Meisho Maru Shipwreck

About Meisho Maru Shipwreck

The Meisho Maru No. 38 is a 45-metre Japanese fishing trawler that ran aground on November 16, 1982, along the rocky coastline between Suiderstrand and Cape Agulhas. While navigating a fierce storm with a cargo of 250 tons of tuna, the vessel struck submerged rocks; fortunately, all 17 crew members successfully swam to the shore and survived. Located within the Agulhas National Park, the site sits just a couple of kilometers from the historic Cape Agulhas Lighthouse and the official southernmost tip of the African continent.

Over more than four decades, the relentless, heavy swells of the South Atlantic Ocean have severely degraded the ship's structure, causing the hull to split apart in the early 2000s and later collapsing its mast. Today, only the highly corroded, rusted bow section remains visible above the water, wedged against the coastal rocks. This remaining landmark is highly accessible to the public via a 1.5-kilometre coastal walk from the southernmost tip monument or by driving the coastal dirt road that connects L'Agulhas to the quiet hamlet of Suiderstrand.