SS Cap Lopez

Last updated

History
Name:
  • Rheinland (1885-1905)
  • Cap Lopez (1905-1907)
Owner:
  • Rabien & Statlander (1885-1905)
  • Société Anonyme du SS Cap Lopez, Antwerp (1905-1907)
  • Société Anonyme de Navigation Mercure, Antwerp (1907)
Operator:
  • Rabien & Statlander (1885-1905)
  • F Siebert (1905-07)
Port of registry:
  • Flag of the German Empire.svg Brake (1885-1905)
  • Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Antwerp (1905-07)
Builder: H Hespe, Brake
Completed: 1885
Fate: Wrecked on the Goodwin Sands, 20 December 1907
General characteristics
Tonnage:
Propulsion: 1 x compound steam engine, 75 hp (56 kW)

The SS Cap Lopez was a 758 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1885 as Rheinland. She was sold in 1905 and renamed, and became stranded on the south Goodwin Sands on 21 December 1907.

Cargo ship ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials onboard from one port to another

A cargo ship or freighter ship is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. Cargo ships are usually specially designed for the task, often being equipped with cranes and other mechanisms to load and unload, and come in all sizes. Today, they are almost always built by welded steel, and with some exceptions generally have a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years before being scrapped.

Goodwin Sands

Goodwin Sands is a 10-mile (16 km) long sandbank at the southern end of the North Sea lying 6 miles (10 km) off the Deal coast in Kent, England. The area consists of a layer of approximately 25 m (82 ft) depth of fine sand resting on an Upper Chalk platform belonging to the same geological feature that incorporates the White Cliffs of Dover. The banks lie between 0.5 m above the low water mark to around 3 m (10 ft) below low water, except for one channel that drops to around 20 m (66 ft) below. Tides and currents are constantly shifting the shoals.

Contents

History

Cap Lopez was built in 1885 by H Hespe of Brake, Lower Saxony. She was originally named Rheinland. She was built for Rabien and Stadtlander, Brake. In 1905 she was sold to Société Anonyme du SS Cap Lopez and was renamed Cap Lopez (after the African cape). She was managed by F Siebert. In 1907, Cap Lopez was sold to Société Anonyme de Navigation Mercure, Antwerp. [1] She was wrecked on the South Goodwin Sands on 20 December 1907. [2] At the time of her wreck she was carrying a cargo of iron ore and salt from Mazarrón, Spain to Antwerp. [1]

Brake, Lower Saxony Place in Lower Saxony, Germany

Brake is the district seat of Wesermarsch district in northern Germany.

Lower Saxony State in Germany

Lower Saxony is a German state (Land) situated in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with 47,624 km2 (18,388 sq mi), and fourth-largest in population among the 16 Länder federated as the Federal Republic of Germany. In rural areas, Northern Low Saxon and Saterland Frisian are still spoken, but the number of speakers is declining.

Cape Lopez

Cape Lopez is a headland on the coast of Gabon, west central Africa. The westernmost point of Gabon, it separates the Gulf of Guinea from the South Atlantic Ocean. Cape Lopez is the northernmost point of a low, wooded island between two mouths of the Ogooué River. There is an oil terminal at the southeast side of the cape, and the seaport of Port-Gentil lies about 10 km southeast of the cape. A lighthouse has existed on the Cape since 1897; the current tower was built in 1911, but has been inactive for many years and is in danger of collapsing from erosion.

Shipwreck

Regardless of the efforts made to save the ship, it ultimately became a total loss. G.B. Bayley, a Deal boatman, said that the wind was blowing hard W.S.W., and the sea was correspondingly heavy. The Charles Hargrave of Kingsdown was launched at 2.30 AM in response to distress signals being fired.

Deal, Kent town in Kent, England

Deal is a town in Kent, England, which lies on the border of the North Sea and the English Channel, eight miles north-east of Dover and eight miles south of Ramsgate. It is a former fishing, mining and garrison town. Close to Deal is Walmer, a possible location for Julius Caesar's first arrival in Britain.

