SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
James Searle wreck, South Africa
August 29:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1819: A south-easterly gale claimed three vessels on this day, all belonging to Frederick Korsten, and all being driven ashore at the Baakens River mouth in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. The Good Hope managed to survive another day before being claimed on the 30th.
• Thomas, a wooden-hulled coaster.
• Uitenhage Packet, a wooden-hulled schooner. This was the only ship known of to have ever sailed up the Swartkops River.
• Winifred & Maria, a wooden-hulled brig.
1851: Urania, this wooden-hulled barque ran aground on the lee bank in the Durban Harbour in KwaZulu-Natal and although it was eventually gotten off, it was condemned.
1868: Crusader, this sailing brig wrecked in a south-easterly gale near Esplanade Rocks in East London in the Eastern Cape.
1880: Star of Africa, this iron-hulled sailing barque wrecked on Albatross Rock near Olifantsbos in the Western Cape. The Australian Register recounts the story of one of two survivors of the 16 that were on board. At about 04:30 am, the barque struck Albatross Rock and sails were at once set to head for the shore. It struck again and started going down instantly. There was no time to launch any boats and the second mate managed to cling to a hencoop whilst the sinking ship caused a vortex, pulling most things and people down. After the vortex settled, he found an upturned boat with four or five others trying to right it. By the time it was righted, only three people made it on. With a single oar in a waterlogged boat, they managed to reach the shore, with only the second mate and a seaman surviving and the other man having died from exhaustion in the boat.
1889: Mary Emily, this wooden-hulled barque foundered during an easterly gale in heavy seas at night in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. During the night, the tug Churchill, had left the harbour to render assistance and to attempt to bring it over the bar in the heavy seas. They struggled to achieve this, so the attempt was abandoned, and it was then assumed that the barque had weighed anchor and made it out to sea. It appears that instead, whilst in the outer anchorage in the heavy seas, its anchor chain tore open its bow and its cargo of coal made it sink like a rock. The loss was only noticed the following morning when the beach became littered with debris. Over the following weeks, 9 bodies washed ashore with two bodies having never been found. Three weeks later, the tug Forerunner was sent to investigate wreckage at about 11m in depth, opposite the Rocket House and they found the wreck site.
1914: Pisang/Piesang, this Norwegian iron-hulled whaler foundered on the Knysna Bar in Knysna in the Western Cape after having struck Emu Rock. Five of the crew of 11 were lost. There is some speculation amongst the diving community that the “Phantom Wreck”, at about 2-8m in depth, might be this vessel, but more research is required to determine this accurately.
1927: Fair Helga, this steel-hulled steam-powered whaler foundered after springing a leak east of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. The leak was noticed at around 08:15 and by 10:15 all efforts to plug it had failed and so it was abandoned by 11:00 shortly after which it foundered. The crew was picked up the Sandgate Castle.
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