Page 22 - Bulletin 8 2004

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Era 3: early post 1945 years

In 1947 the SA government purchased a corvette from the British Admiralty which was
converted and named Protea – the second survey ship to carry this name. (Fig. 1.13). In

1948 Commander R. T. Tripp (Fig. 1.14) took charge of the newly established

Hydrographic Survey Section of the South African Naval Forces. Lt. Cdr. Mallory, and
Lieutenants J. C. Walters and C. R. C. Merry comprised the core of the post-war team.

Surveys commenced immediately of stretches of the south and east coastline, Walvis Bay –
Pelican Point in Namibia, and the various harbours and approaches to them. This included

the south-eastern part of Table Bay and east of Robben Island in 1950 and 1956, and
Saldanha Bay and the Cape Peninsula west coast in 1954.

During this time, too, the South Atlantic islands were first surveyed: 1948 - 49 Marion
Island, 1955 Bouvet Island – this survey resulting in the first SA produced chart in 1956,

and Gough Island followed in 1956.

In 1951 South Africa became a member of the International Hydrographic Bureau and in

1955 the South African Hydrographic Office was established and based at Mowbray at the
Trigonometrical Survey Office.

In 1957 Protea was replaced by SAS Natal (Fig. 1.15) which remained the survey ship

until 1971, often working in conjunction with the shallow-draught and former Seaward

Defence Boat SAS Haerlem. SAS Protea (Fig. 1.16) – the third survey vessel of this name
- has been the survey ship for the last 33 years.