Wrecks at the Ratel River Mouth
Ratel Rivier. Latitude-34.15333° or 34° 9′ 12″ south. Longitude. 20.07958° near Cape Agulhas has been the scene of several shipping disasters over the centuries.
The Grace
The Grace was a British vessel weighing 250 tons that was built in 1811. It was en route from Port Jackson to London with a cargo of wool and grain oil. It was wrecked near Ratel River on June the 4th 1822. The ship was abandoned and everyone on board survived
The Dutchess of Buccleugh
The Dutchess of Buccleugh was a British wooden barque weighing 404 tons. The ship was built in 1843 and was en route from Calcutta to London with a cargo of indigo, rice, sugar and silk. The ship ran ashore on a sandy beach close to the Ratel River mouth on the 13th of June 1850.
The Gloria Deo
The Gloria Deo was an Italian barque that weighed 977 tons. It was en route from Singapore to Falmouth with a cargo of rice and rattans. It was wrecked on a reef in front of the Ratel River on the 19th of June in 1882. There were only 15 survivors
North East
The North East was a British iron barque that weighed 1022 tons. built 1863) It was en route from Manilla to New York with a cargo of sugar, cigars, pearl shells, bales of hides, and bales of hemp. It was wrecked near the Ratel River on Rietfontein Beach on the 13th of December in 1872. All the people on board survived.
RP Buck
The RP Buck was an American barque that weighed 926 tons. It was on the way from Robalingo to Falmouth with a cargo of sugar. It was wrecked 24 km west of Cape Agulhas near the Ratel River on the 4th of April 1877. Fortunately, no lives were lost.
