# S A Oranjeland



## andysk (Jun 16, 2005)

Hi All 

In June this year I posted in the gallery a pic of *S A ORANJELAND* aground outside East London, South Africa. See the pic at http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=69114

I now have a query about the date of the incident. My slide is dated (by Kodak) Sept 1975, the date I have written on it is 17 Aug 1975.

However, the entry in Miramar says the wreck occurred on 13 Aug 1974, as do other refs; eg WSS Safmarine, Lloyds Confidential Index, the Marine Casualty Database Southern African Coast (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/2216/text/MARITIME.TXT)

I think there is something wrong with the dates recorded above, or Kodak & my Dis A have cocked up; as the funnel grey paint job is too pristine, and the name on the stern too clear for there to have been a year between the grounding and my pic. Can anybody shed any light on the real dates please ?

Thanks for any assistance in advance ....

Cheers

Andy


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## exsailor (Dec 18, 2005)

Andy,

'S.A. Oranjeland' was wrecked outside East London on Tuesday August 13th, 1974.
See details at http://www.dispatch.co.za/2004/08/13/Features/or1.html

Regards,
Dennis.


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## andysk (Jun 16, 2005)

Hi Dennis ....

Thanks for this, the dates obviously tie up, it just seemed to me to be a little strange that after a year had passed the funnel paint was so new looking and the name was so clearly visible and readable !

Cheers

Andy


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## dowling (Feb 16, 2007)

hi andsky,seen your photo and i hunted through all of my old ones of my time withunioncastle.will print my copy,although it is a poor one compared to yours.i was on the rotherwick castle at the time,filling in the run the good hope was meant to do.the date on my photo is 24-11-74.


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## andysk (Jun 16, 2005)

Thanks Dowling, it'll be good to see it.

Cheers Andy


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## dowling (Feb 16, 2007)

should be on the site now,though it is a poor photo


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## andysk (Jun 16, 2005)

It's a scary thought, exactly 33 years (and one week) ago !

Thanks for posting

Cheers

Andy


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## pine tops (Dec 5, 2007)

hey dowling,
was you on the rotherwick when it laid up in east london for weeks?. this is pine tops. mates with ken grindrod


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## MartynS (Dec 27, 2007)

*Herefordshire*

It is a very scary thought as I saw it go aground and can't believe it was that long ago. I was 3/O on Bibby Line's Herefordshire and we were steaming up and down the coast waiting to berth in East London, but the port was officially closed due to the bad weather. If I remember correctly, the Oranjeland had survivors on board from a ship that had gone down in the Indian Ocean and was given priority to come in. It was thought that she would be powerful enough to manage it, but to get around the breakwater she was exposed as she turned and she went right over.

Believe it or not, I had forgotten all about it until I saw this thread!

Martyn Sutton



andysk said:


> It's a scary thought, exactly 33 years (and one week) ago !
> 
> Thanks for posting
> 
> ...


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## Hans Strijdom (Feb 12, 2008)

The SA Oranjeland had just left East London after dropping off survivors from the tanker PRODUCE which had struck a reef off Umkumaas near Durban and capsized, when her power went out. The rest is history...


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