South Africa: Le Victor, Martha, Suffolk & Flatdog shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Unknown wreck in Walvis Bay, Namibia

September 24:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1782: Le Victor, this wooden sailing corvette wrecked in a north-westerly gale at the Salt River mouth in Table Bay in the Western Cape. Records indicate that ‘nearly’ all aboard were saved, but the exact number of casualties is unknown. The wreck now lies beneath reclaimed land.

1826: Martha, this wooden sailing brig wrecked on the eponymous Martha Reef at Martha Point northeast of Arniston/Waenhuiskrans in the Western Cape.

1900: Suffolk, this four-masted steel steam-powered ship wrecked west of Cape St Francis near Tsitsikamma Point in the Eastern Cape after striking a reef and its holds flooding. A smaller steamer, the Lake Erie, was passing nearby and rescued all that were on board. However, the 900 horses that were being transported were left on board the ship, which disappeared below the waves later in the day. Wreckage washed up as far west as the Great Brak River and later investigations by the authorities found that many of the farm houses had used timber from the wreck that had washed up as there was a Troop letter stamped into the timber used for the horse stalls which made identification quite easy.

1996: Flatdog, this South African yacht collided with a fishing vessel in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape and whilst being towed back for repairs, it foundered.

2009: A SA Airlink British Aerospace Jetstream 41 (registration no. ZS-NRM) suffered an engine failure shortly after taking from Durban International Airport in KwaZulu-Natal and crash landed about 1.6 km from its takeoff runway in the Merebank residential area, skidding through an electrical pole, over a road, and eventually coming to rest against a concrete palisade. The two pilots and one flight attendant on board were seriously injured, with the one pilot succumbing to his injuries on the 7th of October. The wing of the airplane also clipped a member of the public who was seriously injured.

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South Africa: Carrie Wyman, City of Lincoln, Highfields & Barge 530 shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Benguela Eagle wreck in Namibia

August 14:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1886: Carrie Wyman, this wooden-hulled barque wrecked in front of the Eastern Training Wall at the mouth of the Buffalo River in East London in the Eastern Cape.

1902: A north-westerly gale in Table Bay in the Western Cape resulted in the grounding of the Brutus (which was refloated) and the loss of two vessels:

• City of Lincoln, this iron-hulled steam-powered ship wrecked on Salt River beach in Table Bay in the Western Cape.

• Highfields, this steel-hulled barque came into Table Bay after losing most of its sails in a severe storm off the Cape. It collided with the steamship Kaiser which was anchored just outside of the harbour wall, and sank within 5 minutes. At least 19, but some sources claim as many as 23, of the crew lost their lives. The wreck site, although partially in the harbour approach lane, makes for a rewarding dive at about 20 m in depth.

1985: Two iron-hulled barges, Barge 530 and Barge 531, were scuttled by the SA Navy off Ifafa Beach in KwaZulu-Natal.

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South Africa: Anne Jane, Kent, Elise, Magdala, Pemba & Castillo de Bellver shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Snowgoose wreck in Namibia

August 6:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1856: Anne Jane, this vessel wrecked on Woodstock Beach in Table Bay in the Western Cape. Very little is known about the vessel as well as the event. 

1856: Kent, this wooden-hulled sailing barque wrecked near the Salt River Mouth in Table Bay in the Western Cape after its cables parted and it was driven ashore. 

1863: Elise, the wooden-hulled brig wrecked near Mouille Point in Table Bay in the Western Cape.

1897: Magdala, the wooden-hulled sailing barque left Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape on this day, destined for Delagoa Bay (modern day Maputo) in Mozambique. However, the vessel and those that were on board were never seen or heard from again. 

1926: Pemba, the steel-hulled steam-powered ship foundered south-east of Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape after being swamped in heavy weather. Although the crew took to the boats and landed on the beach, one man lost his life.  

1983: Castillo de Bellver, the Spanish super tanker foundered about 70 km west of Dassen Island in the Western Cape, after a fire broke out onboard the vessel. Although the crew were saved, three members could not be accounted for and were presumed to have perished in the fire. The ship burnt intensely, and eventually bad weather broke its back, with the stern section sinking. The bow section remained afloat upturned, and divers were dropped on it by helicopter to secure a tow rope. The tug John Ross towed it further out to sea, and it was scuttled using explosives in deeper waters. It was carrying 252,000 tons of crude oil at the time and it is believed that approximately 60,000 tons were released into the ocean and/or burned during the event. The oil spill initially looked as if it was going to wash up on the coast which would have caused a massive marine disaster however the wind eventually blew it out to sea where it dispersed. It is believed that both its bow and stern sections are releasing oil to this day.

