The ghost of James Searle III - or is it?
- antonroland
- Sep 10, 2022
- 3 min read
All my life I have lived in Port Elizabeth and only in the last week or two did I discover these remains of a wreck of a tug that was called James Searle III. I say James Searle III because that is the latest info I received from friends. I did some trawling and came across a Port Elizabeth-born James Searle who shared his father's name and had a son named James. If you like you could see more here. I trust you will agree that the James Searle III is rather likely. James Searle III was born in 1892, The James Searl tug in the pictures was built in 1895. Very likely then.
The above picture appears on this site here: http://thecasualobserver.co.za/port-elizabeth-yore-early-days-harbour-shipping/ . Now I am taking a bit of a chance here sharing this image but all credit is clearly given in multiple ways. Clicking on the image will also take you to the actual article and site.
If the owner of this site is not happy I might possibly have to remove it...let's see.
Now this James Searle tug in the above image is said to have been scrapped in 1950. The boiler I photographed this morning is said to have been part of a James Searle tug that ran aground in 1901. Bit of a difference there. According to the wreck site I found, this tug I photographed was built in 1895 and ran aground on Thunderbolt Reef in 1901. Now, officially, it seems to have been called only James Searle. Some very basic info about it can be found here. Time will tell as more information becomes available.
Now, back to this morning's images.
Just over a week ago I went to locate it and see how the tides would influence a shoot. The above image shows a fairly low low tide days after spring low with new moon. If you wish to see the remainder of this wreck on dry sand you might be dissapointed.
Getting to it is a moderately challenging 2,5km walk to the east from a Marine Drive roadside parking area on the Noordhoek side of Cape Recife. A much easier option would be an easy 1km stroll to the west from the Patti wreck parking inside the Cape Recife reserve. Do remember to have an entry permit and to observe the gate hours from 07:00 to 19:00 though. An entry permit can be obtained at the Pine Lodge Reception office. R100 for a week or R500 for a year, June to June. BRING CASH.
From a purist landscape photography point of view I thought that this wreck could best be photographed at sunset or sunrise which corresponds with a spring tide low. This does not seem to be on the cards for a good number of months to come and so I thought I'd make a series of experimental visits as my schedule allows.
This morning we were there around a moderately low low tide and I tried one of the possible shots I planned. There was a rather dense fog which really gave it a dreamy almost other-worldly feel.
From a personal point of view I am happy with some of the images. Then our dearly beloved Mr Murphy stopped by. Of the 12 or so exposures I made, the last 8 or 9 were horribly blurred. Why is beyond me. I might have moved my tripod a few meters closer or further away and never checked my focus again. It is possible that the tripod legs sank deeper into the sand during exposures. After all, water came rushing in and out with the wave action. So we learn...in theory at least.
This is why we have a reason to go back again and again and again. That definitive capture is often just ONE more visit away... Different lenses, different vantage points and different perspectives not to mention a variety of lighting conditions and other weather issues such a fog. My next attempt will probably involve an early morning visit and getting onto rocks near the boiler. My next attempt will definitely also involve getting wet and packing accordingly. Not all waves study tide tables...
And there we have it. Every shoot is always a success in more ways than one and every shoot often presents challenges.
Until next time, have fun and happy shooting!
Anton
Yes this is the wreck of the tug James Searle III according to an article in Looking Back from 1980 called “The Steam Tugs of Algoa Bay” https://historicalsocietype.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Looking_Back_1980_Vol_20_4.pdf
The article says “The James Searle III arrived in 1902 for service with the Port Elizabeth Harbour Board. Her reign was long. She was eventually cast adrift off Cape Recife lighthouse and was washed ashore about three kilometres west of the lighthouse on June 10, 1955, where her boiler and engine block may still be seen in the surf.”
On reading this I searched to see if I could find any photos of the wreck and was pleased to find the photos on your site so thank you.
i know there were 2 james searle 111 tugs