Wreck of the SA Seafarer
On 1 July 1966, the South African passenger and cargo steamer S.A. Seafarer ran aground near the Green Point Lighthouse  during one of the most severe winter storms Cape Town has experienced. The vessel grounded approximately 50 metres offshore, close to the present-day Green Point Lighthouse parking area.
Built in 1950 by the Greenock Dockyard Company in Scotland, the ship was originally named Clan Shaw and operated as a cargo vessel for several years. It changed ownership multiple times, becoming Steenbok in 1960 before being acquired by the South African Marine Corporation Ltd and renamed S.A. Seafarer in 1961. At the time of the incident, the ship was en route from Glasgow to Beira carrying general cargo.
Among the cargo were drums of tetraethyl lead, a highly hazardous substance that emits poisonous gas when exposed to water. The ship was also carrying insecticides, special oils, and other chemicals, which later spilled and caused the death of rock lobster and perlemoen in the area. These substances raised serious concerns about a potential environmental disaster.
Harbour authorities advised the vessel to remain offshore until weather conditions improved, but an attempt was made to enter Table Bay. During the approach, the ship ran aground, broke its back, and suffered catastrophic structural failure, rendering it a total loss.
Initial rescue attempts using rocket-propelled lifesaving equipment failed due to heavy seas. As conditions worsened, three Alouette helicopters were deployed. Despite extreme weather and poor visibility, all 63 crew members and 12 passengers were successfully airlifted to safety. No lives were lost. The helicopter pilots were later awarded medals for their bravery.
Because of the risk posed by the hazardous cargo, the Mouille Point beachfront was closed for several days while divers located the drums of tetraethyl lead, which were found intact. Today, the wreck lies on the seabed, with the propeller shaft and machinery scattered across the site.
The ship was also carrying bottles of White Horse whisky, many of which washed ashore along the Table Bay coastline. Promotional miniature white plastic horses, attached to the bottle necks, continued to appear on Cape Town’s beaches for years after the wreck.
The white horse statues along the Green Point Promenade mark the wreck of the SA Seafarer, serving as a quiet reminder of the incident, which remains one of the most notable maritime accidents along the Cape coast in the 20th century.
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