Shorelines by Chris Marais

Author:Chris Marais
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Shorelines: A Journey along the South African Coast
ISBN: 9781920545185
Publisher: Random House Struik
Published: 2012-05-25T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18: Arniston and Elim

Shipwreck Coast

It’s 30 May 1815, and a thick fog has set in on the coast around Waenhuiskrans in the Overberg about 40 km north-east of Cape Agulhas.

The British East Indiaman called the Arniston is approaching the coastline in convoy. Most of the passengers on board are wounded British soldiers from six regiments stationed in the East. A squall brews off the Agulhas Bank and the resultant hurricane drives the Arniston towards the land. By dawn, it is clear that the ship lies in the eye of a storm, surrounded by breakers.

Taking the advice of his staff and a Royal Navy agent on board, Captain George Simpson heads the vessel towards land, hoping to beach her. The Arniston, according to reports, hits a reef more than 1 km out at sea and begins to break up.

It later emerged that Captain Simpson had mistakenly taken this part of the coast for Table Bay, but once the currents began dragging her towards the beach it was too late. Among those who drowned were 14 women, 25 children and Lord and Lady Molesworth.

We found a plaque near the beachfront that read:

“Erected by their disconsolate parents to the memory of Thomas, aged 13 years, William Noble, aged 10, Andrew, aged 8, and Alexander McGregor Murray, aged 7 (the four eldest sons of Lt Col Andrew Giels of HM 73rd Regiment) who, with Lord and Lady Molesworth, unfortunately perished in the Arniston transport, wrecked on this shore the 30th day of May, 1815.”

The “Sale Notice Of Goods Salvaged From The Transport Ship Arniston” read:

“[A] quantity of Goods, saved from the Wreck … consisting of:

“122 Casks, containing Wine, Arrack etc;

“580 empty ditto, of different sorts;

“1 Bellows;

“2 Casks Pitch and various pieces of Cordage and Rattans.

“The Sale will commence at 10 o’clock in the morning of each day, and be held on the Beach near the Eilands Valley Caledon, 23rd of July, 1815.”

This part of the coast was home to Strandloper communities as long as 120 000 years ago. Shell middens have revealed bone fish-hooks, stone sinkers, sheep bones and clay pots, evidence that Khoi herders lived here as well. These days, the village of Arniston (which was formerly called Waenhuiskrans) boasts houses that are being sold in the R5-million bracket. Cape Town uses Arniston as a weekend getaway, and we soon found out why.

After four weeks on the coastal road, Jules and I collapsed gratefully into the world of the Arniston Hotel, a welcoming universe of excellent showers, a great double bed, satellite television, room service offering fresh kob, vegetables, baby potatoes and ice-cold lager. That night, after delighting in the total nonsense of a Hollywood teen-thriller movie, we literally passed out. Jules dreamt that a Lambert’s Bay gannet had become our travelling companion and, when there was no fresh fish, it was happy to be fed bread soaked in milk. I always marvel at the exquisite detail of my wife’s dreamtime.

In the morning we breakfasted on homemade bread, smoked salmon, cream cheese, a fruit fantasia and pots of strong coffee.

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