in Lamberts Bay detailing the HMS Sybille (1901) wreck |
A north-westerly gale forced part of the crew that were on board to leave the anchorage at Lamberts Bay and to battle the heavy seas. In the early hours of the morning, unaware that their position was more southerly than they expected, they struck a reef opposite the farm Steenbokfontein whilst steaming back to Lamberts Bay.
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| A British officer's sketch ( J Nash) of the HMS Sybille (1901) wrecking event. Date unknown. |
The City of Cambridge had just left Lamberts Bay and spotted the incident so could render assistance as the wrecking unfolded. One life was lost during the event. In recent years the wreck was the subject to some salvage work. One of the propellers was donated to SAHRA and is now on display at the Sandveld Museum in Lamberts Bay.
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| The one surviving propeller of the HMS Sybille (1901) after being transported from the wreck site to Lamberts Bay before being prepared for display |
1945: Luna, this South African coaster was mysteriously lost off Hondeklip Bay with all eight that were on board.
1972: Shin Yung, this Taiwanese motor-powered fishing vessel foundered about 80 km west of Saldanha Bay off the west coast in the Western Cape.
1973: Madame, this Australian yacht wrecked during misty weather on Saxon Reef, just off Arniston/Waenhuiskrans in the Western Cape.
