Driving on the edge
The Germans called it the "Sperrgebiet" (forbidden territory); to the South Africans and English it was more simply Diamond Areas 1 and 2, a strip of coastal desert along the west coast of Namibia, some 150 kilometres wide running from the Orange River up to Walvis Bay, the countries main port.
We must begin our voyage east of Lüderitz near to the now deserted town of Kolmanskop. The forgotten buildings loom out of the dunes, a forlorn but fascinating monument to the discovery of diamonds in the area back in 1908. Boomtime then, chaps, and this barren coastal desert is temporarily transformed into a thriving economy, a bustling community. Companies and corporations arrive and over the next forty odd years they mine diamonds galore. In the twenties, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer amalgamated ten of the mining companies into Consolidated Diamond Mines (CDM) and obtained exclusive rights for this area into the early years of this new millennium. Independence brought control of the country's diamond production into the hands of NAMDEB. During the forties, CDM moved their operational headquarters to the purpose built town of Oranjemund, where even larger deposits had been found. So, by 1956 Kolmanskop was deserted and a ghost town born.
Some forty years later our convoy of Land Rovers are to venture forth from this desolate spot. And, don't forget, no members of the public have been allowed to set foot on this hallowed section of the Namib Desert for over ninety years. However since NAMDEB now concentrate most of their diamond mining resources on extraction from the sea bed off the coast, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) have granted the first concessions, by tender, to allow tourism companies to operate in areas previously off limits to the general public. One of the first such dispensations, taking in a part of the Diamond Mining Area between Lüderitz and Saddle Hill - thus allowing travel through the Namib sand sea itself - was awarded to Coastways Tours of Lüderitz in 1999. Of the two founding directors, Lewis Drucke and Volker Jahnker, who made the successful application, the latter was to be our host and guide and us the guinea pigs on this initial commercial trip into this stunning environment never before seen by tourists?
Enough fuel for maybe some 600 kilometres and GPS in working order plus HF radio contact with Volker's Coastways base are the main prerequisites, together with an array of sensible costumes. For temperatures might range from the mid forties centigrade in the dune valleys at midday to perhaps less than 10c at night on the coast, provided we make it there.
From Kolmanskop, we plan to travel north through the sand sea, skirting a still forbidden part of Diamond area 2, before turning west and battling through some of the biggest dunes in the world in an effort to reach the coast. Time schedules are finely tuned, since without any contact possible with the outside world, we feel it appropriate that people can be alerted to any overdue return. We will run with tyres deflated to 1.5 bar, dropping to as low as 0.8 in the serious stuff. It will transpire that at one stage I drop my 90's tyres to 0.5 to get myself out of a hole, but be warned, you can easily drive your tyre off the rim at this pressure if you are not careful.
We are lucky with the wind at the outset on day one (dawn) - very light, with clear skies and good visibility. Travelling in convoy, we try to make only one set of tracks - eco responsibility is of prime importance. Indeed Coastways Tours are hugely aware of their duty to protect the environment in which they will operate, whilst the MET for their part will be monitoring this concession area very closely too. The first kilometres find us climbing away from Kolmanskop towards the dune valleys, with the distant desert landscape becoming more and more incredible as we leave civilisation behind. Oryx (Gemsbok) would seem to have little grazing in this vast wilderness but we spot plenty of these fascinating antelope. A brief stop for cool drinks and further careful briefing from Volker is followed by the westward turn we have all been waiting for - into the dunes, uncharted territory???.
Into the dunes
The vista of the desert plains behind us is simply magnificent: a shimmering white brilliance of Namib sand surrounded distantly by a ring of mountains. Our tracks have seemingly speared through an almost ethereal haze of wind blown sand producing a stunning manifestation of shining solitude. Now immense sand dunes herald the route to the coast.
