Namibia Part 6: Desert Elephants

August 28, 2013

Desert elephant in Damaraland, Namibia

Somewhere, sometime, I heard about "desert elephants". I had no idea where they were or how you go about finding them, but I was intrigued. 

Although not a separate species from other savannah elephants, these elephants are special because they have actually adapted over time in order to survive in the dry arid desert conditions. They have proportionately smaller bodies and slower metabolisms, longer legs for walking great distances, and their feet appear to be larger since their legs are skinner (from all the walking) and their footpads are splayed out from spending a lot of time walking on sand. They are able to scale mountains and sand dunes in order to find water sources, and can go up to four days without drinking water. They roam freely in search of food and water, and will travel upwards of 80km a day in order to reach it. 

And low and behold, these elephants can be found in north-western Namibia. Aside from the small population of these desert-adapted elephants living in Damaraland, Namibia, there is only one other group of these elephants in the world: they live in Mali, North Africa. 

While I was extremely keen (M would say this is putting it mildly) to see these elusive and extraordinary elephants while we were in Namibia, I knew it would require a lot of luck. Luck is not something I deal well with. Big surprise, I like things that are sure-bets. But, I could not resist at least trying. And wow, am I glad we did. That moment of first laying eyes on one of these rare elephants coming through the desert's valley and watching him slumber over the dry, dusty, craggy rocks (and knowing the rest of his heard had to be close by), is not something I will soon forget (see the cover photo, above).

While the purpose is to track (and find!) these desert elephants, Damaraland is a massive desert and the elephants are not in a game reserve or a national park (they roam free in the wild). There are no boundaries or limits to where the elephants can go. As a result, the very few lodges/companies that go to the effort of tracking the elephants focus on a "nature drive" as they cannot promise elephant sightings. Even still, the scenery in the morning over the desert plains with the hills shrouded in fog was breathtaking.

Way in the back on the right, at the foothills of the red cliffs, there are two black-backed jackals. I like how well they blend into the desert despite the sharp contrast of colours.

Ostriches wandering the desert (you don't have to play Where's Waldo with this one).

The first elephant we found after almost three hours of tracking footprints (same guy as in the cover photo). Given how far into the hills the herd was, our guide was becoming concerned that we might be able to see them as it's only possible to drive so far into the cliffs.

 Part of the herd...

More of the herd: 13 of the 20 elephants in "Rosie's herd" (hint: did you spot the teeny tiny baby on the far right?). The rest of the herd was crossing on the opposite side, and we saw all 20 elephants congregate in the valley on the other side of these mountains.

This bull was basically scaling a mountain of loose shale.

Working their way over the rocky cliff; these two were among the last to make their way to the valley.

 Water is over-rated: now is as good a time as any for a dust bath.

 The soles of the feet that lead us to the herd.

This little guy is two and a half weeks old. Our guide said he saw him the day he was born, and the next day the herd was over 40km away from where he'd seen them the previous day. No wonder the gestation period of an elephant is 22 months...they need to be ready to go as soon as they're born! 

This little buddy is one month old. He's a bit more filled-out than the lil' guy in the previous photo, but both stayed very close to their mothers while we watched them (to the point of nearly tripping them a few times).

In and around Damaraland and Camp Kipwe.

 These strange rock formations are the remains of molten rock pushing up through the earth's surface. An interesting (albeit random) pit stop.

Sunset and sundowners, desert style.  

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!