The "Waratah" left Durban at approximately 20:15 on 26 July with 211 passengers and crew. At around 04:00 on 27 July she was spotted astern on the starboard side by the Clan Line steamer "Clan MacIntyre", As "Waratah" was a faster ship she drew level with "Clan MacIntyre" by about 06:00, at which point both vessels communicated by signal lamp, and exchanged customary information about the name and destination of their respective ships. "Waratah" going approximately 13 knots, then overtook "Clan MacIntyre", at a location abeam of the Bashee River and remained in sight, speeding gradually away from "Clan MacIntyre" until she disappeared over the horizon by about 09:30. This was the final confirmed sighting of "Waratah". Later that day, the weather deteriorated quickly (as is common in that area), with increasing wind and rough seas. On 28 July a hurricane sprang up in the area, so bad that the captain of the "Clan MacIntyre" said it was the worst weather he had experienced at sea in his 13 years as a seaman, with winds of exceptional strength causing tremendous seas.