Shipwrecks off the West Coast

A rugged coastline shaped by storms, reefs and centuries of seafaring

The West Coast has witnessed centuries of ships sailing north and south along one of the world’s great maritime routes, but its rugged shoreline could be unforgiving. Strong winds, heavy seas, reefs and difficult approaches to bays and harbours contributed to numerous shipwrecks, from early Dutch vessels to fishing boats and modern ships. These wrecks form a fascinating record of the people, trade and events that shaped the history of the West Coast.

Saldanha Bay, Langebaan Lagoon & Kraalbaai

    • Bruydegom (1674) – Wrecked inside the pristine Langebaan Lagoon.
    • Middelburg (1781) – Captured and deliberately scuttled by the crew.
    • Saldanha (1796) – Captured and scuttled in the bay.
    • Nagel (1709) – Smashed onto the beach at Kraalbaai.
    • Dauphin (1830) – Grounded inside the calm bay.
    • St Clair (1838) – Smashed during a sudden winter storm.
    • Pescadora (1839) – Wrecked against the rocky shore.
    • Cottager (1845) – Grounded on the bay shoreline.
    • British Settler (1850) – Smashed onto the bay’s inner reefs.
    • Luna (1880) – Stranded hard inside the shallow bay.
    • SS Haddon Hall (1913) – Ran aground violently on the rocks.
    • Karatara (1921) – Intentionally scuttled deep inside the bay.
    • SS Haleric (1933) – Foundered and sank near Langebaan shore.
    • Kildalkey (1936) – Grounded inside the bay area.
    • Rooiberg (1936) – Wrecked along the Saldanha rocky coast.
    • Kilfenora (1940) – Smashed onto rocks in the bay.
    • City of Lincoln (1902) – Grounded at the river mouth.
    • City of Hankow (1942) – Wrecked during intense wartime harbour operations.
    • Oostewal (1954) – Foundered in the shallow Langebaan Lagoon.
    • Perelberg (1954) – Wrecked in the calm Langebaan Lagoon.
    • Zwartberg (1955) – Grounded on the harbour reefs.
    • Helderberg (1958) – Smashed ashore inside the bay.
    • SBA 305 (1960) – Grounded during a thick fog.
    • Gilia (1973) – Foundered and lost inside the bay.
    • Harvest Del Mar (1973) – Wrecked along the bay coastline.
    • Shin Tung Yong 18 (1976) – Stranded on the rocks near the harbour.
    • Pantalis A. Lemos (1978) – Grounded outside the harbour entrance.
    • Harvest Hercules (1982) – Deliberately scuttled inside deep harbour waters.
    • Tigo (1982) – Smashed onto rocks during strong winds.
    • Nan Yung (1984) – Grounded on the harbour reefs.
    • P1552 (1988) – Wrecked during violent October spring storm.
    • Rooijantjies Fontein (1989) – Stranded on the bay shore.
    • Apollo / Oceana Apollo (1999) – Wrecked just outside the bay.
    • Starfish (2014) – Stranded along the bay shoreline.
    • Clifton (2015) – Grounded on the harbour rocks.

Dassen Island (The Offshore Minefield & Reefs)

    • De Hoop (1734) – Smashed against the island rocks.
    • Reform (1833) – Grounded on the shallow reefs.
    • Shylock (1839) – Wrecked on the treacherous island coast.
    • Childe Harold (1850) – Smashed onto rocks during thick fog.
    • Lady Holland (1830) – Stranded hard on the island shore.
    • Queen of Ava (1865) – Wrecked on the rocky outer reefs.
    • Windsor Castle (1876) – Smashed ashore during the night.
    • Ashleigh Brook (1890) – Grounded on the western reefs.
    • Rising Star (1893) – Wrecked on the island shoreline.
    • Ismore (1899) – Stranded hard near the island coast.
    • Cerne (1909) – Smashed onto rocks near the island.
    • Cilicia (1917) – Grounded during rough winter seas.
    • City of Athens (1917) – Struck a German naval sea mine.
    • Matheran (1917) – Sunk rapidly after being hit by two naval mines.
    • Clansman (1921) – Wrecked on the island reefs.
    • Southern Author (1961) – Smashed onto the rocky island shore.
    • Oceana Meteor (1969) – Grounded on the northern reef.
    • Pearl Merchant (1973) – Wrecked against the island rocks.
    • Fong Shong 22 (1976) – Stranded on rocks during heavy swell.
    • Tandeka (1977) – Grounded near the island lighthouse.
    • St Gerard (1983) – Wrecked along the island coast.
    • Southern Explorer (1985) – Smashed ashore during a blinding fog.
    • Marlina (1990) – Grounded on the outer reefs.
    • Craynip (1991) – Smashed onto rocks near the lighthouse.
    • Apollo Sea (1994) – Foundered in a storm, causing a massive oil spill.
    • Harvest Leo (1994) – Deliberately scuttled off the island coast.
    • Kalahari Sands (1995) – Wrecked on the western shore.
    • Four Cats (2001) – Stranded on the jagged rocks.
    • New Mexico (2002) – Grounded against the island coast.
    • Heidi Ann (2006) – Wrecked on the shallow island reefs.
    • Sibanya (2008) – Smashed onto rocks during heavy seas.
    • Harvest Pluto – Grounded on the island reefs.

