1830: Lady Holland, this wooden vessel of 455 tons and built in 1811 and commanded by Captain J. Snell struck a reef at 22h00 north-east of Dassen Island off the west coast in the Western Cape and wrecked. Its passengers and crew made it onto Dassen Island using the boats before being rescued. Lady Holland was on a voyage from London to Calcutta. Part of her cargo was saved and no lives were lost. 1850: Childe Harold, this British full rigged wooden sailing vessel wrecked on the south-eastern … [Read more...] about 13 February Shipwreck List
History
12 February Shipwreck List
1847: Robert, this British ship of 595 tons sprang a leak and had to be run ashore near the Lourens River mouth at Strand in False Bay in the Western Cape, where it wrecked. Some of the houses in the area were reportedly built with its main cargo of teak from Maulmein, Burma which was destined for London. Mary Ann was built in 1843 at New Brunswick and commanded by Captain N.R. Sayer. No lives were lost. 1888: Mary Ann, this British wooden barque of 313 tons came into Algoa Bay in the Eastern … [Read more...] about 12 February Shipwreck List
11 February Shipwreck List
1817: Emu, this sail-driven transport brig was the first vessel to attempt to enter Knysna Lagoon in the Western Cape, where it promptly wrecked. It was originally built as a merchant brig and was hired and equipped as an armed transport by the Royal Navy. After having been discharged from the Colony of New South Wales service, it was on its way home to be sold in England when it was damaged in a hurricane. It struck a rock in False Bay and foundered but was refloated and repaired in Simons … [Read more...] about 11 February Shipwreck List
10 February Shipwreck List
1892: Lieutenant Maury, this British wooden barque of around 350 tons caught fire while at anchor in Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape and eventually foundered. It caught alight at 01:00 and sank by 15:00. The cause of the blaze was not established. Only one lifeboat and two charred and burned sail booms were saved. The vessel was carrying 150 tons of copper ore bound for Swansea. No lives lost. 1943: Queen Anne, this Motor Merchant of 4 937 tons, built in 1937 by Barclay, Curle & Co, … [Read more...] about 10 February Shipwreck List
9 February Shipwreck List
1876: Lady MacDonald, this British wooden barque of 593 tons built in 1847 of teak in Maulmein, Burma and was wrecked on the northern coastline of Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. Commanded by Captain J. Hinks Lady MacDonald was on a voyage from London with general cargo including ironwork intended for the last span of of the Sundays River railway bridge. No lives were lost. 1990: Zuidam, this South African fishing vessel wrecked in a storm just west of Struispunt, … [Read more...] about 9 February Shipwreck List
8 February Shipwreck List
1832: Adelaide, this British wooden barque of 640 tons was wrecked in an easterly gale in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. An unknown number of people drowned but one record mentions that ‘several men drowned’. Adelaide was built in 1832 in Calcutta and was on a voyage from Madras with Indian immigrants. 1861: Miles Barton, this British troopship of 1034 tons was carrying the 3rd Regiment under the command of Major King when it was wrecked on the eponymous Miles Barton reef between Skipskop and … [Read more...] about 8 February Shipwreck List
7 February Shipwreck List
1836: Gondolier, this British brig under command of Captain R. Rhodes wrecked on Robben Island whilst entering Table Bay in the Western Cape. Agent: Thomson, Watson & Co. The Gondolier had put into Cape Town for provisions. At 03:15 on 01-02, while leaving Table Bay, she foundered on Robben Island. Some of her cargo was saved, including: 50 gross empty bottles, 150 boxes tin plates, 30 packages of shirting, printed cottons, umbrellas, cotton twist, 11 hogsheads of Bass's ale, piece goods, … [Read more...] about 7 February Shipwreck List
6 February Shipwreck List
1840: Friends Goodwill, this wooden slaver schooner wrecked near St Helena Bay off the west coast in the Western Cape. 1866: Runnymede, this wooden sailing vessel (most probably a barque) wrecked near Wreck Point, just west of Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape after springing a leak. The crew managed to reach Algoa Bay in the boats. Runnymede was built in 1854 at Sunderland, England. In 1856 she made her first voyage from London to Australia, transporting convicts to Western Australia. She was … [Read more...] about 6 February Shipwreck List
