SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
June 19:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1849: Richard Dart, this wooden brig missed it stays and struck a submerged rock, eventually being driven ashore on the Northern side of Prince Edward Island and wrecking. It was an emigrant ship following a non-stop passage from England to New Zealand with 47 deaths occurring during the wrecking. The survivors explored the island over the next week finding no means of making a fire and only young albatrosses and two seals to eat. After 42 days stranded on the island, they were found by a small party who had been dropped off on the island several months ago to collect seal oil. The party was running low on provisions, but they shared what little they had with the survivors, mainly living off farina, a type of wheat that grows on the island. On the 24th of August, of the 11 crew that made it to shore, one passed away. Then finally, on the 2nd of September, the schooner Courier arrived to rescue them off the island. The survivors landed in Cape Town on the 10th of November.
A satellite image of the volcanic Prince Edward Island, 2009
1870: Elite, this Danish brig wrecked while being towed into the Kowie River in the Eastern Cape.
1876: Knysna Belle, this wooden South African schooner wrecked near the Rietvlei wetland in Table Bay in the Western Cape.
1897: Port Douglas, this steel British sailing vessel struck a reef at night about 800 m east of Cape Recife and was lost near Cape Recife in the Eastern Cape.
1924: Two Dutch barges, 'Ham 79' and ‘Ham 81', were lost during a heavy storm about 60 km from East London in the Eastern Cape. The ‘Ham 79’ along with the ‘Ham 69’ and ‘Ham 80’ were under tow of the Durban tug Friesland, whilst the Utrecht was towing ‘Ham 81’ and an unknown dredger, all destined to work in the new harbour in Walvis Bay in Namibia. The Friesland damaged its steering gear and headed for East London for repairs leaving behind the convoy in the storm. Whilst it was away, ‘Ham 81’ was abandoned, with the British whaler, Traveller picking up its crew, who were transferred to the Utrecht the next day. The Utrecht also had to start towing the ‘Ham 69’ and had taken on the crews off the ‘Ham 79’ and ‘Ham 80’ which were also abandoned. On the 20th the Friesland returned and took the ‘Ham 80’ under tow. They took the convoy to Algoa Bay and searched for the abandoned ‘Ham 79’ and ‘Ham 81’ for four days without success. It is assumed that they foundered in the heavy seas on the 19th.
1979: Arum, this motor powered South African fishing vessel collided with the Olympic Runner on this day about 7 km west of Cape Town in the Western Cape. Although it did not founder, upon its return to Cape Town it was scuttled after an inspection.
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