Captain Robert Salmond gave the order to evacuate, but instructed his men to hold fast so that the women and children could board the lifeboats first. I would love to visit these wrecks after covid! Converted 1935 British fishing trawler sunk by U-558 on May 12, 1942. Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse: Beautiful - See 1,639 traveler reviews, 1,416 candid photos, and great deals for Augusta, Australia, at Tripadvisor. The harbour was crowded with all types of Allied shipping which were subjected to a heavy bombing attack. On the Whydah's return to England, the ship was intercepted and captured by the pirate Captain Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy. Some shipwrecks are identified as being within the vicinity of Augusta, Cape Leeuwin or Hamelin Bay that might not be within visual distance of the lighthouse. Acting as gateways to the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere they share a unique importance in navigational and seafaring past and present. 8 miles from Cape Otway lighthouse, and Apollo Bay UNCONFIRMED: CAPE SCHANCK/ BUSHRANGERS BAY: discovery is unique, in that it is the only as-yet-discovered wreck of a slave ship that sunk with its prisoners aboard. Continuing on, only 4 kms of rain-lashed bitumen separates me from the Leeuwin lighthouse that stands sentinel at the tip of the cape. cape leeuwin shipwrecks. I am very interested in finding out more about my great grandfather who was supposedly shipwrecked here in Cape Town in the late 1800s Only recently I managed to get his name on a baptism certificate of his daughter. Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse: Striking scenery with stories of keeper's lives and shipwrecks - See 1,631 traveller reviews, 1,415 candid photos, and great deals for Augusta, Australia, at Tripadvisor. Explore more of the Cape with the help of ourweekly newsletter. The captain got off the next day, having ordered the vessel lightened in which the crew disposed of 20 tons of cargo along with some coal. Survivors later testified that they had never seen embarkations let alone evacuations carried out with such composure. The dry summers, coupled with strong winds, creates an environment where there is always a high risk of bush fires. The nearest settlement, north of the cape, is Augusta. During similar service her American counterpart was severely damaged. (With one soldier/sailor in the saddle and 2 hanging from a rope on either side of the horse), I was a radio tech with Marconi Marine circa 1978 1980 I remember a ship either sinking or getting into difficulty on the coast east of Capetown along the garden route area.. As far as I remember all crew were saved I am not sure if ship sank or was salvaged later. Of course, not all of the ships featured here belonged to intrepid explorers; some offer a glimpse into the evils of the slave trade, while others were merely humble tankers and transport ships. U.S. Navy Gunboat sunk on June 21, 1918, when it collided with SS Florida, U.S. Navy Virginia-class battleship sunk on September 5, 1923, during aerial bombing tests. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. ID: 94601. Artefacts recovered from the wreck will soon be on display at the. In the event you need to be rescued it could save your life! 1940 tanker sunk by U-124 on March 21, 1942. The troops and sailors suffered heavy casualties, but thanks to their bravery, all women and children aboard the wreck survived. Location of the wreck Little is know about the shipwreck, other than it being the earliest recorded maritime disaster in the Cape. Date of wreck 1942 Soares Shipwreck Michele van Rensburg Where Mossel Bay Date of wreck 1505 Survivors Unknown. Home; Carpet Cleaning; Upholstery Cleaning; Commercial & Residential Janitorial; Captain Ourry was forced to walk under guard to Providence, RI, where he was exchanged for two American officers. The Dutch took advantage of the strong westerly airflow at lower latitudes in the Indian Ocean to halve journey times between Holland and the Dutch East Indies. Important note This wreck is located in Cape Point Nature Reserve, which is currently closed due to Covid-19. Dive slates include the wreck's location, historic vessel information, a site plan identifying the wreck's construction features and the marine life most commonly seen at the site. In 1882, Whittaker is depicted in the Birds Eye View of the Town of Provincetown with a white structure with an angled roof built on the deck. Attempts were made to recover the wreck, but it had incurred too much damage and was eventually abandoned, making for a rather expensive loss. cape leeuwin shipwrecks 16 cape leeuwin shipwrecks. The bay just east of Cape Leeuwin is Flinders Bay, named after Matthew Flinders, the circumnavigating explorer of the early 19th century. The park is said to be the most visited National Park of Western Australia. Before long the sparse coastal vegetation makes way