When Romelia and Antipolis came to stay
NOT-SO-old salts will recall an event 40 years ago.
Unlike the present meteorological situation, the weather at the end of July 1977 was typical of the Cape winters as we knew them – driving rain, strong westerly wind and heavy seas.
Most folks were indoors that night when, off the peninsula coast, the small Japanese tug Kiyo Maru was battling to bring her two-ship tow into Table Bay.
Wallowing in the wild seas astern of her were two derelict tankers – the 1959-vintage Liberian vessel Romelia and the Greek tanker Antipolis that were being towed from Greece to a Korean scrapyard, a 15 000-nautical mile voyage.
The tug was underpowered for such an operation; indeed, a tug of almost double her power should have been chartered for the tow that began in Piraeus on April 10!
The convoy had a 10-day stop off Abidjan, Ivory Coast, while cylinder linings in the tug’s main engine were replaced, after which the tow resumed at periwinkle pace.
It is possible that the towing gear had been damaged as the tankers drifted off the coast, perhaps occasionally colliding, albeit gently.
The tug passed Robben Island, continued southwards and then turned to come up the coast towards Table Bay, expecting to be relieved of her tow by the salvage tug Wolraad Woltemade while she entered port for bunkering and victualling.
The South African tug had not been booked for the holding operation, and had been busy that day refloating a Taiwanese long-liner from a harbour mole.
When the port authorities heard that a tug and her tandem tow were approaching from the south, they were extremely concerned.
Heavy weather had closed the port and port control ordered her to turn seawards, an order that later became a focal point in the subsequent court of inquiry when lawyers acting for the tug owner contended that the port should not have turned her away, or should have rendered assistance to her.
As the tug turned to port to head seawards, she headed directly into the huge seas.
The towing line parted, probably after it snagged on the wreck of the salvage vessel Gemsbok that had capsized and had sunk about a year earlier.
When the ships broke free from the tug, the line between them also parted and, driven by a gale-force north-westerly and heavy swell, the tankers were heading for the shore.
Responding to the Japanese tug’s call for assistance, a helicopter put a salvage team aboard Antipolis, while Wolraad Woltemade battled through the wild seas to try to link up to Antipolis.
However, the powerful tug got too close to huge granite outcrops near Oudekraal, sustaining damage to her bilge keel.
Uncertain of the extent of the damage to his vessel and fearing that she may take water, the tug master turned for Cape Town, leaving the tankers to their fate. (Later, about 20 tons of Iscor steel were needed for repairs to Wolraad Woltemade – and a new master took over command!)
Romelia grounded at Llandudno, and, exposed to the violent seas, she quickly broke up, but having come ashore in a more sheltered place at Oudekraal – her bow within metres of the carpark – Antipolis lasted longer, eventually being cut down to the waterline.