Page 75 - KBHA BULLETIN 5

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The trawler ran aground opposite Kalk Bay Station and succumbed to the sea within a few

months. (Fig. 4.7.) Her boiler, however, which was washed up alongside the railway station,

remained there for many years and could be seen on postcards of Kalk Bay as late as 1910. The
244-ton trawler, which was newly bought by the False Bay Fish and Cold Storage Company, had

sailed from England on her maiden voyage. She was loading ice at Kalk Bay when a strong
south-easter caught her captain unawares. She dragged anchor and was soon aground. Her ten-

man crew reached the shore safely, but she was a total wreck. A salvage auction held on 28

October realized only £51-12-6, which included the trawl nets and coal. Her master was blamed
for bad seamanship, although the equipment was said to be faulty. This did not help with any

insurance claims and resulted in the financial demise of her owners.

The following report in the Sea Side News of 24 October 1903, with the final punch-up at the
Kings Hotel, makes interesting reading.

Steam trawler REX, 244 tons, was bought in England and brought to South Africa by the
rd
False Bay Fishing and Cold Storage Co. Ltd. She sailed from Simon’s Town 7.a.m. 3 Oct 1903.
At 10.30 she anchored off Kalk Bay to collect ice from the cold storage. While waiting for the
second load of ice to be brought out she started to drag anchor under the influence of a south-east
wind. Although the vessel had ‘steam up’ she drifted onto the rocks between 1300 and 1400,
close to the railway station. Telegrams were sent immediately to Simon’s Town and within an
hour the powerful tug of the Admiralty Scotchman and steam trawler Marie, another of the
company’s steam trawlers, attempted to tow Rex off the rocks. Unfortunately she had sprung a
leak and was taking water, and it was decided to leave her where she was until the extent of the
damage was known. When the stranding occurred 10 men were on board, but they managed to
st
get ashore without difficulty. The Captain was David C. Newbury. She also had a mate, a 1 and
nd
th
2 Engineer and a cook. The Court of Enquiry on 20 Oct 1903 found the Rex had anchored in
an unsafe position, a proper and good watch had not been kept, the anchors and associated
equipment were defective and inefficiently used, and previous to the time of stranding the vessel
was navigated in a careless, unseamanlike manner and the whole discipline of the ship appeared
to have been bad. The Master was accordingly held responsible and his certificate suspended for
3 months.

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