1819: Adolphus, this wooden sailing brig wrecked as a result of incorrect signaling from the shore, whilst crossing the bar at the Knysna Heads in the Western Cape. 1835: Circe, this wooden sailing vessel left Algoa Bay for Port Natal on this day, never to be seen or heard from again. 1874: Florie, this 373 ton wooden sailing barque wrecked in a south-westerly gale near the Blind River in East London in the Eastern Cape with the loss of one life. Florie was built in 1862 by Parkes, … [Read more...] about 12 December Shipwreck List
Wrecks
11 December Shipwreck List
1853: Vigilant, this 304 ton wooden sailing vessel wrecked in a south-easterly gale at the mouth of the Buffalo River in East London in the Eastern Cape after her cables parted. Vigilant was built in 1846 at Southshields and was under the command of Captain W. Stewart. 1859: Florence, this sailing schooner of 40 tons under the command of Captain I. Bradston struck a rock and foundered in the entrance to the port at Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape. Most of her cargo was saved. 1875: Annie … [Read more...] about 11 December Shipwreck List
10 December Shipwreck List
1876: General Nott, this 298 ton British wooden sailing brig built by Lester, South Hamilton in 1865 was wrecked during a north-westerly gale at the mouth of the Blind River, on East Beach, in East London in the Eastern Cape. Carrying general cargo, no lives were lost. 1882: Zambesi, this Dutch wooden sailing schooner of 130 tons commande by Captain Shloemer was wrecked in a strong easterly wind on Back Beach in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal after her cables broke. She had been in the outer … [Read more...] about 10 December Shipwreck List
9 December Shipwreck List
1873: William Shaw, this sailing schooner wrecked at the mouth of the Mzimvubu River in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape. A schooner of 39 tons, the William Shaw was owned by Mr Stoffels of Port St Johns and commanded by Captain Davis. She was wrecked after a voyage from Durban. Unknown to her captain the sandbanks in the river mouth had changed and she was wrecked whilst trying to enter the river. She was employed in the coasting trade between Port St. Johns and Durban. … [Read more...] about 9 December Shipwreck List
8 December Shipwreck List
1844: Hamilla Mitchell, this wooden sailing brig of 175 tons built in 1837 at Abroath was wrecked south of Cape Voltas, between Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape. The site of the wreck was on a reef near Wreck Point. One boy was drowned whilkst crossing the Orange River. 1874: The south-westerly gale that claimed seven vessels in the Eastern Cape from the 5th to the 7th finally calmed, but on this day, a south-easterly gale sprang up in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, claiming … [Read more...] about 8 December Shipwreck List
7 December Shipwreck List
1874: The south-westerly gale that battered the Eastern Cape coastline for two days, continued into this day, claiming its final three victims in the Eastern Cape: Emile Marie, this wooden sailing barque wrecked near Bonza Bay in East London. Her crew were rescued. James Gibson, this wooden sailing barque wrecked at Cape Henderson, near Haga-Haga. The rescuers of the Nova Bella, which wrecked the previous day, thought that the James Gibson might be refloated having been run aground in a … [Read more...] about 7 December Shipwreck List
6 December Shipwreck List
1874: The south-westerly gale that began raging on the 5th of December, continued into this day, claiming a further two vessels in the Eastern Cape: Florie/Flora, this British wooden sailing barque wrecked near the Blind River in East London. One person was washed overboard and drowned. Nuovo Abelle/Nova Bella, this Italian wooden sailing barque wrecked on the coast somewhere between the Kwelera and Quko rivers, possibly at the Chintsa river mouth with some wooden remains having been … [Read more...] about 6 December Shipwreck List
5 December Shipwreck List
1874: A south-westerly gale started raging on this day that would go on to claim seven vessels in the Eastern Cape, starting with three on this day in East London: Coquette Compagne, a wooden sailing schooner wrecked at Esplanade Rocks, a little east of of the steamer Quanza (1872) when her anchors dragged. No lives were lost. Western Star, a wooden sailing brig of 207 tons, built in 1862 by Johnson, Bideford wrecked by running ashore on the corner of Orient beach and west of the … [Read more...] about 5 December Shipwreck List
