and we roared off (as a diesel might) south to Walvis Bay to pick up permits to enter the coastal section of the Namib-Naukluft NP. Walvis Bay is a deep water port that currently takes care if exports and imports to Namibia, Botswana and places beyond. Very active - even saw yet another crazy Mad Max vehicle on a flat bed leaving the port, headed to the desert set. The film crew has a workshop at the dock.
After leaving the salt pond area we bolted for the 5 meter narrow strip of sand between the waves and the steep dunes to the east. We went south some 25km like this rushing to beat the incoming tide. Wow betide(sic) any vehice that gets hit or disabled.
The only other humanity are local surf fishermen (this shot taken later north bound)
Why were we rushing south? To get to the lagoon at Sandwich Harbour. No one has lived there for 80 years, once a whaling station where the whales were killed in the bay. The lagoon is interesting because it is fresh water. No river but fresh water creeps out year round from under dunes.
Have dunes, must climb - and that's what we did
After returning to the vehicle Bruno proceeded to wind the Land Rover up to the top of the dunes all the time explaining what skill it takes to navigate this soft sand. We parked and ate lunch at the top. A nice lunch, killer rye bread, home made pate, and home made lasagna.
More stories over lunch recounting how if he sees a tourist stuck in the sand he has clients on board and just cant stop to help. Fair enough.
With the tide now in, the return journey north is made mid dunes, some 2-3km inland. Huge dunes, huge steepness, masterful driving and then ....
even lowering the tyre pressure to 30% of normal failed to unstick us. (the video is hilarious). But we 5 passengers did manage to push us out.
Slight embarrassment ensued.
Dont get me wrong Bruno is a great guy and the other aspect of his business is running a private game reserve up near the SE corner of Etosha NP.
There he has been involved for years tagging and tracking the diminishing pangolin (scaly anteater, reminiscent of an armadillo). Apparently the market is in China. A bowl of Pangolin soup costs $12,000 - thats what Bruno sez anyway.
Anyway a fun and unusual day that i'm sure Geoff appreciated at least.
Dinner at Erick's tonight. Yum.
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Location:Hendrik Witbooi,Swakopmund,Namibia
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