The "Romance" of a Bygone Era

There is something that seems so romantic about the beautiful old sailing vessels from a bygone era.

The other day on our Port Elizabeth Daily Photo blog, we featured the replica of the Goteberg, which visited PE in March 2006 on her way to China. There was great excitement when this rare sight wafted into our harbour, and left a few days later with much razzamatazz, brass band playing, small yachts following and canon fire salutes.

Goteberg leaves PE Harbour, accompanied by yachts, while a large modern tanker waits across the bay to come in to port.

In the early 1900s, they were all there was, and Port Elizabeth was the busiest port in South Africa, due to the exports of wool and ostrich feathers, as well as diamonds from the Kimberley mines, so there were always many of these ships on the horizon, waiting in Algoa bay to be brought into port.

loading wool bales in 1900

However, this place did not earn its nickname "the windy city" for nothing! There have been a few major gales through the centuries, but none as devastating as that of September 1902.

I got hold of some copies of photos yesterday, which were taken on North End Beach the following day..... bet it did not seem at all romantic for the sailors who were in the 21 ships which either ran aground or disappeared!

They were intrepid adventurers, those men, who worked in terrible conditions to open up new territory around the world. One of my all time favourite photos of old sailing ships is Shackelton's Endurance being crushed by ice in Antarctica. I have read so many versions of that story, including his autobiography, and find myself constantly awed by the feats of endurance achieved by those extraordinary men.

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:)

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On another note, I want to thank Janet and Shirley for each giving me a "you make my day" award. As my blog is a "no tag zone" I won't go through the whole "post the rules and name others" routine, but still the thought is deeply appreciated, thanks!