Long before Van Riebeeck landed at the Cape, Portuguese explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries called in and charted the bay, the first being Bartholomew Dias in 1487. Ninety years later Manuel da Perestrello aptly called it Bahia Formosa or the Bay Beautiful. The first white inhabitants were the 100 men stranded here for 9 months when the San Gonzales sank in 1630. In 1763 the first white settlers in the Bay were stock farmers, hunters and frontiersmen from the Western Cape.

The Swede, Carl Peter Thunberg, was the first to document valuable observations on the bay and the Robberg. The Governor of the Cape, Baron Joachim van Plettenberg, renamed the town Plettenberg Bay in 1779. In 1787 a woodcutter's post was established and Johann Jacob Jerling was commissioned by the Dutch East India Co. to build a storehouse for timber which was first exported in 1788. The timber trade grew leading to Thomas Bain building Prince Alfred Pass (1868) and the 90km forest road through the Tsitsikamma to Humansdorp.

Three major passes had to be constructed: Groot Rivier, Blauwkrantz and Storms River. The entire road was complete 16 years later in 1885. In 1910 Captain Sinclair set up the whaling station on Beacon Island to harvest the placid Southern Right whales but this ceased operation in 1916.

The first hotel was erected by Hugh Owen Grant in 1940 and replaced in 1972 by the current well known landmark on Beacon Island.

Plettenberg Bay Historical Route

SAN GONZALES WRECK
This Portuguese ship was wrecked in 1630 and 133 sailors perished. Pieces of porcelain and other objects were found in 1979 by the Jerling family. These were donated to Plettenberg Bay in 1988 and can be seen at the Municipal offices on Sewell Street.

ST ANDREWS CHAPEL
This unusual, quaint church is the oldest in the diocese of George. The entire building is uniquely made of yellowwood.

OLD WHALING STATION
This was built in 1831 but burnt down in 1914. Whaling operations ceased in 1916. One can still view the original slipway and blubber cauldron. The stinkwood navigational beacon was first erected on Beacon Island in 1771. It was replaced by a stone one by Captain Sewell in 1881.

OLD TIMBER STORE
It was built in 1787/88 by Johann Jerling and the famous Dutch East Company.
The remains are preserved as a National Monument.

THE OLD RECTORY
This was erected as a barracks for the Dutch East India Company in 1776. In 1869 it was bought by St Peters Church and used as a rectory for the next 70 years. It is presently privately owned.

ST PETERS CHURCH
A small wooden chapel - cum - school was first built here in 1855 but in 1875 the building was blown down during a seasonal storm. It was replaced with the present stone edifice in 1881 and now serves the local Anglican Community.

DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH
Situated in Wittedrif, this church was built in 1834.

FOREST HALL
This historical manor was built by William Henry Newdgate in 1864. The double storey building has an impressive entrance hall, musicians gallery and yellowwood and stinkwood woodwork. Forest Hall is now privately owned.

Additional information on the Plettenberg Bay area:

http://www.goplett.co.za