South Africa: Albinia, Foam, Elmira & John Barbery shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Shawnee wreck, Namibia

September 13:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1851: A strong south easterly gale claimed two wooden sailing schooners in the Eastern Cape: 

• Albinia, wrecked in Algoa Bay.

• Foam, wrecked on the east bank of the Buffalo River in East London.

1876: Elmira, this sailing vessel wrecked, 50 km east of East London in the Eastern Cape.

1991: A (name as yet unknown) crayfishing vessel struck the submerged wreck of a lighter and wrecked near Geelbek in the Langebaan Lagoon in the Western Cape. Three lives were lost because of the wrecking.

2009: John Barbery, this fishing trawler sank in Hout Bay harbour in the Western Cape.

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South Africa: Bella Angela, G M Tucker & SBA 305 shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Shawnee wreck south of Walvis Bay, Namibia

September 10:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1844: Bella Angela, this wooden sailing barque was captured by the HMS Dolphin and started being broken up in Table Bay in the Western Cape on this day, with its hull and fittings auctioned off on the 27th of September.

1895: G M Tucker, this vessel wrecked in the Old Harbour on the Buffalo River in East London in the Eastern Cape. Very little is known about this vessel.

1960: SBA 305, this barge wrecked off the Railway Jetty in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape during rough weather.

2004: A Ryan Blake Air Charter Fairchild SA228-AC Metro III (registration no. ZS-OLS) was forced into making an emergency landing on a farm near George Airport in the Western Cape after encountering a bird strike which resulted in the loss of the right engine during the landing approach. Both pilots survived but the plane was damaged beyond repair.

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South Africa: Het Huys te Craijestein, Nagel, Gambia, Hollandia & Louise shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

May 27:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1698: Het Huys te Craijestein, this Dutch East Indiaman wrecked in thick fog off the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape. Remains of this vessel can still be seen on the seabed amongst the rocks near Oudekraal on the Cape peninsula.

One of the anchor’s of Het Huys te Craijestein (1698) that is still visible on site

1709: Nagel, this wooden Dutch galiot wrecked after a fire burned it down to the waterline in Kraalbaai, in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape. It was used to transport goods around the Cape Colony and was being used as a fishing vessel when it was lost.

1871: Gambia, this three-masted British steam-powered ship wrecked at the then North Jetty in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Its propellors were fouled by a snapped towing cable which was being used to tow the Maritana, which had been abandoned in a leaking condition. The wreck lay there for 22 years before it was demolished with explosives.

1890: Hollandia, this Dutch barque wrecked in False Bay in the Western Cape and four lives were lost because of the wrecking.

The Gambia (1871) after having run aground with its fouled propellor

1891: Louise, this Norwegian wooden sailing barque wrecked on the bar while being towed into the Buffalo River in East London in the Eastern Cape during heavy seas.

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South Africa: Endeavor, Balaklava & Lizzie shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Elena V shipwreck near Luderitz, Namibia

May 14:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history” 

1812: Endeavor, this British sailing sloop wrecked in St. Helena Bay in the Western Cape. 

1867: Balaklava, this wooden barque struck Roman Rock and sank shortly thereafter in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. The crew tried to get it to safety and a tug carrying a special pump from the fire brigade was on its way when it suddenly started sinking. The tug managed to rescue all on board. 

1885: Lizzie, this steam-powered British mail tender wrecked on the west bank of the Buffalo River, near the breakwater in East London in the Eastern Cape.

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South Africa: Merestein, Castor, Clyde & Gleam shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Shipwreck in Namibia

April 3:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1702: Merestein, this Dutch East Indiaman wrecked on Jutten Island in Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape. The crew tried to enter Saldanha Bay for replenishment when the ship drifted onto the rocks around Jutten Island. It sank quickly and was battered to pieces within minutes. This resulted in the loss of life of the captain, two women, five children, and half of the crew. Approximately 100 of the crew reached the shore. Ships were sent from the Cape to pick up survivors. Its remains were discovered in the early 1970s which led to intense salvage efforts. The metal remains were conglomerated onto the rocks, so the salvors used dynamite. This resulted in the destruction of most of the wreck and what little remained after blowing it up was salvaged. Some of the artefacts, which included coins, were donated to museums whilst others were sold to collectors.

