SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
March 18:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1823: Heworth, this wooden sailing vessel (possibly a snow or a brig) wrecked in Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape.
1871: Queen of the Thames, this steam-powered mail ship (that was also sail rigged) wrecked off Ryspunt near Arniston/Waenhuiskrans in the Western Cape less than 7 months after it was built. En-route from Australia, it encountered heavy fog on the South African south coast and a light on the shore was mistaken for the Agulhas light. It came too close to the shore and ran aground on a sandbank.
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| A painting of the Queen of the Thames (1871) by an unknown artist |
Although all the passengers were safely removed, four of the crew drowned during the wrecking event. Afterwards, there was a big sale on the beach, with local lore today claiming that much of the domestic furniture in the area stems from this sale. The rest of the wreck was sold off and completely salvaged over the course of a year as it remained intact. If you want to see some artefacts from this wreck, why not visit the Bredasdorp shipwreck museum?
1931: Kate, this steel steam-powered coaster (a former dredger) was scuttled off the Durban coast in KwaZulu-Natal. It is speculated that the Kate was the first dredger rigged specifically for South African ports. It was later refitted for coasting duties. In its service, it had tended to the rescue of the Istar in Madagascar and supported the salvage of the Cariboo (1928). To lay it to rest, the bottom was blown out 5 km from the Durban Harbour. When it was scuttled, the depth was recorded as being 110 m next the Emma, the Istar, the Garthforce, and the Namaqua. Today it is believed that the wreck was found to be at a depth of 63 m and lying next to the Kaidie.
1949: Sleuthound, this South African tug was scuttled off Robben Island in the Western Cape.
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