4 December Shipwreck List
1728: Haarlem, this wooden sailing east Indiaman (different to the one that wrecked on 30 November in 1647) wrecked in a north-westerly gale on Salt River Beach in Table Bay in the Western Cape. In July the vessel was driven ashore near the Castle and taken to Saldanha for repairs. After being repaired, the vessel returned to Table Bay only to be driven ashore in a gale again, this time with the vessel breaking up immediately. Of the 107 that were on board, only 16 survived. 1821: John, this … [Read more...] about 4 December Shipwreck List
3 December Shipwreck List
1825: John, this wooden sailing vessel wrecked at the mouth of the Great Fish River in the Eastern Cape. Very little is known about it. 1844: Flamingo, this American wooden sailing vessel wrecked at Struisbaai/Struis Bay in the Western Cape. It is possible that it was just grounded and refloated. 1856: Zaltbommel, this 642 tons Dutch wooden sailing barque, under Captain CJ Juta, was wrecked between Mouille Point and Chavonnes Battery in Table Bay in the Western Cape. She had left Table Bay … [Read more...] about 3 December Shipwreck List
2 December Shipwreck List
1871: Edith Smith, this wooden sailing brig wrecked on the North Patch of Bird Island in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. Edith Smith was a Cape wooden Brig of 171 tons, built in 1862 by Gough, Bridgewater and owned by I.O. Smith, Cape of Good Hope. Edith Smith was on a voyage from East London to Algoa Bay with a cargo of 340 bales of wool, some hides and 30 tons of mealies. She had called at Bird Island to land provisions for the guano party. 1882: Adonis, this 406 ton British sailing schooner … [Read more...] about 2 December Shipwreck List
1 December Shipwreck List
1865: Dane SS, this steam-powered 530 ton British Royal Mail Ship wrecked during a south west wind on Thunderbolt reef just northeast of Cape Recife in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. The captain tried running between Roman Rock and the shore, striking a previously unknown reef and wrecking. The RMS Dane was the pioneer Union Line mail ship to South Africa. No lives lost. Dane was built in 1855 by Langley, London and owned by the Union Company. At the time of the wrecking she was commanded by … [Read more...] about 1 December Shipwreck List
29 November Shipwreck List
1872: Magneten, this Norwegian sailing brig of 205 tons, commanded by Captain Berentsen was driven ashore between the old timber shed and Beacon Isle in a south-easterly gale in Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape. It is uncertain whether the vessel was grounded and refloated or whether it wrecked. No lives were lost. 1942: Argo, this motor-powered coaster was torpedoed by the Italian submarine Ammiragilo Cagni, about 75km south of Cape Point in the Western Cape. Of the 36 that were on board, … [Read more...] about 29 November Shipwreck List
28 November Shipwreck List
1876: Ann Staniland, this 192 ton wooden sailing schooner, built in 1857 by Waley Thorme and commanded by Captain John Richards was wrecked on the east bank of the Buffalo River in East London in the Eastern Cape. It was being towed by the tug London at the time and the loss was claimed to be deliberate, as the vessel had been seized to repay debts. Ann Staniland was carrying a cargo of rails and sleepers. She was under tow after a collision with Euterpe and hit the Eastern wall. 1897: … [Read more...] about 28 November Shipwreck List
27 November Shipwreck List
1872: A south-easterly gale struck the southern coast of South Africa and resulted in the loss of seven vessels: Two in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape, four in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape, and one in East London in the Eastern Cape: Anne Marie, this French sailing barque wrecked at the Swartkops River mouth in Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. When the sands shift favourably, the outline of the wreck can supposedly be seen in aerial images. Annie Benn, this … [Read more...] about 27 November Shipwreck List
