South Africa: Rachel, Aurora, Congella, Hogni & Seli 1 shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Skeleton Coast, Namibia

September 8:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1854: Rachel, this sailing schooner foundered in Hondeklip Bay in Namaqualand in the Northern Cape. Very little is known about this vessel.

1875: Aurora, this wooden sailing cutter wrecked south east of Cape Recife in the Eastern Cape.

1903: Congella, this steam-powered ship wrecked in the outer anchorage of East London in the Eastern Cape.

1936: Hogni, this steel steam-powered whaler was scuttled just beyond the three-mile limit, off the coast of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. Its scuttling was observed by 160 spectators on board the SS Panther.

2009: Seli 1, this Panamanian bulk carrier was driven ashore at Bloubergstrand in Table Bay in the Western Cape just after midnight in a strong westerly. It had suffered an engine failure and whilst at anchorage, a strong westerly picked up and blew it from its anchorage. The crew of 25 were promptly rescued by the NSRI and the Seli 1 sustained structural damage. Salvage operations attempted to remove the 600,000 litres of oil onboard the ship and over the years the SAMSA slowly removed parts of the wreck before it disappeared below the water in 2013. An oil spill that occurred during the salvage work reportedly resulted in the slicking of 219 birds.

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South Africa: Severe, Racer, James Gaddarn, Crystal Wave & Goel No 1 shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

January 27:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1784: Severe, this French man-of-war wrecked on Blaauwbergstrand in Table Bay in the Western Cape after missing its stays and being driven ashore.

1879: Racer, this British wooden sailing brigantine wrecked in a gale somewhere along the Overberg coastline in the Western Cape. One source suggests that it wrecked near Marthapunt, near Skipskop, and another suggests that it wrecked near the Ratel River mouth, just east of Quoin Point. 

1882: James Gaddarn/Goddern, this British wooden sailing barque wrecked in an east-north-easterly gale on Back Beach in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal.

1894: Crystal Wave, this wooden sailing schooner capsized in a violent south-easterly squall in Hout Bay in the Western Cape with the loss of four lives. It is currently presumed that it foundered after capsizing, but more research is required to determine this accurately. 

1976: Goel No 1, this motor-powered geophysical research vessel (a converted whaler) ran aground on Whale Rock and then wrecked just below the lighthouse on the south side of Robben Island in Table Bay in the Western Cape. They had left Table Bay harbour late at night in a south-easterly gale with an apparent electrical fault on the ship’s instruments.

Goel No 1 shortly after wrecking and starting to disappear beneath the waves

The tugs Danie Hugo and Atlantic rendered assistance but, at 01:00 on the 28th, the ship was abandoned with two NSRI boats rescuing the crew of 19. An oil spill contaminated Table Bay and affected the marine life with fuel and lubricating oil being salvaged. Most of the wreck now lies at about 7 m in depth, perpendicular to the shore.

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South Africa: NSRI Plettenberg Bay - Fatal shark incident

NSRI (Station 14 Plettenberg Bay)

30 June 2022

Fatal shark incident:

At 14h09, Tuesday, 28 June, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following eye-witness reports of a shark incident involving a swimmer at Sanctuary Beach, Plettenberg Bay.

NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene and 2 NSRI rescue craft were launched.

On arrival on the scene the body of an adult male, believed to be a local man, was located and recovered from the water, at the back surf line, onto an NSRI rescue craft and the body was brought to the NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescue station.

An NSRI doctor, ambulance services and the SA police Services responded.

Sadly injuries sustained are fatal and the man was declared deceased by the doctor.

Family of the deceased man are in the care of Police and counsellors.

Condolences are conveyed to the family of the deceased man.

Bitou Municipality has closed beaches in Plettenberg Bay.

NSRI and Bitou Municipality are appealing to sea users - bathers, paddlers, sailors and boaters - in Plettenberg Bay and along the Southern Cape coastline to exercise caution following this fatal incident.

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