South Africa: Mariner & Transvaal shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

Gertrud Woermann, wrecked near Swakopmund, Namibia

August 3:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1860: Mariner, this sailing barque missed its stays and wrecked on the rocks near the Green Point Lighthouse in the Western Cape. The entire crew and all passengers made it off safely, but the captain shot himself and his body had to be removed from the wreck.

1978: Transvaal, this ex-Navy steam powered frigate was scuttled in Smitswinkel Bay in False Bay in the Western Cape to form an artificial reef after it had reached the end point of its usable life. It forms part of the Smitswinkel Bay wreck route along with the Orotava (1983), Elizabeth (1983), Good Hope (1978), and Rockeater (1972).

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South Africa: John N Gamewell & Rockeater shipwrecks

SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage

December 15:

“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”

1880: John N Gamewell, this 3-masted sailing schooner caught alight and burned down to the waterline and then drifted ashore at Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape.

1972: Rockeater, this motor-powered mineral-sampling dredger was scuttled by the South African Navy to form an artifice reef, in Smitswinkel Bay on the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape.

The Rockeater (1972), date and location unknown

It was the first of five wrecks to be scuttled in Smitswinkel Bay for this purpose.

A map of the Smitswinkel Bay wreck route

The wreck can be dived with the deepest section being about 36m on the sand.

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