The Wreck of the Zeila, Long Beach

A compelling maritime photograph of the Zeila shipwreck, a stranded fishing trawler located just offshore near Long Beach (Langstrand). The rusting iron hull of the vessel is permanently grounded on a sandbar, with the powerful Atlantic swells constantly breaking against its side, creating plumes of white spray. Once a proud fishing boat, the Zeila met its end in August 2008 when it broke free from its towing line while being transported to a scrapyard in India. Today, the wreck has become an unintentional sanctuary for hundreds of Cape Cormorants, which use the exposed masts and railings as a safe nesting and roosting site, adding a layer of natural life to the decaying industrial relic.