SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
May 31:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1668: Schollevaar, this wooden Dutch hoeker was run ashore where it wrecked by a drunken skipper in a north-westerly gale near Yzerfontein in the Western Cape. Two people drowned during the wrecking.
1839: North Wester, this wooden South African sailing vessel wrecked near Durban in KwaZulu-Natal.
1867: Osprey, this wooden British gunboat foundered during a westerly storm off Cape St. Francis in the Eastern Cape. It was lost about 16 km west of the seal point lighthouse.
 |
| An illustration of the HMS Osprey (1867) and HMS Opposum engaging in a battle with pirates in Thailand |
Comments:
Mike Klee
The "Osprey" did not founder. When a ship "founders", it basically sinks out in the open ocean due to the ingress of seawater. The "Osprey", however, was wrecked on the coast in shallow water, close to Cape St Francis. Her remains can still be seen in very shallow water.
Secondly and as far as I am aware, the "Osprey" was engaged in fighting pirates close to Hong Kong - NOT Thailand. In the wreckage of the "Osprey", a bronze cannon captured from these pirates in this fighting bore the Tudor rose. This cannon was salvaged in the 1970's and at one time "stood guard" in front of a beach house at Cape St Francis.
1870: Isle of Wight, this vessel sprang a leak and foundered off the Transkei coast in the Eastern Cape.
1882: Clansman, this wooden British brigantine was lost when its cables parted during a south-easterly gale near East London in the Eastern Cape.
1889: Namaqua II, this British/South African steam-powered coaster struck a submerged object and was beached near Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape. Reports vary, but it was either wrecked or repaired and sold off.
1892: Ashbank, this 4-masted steel British barque left Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape for Newcastle in New South Wales in Australia but was never seen or heard from again.
1955: Zwartberg, this motor-powered South African fishing vessel foundered at its moorings in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape.
1956: Duineveld, this motor-powered South African fishing vessel wrecked near Chapman’s Peak off the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape. Very little is known about it.
1978: A cement barge, only known as “Barge 3”, foundered at the quarry in False Bay in the Western Cape.
1982: Harvest Hercules, a fire broke out on this South African fishing vessel in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape. It scuttled thereafter.
Aerial photo/video service/inquiries: info@traveltonamibia.com
.jpg)
