South Africa: Maria, Etta Loring & Lys de Bretagne Cameret shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Unidentified, Namibia

July 23:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1817: Maria, this brig was lost near Robben Island in Table Bay in the Western Cape. Very little is known about this vessel. 

1878: Etta Loring, this American barque was driven ashore during a lasting north-westerly gale on Woodstock Beach in Table Bay in the Western Cape. It came into Table Bay on the 18th of May for repairs. It was finally repaired and seaworthy again by July, but the lasting north-westerly gale had it dragging its anchor for four days before it was finally driven ashore where it wrecked on Woodstock Beach on this day.

1967: Lys de Bretagne Cameret, this French trawler wrecked near the Salt River mouth in Table Bay in the Western Cape after breaking its moorings.

2011: A SAAF Cessna 208 Caravan (registration no. 3009) landed down slope and flipped over, crashing at Kei Mouth in the Eastern Cape. The only reported injury was that the pilot had injured her hand.

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South Africa: Oosterland, Waddingsveen, Ashleigh Brook, Itzehoe & Natal shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

May 24:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1697: Two Dutch East Indiamen, the Oosterland and Waddingsveen, were lost on the same day during a strong gale in Table Bay in the Western Cape, just north of the Salt River mouth.

Two examples of complete Chinese blue-and-white porcelain artifacts that were excavated from Oosterland. They date to the Kangxi period (1662–1722 CE) and were probably private trade goods

Reports vary, but it is believed that no more than 17 of the approximately 400 people that were on board both vessels survived. Both wrecks were subject to an archaeological excavation during the late 1980s/early 1990s. The excavations lead to the discovery of many artefacts that lay preserved under the shifting sands of Table Bay which, because of the artefacts being found in context by archaeologists, helped to further our knowledge of what life was like on board these ships and to give a clearer picture of what goods were being traded between Europe, Southern Africa and the Far East.

1890: Ashleigh Brook, this British iron steam-powered ship wrecked at Dassen Island in the Western Cape in the early hours of the morning.

1911: Itzehoe, this German steam-powered cargo ship ran aground and wrecked on the rocks at Cape Recife in the Eastern Cape. The tug Sir Frederick tried to pull it off, but this was to no avail.

The Itzehoe (1911), aground with the Cape Recife lighthouse in the background

When it became clear that the ship would be lost, lighters were dispatched to get most of the cargo off before the weather turned. It later broke its back and was slowly taken by the sea. Parts of the hull are still visible today and are found at a depth of about 7 m.

1914: Natal, this steam-powered Norwegian whaler ran aground and wrecked on Robben Island in the Western Cape while chasing whales in a thick fog.

1981: A SAAF Douglas DC-3 (registration no. 6878) was destroyed in a fire on this day at the Johannesburg-Rand Germiston Airport in Gauteng while it was being serviced.

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South Africa: Derby, Jacaranda, Cape of Good Hope & Sensation shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

April 27:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1895: Derby, this wooden Norwegian barque wrecked between Oyster Bay and Cape St Franics in the Eastern Cape. It sprang a leak in heavy weather and its pumps were not functional. The crew insisted that it be beached as they were exhausted from manually moving the water. It was beached at Thys Bay and became a total wreck. Four of the crew returned to the vessel to salvage some goods and drowned.

The Derby (1895) being worked on in a dry dock, location and date unknown

1967: Jacaranda, this motor-powered South African fishing vessel got stuck on the bar of the Breede River mouth in the Western Cape and wrecked.

1984: During the Vasco da Gama race to East London, a 60 knot westerly started blowing on the 26th. It continued into the 27th and claimed two further vessels on this day:

• Cape of Good Hope, this yacht was struck by a wave which rolled it and led to it foundering within 8 minutes. All on board made it to the life raft and were rescued by a SAAF helicopter.

The Sensation (1984) lying battered on the rocks at the Daza River mouth after being flung high and dry by the powerful waves

• Sensation, this yacht tacked close to the shore and with both sail and motor running, could not make against the powerful waves. Eventually the waves threw it onto the rocks by the Daza River mouth, just north of the Msikaba River mouth in the Eastern Cape.

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