Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay, runner up in the Western Cape 2012 Greenest Municipality Competition is situated exactly half way between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth (400 km either way). International cruise liners stop in the town which saw Bartolomeu Dias's caravel in 1488 drop anchor. The Cultural History Museum, Shirley Buildings and the Munrohoek Cottages depict this and various other historical periods in the history of the town. Mossel Bay is soaked in history and the Maritime Museum focuses on the sailing and ships of the early days of discovery and houses the life-size replica of Bartolomeu Dias's ship.

Until the discovery in 1969 of natural offshore gas fields, Mossel Bay relied on farming, fishing and its commercial harbor for survival. It is still visited by gourmet who rate the spring harvested mussels from the Bay as among the finest in the world. Mossel Bay has at least nine recorded whale, dolphin and seal species that visit annually.

Mossel Bay has produced sportsmen, a ballerina, a champion golfer, a Victoria Cross recipient, artists and a Rhodesian Governor.