1809: Reliance, this American wooden sailing vessel was broken up in Table Bay in the Western Cape. Very little is known about it.
1814: William Pitt, this British East Indiaman wrecked somewhere between Algoa Bay and St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape. It was only known to have wrecked from items washing ashore with no survivors having been reported. The Stag searched for evidence of its wrecking and found further proof, such as a medicine chest lid with the name ‘William Pitt’ on it. Pieces of the wreck and cargo washed up near Bird Island, Sundays River, Gamtoos River, St Francis Bay and Tsitsikamma.
1817: Amsterdam, this 80-gun Dutch man-of-war commanded by Captain Hofmeyer was wrecked at the eponymous Amsterdamhoek at Bluewater Bay in the Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. The captain made the decision to run the warship ashore after having sprung a leak in a storm on a voyage from Batavia to Holland with a cargo including rare treasures from Java destined for the King of the Netherlands. Three men lost their lives and the survivors travelled to the nearest town, which at the time was Uitenhage/Kariega, before eventually making their way back to the Netherlands. The Bayworld Museum in Gqeberha has an interesting exhibit on this vessel along with other shipwrecks.
1881: Albatross, this 384 ton German sailing barque’s anchor cables parted during a south-easterly gale and it wrecked along the bight in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. Commanded by Captain L. Kranst the barque was on a voyage from Cape Town carrying general cargo. The crew were landed safely.
1896: Rainbow, this Norwegian wooden barque wrecked at Stalwart Point, between the Great Fish and Mpekweni rivers.
