Namibia Part 5: The Skeleton Coast

August 27, 2013

Eerie, decaying shipwreck on the Skeleton Coast.

The name for the desolate stretch of Atlantic coast along the northern part of Namibia is known by Namibian Bushmen as "The Land God Made in Anger". In Portuguese, it is referred to as "the Gates of Hell" or the "Sands of Hell". And then there's the name it is most commonly known as: "The Skeleton Coast", resulting from the whale, seal and ship skeletons that litter the coast. With over 1000 shipwrecks (most of which are now eroded beyond recognition), various signs of abandoned attempts at civilisation (long-neglected mines, drilling rigs and sea ports), and not a single soul in sight, it becomes apparent how this stretch of earth earned its reputation. The area covers over two million hectares of space and is considered one of the most inhospitable places on the planet.

So, why go here? Because while it is known for its unsurpassed starkness and desolation, it is equally known for its breathtaking beauty. When we started planning our trip I was adamant that our route include this coastal drive, but as we were finalizing the plans I was actually a bit terrified of it. The isolation of it is not to be underestimated. In the end, the adventurous side of the Smiths won out (Surprisingly, M was the driving force behind this decision).

The part of the coast we drove covered approximately 380km, heading north from Swakopmund on a salt road which hugs the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the National West Coast Recreation Area to what becomes the Skeleton Coast National Park (which stretches up to the Angola border). We then headed inland about 50km before the end of the coastal road (it eventually becomes a dead end). Thankfully, our trip was relatively uneventful (in this case, this was not a bad thing).

I found it impossible to capture it on camera (something about seeing is believing), but here is my meager attempt to share this forsaken place:

The fishing is apparently sublime in this area; there are marked fishing spots all along the coast (they are really the only signs along the coast).

The Zeila Wreck (sign-posted in the previous photo).

The Gate Keeper: a permit is required to enter the Skeleton Coast National Park, and entry must be made through this gate before a certain time otherwise you are stuck at the gates of hell on the edge of nowhere. 

The sand dunes along the northern coast are much smaller (and whitewashed by the salty seas) than their southern-Namibian counterparts in Sossusvlei.

An old shipping port that was created near a diamond mine. There was so much difficulty finding the port in the fog and so many ships running aground due to underwater sand bars that both the mine and the port were eventually abandoned as it became apparent that this environment was not conducive for either to function.

 Birds repurposing what remains of the port.

 I was attempting to capture the nothingness; with roads like this and not a single landmark on the horizon, it's easy to see how someone could lose their way on a foggy day or in a sand storm (while the day we were here was clear, this is said to be a rare occurance).

Namibia Part 4: Holidaying in Swakop

August 25, 2013

Probably the highlight of the trip for M: quad-biking the dunes

Leaving the inland desert behind we continued our Namibian adventures and headed for the Atlantic coast to the quaint and quirky town of Swakopmund, which prides itself on being the adventure capital of Namibia. Think sky diving, dune boarding, quad-biking and the like. While sky diving will have to wait for another adventure (or never, according to M), we did experience the dunes on four wheels and on our bellies (see below), and had a chance to explore Swakop and the neighbouring town of Walvis Bay. 

Drive from Sossusvlei to Swakopmund: crossing the Tropic of Capricorn

Swakopmund is Namibia's most popular holiday destination, and attracts people from all over South Africa and Germany to hang out in this chill beach town. Yes, you read that right, Germany. Germans were the first permanent settlers to Namibia back in the late nineteen hundreds (known then as "German South-West Africa"), and it was considered a German colony until South Africa took it over during WWI. Eventually the UN took over control of all former German colonies in Africa (in the mid- 1960's after WWII), and Namibia finally gained independence on March 21, 1990.  And so, the town is a little piece of Germany in Africa, and continues to hold onto its roots; it is easy to find a good German beer or a schnitzel, and the architecture of the buildings have a distinct colonial feel.  

Clockwise from top left: M chilling on the beach-front promenade; the Hohenzollern Building (built as a hotel in 1906); fully operational lighthouse built in 1902; who can resist a cute little bug?; Swakop makes its own rules when it comes to business (We experienced this when we stayed over a holiday weekend and found everything closed for the holidays. Awesome timing, Smiths).