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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: Middenrak, Stabroek, Sarah Charlotte, Twilight, Petingo & Meng Yaw No 366 shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

July 3:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1728: A north-westerly gale in Table Bay in the Western Cape drove two wooden Dutch East Indiamen ashore, causing them to wreck: 

• Middenrak, wrecked just North of the Salt River mouth with the loss of life of all 116 on board as the storm and the raging surf made rescue attempts impossible. 

• Stabroek, wrecked between the Castle and the mouth of the Salt River with 2 lives being lost. 

1860: Sarah Charlotte, this wooden British brig wrecked in a north-westerly gale when its cables parted in Table Bay in the Western Cape. 

1886: Twilight, this Austrian vessel was beached to become a wreck in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape after having been condemned a month earlier after arriving in a leaky condition. 

1964: A SAAF Douglas DC-3 (registration no. 6875) was damaged beyond repair at the Rand Airport in Gauteng after a fire broke out on the ground.

1989: Meng Yaw No 366, this Taiwanese fishing trawler wrecked in heavy weather at Heidebaai between the Tsitsikamma River mouth and Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape.

Meng Yaw (1989) in 1996, 7 years after wrecking. Today the wreck site is completely submerged

1990: Petingo, this 80 000 ton bulk ore carrier became stranded on a sandbank in heavy weather just off Port Dunford, near Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.

Shortly after the Petingo (1990) started sinking

When it started breaking up, 200 tons of fuel leaked into the ocean and the remaining 1400 tons were released with explosives in the hope that prevailing winds would carry it to the open ocean. Despite this, major pollution of the nearby beaches still occurred. The wreck now lies at its deepest at about 30 m, but parts of it are as shallow as 8 m.

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South Africa: São João, Joanna, Voorzichtigheid, Minnie, Seine, Greystoke Castle & Trygve shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

June 8:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1552: São João, this wooden Portuguese carrack wrecked with a heavy loss of life, most likely near Port Edward in KwaZulu-Natal. Initially, Port St Johns derived its name from the assumed wreck location of the vessel, however later studies on the shipwreck survivor’s camps placed the wreck site near Port Edward instead. The actual wreck site however remains unknown with the northern beaches of Port Edward often having washed up carnelian beads. Of the approximately 600 people that were on board, about 120 perished during the wrecking and many more on the arduous 6-month journey overland to Delagoa Bay (modern day Maputo in Mozambique) as reports indicate that only 25 people from this wreck finally arrived there.

A monument erected in Port Edward in honour of those that perished with the loss of the São João (1552)

1682: Joanna/Johanna, this wooden British East Indiaman wrecked on a reef east of Quoin Point near Die Dam in the Western Cape. The exact number varies by reports, but between nine and 24 people died during the wrecking with 104 people surviving after constructing a makeshift raft and being rescued by Khoe people who provided food and guides to get them to the Cape. In the 1980s the wreck site was subject to salvage under a National Monument’s Council permit, but sadly the team focused on recovering silver from the wreck as opposed to focusing on the archaeological aspects of the site. Several artefacts are now housed at the Iziko Social History Centre.  

1757: Voorzichtigheid, this Dutch East Indiaman was driven ashore in a north-westerly gale and wrecked near the Salt River mouth in Table Bay in the Western Cape. 

1874: Minnie, this South African sailing schooner wrecked near the Breede River in the Western Cape. 

1884: Seine, this sailing barque was lost near the Great Fish River in the Eastern Cape.

1896: Greystoke Castle, this Iron-hulled British ship wrecked because of a chronometer error, at Marthapunt north-east of Arniston/Waenhuiskrans in the Western Cape. 

1897: Trygve, this wooden Norwegian barque was abandoned by its crew in heavy seas in the mouth of the Zinkwazi River in KwaZulu-Natal. Whilst trying to land the lifeboat on the beach, it capsized, and six of the nine crewmembers drowned. Shortly thereafter the abandoned Trygve ran ashore and became a wreck.

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South Africa: HMS Guardian, Maria, L’Ecole & Augusta shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

April 12:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1790: Guardian, this 44-gun wooden sailing transport sloop struck an Iceberg in dense fog near the southwest Indian Ocean Ridge on the 24th of December whilst transporting convicts and provisions to New South Wales, Australia. It set off from the Cape of Good Hope with a crew size of 123 of which 25 were convicts.

