Arniston, Western Cape
Encyclopedia
Arniston is a small seaside settlement in the Overberg
region on the Cape South coast, close to Cape Agulhas
, the southern-most tip of Africa
. Prior to the loss of the Arniston, it was known as Waenhuiskrans, an Afrikaans
name meaning literally "Wagon house cliff", after a local sea cave large enough to accommodate a wagon and a span of oxen.
East Indiaman, the Arniston, was rounding the Cape in convoy on a journey to repatriate wounded English soldiers from Ceylon. The ship lacked a chronometer
– an expensive instrument at the time – and consequently had to rely on other ships in the fleet to calculate the longitude
of the group. After being separated from the convoy in heavy seas, the captain of the Arniston was obliged to rely solely on dead reckoning
to navigate. Thinking incorrectly that he was 100 miles (160.9 km) west of the Cape of Good Hope, the master steered north for St Helena and ran the ship onto the rocks at Waenhuiskrans. Only six of the 378 souls on board survived the wrecking.
The survivors spent several days on the beach before being discovered by a farmer's son. A memorial, a replica of which can be seen today, was erected on the beach by the wife of Colonel Giels, whose four unaccompanied children were lost in the tragedy. The memorial bears the following inscription:
Over the years, the name of the wreck has become synonymous with the name of the location and today the labels 'Arniston' and 'Waenhuiskrans' are used interchangeably.
. The fishing village, characterized by its lime-washed and thatched houses, remains unspoiled and has been declared a national monument
in its entirety. Fishermen still go to sea in boats of the style that would have been familiar to locals in the early nineteenth century, although now under contract to larger commercial enterprises. Whale watching
is a popular tourist activity. The Arniston Hotel is a popular tourist destination that looks out over the ocean.
The closest major town is Bredasdorp
, 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) to the north. The Overberg Test Range is situated adjacent to the town.
Overberg
Overberg is a district in South Africa to the east of Cape Town beyond the Hottentots-Holland mountains. It lies along the Cape Province's south coast between the Cape Peninsula and the region known as the Garden Route in the east...
region on the Cape South coast, close to Cape Agulhas
Cape Agulhas
Cape Agulhas is a rocky headland in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is the geographic southern tip of Africa and the official dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the southern-most tip of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Prior to the loss of the Arniston, it was known as Waenhuiskrans, an Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
name meaning literally "Wagon house cliff", after a local sea cave large enough to accommodate a wagon and a span of oxen.
Wreck of the Arniston
In May 1815, a BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
East Indiaman, the Arniston, was rounding the Cape in convoy on a journey to repatriate wounded English soldiers from Ceylon. The ship lacked a chronometer
Marine chronometer
A marine chronometer is a clock that is precise and accurate enough to be used as a portable time standard; it can therefore be used to determine longitude by means of celestial navigation...
– an expensive instrument at the time – and consequently had to rely on other ships in the fleet to calculate the longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
of the group. After being separated from the convoy in heavy seas, the captain of the Arniston was obliged to rely solely on dead reckoning
Dead reckoning
In navigation, dead reckoning is the process of calculating one's current position by using a previously determined position, or fix, and advancing that position based upon known or estimated speeds over elapsed time, and course...
to navigate. Thinking incorrectly that he was 100 miles (160.9 km) west of the Cape of Good Hope, the master steered north for St Helena and ran the ship onto the rocks at Waenhuiskrans. Only six of the 378 souls on board survived the wrecking.
The survivors spent several days on the beach before being discovered by a farmer's son. A memorial, a replica of which can be seen today, was erected on the beach by the wife of Colonel Giels, whose four unaccompanied children were lost in the tragedy. The memorial bears the following inscription:
Over the years, the name of the wreck has become synonymous with the name of the location and today the labels 'Arniston' and 'Waenhuiskrans' are used interchangeably.
Modern Day
At first only a fishing community, Arniston has become a holiday destination and its hinterland a region for viticultureViticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
. The fishing village, characterized by its lime-washed and thatched houses, remains unspoiled and has been declared a national monument
National monument
A National monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of national importance such as a war or the country's founding. The term may also refer to a specific monument status, such as a National Heritage Site, which most national monuments are by reason of their cultural...
in its entirety. Fishermen still go to sea in boats of the style that would have been familiar to locals in the early nineteenth century, although now under contract to larger commercial enterprises. Whale watching
Whale watching
Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and other cetaceans in their natural habitat. Whales are watched most commonly for recreation but the activity can also serve scientific or educational purposes. A 2009 study, prepared for IFAW, estimated that 13 million people went whale watching...
is a popular tourist activity. The Arniston Hotel is a popular tourist destination that looks out over the ocean.
The closest major town is Bredasdorp
Bredasdorp
Bredasdorp is a town in the Southern Overberg region of the Western Cape, South Africa, and the main economic and service hub of that region. It lies on the northern edge of the Agulhas Plain, about south-east of Cape Town and north of Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa.-History:The...
, 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) to the north. The Overberg Test Range is situated adjacent to the town.