Here we are likely to have to cope with a failed hill ascent for real. It is vital in dune driving to reconnoitre fully - lives can be cheaply lost by cresting a dune with a slip face and subsequent freefall. Equally important is the need to always keep straight (at right angles to the summit line) when climbing or descending in sand. If you lose momentum on the way up, never try and turn to drive down. Footbrake and handbrake on, select reverse low ratio and - as long as you can move in that same perfectly straight (right angle) line - drive carefully down backwards. Do not turn the wheel, and remember the clutch is your enemy. Like a lot of off road manoeuvres, it seems hairy at first - but practice makes perfect. Best tip for serious downhill sand descents on slip faces: low ratio first but power on a little if you feel sideways movement.
The largest dunes are impossible to scale, so the convoy of Volker's Toyota Land Cruiser bakkie and three accompanying Land Rovers, one 90 SWB and two LWB 110 models, has to wind its way through a maze of twists and turns circumventing some of the most vertical ascents. Incredible angles of ascent and departure keep the adrenalin flowing. The morning is almost done now, but temperatures are at their highest, so we pause awhile for lunch in a secluded spot avoiding the wind which can howl in from the coastline at times. Food was a simple affair, just braaivleis and cool drinks. And yes, still some ice left in the cool boxes. Only food was allowed in our one on-board fridge (an Engel 40 litre job) just in case our trip lasted any longer than anticipated. Later we would feel the benefit of the onshore breeze bringing cool Atlantic air towards us and of cooler sand providing a little more traction for our Land Rovers now ready and waiting turn to find a way through the sand sea to the coast.
Before long, however the V8 110 Station Wagon found an awkward angle dropping down into a gully rounding an insurmountable dune and buried its offside front wheel. Ropes to the ready and two of our convoy managed to strong-arm the V8 back on the level. Progress was now almost pedestrian - I use the word advisedly - because on several occasions we had to physically climb dunes to see the possibilities that lay ahead.
Volker's vast knowledge of this desert area and his unsurpassed sand driving skills led him first seemingly easily up a very testing but seemingly possible climb that would - if successful - forward our plans literally and considerably. Of us mere mortals left below, and under our guide's watchful eye, I was - by dint of the 90's greater power to weight ratio - selected to go next, producing much glee from the rest of the troupe. The problem with such an ascent is that you can never entirely gauge the properties of the sand. It may seem firm to human feet, but two tons of mobile machinery can prove things otherwise. I at least had a good clear run at the dune on a reasonably helpful surface, and momentum here would be my biggest ally. I selected low ratio just in case I needed to get down to second (high first equates roughly to low third and I didn't want to "run out" of gears). The 90 roared and sped towards the ascent - a climb of some 100 metres in front of me. No problems till past halfway, when suddenly a patch of cruelly soft sand slowed the TDI considerably. A quick decision needed: enough momentum left with a swift change down (don't forget the tyres will bite in deeper however quickly the change and momentarily slow you further) or a really tasty failed hill ascent. A nasty ridge near the top would cause more problems, in that it would slew to the offside and I don't want to go off the straight and narrow: onwards and upwards, down to second and tyres (0.8 bar) clawing for grip. Almost at walking pace now but oh with some revs - yes the crest and success??.Wow that was fun, so now tour leader and I must guide the others. We've spotted a firmer looking line which should give them a better chance and soon we are all congratulating ourselves on the crest.
Our struggle through the dunes has taken longer than expected, so we brave the elements (mad dogs and Englishmen?) wanting to reach the coast with plenty of time to pitch camp. The dunes in this part of the world are famed for reaching right to the very edge of the sea, so same formula as before.
In one dune valley, we are staggered to find an old engine block and a very basic wooden lean, together with a couple of large oil drums. Closer inspection shows some skeletal evidence of animal carcasses. It seems this might have been a remote outpost in the mining days of the second half of the last century. Shelter from the wind, maybe a problem with equipment and the remnants left to rest for time immemorial remind us of the fortunes once uncovered in this unforgiving land.