5 February Shipwreck List
1821: L’Eclair, this French wooden sailing vessel commanded by Caprtain Pronck was wrecked at Blaauwberg in Table Bay in the Western Cape whilst trying to enter the bay at night. Six lives were lost during the event. L'Eclair was on a voyage from Batavia to Antwerp. 1857: Albert, this South African wooden schooner struck Danger Point in the Western Cape on this day, with the crew managing to get it off and then running it aground on a beach near Struisbaai where it was condemned and sold off. … [Read more...] about 5 February Shipwreck List
4 February Shipwreck List
1876: Albert Juhl, this 3-masted schooner wrecked on Orient Beach in East London in the Eastern Cape. Albert Juhl was under the command of Captain Ruchholts. A rocket line was fired but the crew did not know how to attach. Eventually a basket was rigged up and all lives were saved. 1938: Eclair, this 173 ton South African steam-powered fishing vessel (ex whaler) wrecked in dense fog on Kanon Point, just east of the Gourits River mouth in the Western Cape - 16 miles west of mOssel Bay. Of the … [Read more...] about 4 February Shipwreck List
3 February Shipwreck List
1847: Thunderbolt, this wooden naval paddle steamer (which was also sail rigged) was returning from a survey of the Buffalo River Mouth when it struck a reef after rounding Cape Recife in the Eastern Cape. The captain managed to bring it into Algoa Bay and beached the steamer near the mouth of the Baakens River. An attempt was made to repair it, but it was further damaged by a storm. The steamer was eventually salvaged, and the remaining hull was blown up more than 40 years later. The reef that … [Read more...] about 3 February Shipwreck List
2 February Shipwreck List
1887: Jorawur (ex HMS Vulcan), this 1 736 tons iron sailing vessel was damaged after a storm on the 29th June 1886 and was put into in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape for repairs on the 9th of July 1886. By the 30th of October 1886, it was condemned and sold off. It remained lying in anchorage until the new owners could decide what they wanted to do with the condemned vessel. During a south-easterly gale on this day, the anchor cables parted, and it was driven up on the beach where it wrecked. Her … [Read more...] about 2 February Shipwreck List
1 February Shipwreck List
1913: Haddon Hall, this British steam-powered steel cargo liner wrecked at Morison’s Point in Danger Bay, just west of Saldanha Bay on the west coast in the Western Cape. After running aground three members of the crew jumped overboard and drowned, whereas the remaining crew of 54 got off safely. The wreck now lies at about 10m in depth. The SS Haddon Hall of 4 177 tons was built in 1865 by Palmers & Co., Newcastle and owned by the Ellerman Harris Line. Commaned by Captain O'Parry she was on … [Read more...] about 1 February Shipwreck List
31 January Shipwreck List
1776: Nieuwe Rhoon, this Dutch East India man wooden sailing vessel of 1150 tons struck whale rock in Table Bay in a south-easterly gale and was badly damaged. It was towed and subsequently beached at the Castle Jetty in Table Bay in the Western Cape, where its cargo was unloaded, and it was left to become a wreck. Nieuwe Rhoon was built in 1764 at the Zeeland Yard for the Amsterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company and commanded by Captain Jakob Koelders. She was on a homeward bound … [Read more...] about 31 January Shipwreck List
30 January Shipwreck List
1878: Wheatlandside, this fully-rigged British wooden ship of 1 136 tons was wrecked in a south-easterly gale on North End Beach in Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. On the 16th of December it struck a reef whilst entering the harbour, which caused a hole in its bottom. On this day, a strong-south-easterly gale (south-westerly in some reports) caused its cables to part, and it wrecked on the beach. Wheatlanside was built in Quebec in 1872 and commanded by Captain RH Dixon … [Read more...] about 30 January Shipwreck List
