Cape Town: The Bark “William Hales” Towing Out of Port in 1886

The featured vessel in this painting is the American bark, William Holes. She was rounding the Cape of Good Hope from Singapore en route to New York when she went aground on a reef off Struis Point. The ships’ log reveals the predicament.

“Put in leaky. Struck reef off Struis Point and bumped very heavily. After setting all sail ship came off. Found her making water rapidly. All hands worked pumps. Water gained rapidly so made for Table Bay as vessel could not have kept afloat much longer.”

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