12 moments

1. Construction expedition to São Jorge da Mina

   1481-01-01 · Elmina Castle (São Jorge da Mina), Elmina, Ghana

   

   Dias accompanied Diogo de Azambuja’s expedition that built the Portuguese fortress and trading post of São Jorge da Mina, an early Atlantic-African posting in his documented career. The source supports the year but not a more precise date.

2. Departure on African exploration voyage

   1487-01-01 · Lisbon, Portugal

   

   Dias departed Lisbon with three ships to continue Portuguese exploration of the African coast, beginning the voyage that would round southern Africa. Departure is placed probably in July or August 1487; the month cannot be selected unambiguously.

3. Sailing to the Congo

   1487-01-01 · Congo River estuary, Angola/Democratic Republic of the Congo

   

   On the outward voyage from Lisbon, Dias’s expedition sailed directly to the Congo before proceeding farther south along Africa’s coast. The narrative identifies the Congo but does not specify a landing point; coordinates represent the river estuary.

4. Supply-ship stop at Porto Alexandre

   1487-01-01 · Porto Alexandre (Tômbwa), Angola

   

   Dias stopped at Porto Alexandre and left the expedition’s supply ship there to replenish the vessels on their return journey. The stop occurred before December 1487, but the source does not provide a date more precise than the year.

5. Arrival at Golfo da Conceição

   1487-12-08 · Walvis Bay, Namibia

   

   Dias reached Golfo da Conceição, now Walvis Bay, during the southward coastal phase of his expedition.

6. Landfall at Mossel Bay

   1488-02-04 · Mossel Bay, Western Cape, South Africa

   

   After thirty days in the open ocean, Dias’s ships reached the southern African coast at the place later called Mossel Bay, confirming that they had passed the continent’s southern extremity.

7. Furthest point at Kwaaihoek

   1488-03-12 · Kwaaihoek, Eastern Cape, South Africa

   

   Dias’s expedition reached its furthest documented point at Kwaaihoek, where it anchored and erected the Padrão de São Gregório before turning back toward Portugal.

8. First encounter with the Cape of Good Hope

   1488-05-01 · Cape of Good Hope, Western Cape, South Africa

   

   While returning westward, Dias’s ships encountered the Cape of Good Hope for the first time, a key geographical result of the expedition. The source supports May 1488 but no exact day.

9. Return from the African voyage

   1488-12-01 · Lisbon, Portugal

   

   Dias returned to Lisbon after roughly sixteen months away, completing the voyage that established the sea passage around southern Africa. The source gives the month but not an exact arrival day.

10. Accompanying Vasco da Gama to Cape Verde

    1497-01-01 · Cape Verde Islands, Cabo Verde

    

    Dias accompanied Vasco da Gama’s fleet as far as the Cape Verde Islands, contributing his experience to the voyage that would continue to India. The source identifies the archipelago but not a particular island or date within 1497; coordinates are a representative archipelago point.

11. Landing at Cabrália Bay

    1500-04-25 · Cabrália Bay, Bahia, Brazil

    

    During Cabral’s expedition, Dias led a shore party at Cabrália Bay, near Porto Seguro, after the fleet’s arrival on the Brazilian coast. The surrounding account places this landing at Cabrália Bay, just north of Porto Seguro.

12. Death in storm off the Cape

    1500-05-29 · South Atlantic Ocean, off the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

    

    Dias died when his ship was among four lost in a major storm near the Cape of Good Hope during Cabral’s expedition to India. The precise wreck location is not known; coordinates are a representative offshore point near the Cape of Good Hope.