1844: Mary, this wooden sailing schooner wrecked in Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape after its cables parted in a south-easterly gale. It was driven onto the jetty, so the crew managed to simply jump off without a loss of life. 1852: Espiegle, this sailing schooner wrecked in a south-westerly gale on the eponymous Espiegle Rock at Hondeklip Bay in the Northern Cape. 1943: On this day, U-160 continued its attack on convoy DN21 which had commenced on the 3rd March. In … [Read more...] about 4 March Shipwreck List
History
27 February Shipwreck List
1848: Lady Leith, this wooden sailing brig wrecked in a south-easterly gale at Cape Recife in the Eastern Cape after having struck Thunderbolt reef. 1854: Katherine Gwladys, this wooden sailing schooner wrecked on Bird Island in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. 1861: Hero, this American whaling barque wrecked in a south easterly gale in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. 1890: Blythswood, this sailing barque wrecked at Green Point/Mouille Point in Table Bay in the Western Cape. There are … [Read more...] about 27 February Shipwreck List
3 March Shipwreck List
1854: Mary Jenkins, this coaster foundered near the Mtata River in the Eastern Cape with the loss of all that were on board. 1882: Queen of Ceylon, this wooden sailing barque wrecked on Back Beach in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. Its cables parted in a strong north-easterly gale and after putting down a second anchor, it also parted. It was then driven onto another barque before finally being driven ashore where it became a total wreck. 1943: U-160 terrorised South African waters by attacking … [Read more...] about 3 March Shipwreck List
2 March Shipwreck List
1842: Legionier, this wooden sailing vessel wrecked after its cables parted in a south-easterly gale at the Baakens River Mouth in Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. 1852: Juno, this Dutch sailing barque wrecked in dense fog directly below the lighthouse at Agulhas Point in the Western Cape with the loss of five passengers. … [Read more...] about 2 March Shipwreck List
1 March Shipwreck List
1848: Chanticleer, this South African iron schooner struck a rock on the east bank of the Kowie River in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape and foundered. 1956 (possibly 1959): Rondebosch, this motor-powered fishing boat wrecked at night on the northern sandbank of the Mvoti/Hlimbitwa River Mouth in KwaZulu-Natal. It is reported that the man on watch thought that the lights from KwaDukuza (formerly Stanger), which is 4km from the shore, was coming from a village directly on the shore. The vessel … [Read more...] about 1 March Shipwreck List
28 February Shipwreck List
1892: Alcestis, this British steel steam-powered ship foundered after striking a sunken wreck about 2.5km off Cape Agulhas/L'Agulhas in the Western Cape. The SS Guernsey picked the crew and the Customs Department labelled it a massive danger to navigation at the time. 1966: Glenwilliam, this South African fishing vessel was abandoned due to a severe leak on this day in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. Some unknown time later, it washed ashore and became a wreck. 1971: Wafra, this Liberian … [Read more...] about 28 February Shipwreck List
26 February Shipwreck List
1852: Birkenhead, this British iron paddle-driven steam-powered frigate was en route to the Buffalo River in East London with reinforcements for the Eighth Frontier War when it wrecked off Danger Point in the Western Cape. It struck an uncharted rock at night in calm weather and broke up within 20 minutes. Only two lifeboats were launched, and 445 men lost their lives, with all the women and children surviving. The Lioness and Rhadamanthus assisted in rescuing survivors but only arrived there … [Read more...] about 26 February Shipwreck List
25 February Shipwreck List
1869: Jason, this vessel wrecked in either False Bay or Table Bay in the Western Cape after being blown off the slip during a heavy south-easter whilst in for repairs. The Jason ran ashore near Cape St Francis in the Eastern Cape on the 14th of January and was abandoned by its crew. The steamer HMS Racoon managed to get it off and towed it back to the Cape. It was here, on this day, whilst on the slip in either Table Bay or False Bay that it was blown into the water by a heavy south-easter, … [Read more...] about 25 February Shipwreck List
24 February Shipwreck List
1880: Svanen, this Swedish wooden sailing barque was rammed in the Table Bay Harbour in the Western Cape by the Portuguese steamer ‘India’ and although it did not founder, it was condemned because of the damage it sustained. 1932: Snipe, this steel steam-powered dredger was condemned and dismantled with the hull being scuttled in 40-meter-deep water off Durban in KwaZulu-Natal on this day. … [Read more...] about 24 February Shipwreck List
20 February Shipwreck List
1673: Grundel, this Dutch East India Company Hoeker wrecked near Cape Hangklip between Betty’s Bay and Pringle Bay in the Western Cape. An attempt was made on its return from Batavia to stop and to take on water in Madagascar, but the French had taken occupation of the island and drove off the Dutch with gunfire. They made a dash for the Cape with the captain being wounded by the French. They managed to come close, wrecking on the other side of False Bay, near Cape Hangklip. The captain and two … [Read more...] about 20 February Shipwreck List
19 February Shipwreck List
1913: Hugelia, this iron steam-powered fishing trawler of 153 tons and built in 1892 was wrecked just west of the Keiskamma river mouth near Hamburg in the Eastern Cape. The Captain and the Mate having allowed an inexperienced person at the wheel in a dark night while navigating a dangerous coast. FV Hugelia was built by Cochrane & Cooper Ltd., Beverley (Hull) fir North Eastern Steam Fishing Co. Ltd., Grimsby FV. In 1912 Consolidated Whaling & Deep Sea Fishing Co. bought and owned FV … [Read more...] about 19 February Shipwreck List
18 February Shipwreck List
1938: Panaghia, this Glasgow built (1928) steel steam-powered freighter wrecked in Seal Bay, in Cape St Francis in the Eastern Cape due to dense fog. Its boilers can reportedly still be seen at low tide. This happened whilst she was sailing from Argentina to Australia in ballast. Captain Pettersen salvaged the wreck. Panaghia was built by Hamilton Wm. & Co. Ltd., Glasgow for Temple SS Co. Ltd., London SS Temple Lane who owned the vessel from 1928 to 1937 before Kassos Steam Navigation Co., … [Read more...] about 18 February Shipwreck List
17 February Shipwreck List
1857: Euridyce, this British brig wrecked on North End beach in Gqeberha Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape after its cables parted during a south-easterly gale and the Euridyce struck the barque Alexandrina. 1940: Cheldale, this British steel steam-powered cargo ship was lost north east of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal after a collision with the Greystoke Castle. The Cheldale was steaming slowly towards Durban so as not to arrive before dawn and was apparently showing no lights. It … [Read more...] about 17 February Shipwreck List
16 February Shipwreck List
1686: Stavenisse, this Dutch East Indiaman of 544 tons wrecked at what is presumed to be near the Mzimkulu River mouth at Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal resulting in the loss of eleven lives from the crew of 71. The rest of the crew encountered survivors of the Good Hope (1685) and the Bona Ventura (1686). They worked together to build the boat ‘Centaurus’ which was officially launched on the 17th of February, 1687. On the first of March 1687, they safely arrived at the Cape of Good Hope and … [Read more...] about 16 February Shipwreck List
15 February Shipwreck List
1834: L’Aigle, this wooden French whaler ran aground at Slangkop Beach near Kommetjie on the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape and wrecked. Three lives were lost because of the wrecking. There is speculation that some packed stones on the hills just south of the lighthouse is actually an unmarked grave of one of those lost and that the campsite name of ‘De Anker’ at the Soetwater resort comes from this vessel’s anchor that lies near the tidal pool. 1881: Johanna, this schooner lost its … [Read more...] about 15 February Shipwreck List