Neglected remains of the one time prolific diamond mining operations are left behind as Land Cruiser and the three Defenders begin their assault on the final run through the dune fields to the Atlantic. Our decision to run through the heat of the day is vindicated by a further distinct drop in the temperature - a sure sign that we are nearing the coast. The dunes might not be quite so forbiddingly high here but our progress is still fairly pedestrian with a myriad of twists and turns to circumvent the unassailable slopes; moreover the brightness of the now almost white sand becomes almost mesmeric.
We spot a jackal, a sure sign that we are nearing our objective: on such a forlorn piece of coastline as this there will be abundant seal life with some occasional rich pickings for the hunting quadruped. And pickings on this long coastline are to be much treasured - diamantes for the humans and food for the wild life - further to the north its Herero name "Kaokoveld" translates to the lonely coast and mariners worldwide have long named it "The Skeleton Coast", all for good reason. Desolate indeed, dangerous in the extreme but inspiring nonetheless.
Finally success. We catch a glimpse of the Atlantic, a welcome blue balm against the searingly white backdrop through which we have struggled during this unforgettable day. We feel both achievement and relief together, tempered by the knowledge that we still have to return??.
There were in days of yore, many machinery movements along the shoreline from Lüderitz in the south, transporting a virtual complete mining operation along the beach - tides, dunes and weather permitting. Incredible ramps and temporary bridging structures were formed to set up the machinery as required at specified areas inland in the dune sea. We were in the next couple of days to witness the relics of this bygone intrusion into the desert in the name of diamonds.
We soon indeed come across some extremely well preserved accommodation close to the shoreline, which must have served as a central point in the past. Volker tells us that this camp at Saddle Hill will be our home for the next two nights. Having set up our canvas village in a sheltered area, we park up the trio of Land Rovers and walk to the shoreline in search of fresh sustenance. Before long we have located an ideal rocky creek and scramble down into the inlet to bathe and hunt. As we expected there are crayfish (rock lobster) to be found in many a crevice in this craggy seaboard cove and with a lot of daring and perhaps a little skill we manage to catch some mouth watering seafood for supper. Next to the beach for our starters: white mussels in the shallow water accumulated simply by digging with your toes. And so a veritable feast was enjoyed by all - fresh barbequed lobster. A prelude to another good night's sleep, interrupted only by marauding jackals.
Along the coast
Next morning, time to pay the 90 and 110's some close attention after their worthy labours. All three have performed in exemplary fashion and detailed inspection unearths no major problems. Our all important tyres are in good shape (running on average at 1.2 bar) and we seem to be ahead on fuel, much over half of our original supplies still remaining. Volker's Land Cruiser is fine too, so plaudits to both manufacturers since this environment we are driving in is probably as hostile as even Land Rover and Toyota will ever see?
The distinctly cooler coastal climate lends itself to a day of exploration to either side of our shore base. Our convoy makes light of the damp beach sand in an awesome journey along the waters edge, with the dunes of the Namib Desert towering upwards to the other side literally rising out of the very sea itself - a geological phenomenon indeed. We soon come to a rocky abutment with virtually no space at all to manoeuvre courtesy of the steeply rising dunes to one side and the tidal flow to the other; consultation of tidal charts shows that we have some three hours grace if we venture through before the water will seal the way forward until the next outgoing tide. Under bonnet compressors swiftly inflate our tyres to 2.5 bar so as to protect the side walls against the jagged rocks, and all men to the shovels to remove a barrier of sand to the nearside. This could be fun. Rocks and sand under the nearside wheels and rough slippery outcrops under the offside with the tide lapping constantly: not to mention a traverse angle that seemingly defies the published Solihull figures. The fact that each Land Rover slithered, scrabbled and scraped its way through this tortuous trail is further testimony indeed to the breed - long live the Defender!
Not long after, we came face to face with another mighty dune leading away from the sea, but this time with an excellent approach and a markedly less steep climb than some encountered inland. The four vehicles first gaining excellent momentum, then finding traction unsurpassed roared their way one by one to the long flat plateau on the summit. You would kill for the view. Several kilometres on - still high above the sea and some way inland - we came across a museum piece on a huge scale. Derelict machinery, including dozers, sifters and graders together with workshops and housing enough to support a full business community.
