February 3rd...
1488: The Portuguese navigator Bartholomeu Diaz landed at Mossal Bay, Cape of Good Hope, the first European known to have landed on the southern extremity of Africa. He was also the first known European to have traveled this far south and round the Cape.
1781: British forces under Admiral George Brydges Rodney, take the Dutch-owned Caribbean island Saint Eustatius.
1880: A terrific gale along the New Jersey coast swept six vessels ashore, All but two of the 47 persons on board survived.
1917: SS 'Housatonic', on a voyage from Galveston to Liverpool with a cargo of grain and flour, was sunk by the German submarine U-53 (Lt. Hans Rose), 20 miles south of Bishop Rock.
Rose allowed the captain, Thomas Ensor, and his crew to launch a pair of lifeboats, before sinking the 'Housatonic' with charges. Upon Ensor's request, Rose then towed the boats for almost 2 hours in the direction of the coast, until the trawler 'Salvator' was spotted on the horizon.
Initially the 'Salvator' did not react. Rose apparently advised Ensor, "That fellow is asleep, but I will wake him up for you". Rose then had a shot fired from his deck gun, to 'awake' the crew of the 'Salvator', which turned towards them making all speed to the area, by then U-53 had submerged and escaped.
A few hours after the incident, President Woodrow Wilson announced that the United States was breaking diplomatic relations with Germany. A decisive step towards U.S. entry into the First World War.
1943: The torpedoing of the transport USS 'Dorchester' off the coast of Greenland, saw USCGC 'Comanche' and 'Escanaba' respond. The crew of 'Escanaba' used a new 'retriever' rescue technique whereby swimmers clad in wet suits would swim to victims in the water and secure a line to them so they could be hauled to the ship. Although 'Escanaba' saved 133 men (one later died) and 'Comanche' saved 97, over 600 men were lost, including the 'Four Chaplains' who gave up their lifejackets to those that did not have one.
Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba (WPG-77) rescues survivors of USAT Dorchester, February 3, 1943.
1953: The French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau published his most famous and lasting work, The Silent World (Le Monde Du Silence), which was made into a film three years later.
1961: Aboard the 'Santa Maria' anchored in Recife harbour, rebels hand the hijacked liner over to Brazilian Naval authorities, and accept their Government's offer of political asylum.
The next day (4th Feb), the 'Santa Maria' was returned to her owners, Companhia Colonial de Navegação, who planned to sail her back to Portugal as soon as she was bunkered and minor engine-room repairs were complete.
The passengers of "Santa Maria", were transfered to her sister ship, the"Vera Cruz", which left Recife on 5th February, arriving in Lisbon nine days later.
"Santa Maria" eventually sailed from Recife on the 7th February, and arrived at the Alcântara quay in Lisbon on 16th Feb.