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Road Trip To: The São João shipwreck Memorial Port Edward

Road Trip To: The São João shipwreck Memorial Port Edward

Date: 2021-06-14

When driving on the N2 highway due south from Ballito, the last coastal town in KwaZulu-Natal, before the Eastern Cape is reached, is Port Edward. This coastal town is named after King Edward VIII (the only British King to abdicate from his throne) but Port Edward's maritime history goes back to 10 June 1552. It is on this day that the Portuguese trading ship Sao Joao (Saint John) ran aground after being damaged by the Cape of Good Hope tempests, which raged during May of 1552.

The ship was commanded by Captain Manuel de Sepulveda and of course the main reason for the voyage was to obtain the desired spices and other luxury goods which Asia could offer the European markets. The Carreira da India (India Run) was considered to be the most challenging sea voyage and de Sepulveda thought it best to complete the journey with his wife, Dona Leonor. After his ship was wrecked, de Sepulveda, his wife and the surviving crew and passengers first camped out at present­day Port Edward. At least three sites are given as the possible camping site. On 7 July 1552 de Sepulveda and the survivors decided to walk to the Portuguese trading town at Delagoa Bay (today Maputo, Mozambique). It was a journey of over 600 kilometres.

Only 21 of the survivors made it. Both de Sepulveda and his wife were never seen again. Today, a memorial at the Port Edward's North Sand Bluff commemorates the shipwreck, its crew and the fascinating story of their long journey.