Shipwrecks in the Agulhas area

Cape Agulhas is one of the most notorious stretches of coastline for shipwrecks in South Africa. The meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, powerful currents, reefs, storms and a rocky coastline created dangerous conditions for generations of sailors. This list records the many ships wrecked around Cape Agulhas and the surrounding southern Overberg coast, including wrecks near Agulhas, Struisbaai, Arniston, Waenhuiskrans and nearby beaches and reefs.

 

Struisbaai 

• •  Zoetendal (1673) – Grounded  on the sandbanks of the bay
  • Joanna (1682) – Ran aground in thick fog, leaving timbers scattered all over
  • Jupiter 1 (1686) – Smashed onto the inner reefs during a  gale
  • Nossa Senhora dos Milagros (1686) – Ran hard aground on the shallows after a navigation error?
  • Schoonenberg (1722) Possibly deliberately scuttled
  • La Jardiniere (1794) – Driven ashore near Zoetendalsvlei by a sudden storm
  • Lord Hawkesbury (1796) – Dragged her anchors and came ashore in the bay
  • Duke of Northumberland (1838) – Parted her cables and was driven into the surf
  • La Lise (1840) – Struck the jagged shallows near St Mungo Point
  • Venerable (1840) – Swamped and ran aground during a southerly gale
  • Flamingo (1844) – Grounded in heavy seas while trying to clear the bay
  • Port Fleetwood (1845) – Smashed into the shallow sands during a storm
  • Fleetwood (1846) – Dragged ashore by powerful currents
  • Gentoo (1846) – Ran aground on the beach following a severe leak in her hull
  • Isaac (1847) – Went ashore on the sand flats in poor visibility
  • Barry’s 1 (1848) – Stranded in the shallows during coastal operations
  • Equator (1856) – Broke up after running aground on the inner reefs
  • Otto (1860) – Driven onto the coastal sands by a fierce gale
  • Star of the East (1861) – Went onto the rocks during a heavy south-easterly gale
  • Perekop (1862) – Smashed into the surf zone after parting her anchor cables
  • Equator (1865) – Stranded on the beach during a sudden storm
  • Eastern Empire (1869) – Ran aground on the sandy coastline
  • Hemba (1870) – Driven into the breaker zone during a severe gale
  • Convenance (1871) – Grounded on the shallows and wrecked
  • Hecuba (1871) – Stranded in the surf in heavy weather
  • Maggie (1872) – Went onto the rocks after losing her steering gear
  • C P 1874 (1874) – Foundered and driven ashore 
  • Elise (1879) – Grounded on the inner banks in thick fog
  • Elizabeth Oliver (1881) – Ran aground near the mouth of the bay
  • South American (1889) – Stripped her anchors and ran onto the rocks
  • Sceptre (1925) – Struck a submerged obstacle and settled in the shallows
  • Malgas (1965) – Capsized and driven ashore during commercial operations
  • Oriental Pioneer (1974) – Cracked her hull in a heavy swell and was scuttled
  • Zuidam (1990) – Ran aground in a fierce storm 
  • Padre (1992) – Capsized in heavy weather and foundered at 12 Mile Bank 

Arniston & Waenhuiskrans 

• • Arniston (1815) – Smashed onto the jagged coastal rocks during a storm
  • Martha (1826) – Grounded on the coastal reefs in heavy seas
  • Don-La-Tour (1843) – Broken up after hitting the shallow reefs
  • Claudine (1849) – Driven onto the rocks near the fishing village
  • Chancellor (1854) – Ran aground during a wild north-westerly gale
  • Miles Barton (1861) – Struck the rocky point and shattered in the surf
  • Queen of the Thames (1871) – Ran ashore at full speed on her maiden voyage due to a navigation error
  • Momina Zino (1874) – Stranded on the coastal rocks in thick fog
  • Wigtonshire (1885) – Smashed onto the shoreline reefs during a heavy swell
  • Willem de Zwyger (1863) – Grounded on the shallow rocks and broke apart
  • Greystoke Castle (1896) – Stripped her anchors and ran into the breaker zone
  • Alice (1964) – Foundered and drove ashore after a major engine failure
  • Gansie Een (1971) – Capsized in heavy surf while negotiating the shallows
  • Madame (1973) – Driven onto the rocky coastline during a coastal storm

Quoin Point area

• • Japarra (1856) – Struck the inner reef and was a total loss
  • Celt (1875) – Ran hard aground on the jagged point in heavy fog
  • Eagle Wing (1879) – Smashed into the shallow rocks during the night
  • Racer (1879) – Grounded  on the reef while under full sail
  • Teuton (1881) – Struck a rock off Quoin Point and foundered while heading for shore with heavy loss of life
  • Cumeria (1900) – Driven onto the reefs in zero visibility
  • Star of the Peace (1906) – Stranded on the point after losing her bearings
  • Star of the Isles (1908) – Smashed into the shallow rocks during a coastal gale
  • Avala (1939) – Ran aground at high speed in dense coastal fog
  • City of Lincoln (1946) – Grounded on the rocks and resisted all salvage attempts
  • Fynd (1946) – Foundered in the shallows during local operations
  • Swona (1946) – Washed onto the rocks after losing her propeller while assisting another wreck
  • William Hooland (1953) – Capsized and drifted onto the point
  • Diana (1961) – Struck a reef and was abandoned by her crew
  • Dolphon (1965) – Driven onto the jagged rocks by powerful cross-currents
  • Jeanette (1966) – Grounded hard in the surf zone
  • Phil (1970) – Capsized and foundered just off the point
  • Highly 302 (1976) – Ran hard onto the rocks during heavy weather
  • Katsuei Maru 58 (1984) – Grounded on the inner reef lines
  • Otori Maru 8 (1984) – Driven onto the rocks in thick fog
  • Onibe (1992) – Smashed ashore after losing all engine power

