Ship Wreck: Volo, Norwegian Barque Wrecked on South African Coast

Volo shipwreck occurred on 6 March 1896 when the Norwegian barque Volo struck rocks near the mouth of the Bushman River in South Africa. Built for the timber trade, the vessel had spent years sailing between Europe, Africa, the Americas and the Pacific before running aground in thick fog and rough seas. All 12 crew members survived the disaster.

A Timber Trader from Norway

Volo was constructed by master shipbuilder Ole Martin Olsen at the Indre Bratteklev shipyard on Tromøya, near Arendal in Norway. The shipping company Chr. Eyde & Hein operated the barque, and her first captain was Knud Knudsen. As a barque, she carried three or more masts with square sails on all of them, a rig well suited to long ocean voyages and the demands of global trade.

On 6 February 1892, Volo departed Arendal on a voyage that would keep her away from her home port for more than three years. After loading timber in Fredrikstad, she sailed south to Algoa Bay, arriving on 10 June after 73 days at sea. From there she crossed the Atlantic to Pensacola in the United States, then returned to southern Africa before crossing the Indian Ocean, sailing around Australia, and visiting Tonga and Samoa in the Pacific.

Rescue at Sea and Return Home

In January 1894, Volo departed Samoa with a cargo of copra, the dried meat of coconuts used in oil production and other goods. She reached Cádiz, Spain, 127 days later, then sailed to South America to load wheat for the voyage back to Europe. During the return crossing of the Atlantic in the early hours of 26 March 1895, the crew spotted the Swedish barque Ponemah in distress. The vessel had sprung a leak, and her mate and one sailor had already died. Volo rescued the surviving crew members and continued to Arendal, arriving in late summer 1895.

Final Voyage and the Wreck of Volo

On 30 November 1895, Volo left Gothenburg, Sweden, carrying Baltic pine boards destined for Lourenço Marques, now Maputo, on Delagoa Bay in Portuguese East Africa. Captain Martin Karinius Olsen commanded the vessel on his first long voyage in charge. The voyage proceeded without major incident until early March 1896.

On 5 March, navigating by dead reckoning, Captain Olsen estimated the ship lay about 200 miles from the coast. The following morning brought thick fog and rough seas. The crew suddenly sighted breaking waves ahead. Olsen ordered a course change, but Volo struck rocks near the mouth of the Bushman River before she could turn clear. The impact broke her keel and opened the hull to the sea. Waves then carried her over the reef and onto the beach between Kwaaihoek and the river mouth.

Survival and Rescue

Heavy seas swept across the deck, flooding the deckhouses and forcing the crew to climb into the rigging for safety. The fog initially hid the shore, but as it lifted about 15 minutes later, the men saw they were only two ship lengths from land. Local people gathered on the beach to help. Several attempts to pass a line ashore failed until a local farmer swam out to the vessel and brought a line back to the beach. With help from those on shore, all 12 crew members reached safety. Captain Olsen was the last to leave the wreck. Local farmers cared for the survivors, and one crew member needed hospital treatment for an injury.

Breaking Up and Legacy

Volo was beyond repair. Her keel was broken and much of her hull shattered. The surviving cargo and salvageable parts were sold at auction. Timber and material recovered from the wreck were used to build houses in the surrounding area. Over time, the remains were broken up by the sea and weather or buried beneath sand. Portions of the wreck reappeared occasionally, including remains reported in 1999. Salvaged artefacts have been displayed locally, and timber from Volo and her cargo survives in nearby houses.

Understanding Barques and Dead Reckoning

A barque was a sailing ship with three or more masts, with square sails on all masts except the rear mast, which carried fore-and-aft sails. This rig balanced speed with the ability to sail closer to the wind than fully square-rigged ships. Dead reckoning was the method of calculating a ship’s position by recording the course steered and distance travelled, without astronomical observation. Navigators estimated speed from the ship’s movement through the water and kept careful records in the log. In fog or poor visibility, dead reckoning was the only tool available, making it prone to error over long distances, as Volo’s experience showed.