The Jetty: originally built of wood in 1905 as a cargo and passenger landing, it was later replaced with an iron jetty as the wood could not withstand the high seas (while no longer required for commercial purposes, the town raised money to have it completed as part of a public appeal). We ate dinner at the restaurant occupying the space at the end of the pier and watched the sun set over this side of the Atlantic.

Cruising the dunes on quad bikes: definitely loads more fun than we both expected it to be 

Plummeting head first down the dunes on a piece of greased-up particleboard (in case the photos don't quite do the trick, here's the mental image: tobogganing head-first on a wooden crazy carpet on sand) 

Watching wind-surfers in the bay and stopping for lunch at The Raft in Walvis Bay

The Lagoon: this wetland on the outskirts of Walvis Bay hosts over 150,000 transient birds annually, including huge flocks of greater and lesser flamingos. The "greater" flamingos are whitish-pink in colour with light beaks with a black tip, while the "lesser" flamingos are a reddish-pink in colour, and their beaks are dark red. We saw both loitering around the lagoon just outside of town. 

Namibia Part 3: Sand Dune Sea

August 24, 2013

Hiking the ridge for spectacular views over Dune Valley

Sossusvlei ("the gathering place of water") is technically a specific salt pan, but the name is often used to reference the entire 32,000 square kilometre area that is the sand dune sea. This is easily Namibia's most visited tourist destination, and was a big draw for us wanting to come here. There are many truly inspiring dunes and sights within the area; here are some of our favourites from the sea of sand. 

Looking back- I took this shot of M just after he took the cover shot of me, above

Sunset at Dune 45 (there seems to be some controversy over the name: it is either because it is 45km from the main park gate, or because the ridge is a perfect 45 degree angle, or because it is the 45th dune from the entrance gate). There is this magical moment just before the sun sets when the dune turns fire-red...a truly special moment to witness. 

Sunrise over the dunes surrounding Deadvlei

The fastest way off a dune? Run down the side of it...

I liked the way the light created the deep shadows on the one side of this dune

The Sesriem Canyon: a one kilometre-long and 30 meter-deep canyon carved by the force of the Tsauchab River millions of years ago. The canyon is literally a break in the ground- from above you wouldn't even know it was there unless you fell into it (or saw the sign and parking lot for it at the top...).

Gemspok (also called an Oryx) posing for me (or sizing me up with his one metre-long horns, not sure which)

Stars just beginning to fade into the 4am sky

Sunrise as seen from Dune 45

Jumping for joy with the scraggly trees at Dune 45

Selfies at the dunes

Apparently the black in the dune sand is from magnesium (not to be confused with the specks along the ridge of the dune, which are in fact people climbing it)

In and around the dunes

Namibia Part 2: A Forest Frozen in Time

August 23, 2013

Deadvlei: Dead Marsh

The story behind this eerie place is that once upon a time the Tsauchab River flowed through this area and these Acacia trees thrived. However; some 900 years ago with climate change the river diverted course, leaving this place high and dry (quite literally), and the water source became a dried up clay pan. The trees could no longer survive, but as a result of the dry desert climate the wood does not decompose and the dead trees remain standing and burnt from the scorching sun. 

When I first realized this place was in Namibia (I had definitely seen photos of it in National Geographic or in a movie or something at some point but had no idea where it was), it immediately made our list; it qualified as incredibly interesting and sufficiently out-of-the-way to make it a place you have to work to get to. Something about it really intrigued me. 

Adding to the eeriness of this place is the fact that it is so quiet and tucked away behind some of the highest sand dunes on earth (over 1000 feet). When we stood on the pan, we could have been thousands of miles from the nearest person. It felt an eternity away from everything.

It was a dream for the shutterbug in me (to experiment at least), and we spent an afternoon here and also returned the next day at sunrise to catch the first morning light on this sacred (and equally hellish) place. 

Something about the contrast of this place makes it seem fake to me (I promise it wasn't)

Seeing the vlei for the first time and walking out onto the pan

All the trees in the vlei were so different- as if they were caught mid-action when they died

In case there was any doubt, this only took us about 10 attempts...

