East Indiaman Arniston wrecked near Waenhuiskrans

Background. Arniston was a British East Indiaman chartered as a troopship. In 1814, she departed England and later embarked soldiers of the 73rd Regiment at Ceylon. These troops had been wounded during the Kandyan Wars. On 4 April 1815 she sailed from Port de Galle in a convoy of six other East Indiamen, under the escort of HMS Africaine and HMS Victor, bound for England to repatriate the injured soldiers.

Navigation Error. During the passage, ships typically shared longitude calculations daily. However, on 26 May, Arniston separated from the convoy in bad weather after sustaining sail damage. Without accurate daily longitudinal data from other vessels, the crew relied on older, less accurate navigation methods. This lack of precise positioning contributed to the captain's mistaken belief that the ship had already passed Cape Point.

Aftermath. The wreck occurred near Waenhuiskrans, an area known by an Afrikaans name meaning "wagon-house cliff", referring to a local sea cave large enough to accommodate a wagon and a span of oxen. Over time, the settlement became synonymous with the shipwreck, leading to the names Arniston and Waenhuiskrans being used interchangeably. The disaster resulted in the loss of 372 lives, with only six survivors. A memorial records victims including children of a regimental officer.