On April 30 1965 the 347 ton Dutch coaster, Nolloth, was approaching Oliphantos Point when she struck an unidentified object that later turned out to be the Albatross Rock. The crew were lifted of by helicopter and landed on the beach not yards from where the rusting remains of the Liberty ship Thomas. T. Tucker lay.
Her cargo, a valuable one containing liquor and general goods was salvaged and taken to cape Town by lorry along a specially constructed road along the beach. The Nolloth could not be taken off the rocks, so she was salvaged where she lay and what is left now lies rotting on the beach.
The remains of the Nolloth lie about half a mile from the wreckage of the Thomas.T.Tucker, and it is usuall to do both on the one trip. So when you get to the Tucker, just keep walking along the shore around the spit of land that its on, and you will soon see the Nolloth.
I am grateful to Jan van der Luit, who was the Engineer on the Nolloth, for the following information and photos. Jan writes, In the past this ship had a lot troubles in its life,when my father bought this ship It was a wreck,she was traveling under the name LEUVEHAVEN and was owned by Van Uden from Rotterdam, a big ship owner.
Before she was named NOLLOTH it was the REALITY bought by my father ,he bought the ship from a Dutch friend of his and he owned a ship wharf. The ship was as a wreck he was collision with a japanese ship on the waterweg in Rotterdam, so my fathers friend bought it and restored it. Far before this , it was called ALPHA , Van Uden took over and is was called LeuVeHAVEN.
Then the whole family went to SOUTH AFRICA with the REALITY to Cape Town in 1956, and the ship got a charter with COAST LINES traveling between CapeTown and Port Nolloth The Coast Lines wanted to name the ship Nolloth and it got its Grave on the beach on the western Cape,so all ends there.
J.K.van der Luit says
I am the son of the captain M/s Nolloth whe travelled from cape town to Port Nolloth for many years.My father is dead now and I live in Holland.
David McClure says
This is amazing ! I saw a picture on TV the other day of a ship with a Delfzul registry. That got me thinking about the Reality. At 15 yrs old I was lucky through my father’s connection with a shipping agent (a Dane named Jeppeson working from London ) to get 2 trips on Reality in the summers of ’55 and ’56 ?? My route was Sunderland ( my home town at the time) to Skive north Denmark. Coal going east and molar clay back to the UK . I am sorry to hear of your fathers passing. He was a wonderful man. He invited me up to the wheelhouse where I spent every waking hour. Even with the language barrier we communicated extremely well. I was shocked and concerned to see what happened on that fateful April 30th 1965 day south of Cape Town.I am so glad everyone got off safely. I now live in Canada. I hope we can talk more about the Reality and clarify my dates. Cheers, David McClure.
Simon alan Nolloth says
My name is Simon Nolloth and find this very interesting , I live in norfolk uk
BILLY KOTZE says
My name is Billy Kotze .I live in Cape Town SOUTH AFRICA and I believe I am in possession of the compass of the NOLLOTH
Maureen Ogilvie says
A photograph was published in one of the “Transvaal ” newspapers the following day or so. I did an Oil painting from this black and white photo of the Nolloth on the rocks . A beautiful photo taken close up facing the camera. I have been unable to trace it. Can anyone help