Cape Agulhas Point & Lighthouse area

• • Le Centaur (1750) Ran aground west of Cape Agulhas
  • Mentor (1780) – Dismasted in a storm and drifted onto the coastal rocks
  • Brederode  (1785) – Ripped open on the reef right off the southern tip
  • Ganges (1807) – Struck the Agulhas reef and went down rapidly
  • Edward (1809) – Smashed onto the rocks near Zoetendalsvlei
  • David Begg (1862) – Driven onto the rocks right beneath the headland
  • R P Buck (1877) – Ran aground on the point during a severe coastal blow
  • Contest (1879) – Struck the shallow reef line and foundered
  • Bates Family (1880) – Driven ashore near the point during a storm
  • Trevelyan (1888) – Ran onto the rocks during a heavy south-easterly gale
  • Waikato (1899) – Stripped her gears and drifted onto the point
  • Camphill (1913) – Grounded directly in front of the Agulhas Lighthouse
  • Edderside (1919) – Struck the inner reef line in poor visibility
  • Sebastiano (1921) – Driven onto the rocks by powerful swells
  • Soudan (1942) – Blew apart and foundered after striking a wartime sea mine
  • Julia Luckenbach (1943) – Smashed onto the point after a navigation error
  • Steenbok (1957) – Grounded on the shallow rocks
  • Wafra (1971) – Ran hard aground on the reef, causing a massive oil spill
  • Jung Tai (1982) – Smashed into the rocks during zero-visibility weather
  • Meisho Maru 38 (1982) – Ran aground on the rocks just west of the lighthouse, leaving her bow visible
  • Andre Hugo (1994) – Driven ashore by a sudden storm
  • Augusta (1994) – Stranded on the jagged rocks after losing power 
  • Glory May (1997) Stranded at Die Plaat

Struis Point & Ryspunt 

• Bodiam Castle (1852) – Grounded heavily on the outer reef lines
• Drei Thurme (1854) – Driven onto the point by a fierce storm
• Ellen (1861) – Ran aground on the shallows during a coastal blow
• Gleaner (1861) – Smashed onto the rocks in thick weather
• Waldensian (1861) – Ran hard onto the rocks after a navigation error
• Borderer (1868) – Driven onto the point during a shifting gale
• Amersham (1869) – Stranded in the surf zone after parting her cables
• Sparfel (1869) – Grounded on the inner reef lines
• Marie Elise (1877) – Smashed onto the reefs at Ryspunt
• Ellen (1881) – Driven onto the point by a powerful swell
• Dundrennan (1895) – Struck the outer rocks and foundered 
• Clan Musgove / Clan MacGregor (1902) – Ran aground on the jagged rocks at Ryspunt [1]

Ratel River area

• • Le Centaur (1750) – Driven onto the rocky mouth during a severe storm
  • Nicobar (1783) – Smashed into the shallow reefs in zero visibility
  • Grace (1822) – Ran aground near the river banks
  • Jessie (1829) – Stranded in the surf during heavy weather
  • Doncaster (1836) – Broken up after hitting the outer shallows
  • Duchess of Buccleugh (1850) – Driven ashore at the river mouth during a storm
  • Barbara Gordon (1853) – Smashed onto the rocks after losing her bearings
  • Eastern Province (1865) – Ran aground on the inner banks
  • North East (1872) – Driven into the breaker zone by a gale
  • Gloria Deo (1882) – Grounded on the shallow sands

Port Beaufort & Infanta 

• • Stella (1872) – Grounded on the shallow sandbars near the river entrance
  • Western Province (1869) – Struck the bar and broke apart in the surf
  • Cape of Good Hope (1881) – Driven onto the river mouth rocks
  • Mathilda (1879) – Stranded on the banks during a shifting gale
  • Mazeppa (1885) – Smashed into the sandbars by a heavy swell
  • Ospray (1855) – Ran hard aground near the high cliffs of Cape Infanta
  • Dirkie Uys (1968) – Grounded on the rocky shoreline of Cape Infanta

 Outlying Overberg Sites

• Harmony (1826) – Smashed into the cliffs at Needles Point
• Maid of the Thames (1848) – Ran ashore at Skipskop and rapidly broke up
• Albatross (1874) – Grounded on the reefs between Danger Point and Cape Agulhas
• Mackay (1871) – Ran aground at De Mond near the Heuningnes River mouth
• Sophia (1853) – Driven onto the beach at Witsand
• Anker (1935) – Stripped her bottom after striking Bulldog Reef