Dramatization of the HMS Guardian's crew escaping on the boats after striking the iceberg, by Robert Dodd, July 1st 1790

The following day, after having struck the iceberg with the ship seeming beyond rescue, numerous attempts were made asking the captain to abandon ship. The captain allowed the boats to be launched and about half of the crew made it onto them. However, the captain, along with a crew of 60 remained on board and managed to repair the sloop to the point of floating and it was mercifully carried by the wind the entire 2000 km back to the Cape of Good Hope. After several arduous weeks at sea, what remained of the Guardian reached the Cape of Good Hope and the captain sent a letter on the 15th of March expressing his intent to ground the sloop in Saldanha Bay so that the Guardian and its cargo may be rescued. Unfortunately, a gale wind forced it into False Bay where it was wrecked on the beach on this day.

Title page of the account of the HMS Guardian's wrecking by its captain, Lieut. Riou, 1808

The wrecking after this gale did not result in the loss of lives. However, of the 63 passengers that were loaded onto the boats on the 25th of December, only one boat with 15 passengers on board was ever rescued. The French merchant ship, Viscountess de Bantannie picked up this boat on the 3rd of January, between 100-500 km (pending the account) east of KwaZulu-Natal. 

1790: Maria, this wooden sailing barque wrecked near the Salt River mouth in Table Bay in the Western Cape. It was anchored in the bay when a great north-westerly gale parted it from its cables, and it was driven ashore where it wrecked. It was one of 7 ships to have been driven ashore during this gale, but the only one which could not be refloated. 

1829: L’Ecole, this wooden sailing vessel wrecked just north of the Inxaxo River mouth near Sandy Point in the Eastern Cape. Reports vary, but it is believed that between 13-30 people were lost due to the wrecking. 

1988: The Wild Goose, this United Air Douglas DC-3C (registration no. ZS-UAS) twin engine charter airplane had an in-flight fire and crashed during the emergency descent in an open field in Hennenman in the Free State with the airplane disintegrating and all 24 occupants losing their lives. The official investigation could not find any maintenance or crew errors and the speculation was that the fire may have been caused by a fuel booster pump failing. The passengers consisted of jockeys and their trainers. 

1993: Augusta, this South African motor-powered fishing vessel foundered in a storm east of Cape Agulhas in the Western Cape. All 12 that were on board were lost.

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South Africa: Bruydegom, Israel, Theresina, Juno, Tandeka & Sail Fisher shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

April 9:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

Eduard Bohlen shipwreck in Namibia

1674: Bruydegom, this wooden sailing vessel struck a rock between Meeu Island and Schaapen Island in the Langebaan lagoon in the Western Cape. It then drifted into the shallower parts of the lagoon, finally foundering in Kraal Bay. It had a cargo of limestone and shells on board and was waiting for favourable winds to head back to Cape Town.

1847: Israel, this wooden sailing barque (a whaler) had its cables part during a north-westerly gale and it wrecked on Salt River Beach in Table Bay in the Western Cape. It had originally entered Table Bay for fresh water.

1878: Theresina, this wooden sailing vessel’s anchor cable parted during an east-north-easterly gale and it wrecked on Back Beach in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. The crew were saved using a rocket apparatus as quicksand apparently engulfed the vessel and its cargo rapidly. The cargo included a deluxe bus. Many attempts to get it out of the wreck failed, and the ship and cargo eventually disappeared beneath the sand. However, the masts stuck out and it could still be observed at high tide. In 1913/14 the wreck was temporarily exposed, and attempts were made to get the bus out, but these were also unsuccessful. A wreck was demolished in 1936 on Back Beach and it is suspected that it may have been the Theresina.

1885: Juno, this sailing schooner foundered south of the Orange River off the west coast in the Northern Cape. A fire broke out on board late at night on the 8th and it was abandoned the morning of the 9th. It foundered shortly after. When the crew of 21 attempted to land, their boat capsized in the surf, and only four survived.

1977: Tandeka, this ferro-cement sailing yacht wrecked east of the Dassen Island Lighthouse off the west coast in the Western Cape.

1977: An outboard motor-powered dinghy (name unknown) was lost at sea with two people on board off Hout Bay in the Western Cape. 

2002: Sail Fisher, this fishing trawler, whilst returning from catching hake, ran aground on a rock and sank in House Bay on Dassen Island in the Western Cape. The crew of 10 got off safely and divers managed to pump off 400 litres of diesel fuel. The superstructure and debris were also removed so that the wreck would not pose a danger.

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South Africa: Dauphin, Defence & Rastede shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Winston wreck in Namibia

March 5:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1830: Dauphin, this wooden sailing vessel wrecked in Hoedjies Bay in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape.

1857: Defence, this fully rigged wooden sailing vessel wrecked on Salt River Beach in Table Bay in the Western Cape.

1858: Rastede, this barque wrecked during a south-easterly gale near Rietvlei in Table Bay in the Western Cape.

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