SHIPWRECKID2285

In April 2015, the MUCH Unit received an email from Gabriel Athiros of Historical Media. It was brought to his attention that there were people taking parts off the Kakapo on Noordhoek Beach. The MUCH Unit  went out on the 14 May 2015 to inspect the site and to record the current state of the wreck.The Kakapo lies approximately 3 kilometers south of the Noordhoek beach parking lot, in a quiet area of the beach. Upon inspection most of the structure was covered by sediment with the boiler, rudder and the top ends of the frames lying above the surface of the sand. The remains are slowly eroding and the iron has become brittle and flaky over the years. It is therefore hard to discern how much of the wreck has naturally deteriorated and to what extent the public has removed parts. Due to the location and limited access to the wreck it would be hard for anyone to carry anything large off the wreck, however it is very possible and likely that small bits of the wreck have been removed from the structure that lies above the sand. The wrecks exposure will also depend on the movement of sand on the beach due to wind and surf, and will at times be more exposed at different points in the year.It is recommended that an information board be put up at the parking lot warning members of the public from taking souvenirs off of the site and with SAHRA's contact information. It is also recommended that the site is monitored annually and recordings made of the state of deterioration.