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Ghost of the Alkimos by Jack Wong Sue DCM JP & Barry Sue |
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The collection of anecdotes, yarns and memories accumulated here concerning the ship Alkimos , wrecked off the WA coast near Eglington Rocks south of Yanchep in the early 1960s, will fascinate readers interested in maritime lore and the legends and myths that develop around what appear to be doomed vessels. … Ghost of the Alkimos retrieves many tales about the ship and happenings associated with it. Perhaps one of the most bizarre is the story concerning Perth resident Herbert Voigt. A long distance swimmer, it is claimed his training included swimming across Cockburn Sound towing a plastic baby’s bath full of cans of Emu Export beer. Believe it or not. One thing which is certain is that, some years after he disappeared while trying to swim from Cottesloe to Rottnest Island, his skull was found washed up in the wreck of the Alkimos. … So, weigh anchor and read on. Rod Moran Yanchep 2003
Herbert Voigt has been variously described as a New Australian and was regarded by many as an extrovert during his short life in Perth and career as an endurance swimmer. Largely unheard of until he was written up by sports writer Austin Robinson of Perth’s Daily News – now defunct – Voigt was pictured during training sessions in Cockburn Sound, the relatively protected stretch of ocean that separates Garden Island from the mainland, south of Fremantle. Voigt’s one obsession was to swim unescorted from the Australian mainland to Rottnest Island, an approximate distance of 12 miles. The crossing to Rottnest however, was a much more hazardous stretch of water subject to heavy seas in bad weather, cross currents and sharks including man-eating White Pointers, Tigers, Hammerheads and Bronze Whalers. In contrast, the protected waters of Cockburn Sound have never been known to harbour the first two named man-eaters despite various claims to the contary. Hammerheads and Whalers, known to occasionally attack, certainly do frequent the Sound and have been netted along with protected Grey Nurse Sharks and other harmless species. …. It was in these historically rich waters of Cockburn Sound and the mystique of Garden Island that Herbert Voigt undertook his endurance swimming, many times having swum across to the island’s Sulphur Bay and back. He made no secret of the fact that he wanted to be the first endurance swimmer to swim unescorted from the mainland to Rottnest Island, and he really meant what he said. It was never merely the expression of a desire His training methods, completely unorthodox by today’s practices, or those of any other era, like the man himself, included long swims in Cockburn Sound towing a baby’s plastic bathtub behind him filled with containers of Emu Export Bitter beer! West Australian Newspaper journalist Hugh Schmidt and Herbert Voigt were regular drinkers at the Ocean Beach Hotel on the Cottesloe waterfront and occasionally chatted regarding the latter’s goals in endurance swimming. Purely by coincidence, ‘Schmidty’ – referred to by his close friends – lived on the Cottesloe water front only a couple of doors down from the Ocean Beach Hotel and because of its close proximity, often dropped in for a quick drink and to see if any of his mates were about. According to Hughie Schmidt in a conversation he had with well known underwater diver and wreck explorer Hugh Edwards, veteran diver Maurie Glazier and I, on one particular night, he walked in to an almost empty saloon bar and joined Voigt who was enjoyed a quiet drink alone. Herbert cheerily greeted Hugh and invited him to a beer. In short time they were embroiled in conversation during which he told Hugh that he would shortly make his attempt to swim to Rottnest. Hugh least expected that Voigt in using the term ‘shortly’, was talking in terms of minutes whereas Hugh was under the misconception that Voigt was talking in terms of the near future. True to his word, after a few beers and conversation, Voigt announced that he had to go as he had a long swim ahead. Hugh Schimdt almost fell off the barstool when he realized that Voigt was serious. The hour was near ‘closing time gentlemen’. Hugh re-called that when he left home to go to the Ocean Beach Hotel, the night was pitch black and the tail end of the day’s breeze was imminent. As per usual for that time of the year, a light offshore easterly breeze was expected and the resulting sea would assist a swimmer to the island. However, strong seasonal easterly land breezes that frequently blew in irregular gusts, set up a nasty short choppy sea. A lone swimmer without an escort boat ran the extremely high risk of White Pointers and Tiger Sharks that frequented the deep open ocean crossing, to say nothing of the seasonal currents that existed. At sea level, the troughs rendered it almost impossible for a lone swimmer to see the flashing light of the Oliver Hill lighthouse in the centre of Rottnest Island or the smaller Bathhurst Point lighthouse. Back in 1969, to swim unescorted to the island during daylight would have been a mighty achievement in itself. To attempt the same feat in darkness was sheer madness. Hugh was a diver and like all local divers, knew the treacherous crossing like the back of his hand. He was also aware that the crossing was subject to strong currents, to say nothing of the sharks that frequented the open waters. Hugh stared incredulously at the serious but gently smiling Voigt as the journalist ordered ‘one for the road’. After failed to convince him that he should abandon his plan to swim at night, they downed their beers. ‘Schmidty’ followed him out to his parked car where Voigt climbed out of his street clothes revealing swim trunks underneath, donned a totally inadequate wetsuit, took a mask, snorkel and fins and headed for the beach. Still somewhat shocked, unbelievingly, Hugh Schmidt followed Voigt down across the beach sand and to the water’s edge where Hugh made a final plea to give the swim attempt away and ‘sleep on the idea’ but according to Schmidty, Voigt was not to be deterred. After wetting his forehead to improve the seal and slipping his fins on, he grasped Hugh’s hand in a firm handshake, placed the snorkel mouthpiece in his mouth and with a quick turn plunged into the shallows. Within minutes, Hugh Schimdt has lost sight of him as he paddled off for Rottnest Island. Shrouded in the blackness of night, Herbert Voigt soon swam out of sight of Hugh Schimdt and was never seen again. Without a doubt, Herbert Voigt had become another shark statistic. Accordingly, when no trace of the German born Voigt or his equipment was recovered, an inquest was conducted. When I made contact with the present assistant coroner Mr. Glen Spivey, he told me the file – like many old records – has been destroyed. However, he was able to find two entries in the Registrar’s book re the death of Voigt. The first was simply ‘the 15th. March 1969 at sea between Cottesloe and Rottnest’ and the second ‘the 5th May 1969 Drowning at sea between Cottesloe and Rottnest whilst attempting to swim to Rottnest’. Sadly, Voigt died as a result of misadventure after entering the water at Cottesloe to swim to Rottnest Island on the 15th March 1969, just over six years after the Alkimos first ran aground on the West Australian coast. Some considerable time later, his skull was eventually recovered some 20 miles north of Cottesloe on the beach 400 metres opposite the Alkimos. Some media reports later claimed that it was found in the flooded engine room of the derelict ghost ship. The skull was later officially identified as the skull of Herbert Voigt. Irrespective of whether the skull was found on the beach or in the engine room of the hoodoo ship, of the thousands of square miles in the Indian Ocean with its numerous drifts and currents, the skull has to finally lodge itself near or in the Alkimos; a million to one chance. Was this just another coincidence? Why not anywhere on the almost unlimited coastline of Western Australia or for that matter anywhere in the vast Indian Ocean? Why did it elect to lodge in the engine room of the Alkimos? Perhaps someone like Mr. Roman Harambera might be able to suggest an explanation.
The Ghost of the Alkimos is an interesting read. This chapter suggests Herbert Voigt left on his swim closer to midnight or 1am (around closing time of the Ocean Beach Hotel), that he left closer to Ocean Beach Hotel rather Cottesloe Beach, he was wearing a wetsuit etc. This is not supported by the other news reports and photos. | |||||
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Swanbourne Nedlands SLSC |
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