Time was now running out and the sea inexorably in, so back to the passage par excellence: en route we discovered the steepest slip face that any of us had encountered before. A hundred metres that seemed almost vertical, but if the grains of sand stay in place then so should our vehicles. The angle is just incredible but both Volker and guests find their 4x4s, in low ratio, are as surefooted as a big cat. Job done and after another set of damp palms through "the gap" - incidentally the V8 110 very nearly ended up at sea after the rear end slewed in a big way, but some vital throttle pulled the vehicle straight just in time - and so back to camp for a late lunch.
Spencer Bay
Deflate tyres once more and we drive off to the north and Spencer Bay - to try and locate the wreck of the SS Arcona, which ran aground in the early seventies carrying a considerable cargo of dynamite along the coastline still feared by navigators to this day. All efforts to recover the vessel and its wicked freight either from the sea or from the land failed hopelessly. So, to prevent the highly dangerous consignment falling into the wrong hands, a decision was taken to detonate the entire vessel and contents in situ. The explosion was heard several hundred kilometres away and parts of the ship ended up over 5 km inland. We found anchor chains and large parts of the hull scattered over a huge area, untouched for some thirty years. Since we are now exploring on foot, we experience clearly the extraordinary, indeed weird noise that the almost constant wind makes as it blows over the dunes, especially across the crests. Known by the indigenous folk as "soo-oop-wa", it produces an odd groaning sighing sound. A wicked sea mist suddenly appears from nowhere, coming quickly upon us and making our journey back to base alarming indeed. The menace of this perilous voyage was never made more apparent to us, but we managed somehow to retrace our journey successfully.
As we prepared to sleep on our last night at Saddle Hill, all around us a frenzy of small life forms would soon start going about their nocturnal business: perhaps the most astonishing creature being the Golden Mole, endemic to the Namib and a species completely without eyes. It spends the hot daytime far underground and surfaces only at night to devour prey that falls to its very highly developed senses of smell and hearing. Often you can see the mole's trails on the sides of dunes at daybreak, even when hunting they tend to burrow along just below the surface. I am privileged indeed to have seen such a mole when on a desert guiding course with some research guys last year, but it is rarely that humans will ever be able to fleetingly closet a mole for the purposes of biological advancement. The entrapment methods, which cause no harm whatsoever to the mole, save an interlude in its hunting process, render the creature visible to human sight albeit briefly.
The next morning, however, we could find no trails at all. We did however spot a beetle basking rear to front on the dune slope, awaiting any moisture precipitation coming in from the coast to settle on its back and run down its naturally sealed and grooved wings to collect in vessels extending from either side of its mouth. Nature will always find a way.
And so the journey home started, direction sand sea and proved to be every bit as daunting yet majestic as the outward odyssey. Some tired but contented travellers reached Lüderitz in the afternoon, each carrying memories of a remarkable journey, an awesome experience that would surely stay with them forever.
Fact File
Coastways Tours of Lüderitz offer two alternative fully guided self drive trips in their concession areas for 2005. Described here is the 3 day Saddle Hill/Spencer Bay trip, costing N$ 1500 per person. Participating tourists need only provide their own food and fuel. (Min 3 vehicles/8 pax). A six day tour along the coastal area of the Namib from Lüderitz to Walvis Bay is priced at N$ 6000 pp. All meals, with tea/coffee or juice are provided, whilst customers must supply their own camping equipment, fuel and personal items. (Between 20 and 32 people are required on each trip). A further one day visit to Bogenfels/Pomona, using Coastway's own transport and with lunch provided, costs N$ 800-00 pp (min 4, max 12 pax). Discounts for children are available on all tours, and a percentage of all tour income is paid as a levy to the Government, supporting local communities. Contact either Lewis Drucker or Jenny Meyer on +264 63 202002 (Fax 202003) or by e-mail [email protected]
We must begin our voyage east of Lüderitz near to the now deserted town of Kolmanskop. The forgotten buildings loom out of the dunes, a forlorn but fascinating monument to the discovery of diamonds in the area back in 1908. Boomtime then, chaps, and this barren coastal desert is temporarily transformed into a thriving economy, a bustling community. Companies and corporations arrive and over the next forty odd years they mine diamonds galore. In the twenties, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer amalgamated ten of the mining companies into Consolidated Diamond Mines (CDM) and obtained exclusive rights for this area into the early years of this new millennium. Independence brought control of the country's diamond production into the hands of NAMDEB. During the forties, CDM moved their operational headquarters to the purpose built town of Oranjemund, where even larger deposits had been found. So, by 1956 Kolmanskop was deserted and a ghost town born.
