AB Marine Whale & Dolphin watching

28/01/2025

1636: Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem, this wooden sailing vessel disappeared at sea along the South African Coast. It was one of two vessels built by the survivors of the Nossa Senhora da Belem, which wrecked on the 24th of July 1635 at the Umzimvubu River mouth in the Eastern Cape. The da Boa Viagem had a crew of 137 on board and was launched with its sister vessel, the Nossa Senhora da Natividade whose captain believed the Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem to have foundered shortly after launching....

1636: Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem, this wooden sailing vessel disappeared at sea along the South African Coast. It was one of two vessels built by the survivors of the Nossa Senhora da Belem, which…

27/01/2025

1784: Severe, this French man-of-war wrecked on Blaauwbergstrand in Table Bay in the Western Cape after missing its stays and being driven ashore. 1879: Racer, this British wooden sailing brigantine wrecked in a gale somewhere along the Overberg coastline in the Western Cape. One source suggests that it wrecked near Marthapunt, near Skipskop, and another suggests that it wrecked near the Ratel River mouth, just east of Quoin Point....

1784: Severe, this French man-of-war wrecked on Blaauwbergstrand in Table Bay in the Western Cape after missing its stays and being driven ashore. 1879: Racer, this British wooden sailing brigantin…

27/01/2025

1856: Annabella, this sailing barque wrecked in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. It struck the bar whilst entering Durban harbour and wrecked. The bar was renamed from Lee Bank to Annabella bank after this event. Today, the North Pier stands on top of this sandbank. 1917: Matheran, this steel steam-powered cargo liner was the first ship to be sunk by mines in South Africa after having struck two mines close to Dassen Island off the west coast in the Western Cape....

1856: Annabella, this sailing barque wrecked in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. It struck the bar whilst entering Durban harbour and wrecked. The bar was renamed from Lee Bank to Annabella bank after this…

27/01/2025

1894: Tordenskjold, this Norwegian barque set sail from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, for Rangoon, Burma with 43 men on board, and was never heard from again, presuming to have foundered shortly after leaving port. 1989: Harvest Pegasus, this motor-powered fishing vessel was scuttled by torpedo from the S.A.S. Emily Hobhouse, south-west of Cape Point off the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape.

1894: Tordenskjold, this Norwegian barque set sail from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, for Rangoon, Burma with 43 men on board, and was never heard from again, presuming to have foundered shortly after l…

27/01/2025

1923: Rusholme, this coasting steamer foundered on Ostara Rock, south of Port Nolloth off the west coast in the Northern Cape. Although a small coasting steamer, the Rusholme had a rich history. Originally a dredger by the name of Baggar 1, it worked on the Namibian coast, and was scuttled at the start of World War I. It was subsequently re-floated and used as a lighter, known as the Flora....

1923: Rusholme, this coasting steamer foundered on Ostara Rock, south of Port Nolloth off the west coast in the Northern Cape. Although a small coasting steamer, the Rusholme had a rich history. Or…

23/01/2025

1852: Herschell, this wooden snow wrecked in a strong south-easterly gale near Rietvlei in Table Bay in the Western Cape. 1881: Ocean King, this 419 ton sailing barque, bukit in 1859 by Laing James & Sons Ltd. (Sir James Laing & Sons), Sunderland, foundered within 20 minutes after striking Penguin Rock, about 32km south of Port Nolloth off the west coast in the Northern Cape....

1852: Herschell, this wooden snow wrecked in a strong south-easterly gale near Rietvlei in Table Bay in the Western Cape. 1881: Ocean King, this 419 ton sailing barque, bukit in 1859 by Laing James…

22/01/2025

1796: Ann & Eliza - This British East Indiaman, built in 1789, was travelling from Bengal back to England with a cargo of arrack (alcohol) and rice. All the databases place the wreck between Bushmans River Mouth and Sundays River Mouth (Turner 1988; Morris 2005; Levine 1989; Theal 1897). A 2020 underwater archaeological impact assessment for the proposed marine servitudes for the Coega SEZ places the wreck site as being on the North Shore of Algoa Bay....

1796: Ann & Eliza – This British East Indiaman, built in 1789, was travelling from Bengal back to England with a cargo of arrack (alcohol) and rice. All the databases place the wreck betw…

21/01/2025

1883: Thames, this sail driven lighter struck the propeller of the SS Rothesay off Durban in KwaZulu-Natal and foundered.

1883: Thames, this sail driven lighter struck the propeller of the SS Rothesay off Durban in KwaZulu-Natal and foundered.