 Yzerfontein, Grotto Bay, Holbaai & Koeberg Reaches

    • Schollevaar (1668) – Wrecked on the rocky Yzerfontein coast.
    • Reigersdaal (1747) – Smashed onto rocks near Silwerstroomstrand.
    • Conservative (1843) – Grounded along the Yzerfontein shore.
    • Ispahan (1886) – Wrecked at jagged Holbaai Point.
    • British Peer (1896) – Struck the dangerous Kabeljoubank reef hard.
    • Esso Wheeling  (1948) The first wreck that caused an oil spill.
    • An-Hung 1 (1990) – Grounded on the Holbaai rocks.
    • Rigil K (1990) – Foundered and sank just north of town.
    • Qu-Importe (1988) – Wrecked along the Yzerfontein coast.
    • Anemone (2005) – Deliberately scuttled off the Grotto Bay coast.
    • Glen Mist (2017) – Stranded on the Yzerfontein shoreline.
    • Aroha (1982) – Wrecked just north of Koeberg station.
    • Tara (2016) – Grounded at Bokpunt north of Koeberg.

St Helena Bay, Britannia Bay & Vredenburg Peninsula

    • Gouden Buys (1693) – Stranded after the crew died of sickness.
    • Endeavour (1812) – Wrecked in the bay.
    • Britannia (1823) – Grounded near rocky Shelly Point.
    • Friends Goodwill (1840) – Smashed ashore at St Helena Bay.
    • Reflector (1851) – Wrecked during a winter gale.
    • Perimede (1860) – Grounded hard on Dwarskerbos beach.
    • SS Malmesbury (1930) – Wrecked along the shallow bay coast.
    • Chub (1947) – Foundered in the bay.
    • Joan of Arc (1957) – Smashed onto the bay’s inner reefs.
    • Seatrader (1971) – Grounded hard on the Vredenburg Peninsula.
    • Breerivier (1972) – Wrecked at Cape St Martin reef.
    • Theresa (1977) – Stranded c inside St Helena Bay.
    • Stormgans (1987) – Grounded heavily inside St Helena Bay.
    • Silver Reaper (2008) – Wrecked along the St Helena peninsula.
    • Ankoveld (2019) – Stranded hard inside St Helena Bay.

 Paternoster & Jacobsbaai

    • Alicia Jane (1845) – Grounded on sandy Paternoster beach.
    • Eve (1845) – Smashed onto the sandy Paternoster beach.
    • SS Saint Lawrence (1876) – Wrecked along the Paternoster coast.
    • Bulli (1884) – Smashed ashore at rocky Paternoster Point.
    • Robilant (1890) – Wrecked on the jagged Jacobsbaai rocks.
    • SS Lisboa (1910) – Grounded on the reef before exploding.
    • Dorita (1970) – Wrecked along the rocky Paternoster coast.
    • Resolute (1898) – Stranded hard on the Paternoster shoreline.

 Cape Columbine & West Coast Open Waters

    • Columbine (1829) – Smashed onto rocks near the lighthouse.
    • Ismore (1899) – Wrecked close to Cape Columbine lighthouse.
    • Da Gama (1979) – Grounded near Cape Columbine.
    • Maritz (1980) – Smashed onto the Cape Columbine rocks.
    • Princess Royal (1985) – Deliberately scuttled off the open coast.

Lambert’s Bay, Elands Bay & Doringbaai

  • HMS Sybille (1901) – Grounded on rocks during wartime patrol.
  • Eros (1918) – Wrecked at Lambert’s Bay.
  • Blue Bird (1960) – Foundered at Elands Bay.
  • Tracyjon (1969) – Foundered during exceptionally heavy winter seas.
  • Girl Devon (1971) – Grounded on the Doringbaai rocks.
  • Boy Donald (1983) – Smashed onto the Lambert’s Bay shoreline.
  • Jenny-Lee (1992) – Wrecked inside Lambert’s Bay.
  • Oceana Point (1992) – Stranded at Lambert’s Bay.
  • Oceana Sapphire (2002) – Grounded at Doringbaai.

Olifants River Mouth & Northern Outposts

    • Meteren (1723) – Wrecked near the Olifants River mouth.
    • Australia (1840) – Grounded at Olifants River mouth.
    • Catherine Isabella (1845) – Smashed ashore at the Olifants River mouth.
    • Luna (1945) – Grounded at  Hondeklip Bay.

Discover the story of shipwrecks around the Western Cape in chronological order or search shipwrecks by region; alternatively, explore the alphabetical list