Heading to the Dead Sea

Henties Bay is the only town in Namibia (and second in the world!) that boasts a “Dead Sea”. This one is located 17 km off the main route to Cape Cross.

To get there, take the turnoff from the C34 North of Fishermen’s Inn. Then, about 300 m after the “Cape Cross 20 km” road sign, you will find a pile of rocks with a white arrow painted on it. Follow this path for 7 km until you see a pile of volcanic rock to your right. Stop on the track and make the short trip to the Dead Sea by foot.

But how?

The Strathmore South tin mine is an abandoned mine. Underground water filled the excavation and due to the presence of various minerals, the salinity is very high. This causes you to float freely. You can try again and again to dip under, but you will remain floating! Hence, the reference to the Dead Sea.

However, extreme care should be taken when moving around the mine, as the sediment is very brittle and unstable.

The site has become popular amongst locals and tourists alike. Locals claim the pool has healing properties and fondly refer to it as the “Soutgat” (Afrikaans for Salt Hole). It is definitely worth a visit.