to bare rock. It is a 45 minute drive south, along State Route 10, from Margaret River. It was named after Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste - which are located at either end of the park. The countless captains who saw their ships sink beneath the waves probably would have sided with Dias on that one, but the willingness of men like them to brave the storms made it possible for the good hope of King John II to flourish, and grow into the reality we now witness. Surprised nothing was said of the 9 horses, that were pushed off the Birkenhead, so they could swim ashore. Highest 24.3 C 12:42 pm. One bomb landed close to the Leeuwins stern and lifted the ship literally out of the water, but to the relief of the crew she came down in one piece. The tow-rope snapped during a storm off the Cape Peninsula, and the. 9. Im on my way to Cape Leeuwin, one of the three great capes of the Southern Hemisphere. A fatal miscalculation, and one that might have been avoided if the ships chronometer had been replaced before the journey (the captain had requested a new one, but the ships owners had deemed it an unnecessary expenditure). A tremendous amount of scarce war material was chopped or pried away from the wreck by Cape Codders before the state put a guard over what remained. Anniversary Cruise: Sydney under Japanese Attack, Garden Island Northern Hill and Garden Tour, Night of the midget subs Sydney under attack, D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN Part 1, D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN Part 2, D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN Part 3. , and some are on loan to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History in Washington DC. The lighthouse remains the tallest in mainland Australia, leaving no doubt to the significant navigational risk that the area posed and continues to pose to passing vessels. In just three years, from 1942 to 1945, 90 ships were lost off North Carolina alone as a result of this action. The grand, yet imperceptible meeting point of two great oceans, a place where the land ends and the wilds begin. U.S. Navy submarine that served during World War II and sank in 1956. Where Danger Point, Gansbaai The ancient ship lay undisturbed for over 2,400 years in the Black Sea. The wreck was found by Tom Snider[13] in 1957 at 3425.33S 11508.24E / 34.42217S 115.13733E / -34.42217; 115.13733 (SS Pericles). 193 people survived the wreck, out of 643 passengers and crew. So The Arniston, with 100 wounded soldiers, some wealthy passengers and their families aboard, struck a reef. By the time the Somerset had wrecked, Cape Codders had suffered greatly from the British blockade during the American Revolution. They called it "Doogalup".[5]. The result is an amazing collection of 78 merchant tankers and freighters, eight Allied warships, and four German U-boats resting on the seabed as a memorial to this history and to the sacrifice of Allied servicemen and the U.S. The townspeople would turn out on the beach, but usually the surf was too high for them to attempt a rescue. The captain thought he spied Cape Point in the distance, and ordered the ship to turn hard to port, full steam ahead. Of the colonial-era wrecks, the James Matthews, a former slave ship, and the SS Xantho, an iron-hulled steamer with a unique ex-gunboat engine are the most prominent. The captain and crew all survived, but an estimated 212 of the 500 slaves aboard were left to drown, probably still trapped in their shackles as the ship went down. This supposed isle is, therefore, what I denominate "Cape Leeuwin", as being the south-western and most projecting part of Leeuwin's Land.[3]. One example is in the name Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. [7], The lighthouse and adjacent buildings, and Cape Leeuwin water wheel are all within the historic precinct as reviewed by government management.[8][9]. The story The Portuguese slave ship was bound for the sugar plantations in Brazil, with its human cargo imprisoned below deck and subject to abhorrent conditions. The ship an East Indiaman built in 1794 had made eight uneventful voyages from England to the Far East, but the ninth voyage was to be its last. In 1863, after storms had shifted the sands again, the skeleton of the Sparrow-Hawk reappeared briefly. The St Alouarn Islands is a group of islands off the tip of Cape Leeuwin. Where Camps Bay UNLESS SOMETHING UNFORESEEN HAPPENS it would appear that the grand old ship SS Cape Leeuwin has completed her last itinerary for this Service. The wreck itself lies in 30 meters of water, around 1.5km from the nearest shore. The Somerset is also protected under international law, and is the sovereign property of the United Kingdom. Print This Page. Archaeologists have found what they believe to be the world's oldest intact shipwreck, a 400 BC Greek trading vessel. He dived on the wreck to recover the lead that was being carried by the