Two lone trees in the far corner of the vlei that caught my eye

Big Daddy dune standing watch over Deadvlei

The sky was the most electric blue I have ever seen, and I struggled to capture the reality of it (this shot is about as close as I could get)

Taking our time at the vlei: we brought beer/cider with us (and you thought we just had water in the backpack); it was a nice way to spend a bit more time here. I thought it would be a good idea to hike up one of the really steep dunes at the back of the vlei. Fail. M was happy to be back on solid clay and heading back the way we came (opposite the big steep dune). We did climb several dunes later on, but learned to climb the ridge rather than the slope. 

Namibia Part 1: Introduction to the Namib Desert

August 22, 2013

M's first time on a horse! Possibly one of my favourite pictures of the trip, and a great "cover shot" for part 1 of our Namibian posts.

To kick off our Namibian adventures we headed south from the capital city of Windhoek to the Namib Naukluft National Park (the Namib desert). The landscapes of Namibia are ultimately its main selling feature; while the scenery changes drastically as you travel throughout the country, the underlying themes of wide open spaces, stunning vistas, miles of dirt roads stretching off into the distance, red cliffs, crystal blue skies, sand and dust, are constants. The only signs of civilization we saw included the very occasional sign indicating a guest house or ranch, and one fuel station masquerading as a "town" (there was a bakery and a lodge as well, so perhaps that qualifies it as a town?). We embraced the solitude and took time to take it all in. 

Taking the long way around- we wound our way through the cliffs of Spreetshoogte Pass en-route from Windhoek to Sesriem.

Making a fuel stop in the one-horse-town of Solitaire, and sharing our first Namibian sunset.

When in Rome...since we stayed at a horse ranch, we thought it only made sense to go for an early morning ride. Horseback riding through the desert- check!

Namibia: Beyond Expectation

August 22, 2013

Exactly five months to the day from when we first arrived in South Africa, M and I took our first big trip outside of S.A.. Before I get into the details of our itinerary and photos of the trip, I thought I'd take a minute to provide a bit of background into why we chose where we did and what it's all about.

 

Namibia, or Nam, is not somewhere we had even considered visiting prior to moving to S.A., but it is somewhere that I have repeatedly heard about recently from other expats as well as locals as a must-see destination. With its close proximity to S.A.(a direct two-hour flight from Joburg), its ease of travel (self-drive is very feasible and is the recommended way to get the most out of a Nam trip), some of the most dramatic landscape on earth, and many highlights to make a memorable and adventurous trip, I felt that we were onto something. Especially since one of the things particularly appealing about living in S.A. and travelling from here is the opportunity to learn about places that I didn't even know existed. There is something magical in discovering a new place without any pretence of what to expect.

As for what Namibia is all about, here are some fast facts:
1. It is the second least densely populated country on the planet (second only to Mongolia)
2. Over 85% of the roads are dirt/gravel/salt- the country is basically one huge desert
3. The main languages are English, Afrikaans, German, Owambo, Kavango and Herero
4. One Namibian dollar is equal to one South African rand (or $9 Namibian= $1 Canadian)
5. The Namib Desert is the oldest in the world and is home to some of the world's tallest dunes

And so, for our first out-of-S.A. travel adventure, we were Nam-bound. 2500km of driving + 2500km of flying = Nam in a nutshell. Our itinerary included riding through the desert on horseback in Sesriem, hiking the rust-red dunes of Sossusvlei, exploring the adrenaline soaked seaside town of Swakopmund, driving the desolate Skeleton Coast, searching for the elusive desert elephants in Damaraland and game viewing in the vast expanse of Etosha National Park. All of this while taking in the wide open spaces, dry desert air, stunning sunsets and dramatic landscapes that are Namibia. 

While I cannot fathom not sharing at least a fraction of the 2400+ photos I took during our trip, I thought I'd start with a quick teaser, and then go into more detail in subsequent posts. Deal? 

Alright, here are a few of my favourites to serve as an introduction to our journey:

Part 1: Introduction to the Namib Desert

Part 2: A Forest Frozen in Time

Part 3: Sand Dune Sea

Part 4: Holidaying in Swakop

Part 5: The Skeleton Coast 

Part 6: Desert Elephants

Part 7: The Salt Pan