Royal reprise in Prince Philip’s harbour appearance

AFTER a devastating storm in June 1858 caused the loss of 30 vessels moored in Table Bay, Lloyd’s of London declined to provide insurance cover for ships wintering in the bay, galvanising the remote colonial seaport to act to guarantee its maritime reputation, and its only link with the world.

Within just two years work began on what would become the breakwater that made the Cape a haven for shipping.

The first load of stone that formed the breakwater was tipped into Table Bay by the teenage son of Queen Victoria, Prince Alfred, in 1860.

More than a century later there was a reprise of sorts when Queen Elizabeth paid her second visit to the country and her husband Prince Philip, played a role in a contemporary harbour development. The following report from March 17, 1995 announced the programme.

ON September 17, 1860, the 16-year-old Prince Alfred – second son of Queen Victoria – pulled a silver handle which tipped the first truckload of rubble on to the breakwater officially starting the construction of Table Bay Harbour.

On Monday, 135 years later and in keeping with royal tradition, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will push a plunger and blow up part of the West Quay of the Alfred Basin to mark the start of the development of a new basin in the old tank farm.

Prince Philip will arrive on royal yacht Britannia and dock at Jetty 1 where the royal entourage will be met by President Nelson Mandela.

At 2.30pm after taking a rescue craft from Jetty 1 to the Dry Dock, the Prince will press the plunger and 300 charges on a 100m section of the West Quay will detonate.

After the last charge goes off and if all goes well, a fireworks display consisting mainly of coloured smoke will then entertain the crowd.

The old tank farm, situated on the west side of the Alfred Basin behind the aquarium, was excavated in the 1860s to provide the rock for the first breakwater.

Later, large tanks with bunker oil for passing ships were stored on the site and now the developers plan to flood the area by September and create a new basin which will hold about 130 small craft.

Consulting engineer Joe Dresner said the plan included cutting through the West Quay which would allow vessels to enter the basin, where a “millionaires’ row” of apartments which would separate the lower farm from the upper farm.

“The upper tank farm area will be flooded much later and be connected to the entrance of the Waterfront by a canal.”

One of the features of the first phase would be an elevating pedestrian bridge which would allow yachts to pass through the West Quay cut.