"Finding the vessel fast aground she anchored to windward and veered down alongside, when the Captain asked the Coxswain to do his best to salve her." Against the prevailing weather an attempt was just possible, and the Walmer lifeboat arrived shortly afterwards to assist in the attempt. As was usual in such difficult conditions, a complement of men from each of the lifeboats boarded the wreck, an anchor being laid out in a suitable place. Only then could the task of throwing over the side an amount of the cargo begin, but the worsening weather made this attempt to lighten the ship futile. With the tide making, and the wind increasing to a fierce gale, the sea became so heavy that it became clear the ship would have to be abandoned.

Shortly afterwards, "a great towering sea struck the Walmer lifeboat, broke the rope connecting her with the vessel, smashed her rudder and other parts of her steering gear, and carried her far away to leeward in a helpless condition with about half her crew aboard the stranded ship, over which the seas were by now making a clean breach." (Treanor)

Rudder device to steer a vehicle

A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other conveyance that moves through a fluid medium. On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane. A rudder operates by redirecting the fluid past the hull (watercraft) or fuselage, thus imparting a turning or yawing motion to the craft. In basic form, a rudder is a flat plane or sheet of material attached with hinges to the craft's stern, tail, or after end. Often rudders are shaped so as to minimize hydrodynamic or aerodynamic drag. On simple watercraft, a tiller—essentially, a stick or pole acting as a lever arm—may be attached to the top of the rudder to allow it to be turned by a helmsman. In larger vessels, cables, pushrods, or hydraulics may be used to link rudders to steering wheels. In typical aircraft, the rudder is operated by pedals via mechanical linkages or hydraulics.

With the Walmer lifeboat disabled, the task fell to the men of Kingsdown to take off the ship's crew and the Walmer boatmen. In the attempt to veer close enough to accomplish this, the lifeboat was raised clear above the wreck, and in descending she was struck heavily by a part of the upper structure of the ship, narrowly escaping total destruction. The next heavy sea cleared the Kingsdown lifeboat, which, having been damaged, returned to the attempt. ‘The men who were there (said) the escape was miraculous’. So fierce had conditions become that many of those stranded upon the ‘Cap Lopez’ had no other recourse other than to take to the rigging, and from there to jump for the lifeboat whenever the opportunity presented itself. By this means, and at great length, all aboard were rescued, including the ships dog.

The perils of the sea still hard against them, the coxswain and his crew got the lifeboat clear to go to the assistance of the Walmer boat, which was taken in tow. So far leeward had they been blown that the safest option was to make for Ramsgate, which was reached at about noon on the 22nd, where the crew of the ‘Cap Lopez’ and the two lifeboat crews, all thoroughly exhausted, were well cared for at the Sailors Home, with the lifeboats being towed back to their stations by the Harbour tug on the following day.

The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cock, a cockboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, an Old English term derived from the Old Norse sveinn meaning boy or servant.

Ramsgate town in Kent, England

Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2001 it had a population of about 40,000. Ramsgate’s main attraction is its coastline, and its main industries are tourism and fishing. The town has one of the largest marinas on the English south coast, and the Port of Ramsgate provided cross-channel ferries for many years.

The men who formed the Kingsdown crew on this occasion were:~ James Pay, (Acting Coxswain), William Sutton, J.Birch, John Bingham, Edward Arnold, A.Sutton, J.Kingsford, T.Bingham, John Arnold, Charles Arnold, W.Laming, James Bingham, and Edward Bingham.

The Walmer crew were:~ T.Heard, H.Parker, R.Mercer, J.Mercer, W.Pearson, H.Pearson, B.Pearson, T.Lewis, G.Norris, W.Baily, J.Bullen, T.Bullen, E.Jordan, B.Jordan, and T.Gardener.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Belgian Merchant A-G" (PDF). Belgische Koopvaardij. Retrieved 30 September 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. ↑ "5615397"Lock-red-alt.svg . Miramar Ship Index . Retrieved 16 April 2009.

Coordinates: 51°12′N1°30′E / 51.2°N 1.5°E / 51.2; 1.5

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