Mossel Bay was named in 1601 by Paulus van Caerden, the Dutch navigator, because mussels were the only nourishment he could find here. Mossel Bay lies halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in the heart of the Garden Route and is embraced by the warm Indian Ocean. This fast-growing tourism destination has a fascinating history, north-facing beaches, a variety of eco-attractions and is one of the most significant towns in South Africa.

The first meeting between inhabitants of Europe and Africa in southern Africa occurred here in 1488 when Bartolomeu Dias came ashore and encountered the ancient Khoi-San people. The first trading between Europeans and southern Africans was in 1497 when Vasco da Gama anchored here and traded with the local Khoi tribe.
The first place of Christian worship and erection of a chapel on southern Africa soil took place in 1501, when Joao da Nova – after receiving a letter in a shoe under a Milkwood tree – erected a small stone prayer chapel.