1867 Admiralty Chart (No 2083) of the south coast of Africa from Cape Agulhas to Mossel Bay

Admiralty Chart No. 2083, Cape Agulhas to Mossel Bay (24 April 1867), is the companion to Chart 2082 and one of the Admiralty’s systematic surveys of South Africa’s southern coast at a scale of roughly 1:250,000. Compiled from Francis Skead’s detailed hydrography of the late 1850s and later updated by W.E. Archdeacon, it shows dense lead-line soundings across the Agulhas Bank, annotated with bottom types (“sand,” “rock,” “mud”), alongside the rugged coastal detail of Struisbaai, St. Sebastian Bay, and the headlands into Mossel Bay. Navigational hazards—including reefs, rocky outcrops, and the unpredictable Agulhas current—are carefully marked, while Mossel Bay appears as one of the few anchorages offering partial refuge on this treacherous stretch. Issued at a time when the Cape sea route carried booming East India trade, emigrant traffic, and Australian cargoes, the chart reflects both the peril of frequent shipwrecks and the Admiralty’s efforts to improve safety through accurate surveys. Later impressions were continually corrected with new soundings, lights, and harbour works, making Chart 2083 a “living document” aboard working ships. Today it stands as a valuable record of the southern Cape coast before modern engineering, capturing the hydrography and hazards as mid-19th-century sailors experienced them.

This map is a reproduction of a historical map that is now in the public domain. It has been selected for its aesthetic appeal and historical interest and carefully restored and reproduced to preserve its original detail and character.  There may be marks and fold lines visible which add to the authentic look.  The map is printed on 230gsm heavyweight coated paper with a matte finish.  Most old maps were printed on uncoated rag or wood pulp papers and therefore a matte finish best represents the original map.