1868 Admiralty Chart (No 2084) of the south coast of Africa from Mossel Bay to Cape St Francis

Admiralty Chart No. 2084, Mossel Bay to Cape St. Francis (24 April 1867), is part of the Admiralty’s South Coast series at a scale of about 1:250,000, extending coverage eastward across the Garden Route from Mossel Bay through Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, Nature’s Valley, and the rugged Tsitsikamma coast to Cape St. Francis. Based on surveys by Francis Skead (1858–60) and later refined by W.E. Archdeacon, the chart shows dense soundings, seabed notes, and treacherous features such as the reefs near Cape St. Francis and the hazardous entrance to Knysna Lagoon—then a small but developing timber port. With few secure anchorages along this stretch apart from Mossel Bay, the chart highlights the dangers of the steep-to Tsitsikamma shoreline, notorious for its swells and lack of shelter, which forced mariners to pass quickly offshore. Issued at a time of rising trade along the Cape route, it reflects the Admiralty’s effort to reduce shipwrecks and improve safety ahead of the Suez Canal’s opening in 1869. Today, Chart 2084 is valued as a record of the perilous “Garden Route” coast before modern harbours reshaped South African maritime traffic.

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.