Mossel Bay was founded as a harbour town and is currently the fifth largest harbour in South Africa. The Dutch East India Company (V.O.C.) established a presence in Mossel Bay in 1734. Contrary to common belief, Mossel Bay offers a rich experience to the enquiring mind, far beyond what would be expected of a smallish harbour town.

In the area, traces of history were discovered that date back 164 ka (kilo-annum, or thousand years). The project director, professor Curtis Marean, earmarked cave PP13B, overlooking the Indian Ocean, as an archaeological herirage site. Their excavations, which began in 2000 (Marean et al., 2004), sampled the cave in three locations to intercept sediment stacks of different ages.

In 2009, the project published an analysis in Science showing that early modern humans in South Africa employed heat treatment technology as early as 164 ka, among many other points of interest. Genetic and fossil evidence points to Africa as the continent of origin for modern humans. The fossil evidence now includes a set of hominin fossils dated between 200 ka and 100 ka, classified as Homo sapiens, which fall within the range of variation for H. sapiens.

Prof. Marean showed an enigmatic soil sample from the area, which a geologist immediately recognized as containing ash from a volcano. Soon thereafter, geologist Smith and his team joined Marean’s team. The team needed to determine which volcano had blanketed Pinnacle Point (PP) and nearby Vleesbaai. They scoured samples to find microscopic shards of glass, which act as calling cards of volcanic eruptions. The glass samples chemically matched those found at Toba and other Toba ashfall sites. The Toba ashfall occurred 74 ka. When the column of fire, smoke, and debris blasted out the top of Mount Toba (Sumatra, Indonesia), it spewed rock, gas, and tiny microscopic pieces (cryptotephra) of glass, resulting in the extinction of many species. The shard was discovered in a neighboring archaeological site in a rock shelter called PP 5-6. The sediments dated to about 74 ka. Below the volcanic ashes in cave PP13B were tools made by hunter-gatherers, similar to tool fossils found on top of the ash layer. Thus, the hunter-gatherers survived the Toba ashfall.

Mossel Bay is quite close to the area where the Benguela cold current (Atlantic Ocean) and the Agulhas tropical current (Indian Ocean) meet. The southernmost point is Cape Agulhas. The mixing of the currents causes unique marine life and supports the world-renowned fynbos biome. West of Mossel Bay is the winter rainfall Mediterranean climate, while east is the summer rainfall region. The Garden Route is the cross-over area for the climate zones, making it a botanical gem.

Examples of tourist attractions are:
(1) Highly popular.

• Cape St Blaize Lighthouse artisanal distillery capturing the true spirit of Eden through rare botanical selection and artful distillation. https://www.capesaintblaize.co.za/
• Steam train Hartenbos to Great Brak. https://www.mosselbayadvertiser.com/News/Article/Local-News/for-the-love-of-steam-202308240241

(2) Moderately popular.

1. Mossel Bay ATV Experience (off-road adventures) https://www.dirtyboots.co.za/activities/town/quad-biking/mosselbaai-avonture
2. Mossel Bay Skydiving Experience https://skydivemosselbay.com/
3. Mossel Bay Jet Boat Experience
4. Mossel Bay Zipline

(3) Leisure and Relaxation.

1. Santos Beach (pristine sandy shores) Highly popular. https://visitmosselbay.co.za/beaches/
2. Jakkalsvlei Private Cellar (wine tasting) https://jakkalsvlei.co.za/shuttles/
3. Diaz Museum Museum https://www.diasmuseum.co.za/

(4) Unique and Special Experiences.

1. Cango Caves Oudtshoorn Day Tour

(5) Sightseeing and Exploration.

1. St. Blaize Trail (scenic coastal hike) https://newplacestogo.com/cape-st-blaize-hiking-trail-everything-you-need-to-know/
2. Garden Route Pilgrimage of Hope https://pelgrimstogvanhoop.com/the-garden-route/

For more information on Mossel Bay tourism, please submit an e-mail