The wreck of the SS Clan Stuart
wrecksThe Clan Stuart was a steamship that was blown ashore in 1914. The ship can be seen out to sea between Glencairn and Simon’s Town. There are several wrecks of ships belonging to the Clan shipping line. The Clan McGregor (3 May 1902), the Clan Monroe (July 1905), and the Clan Stuart (21 November 1914) The Clan Stuart was the only one to see WW1.
The Clan Stuart was built by W. Doxford and Son in 1900. It weighed 3,594 tons. The Clan Stuart was sent around the Cape Coast to avoid the taxes imposed for using the Suez Canal. However, the ship was specifically designed to pass through the canal. The weather of the Cape of Storms proved too much for the ship. The design of the hull caused it to roll badly.
The accepted story is that the Clan Stuart arrived in Simon’s Bay loaded with a coal delivery. A Southeasterly gale on the 21 November 1914 dragged the ship towards the rocks just offshore at Glencairn. The crew and the cargo were both saved.
. She was towed off the rocks to be repaired in Simon’s Town. However, She was refused permission to enter the dry dock because of the danger of her shape. She was consequently abandoned off Glencairn beach where the wreck can still be seen today.
. The area around the wreck is a protected marine area. There is still a great deal of interest in the shipwreck from local divers including a voluntary research project.
It’s a popular dive site that is easily accessible from the shore. Over the years the wreck has been transformed into a colourful reef, populated by a wide variety of sea life.
The wreck can be seen about 100 metres off the shoreline at Mackerel Beach ( Glencairn beach)