1851: Castor, this British man-o-war wrecked in the Buffalo River in East London in the Eastern Cape.

1879: Clyde, this British iron steam-powered transport ship struck a reef north-east of Dyer Island in the Western Cape and had to be run ashore on the island in fine weather, becoming a total wreck. Although the site can be dived, reports of great white shark activity tend to dissuade divers.

1882: Gleam, this British composite iron and wooden sailing barque wrecked in Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape. There was a rush to enter the Port Nolloth harbour and its chain parted after the anchor was raised. Although a tug was sent to help, the master refused assistance. It drifted onto Black Jacob Rock and was battered to pieces within 5 minutes. Reports vary, but it is believed that five of the crew of nine lost their lives.

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South Africa: Sandvik, George T Hay & Hallelujah 20 shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

March 26:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1888: Sandvik, this Swedish wooden sailing barque wrecked just east of the Buffalo River in East London in the Eastern Cape.

1906: George T Hay, this British wooden sailing vessel foundered 200 km south of Cape St Blaize in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape.

The George T Hay (1906) being launched at Spencer's Island, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1887

1990: Hallelujah 20, this motor-powered fishing trawler wrecked on the beach in front of Cannon Rocks in the Eastern Cape. Its remains are still visible in the surf.

The remains of the Hallelujah 20 (1990) are still visible in the surf at Cannon Rocks in the Eastern Cape

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South Africa: Emma, Indian Packet, Pescadora, Blackstone, Lockett, Felicia II & Jidy Aym shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

January 4:

1961, Simferopol, Walvis Bay, Namibia

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1821: On this date a north-westerly gale struck Table Bay in the Western Cape, grounding at least five vessels, two of which are confirmed to have wrecked:

• Emma, this British vessel wrecked at Woodstock beach,

• Indian Packet, this Danish schooner wrecked near the Salt River mouth with the crew being saved by a Francis Rose, who drowned in the end. 

1839: Pescadora, this Portuguese wooden sailing schooner wrecked on a reef near the entrance of Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape.

1846: Blackstone, this wooden sailing barque was put into Table Bay in the Western Cape for repairs but was instead abandoned and broken up. 

1884: Lockett/Lochett, this British wooden sailing barque wrecked in a south-easterly wind on the west bank of the Buffalo River in East London in the Eastern Cape. The enquiry into the wrecking reported that it was in a state of disrepair, having sailed from Plymouth in a leaky condition and requiring a new anchor whilst berthed in East London. 

1973: Felicia II, this motor-powered vessel wrecked at Danger Point in the Western Cape. Very little is known about it. 

2006: Jidy Aym, this South African fishing vessel was capsized by a freak wave off Dassen Island in the Western Cape resulting in the death of three crew members.

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South Africa: Timor, Bonanza & Swan shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

December 22:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1856: Timor, this wooden sailing barque wrecked in a south-easterly gale between Robben Island and Whale Rock in Table Bay in the Western Cape.

1894: Bonanza, this wooden sailing barque wrecked on Orient Beach in East London in the Eastern Cape after having lost steerage and becoming unmanageable whilst entering the Buffalo River. 

1933: Swan, this wooden steam-powered and auxiliary sailing fishing vessel wrecked at Margate Ridge at Margate in KwaZulu-Natal.

2013: A British Airways 747-436 (registration no. G-BNLL) was written off after sustaining substantial damage during a taxi accident at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg in Gauteng.

The plane wing in the damaged building

The lights and signage which guided planes from taxiway B to where it merged with taxiway A towards runway 03L were inoperable and the crew missed the curve at night and proceeded on the much smaller taxiway M, where the plane’s right wing struck a building next to the taxiway, injuring four workers on the second floor. The plane was immobilized and after a fuel leak was contained, passengers and crew were deplaned.

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