SAHRA Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage
April 27:
“This day in our shipwreck and aeronautical wreck history”
1895: Derby, this wooden Norwegian barque wrecked between Oyster Bay and Cape St Franics in the Eastern Cape. It sprang a leak in heavy weather and its pumps were not functional. The crew insisted that it be beached as they were exhausted from manually moving the water. It was beached at Thys Bay and became a total wreck. Four of the crew returned to the vessel to salvage some goods and drowned.
The Derby (1895) being worked on in a dry dock, location and date unknown
1967: Jacaranda, this motor-powered South African fishing vessel got stuck on the bar of the Breede River mouth in the Western Cape and wrecked.
1984: During the Vasco da Gama race to East London, a 60 knot westerly started blowing on the 26th. It continued into the 27th and claimed two further vessels on this day:
• Cape of Good Hope, this yacht was struck by a wave which rolled it and led to it foundering within 8 minutes. All on board made it to the life raft and were rescued by a SAAF helicopter.
The Sensation (1984) lying battered on the rocks at the Daza River mouth after being flung high and dry by the powerful waves
• Sensation, this yacht tacked close to the shore and with both sail and motor running, could not make against the powerful waves. Eventually the waves threw it onto the rocks by the Daza River mouth, just north of the Msikaba River mouth in the Eastern Cape.
Aerial photo/video service/inquiries: info@traveltonamibia.com
