Birkenhead Commemoration

Every year on 26 February, the Overstrand community gathers at sea to remember the loss of the HMS Birkenhead and the lives lost off Danger Point in 1852.

It is an emotional and deeply meaningful event, and each year it fills up quickly. Almost as soon as Gansbaai Tourism Manager, Patricia Menge, begins advertising the commemoration, the bookings come in. There is clearly something about this story — and this place — that continues to resonate.

From mid-January, Marine Dynamics volunteers begin preparing seaweed wreaths for the occasion. They collect and shape the seaweed by hand, creating natural wreaths that will later be laid on the water above Birkenhead Rock, the watery grave of 407 people. It is a small but thoughtful gesture that connects the present to the past.

The Story We Remember

In the early hours of 26 February 1852, the HMS Birkenhead struck an uncharted rock near Danger Point while carrying British troops to the Eastern Cape. The ship broke apart and sank. Of the more than 600 people on board, only 193 survived.

There were not enough lifeboats. Under the command of their officers, the soldiers stood in ranks and allowed the women and children to leave first. All the women and children were saved. Many of the soldiers went down with the ship.

From this tragedy came what became known as the “Birkenhead Drill” — the principle of “women and children first” in times of disaster at sea. The discipline and calm shown that night left a lasting mark on maritime history.

In the years that followed the tragedy, the danger of this stretch of coastline was formally recognised. In 1895, the Danger Point Lighthouse was erected to guide vessels safely around this hazardous headland. Standing watch to this day, the lighthouse serves as a lasting response to the loss of the Birkenhead and countless other ships, helping to ensure safer passage for those at sea.

Returning to the Exact Site

For more than a decade, the Marine Dynamics Shark and Whale Tours team has marked this anniversary by returning to the exact location where the ship struck the rock and where she still rests beneath the ocean.

On Thursday, 26 February 2026 — 174 years since the sinking — three vessels from the Marine Dynamics fleet head out to sea. The boats pause over Birkenhead Rock. Engines are turned off. The mood becomes quiet and reflective.

Reverend James Gray shares the story of that night, reminding those on board of the discipline, sacrifice, and courage shown by the men of the Birkenhead. Phil Coulter’s For Those in Peril on the Sea plays over the waves as guests and the Marine Dynamics crew fall silent, watching the Birkenhead wave break over the rock.

Eternal Father, strong to save
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave
Who bids the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea

Oh Christ, whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word
Who walkest on the foamy deep
And who amidst the storm did sleep
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

The seaweed wreaths are gently cast into the ocean, drifting slowly on the surface in the smoke of the orange flares released from the vessels, just above the wreck site. It is a simple act of remembrance, but always a moving one.

As Wilfred Chivell, CEO of Marine Dynamics, says, “The yearly Birkenhead Commemoration is about honouring bravery and ensuring that the story is not forgotten. It is also a reminder to all of us who work at sea every day that the ocean must be respected and never misjudged for its power.”

Each year, as the boats return to harbour, there is a shared sense that something important has been acknowledged. The Birkenhead Commemoration remains a special part of Gansbaai’s history.