Some forty years later our convoy of Land Rovers are to venture forth from this desolate spot. And, don't forget, no members of the public have been allowed to set foot on this hallowed section of the Namib Desert for over ninety years. However since NAMDEB now concentrate most of their diamond mining resources on extraction from the sea bed off the coast, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) have granted the first concessions, by tender, to allow tourism companies to operate in areas previously off limits to the general public. One of the first such dispensations, taking in a part of the Diamond Mining Area between Lüderitz and Saddle Hill - thus allowing travel through the Namib sand sea itself - was awarded to Coastways Tours of Lüderitz in 1999. Of the two founding directors, Lewis Drucke and Volker Jahnker, who made the successful application, the latter was to be our host and guide and us the guinea pigs on this initial commercial trip into this stunning environment never before seen by tourists?
Enough fuel for maybe some 600 kilometres and GPS in working order plus HF radio contact with Volker's Coastways base are the main prerequisites, together with an array of sensible costumes. For temperatures might range from the mid forties centigrade in the dune valleys at midday to perhaps less than 10c at night on the coast, provided we make it there.
From Kolmanskop, we plan to travel north through the sand sea, skirting a still forbidden part of Diamond area 2, before turning west and battling through some of the biggest dunes in the world in an effort to reach the coast. Time schedules are finely tuned, since without any contact possible with the outside world, we feel it appropriate that people can be alerted to any overdue return. We will run with tyres deflated to 1.5 bar, dropping to as low as 0.8 in the serious stuff. It will transpire that at one stage I drop my 90's tyres to 0.5 to get myself out of a hole, but be warned, you can easily drive your tyre off the rim at this pressure if you are not careful.
We are lucky with the wind at the outset on day one (dawn) - very light, with clear skies and good visibility. Travelling in convoy, we try to make only one set of tracks - eco responsibility is of prime importance. Indeed Coastways Tours are hugely aware of their duty to protect the environment in which they will operate, whilst the MET for their part will be monitoring this concession area very closely too. The first kilometres find us climbing away from Kolmanskop towards the dune valleys, with the distant desert landscape becoming more and more incredible as we leave civilisation behind. Oryx (Gemsbok) would seem to have little grazing in this vast wilderness but we spot plenty of these fascinating antelope. A brief stop for cool drinks and further careful briefing from Volker is followed by the westward turn we have all been waiting for - into the dunes, uncharted territory???.
Into the dunes
The vista of the desert plains behind us is simply magnificent: a shimmering white brilliance of Namib sand surrounded distantly by a ring of mountains. Our tracks have seemingly speared through an almost ethereal haze of wind blown sand producing a stunning manifestation of shining solitude. Now immense sand dunes herald the route to the coast.
Here we are likely to have to cope with a failed hill ascent for real. It is vital in dune driving to reconnoitre fully - lives can be cheaply lost by cresting a dune with a slip face and subsequent freefall. Equally important is the need to always keep straight (at right angles to the summit line) when climbing or descending in sand. If you lose momentum on the way up, never try and turn to drive down. Footbrake and handbrake on, select reverse low ratio and - as long as you can move in that same perfectly straight (right angle) line - drive carefully down backwards. Do not turn the wheel, and remember the clutch is your enemy. Like a lot of off road manoeuvres, it seems hairy at first - but practice makes perfect. Best tip for serious downhill sand descents on slip faces: low ratio first but power on a little if you feel sideways movement.
