The Flora, Iepenrode and Paddenburg were enroute to the Netherlands from Batavia. However, prior to reaching the Cape, the convoy was separated in a storm off the Agulhas reef. During the incident, the Flora sustained light damage and needed some light repairs before the ship was able to make the trip back to the Netherlands.

On the 21st of May 1737, the Flora broke free from her anchors in the violent north-westerly gale and the vessel went ashore by the mouth of the Salt River, at the same place as the Goudriaan had struck an hour or so previously. She went to pieces immediately, and only six of her crew survived.

During the disaster, the ships Iepenrode, Goudriaan, Flora, Buis and Duinbeek were smashed. The ships Westerwijk, Rodenrijs and Victoria stranded. Only the Papenburg escaped destruction.

208 crew members died during the tragedy. Additionally, a total of £160 000 of cargo was lost.

Following this disaster, it was investigated whether Saldahna bay, 100 km to the North, would be a better rendezvous place for the VOC. This ultimately did not happen.

• DAS 6992.3.
• Generale missiven van gouverneurs-generaal en raden aan heren XVII der Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie.
• Lesa la Grange, Martijn Manders, Briege Williams, John Gribble and Leon Derksen (2024).
  Dutch Shipwrecks in South African Waters: A Brief History of Sites, Stores and Archives [Unpublished].
• SAHRA Database.