History

1840: Jack Tar, this wooden sailing brig wrecked in a south-easterly gale at Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. No lives were lost. 1863: Akbar, this British wooden sailing brig of 809 tons missed its stays and wrecked near Rietvlei in Table Bay 4 km south of the Rover (1856) in the Western Cape. Most of the cargo was saved by the steamer Albatross (Albatross was later wrecked on Albatross rock in April 1863). Akbar was built in 1852 at Sunderland and commanded by … [Read more...] about 12 January Shipwreck List

1878: Elizabeth, this South African cargo boat took on water and sank in Durban harbour in KwaZulu-Natal after being overloaded. 1880: Philia, this British wooden sailing snow of 236 tons and built in 1862 was wrecked on a rocky outcrop at Santos Beach in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape. It was transporting bridge building material meant for the building of the bridge at Little/Klein Brak River. Philia was buikt by Mills, Sunderland and commanded by Captain J. Edwards. Most of the cargo had … [Read more...] about 11 January Shipwreck List

1730: Saxenburg (Saksenburg), this Dutch East Indiaman struck a reef and then foundered during a heavy gale off Cape Agulhas/ L’Agulhas in the Western Cape. Of the 88 that were on board, only seven survived. Some sources list the year of wrecking as 1729 and some list the wrecking as on 8 January 1730. This Cape provision ship of 610 tons was built in 1723 at the Amsterdam Yard for the Amsterdam Chamber of the Dutch East India Company. The crew were obliged to jettison her guns after a very bad … [Read more...] about 9 January Shipwreck List

1806: Bato, this 74-gun 800 ton Dutch ship of the line was set on fire and scuttled on Long Beach in Simons Town in False Bay in the Western Cape on 8 January 1806 - te same day that the Battle of Blaauwberg began. On the 27th of February 1804, it was deemed unseaworthy, and its use was to be a floating battery in defence of Simons Town for the next two years. After the Dutch lost the Battle of Blaauwberg to the British, and a new occupation became inevitable, they were ordered to burn it down. … [Read more...] about 8 January Shipwreck List

1846: A strong north-westerly gale claimed two ships and 21 lives in Table Bay, in the Western Cape: Diana, this Portuguese wooden sailing barque of 294 tons had operated as a slaver when it was captured and taken as a prize by the HMS Mutine. It was lying in Table Bay when the gale drove it ashore, wrecking at Imhoff Battery on Woodstock beach. Diana was under the command of Lieut Mends (RN) when its cables had parted during the north-west gale after a voyage from Pemba, Zanzibar with a … [Read more...] about 7 January Shipwreck List

1821: On this date a north-westerly gale struck Table Bay in the Western Cape, grounding at least five vessels, two of which are confirmed to have wrecked: Emma, this British vessel of 467 tons was wrecked at Woodstock beach. Emma was built of teak in India in 1813. She was commanded by Captain C. Baumgardt and was wrecked whilst on a voyage from Portsmouth to Madras. No lives were lost. Indian Packet, this Danish schooner of 300 tons was wrecked near the Salt River mouth with the crew … [Read more...] about 4 January Shipwreck List

1861: Lord George Bentinck, this British wooden sailing barque of 592 tons was wrecked on Back Beach in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal after its defective cables parted in a north-easterly wind. The Lord George Bentinck was built in 1848 at Sunderland and commanded by Captain George Case. She was on a voyage from New York with general cargo. The crew were saved by means of rocket apparatus. … [Read more...] about 3 January Shipwreck List

1869: Hopefield Packet, this sailing coasting schooner wrecked at Camps Bay in Cape Town in the Western Cape. The Hopefield Packet was on a voyage to Dyer Island with part of her cargo of stores. 1909: Evening Star, this wooden steam-powered fishing vessel wrecked near Cove Rock in East London in the Eastern Cape. … [Read more...] about 2 January Shipwreck List