ship. Merchant Marine in World War II. was on her maiden voyage, and bound for North Africa, when she met with mishap off the Olifantsbos coast. Within five years, on December 9, 1876, Whittaker coal laden, for Boston, struck and became a total loss. Since 2008, NOAA and its partners, with the assistance of local divers, avocational researchers, and the fishing community, have worked to document these shipwrecks. Lowest 15.6 C 6:22 am. The English navigator Matthew Flinders named Cape Leeuwin after the first known ship to have visited the area, the Leeuwin ("Lioness"), a Dutch vessel that charted some of the nearby coastline in 1622. Between the rushed blur of my wiper blades, I can make out a couple of whales launch themselves out of the salty brine of Flinders Bay before crashing back in an explosion of blubber and whitewash. It was totally manually operated until 1982 by a clockwork mechanism and kero burner, one of the last in the world. The Johanna, or Joanna, was a British East Indiaman sailing from Kent to Surat under the command of Captain Robert Brown. The old lighthouse, still in use, is open daily for tours. Despite the vast distance between them, the three great capes are all connected by a conveyor belt of relentless westerly wind that circumnavigates the Roaring Forties latitudes beneath them. The destroyer manoeuvred alongside and her Captain inquired the Leeuwins destination. Salmond could have saved (83 = 24) Survivors The captain and crew all survived, but an estimated 212 of the 500 slaves aboard were left to drown, probably still trapped in their shackles as the ship went down. U.S. Navy Yard Patrol boat ex-USS YP-389 sunk by U-701 on June 19, 1942. Cook saw the Whittaker towed to the Cape Cod Oil Works, and on December 27, 1876, the Provincetown Advocate reported the brig was now alongside the wharf. Some of the slaves were extracted, but only so they could be sold in the Cape Colony. U- 576 German U-boat sunk on July 15, 1942, and discovered by NOAA in 2014. The story The Antipolis was one of two ships (the other being the Romelia) bound for the scrap heap in Taiwan. From the American Revolution to present day conflicts, the story of the Somerset offers a moving lesson in cooperation between old naval foes who now work together as allies. The ship was named for the slaving port on the coast of West Africa that it planned to operate out of, the "Kingdom of Whydah" (known today as Ouidah). A handful of survivors managed to make their way to the shore, where they sought shelter in a nearby cave, living off whatever supplies happened to wash up on the beach. was a French Lay Barge, and the biggest floating crane in South Africa at the time of its wreck. Spaces that somehow manage to simultaneously separate and join. - See 1,638 traveler reviews, 1,415 candid photos, and great deals for Augusta, Australia, at Tripadvisor. MA The Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association is a self-funded, not-for-profit, incorporated association with over 50 years experience in supporting the Margaret River Region to thrive through tourism. By 1611 the Brouwer route became mandatory for Dutch ships on route to Batavia and surrounds. Date of wreck 1977 1919 tanker sunk by U-552 on April 10, 1942. The true nature of the discovery was only announced in 2015, and a memorial service was held on Clifton Beach, during which soil from the victims homeland of Mozambique was carried out by divers and scattered upon the wreck site. Another is in the use of the phrases Cape to Cape or the Capes in tourist promotional materials. I am a serving seaman , & really enjoyed the article. According to the official account of the ships captain, George Ourry, only 21 men were lost during the wreck. She sailed to Great Britain and assumed British registration. It is therefore most appropriate that at least a brief mention of her most important and dangerous yet least known activities appear in these pages at this time. Planwhen to visit. How did the unexpected sighting of land, likely a consequence of a significant and potentially perilous navigational error make them feel? It is believed to have occurred somewhere between Mossel Bay and Dana Bay, as shown on this map provided by VisitMosselBay.co.za. Visit our World War I webpage to learn the history, discover the shipwrecks, and visit often as new data and images are added. Good day i am interested to explore ship wrecks at the west cape town, Get The Inside Guide delivered straight to your inbox, and never miss out on what's hot in Cape Town. The ship is believed to have run aground during the night, and though the wreck was sighted by Soares fleet as they sailed past it, there is no record of what befell it or its crew. [2], Located on headland of the cape is the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse and the buildings that were used by the lighthouse-keepers. The ship ran aground with such force that it skidded a few meters up