Beads and Porcelain on our Wildcoast
Ian Georgeson (CEO of Cross Country Insurance Company) recently did a hike along the Wildcoast. The images liberally sprinkled through this article tell the visual story of the hike, whilst the text details the fascinating maritime history of the area.
Africa is a wild and unpredictable place. That is why many of us love it. However, on this continent there are spots that are known to be wilder than others. Rugged coastlines, unpredictable seas and weather conditions that are forever changing.
The Wildcoast (the former ‘Transkei’ – a 300km coastline between East London and Port Edward) is such a place. There are strong currents, rip tides, and unpredictable waves. Experienced seafarers consider it South Africa’s own Bermuda Triangle – where ships disappear without a trace.
The Indian-registered Cordigilera, disappeared without a trace on the 13th of November 1996 in the vicinity of Port St Johns. Not a single member of her crew was ever found. 1996 is not that long ago – one would have thought a total disappearance in this day and age to be impossible…
Seven months later, on the 9th of July 1997, the Romanian cargo vessel, the Calarasi, sank in similar weather conditions about five nautical miles from the site where the Cordigilera went down. In her case, however, twenty of the 21 crewmen were airlifted to safety.
There are rumours of freak waves (up to 30m high) which have destroyed many ships on this coast. Whilst 30m doesn’t sound that high, the height of the tsunami wave accompanying the Sumatra earthquake on the 26th of December 2004 was measured at only 6.8m. To get a sense of what a 30m wave looks like, watch the surfing video in the info block (this wave was around 26m). Imagine that hitting a ship…
Perhaps the most famous presumed victim to these waves is the SS Waratah, which vanished a hundred years ago, on the 29th of July 1909, with all 211 passengers and crew aboard. The SS Waratah was 142 meters in length, 18.08 meters wide, with a mean draft of 9.26 meters. This was not a small boat. Yet to this day no trace of the ship has ever been found.
What creates these waves around the Wildcoast? Well, there are several factors which contribute. The Agulhas Current is one of these factors. The South Equatorial Current originates in the trade wind areas of the Indian Ocean. Assisted by the forces generated by the rotation of the earth, this current flows westward across the Indian Ocean until it hits the east coast of Africa where it is deflected southwards.
Near Madagascar this enormous flow of water splits into two before joining up again just north of Durban, and from there continues southwards as the mighty Agulhas Current. It is narrow (approx. 100 km wide), swift (up to 3 m/s) and deep (2 km). The amount of water transported is said to be about 70 million cubic meters per second, which makes it one of the largest western Boundary Currents in the world.
The continental shelf along the Wildcoast widens to some 32 kilometres seawards off Durban, then narrows to about 8km off Port St Johns, before extending out to more than 30km off East London. So, Port St Johns is where the continental shelf comes closest to land along this South African stretch of coastline.
This appears to create a funnelling effect, which brings wildlife closer inshore (read ‘sardine run’). The deep water arrives very quickly with the drop-off from the continental shelf – which could contribute to the formation of these enormous waves. Add the varying pressure cells at different times of the year, and you have the perfect recipe for “freak waves”.
Carnelian (a brownish-red mineral commonly used as a semiprecious stone) has been sourced from numerous locations worldwide, including Australia, Europe, and America. However, some of the most exquisite carnelian pieces are believed to have originated from India, that has a long history of shaping carnelian into valued art objects – a tradition that dates back to the Neolithic era.
In 1608, a little Portuguese sailing ship, the Santo Espiritu, was on its way back from India, laden with a cargo of pepper, Chinese Ming porcelain and carnelian beads. It ran aground in 1608 close to Double Mouth Beach. They lived on the beach and salvaged enough wood from the wreckage to build a small boat – eventually finding their way to Maputo ( which was known as Delagoa Bay back then).
Today, one can still find the porcelain and the carnelian beads just around the corner from the campsite near Double Mouth Nature Reserve – which is also in walking distance of Morgan Bay Hotel.
Wherever you go in this delightful country, whatever you do – there’s always a story, within a story. A tale to be told – some fascinating titbits to research. I honestly find it a constant delight – uncovering facts, always with a sense of never knowing where it will all lead … I do hope you enjoyed the read!!
Jacqui Ikin & The Cross Country Team
INFO BOX
Sebastian Steudtner GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ Title For The Largest Wave Surfed:
Treasure Hunting on the Wild Coast: Morgan Bay and Double Mouth: