Adapted for blog use. Original story by Getaway Magazine.
High in the foothills of the Drakensberg, far from any coastline, an extraordinary journey once began — one that would carry three men from rural South Africa all the way to England… in a homemade boat.
In the mid-1800s, Norwegian immigrants Zefanius Olsen and the brothers Ingvald and Bernhard Nilsen were living and working near Witsieshoek, close to the Amphitheatre. While building a home on a local farm, they dreamed of returning to their homeland. But instead of waiting for passage, they chose a far more daring path: they would build their own boat.
Using spare time and local timber, they constructed a small vessel – just six metres long, narrow, and weighing over four tons. Once complete, the real challenge began. The boat had to be transported from the mountains to the sea. With determination and help from local communities, it was dragged all the way to Durban.
In February 1886, they set sail.
Their voyage across the Atlantic was anything but smooth. They faced storms that snapped their mast, flooding that soaked everything they owned, and long stretches with little food or water. At one point, lost at sea and exhausted, they believed they would not survive, until land appeared on the horizon: St Helena.
After recovering and repairing their boat, they continued north, navigating unpredictable winds and vast empty stretches of ocean. Nearly ten months after leaving South Africa, they finally reached Dover, England, having travelled over 8,000 miles.
Their journey captured attention around the world. The small boat, named Homeward Bound, was later displayed in London, drawing crowds fascinated by the sheer audacity of the voyage.
Though their lives took different paths afterward, their story remains one of courage, resilience, and quiet determination, and a reminder that even the most unlikely journeys can begin in the most unexpected places.
This blog is based on an original article published by Getaway Magazine (July 2003).
The Cavern is connected to a huge catalogue of incredible true and fascinating stories. My weather app for Cavern shows Witsieshoek as the location; I will never see this name without thinking of this, yet another remarkable story, connected to Cavern!