the beach. North Carolina's waters have entombed thousands of vessels and countless mariners who lost a desperate struggle against the forces of war, piracy and nature. A plane actually passed low over the ship and crashed into motor torpedo boats nearby, causing great damage. JMC610a Clan Stuart:Iziko Museums of South Africa. and on arrival no definite advice was to hand indicating that the island was actually in Allied hands. Wellfleet shipwreck. JMC675c-Commodore II:Iziko Museums of South Africa. A few small islands and rocks, the St Alouarn Islands, extend further to the south. The captain thought he spied Cape Point in the distance, and ordered the ship to turn hard to port, full steam ahead. Here are a few of . A plaque near the beachfront, erected by the wife of Lieut Colonel Andrew Giels, commemorates the loss of her four eldest sons, who were returning home from visiting their father in Ceylon. With the growing conflict, the federal government concerned itself with defending its coastlines. 1921 tanker sunk by U-66 on January 18, 1942. Date of the wreck 1815 In 2005, the park superintendent presented a few pieces of the Somerset to the commander and crew of the British navys modern HMS Somerset (IV). The trail is 123km long and features 4 low key campgrounds as well as a number of other "Off track" accommodation options. German U-boat sunk on July 15, 1942, and discovered by NOAA in 2014. Life on the Line Podcasts Visit the Atlas of Living Australia for a list of species recorded within a 5km radius of Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. Shortly afterwards, to their surprise the circling aircraft dived and strafed them. One of the remaining two houses from the original Long Point community was renovated for use as the officers headquarters. Combined with the forces of countless "nor'easters" and its precarious location, the Cape has been the site of more than 3,000 shipwrecks in 300 years of recorded history. Read an overview of North Carolina's maritime cultural landscape and learn more about existing laws that protect our cultural heritage. The nearby town of Waenhuiskrans was renamed Arniston in honour of those lost in the shipwreck. Well, at least the crew didnt have to swim to shore. It was built in 1903 using limestone carted by bullock wagon from a quarry about 1.5km away. The wreck itself lies in 30 meters of water, around 1.5km from the nearest shore. 1918 tanker sunk by U-124 on March 23, 1942. The lighthouse is located on Cape Leeuwin Road in Augusta. When the Nieuw Haarlem wrecked in 1647, it catalysed the creation of Cape Town . She played a pivotal role in helping the British capture Louisburg and Quebec from the French. Good to know Divers need a permit to explore the site as it forms part of the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area. The rest were callously abandoned as the ship began to break apart. Location of the wreck Oudekraal, near the Twelve Apostles Hotel. It is believed to have occurred somewhere between Mossel Bay and Dana Bay, as shown on. Date of wreck 1946 1948 Sometimes owners of the wreck paid the local people to salvage their cargo; often the local people simply went on the theory that finders were keepers. They attached a rope to the crane and leaped from a 30-foot platform, swinging under the crane and launching themselves into the turquoise blue waters. On the night of 30 May 1815, The Arniston was on its way home from Ceylon (in Sri Lanka), when it was caught in a violent storm off the Southern Cape coast. The remains of the Somerset, along with the timbers of thousands of other shipwrecks within the boundary of Cape Cod National Seashore, are preserved as federally protected archeological resources for future generations to research and study. In 1875, the same year the second lighthouse was built on Long Point, Jonathan Cook established the Cape Cod Oil Works. The wreckage lies about 900 meters offshore, under six metres of water. Cape Leeuwin /luwn/ (listen) is the most south-westerly (but not most southerly) mainland point of the Australian continent, in the state of Western Australia. Its a popular dive site, easily accessible from the shore and ideal for beginners. History The ship collided with submerged rocks around 100 metres from shore. 