19/01/2025

1750: Le Centaure/Centaur, this French East Indiaman was on a return trip from Mauritius to France when it ran aground and wrecked between Cape Agulhas and the Ratel river mouth at Die Walle in the Western Cape. All 300 crew and 100 passengers survived the wrecking and managed to salvage some of the cargo and provisions. They made the journey to Cape Town on foot....

1750: Le Centaure/Centaur, this French East Indiaman was on a return trip from Mauritius to France when it ran aground and wrecked between Cape Agulhas and the Ratel river mouth at Die Walle in the…

19/01/2025

1848: Bittern, this 348 ton British wooden snow wrecked in a south-easterly gale on the north-west point of Robben Island in Table Bay in the Western Cape whilst trying to enter Table Bay in the early hours of the morning. She was on route from England for Ceylon/ Madras when she ran aground and was wrecked on the NW point at 02:30 during a SE gale after entering Table Bay to take on fresh water....

1848: Bittern, this 348 ton British wooden snow wrecked in a south-easterly gale on the north-west point of Robben Island in Table Bay in the Western Cape whilst trying to enter Table Bay in the ea…

19/01/2025

1972: Oceana Vlei, this fishing vessel foundered after a fire broke out on board, off Slangkop lighthouse, off Kommetjie on the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape. She was under the command of Captain G. van Zyl, owned by Da Gama Visbedryf and built by Louw & Halvorsen, Cape Town. 1978: Two trawlers (purse seiners) Louise Marlene and Herlille, foundered in rough sea south west of the Slangkop lighthouse, off Kommetjie on the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape....

1972: Oceana Vlei, this fishing vessel foundered after a fire broke out on board, off Slangkop lighthouse, off Kommetjie on the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape. She was under the command of Capt…

16/01/2025

1690: Noord, this VOC wooden sailing galiot wrecked at Klippen Point near Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape. The Noord was on its second voyage to search for survivors of the Stavenisse, when it found three of them at the Bay of Natal. It crossed the bar there and was the first recorded ship to have moored in the Bay of Natal....

1690: Noord, this VOC wooden sailing galiot wrecked at Klippen Point near Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape. The Noord was on its second voyage to search for survivors of the Stavenisse, when it found…

16/01/2025

1866: Ruby, this sailing schooner wrecked in a strong south-easterly wind at Munro’s Bay in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape. Ruby was owned by Mr C. Collier of Cape Town. Ruby was on a voyage from Algoa Bay and had put in at Mossel Bay to 'fill up'. Ruby originally sailed under the name Figilante (Danish) and was first wrecked during the Great Gale of 1865 in Table Bay....

1866: Ruby, this sailing schooner wrecked in a strong south-easterly wind at Munro’s Bay in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape. Ruby was owned by Mr C. Collier of Cape Town. Ruby was on a voyage from A…

14/01/2025

1858: Onward, this sailing schooner wrecked near the Soetfontein Nature Reserve in the Western Cape. 1873: Elizabeth A Oliver, this fully rigged iron-framed wooden sailing barque was beached and became a wreck at Die Plaat at the Cape Nature Walker Bay Nature Reserve in the Western Cape. Locals affectionately know the wreck as the “Tee-Skip”. 1909: Cerne, this steel steam-powered bucket dredger foundered off Dassen Island off the west coast in the Western Cape....

1858: Onward, this sailing schooner wrecked near the Soetfontein Nature Reserve in the Western Cape. 1873: Elizabeth A Oliver, this fully rigged iron-framed wooden sailing barque was beached and be…

13/01/2025

1830: Frances Watson, this wooden sailing brig wrecked in a south-easterly gale at Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape. 1850: Rowvonia, this wooden sailing barque which was operating as a slaver, wrecked in a south-easterly gale, after it had been detained by the HMS Pantaloon, in Simons Bay in False Bay in the Western Cape. 1871: Simon, this wooden sailing brig wrecked in a south-easterly gale on North End Beach at Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth in Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape....

12/01/2025

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)....

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 b…

11/01/2025

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....

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…

10/01/2025

1839: Le Protie, this French wooden whaling brig of 187 tons was wrecked near ‘Farmer Peck’s farm’ at Strandfontein in False Bay in the Western Cape. Commanded by Captain A. Lory Le Protie was wrecked after trying to enter Simon's Town at night on a voyage from Nantes to the whaling grounds with whale-oil on board. No lives were lost....