1922 freighter sunk by U-432 on February 27, 1942. These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher. . The 697-foot Andrea Doria was a superstar ship of the 1950s. Here is where storm driven ships ground, break into pieces under the pressure of tons of raging water, and spill their fragile contents and occupants into the bone chilling surf. The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional owners throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land, waters and community. Interesting fact We take for granted that women and children first has always been the case during evacuations, but the sinking of the Birkenhead is actually the earliest recorded instance of that protocol. To give further indication to the close proximity of enemy forces, whilst the job was in progress the shore party observed Allied aircraft circling and then peeling off and strafing nearby islands. The wreck was used as a backdrop for some of the scenes in the film. This area off North Carolina's coast is where the war came home to the continental United States. To the mariner, Cape Cod represents both a hazard and a haven, as all shipping between Boston and New York must either pass into its sheltered bay, or ground on its treacherous shoals. On being informed, he voiced his own opinion of the idea, but our Skipper-Captain Buxton, said those were his orders, so the American vessel turned about and acted as escort. Launched on 21 December 1907, it had a straight stem, two decks, an awning deck, eight bulkheads and steel wales sheathed with wood. Thank You Very Much for your research & a great read indeed. The survivors were Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael. Survivors Only six people survived the wreck, out of 378 passengers and crew. The log of the Leeuwin has been lost, so very little is known of the voyage. And by the time the storm was over, there was usually no one to rescue. Its a popular dive site, easily accessible from the shore and ideal for beginners. My son was a Naval Cadet and I have always been fascinated by the challenges that sailors faced, over several centuries, against the raging storms around the Cape. For more information, contact the TMNP Marine Unit (021 783 0234). A rain squall announces its presence by rapping the windscreen on my car with the urgency of a touch typist. Twenty two ships were wrecked around Cape Leeuwin before the lighthouse was officially opened in 1896 and only one shipwreck has occurred since. Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias named it, , the Cape of Storms, having experienced its ferocity first-hand. By. Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse: Striking scenery with stories of keeper's lives and shipwrecks - See 1,625 traveler reviews, 1,412 candid photos, and great deals for Augusta, Australia, at Tripadvisor. Enjoy exploring and check back often as new ships are added. Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse: Entry fee!! In the years that followed, the Long Point community reached its peak with 200 people, a post office, a general store, bakery salt works, six windmills, and a wharf.The Long Point population plummeted in the 1850s as cheaper salt deposits were located in Syracuse, New York, and the fish stocks diminished. It is believed that new records were established in descent and taking to the bush. 392) at a cost of 240 000 for G. Thompson & Co. Ltd's Aberdeen White Star Line. Cora. In celebration of the big reveal, visitors will be offered free access to the lighthouse grounds and Interpretive Centre on the 29th and 30th of October 2022. To speak to a park ranger, call 508-255-3421 for visitor information. With 64 mounted guns and a crew of 400, the Somerset brought British power to the North Atlantic and Mediterranean in the 18th century. This sizeable steamship was built to ferry cargo across the ocean, yet its structure was ill-suited to its purpose. The ship ran aground on the rocks near Glencairn Beach, sustaining significant damage. The nearest settlement, north of the cape, is Augusta. What you are about to read is by no means the complete story of HMAS Cape Leeuwin, but the following account of a few incidents which are quite authentic has been compiled from Smoko recollections heard from members of her crew from time to time. You should read the important information in these notes.. Other formats 22.8 C. Cape Leeuwin is mentioned in the poem associated with the children's story The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo by Rudyard Kipling. A plane actually passed low over the ship and crashed into motor torpedo boats nearby, causing great damage. After using the ship to plunder vessels throughout the Caribbean, Bellamy sailed the ship north, up the east coast of the United States, until the Whydah and her crew met their untimely fate and sank off the coast of Cape Cod in April of 1717 during a bad storm. Little is know about the shipwreck, other than it being the earliest recorded maritime disaster in the Cape. However, the land found by the Leeuwin was recorded on a 1627 map by Hessel Gerritsz: Caert van't Landt van d'Eendracht ("Chart of the Land of Eendracht"), which appears to show the coast between present-day Hamelin Bay and Point D'Entrecasteaux. The wreck was discovered by divers in the 1980s, though it was at first mistaken for a Dutch merchant ship. cape leeuwin shipwrecks. Milnerton lagoon, where its become a familiar fixture for the locals. Contact Komwatch for more information. (Image credit: David Parker/Alamy) By Nick Dall 14th January 2020. 1905 freighter sunk by U-123 on January 19, 1942.