The largest dunes are impossible to scale, so the convoy of Volker's Toyota Land Cruiser bakkie and three accompanying Land Rovers, one 90 SWB and two LWB 110 models, has to wind its way through a maze of twists and turns circumventing some of the most vertical ascents. Incredible angles of ascent and departure keep the adrenalin flowing. The morning is almost done now, but temperatures are at their highest, so we pause awhile for lunch in a secluded spot avoiding the wind which can howl in from the coastline at times. Food was a simple affair, just braaivleis and cool drinks. And yes, still some ice left in the cool boxes. Only food was allowed in our one on-board fridge (an Engel 40 litre job) just in case our trip lasted any longer than anticipated. Later we would feel the benefit of the onshore breeze bringing cool Atlantic air towards us and of cooler sand providing a little more traction for our Land Rovers now ready and waiting turn to find a way through the sand sea to the coast.
Before long, however the V8 110 Station Wagon found an awkward angle dropping down into a gully rounding an insurmountable dune and buried its offside front wheel. Ropes to the ready and two of our convoy managed to strong-arm the V8 back on the level. Progress was now almost pedestrian - I use the word advisedly - because on several occasions we had to physically climb dunes to see the possibilities that lay ahead.
Volker's vast knowledge of this desert area and his unsurpassed sand driving skills led him first seemingly easily up a very testing but seemingly possible climb that would - if successful - forward our plans literally and considerably. Of us mere mortals left below, and under our guide's watchful eye, I was - by dint of the 90's greater power to weight ratio - selected to go next, producing much glee from the rest of the troupe. The problem with such an ascent is that you can never entirely gauge the properties of the sand. It may seem firm to human feet, but two tons of mobile machinery can prove things otherwise. I at least had a good clear run at the dune on a reasonably helpful surface, and momentum here would be my biggest ally. I selected low ratio just in case I needed to get down to second (high first equates roughly to low third and I didn't want to "run out" of gears). The 90 roared and sped towards the ascent - a climb of some 100 metres in front of me. No problems till past halfway, when suddenly a patch of cruelly soft sand slowed the TDI considerably. A quick decision needed: enough momentum left with a swift change down (don't forget the tyres will bite in deeper however quickly the change and momentarily slow you further) or a really tasty failed hill ascent. A nasty ridge near the top would cause more problems, in that it would slew to the offside and I don't want to go off the straight and narrow: onwards and upwards, down to second and tyres (0.8 bar) clawing for grip. Almost at walking pace now but oh with some revs - yes the crest and success??.Wow that was fun, so now tour leader and I must guide the others. We've spotted a firmer looking line which should give them a better chance and soon we are all congratulating ourselves on the crest.
Our struggle through the dunes has taken longer than expected, so we brave the elements (mad dogs and Englishmen?) wanting to reach the coast with plenty of time to pitch camp. The dunes in this part of the world are famed for reaching right to the very edge of the sea, so same formula as before.
In one dune valley, we are staggered to find an old engine block and a very basic wooden lean, together with a couple of large oil drums. Closer inspection shows some skeletal evidence of animal carcasses. It seems this might have been a remote outpost in the mining days of the second half of the last century. Shelter from the wind, maybe a problem with equipment and the remnants left to rest for time immemorial remind us of the fortunes once uncovered in this unforgiving land.
Neglected remains of the one time prolific diamond mining operations are left behind as Land Cruiser and the three Defenders begin their assault on the final run through the dune fields to the Atlantic. Our decision to run through the heat of the day is vindicated by a further distinct drop in the temperature - a sure sign that we are nearing the coast. The dunes might not be quite so forbiddingly high here but our progress is still fairly pedestrian with a myriad of twists and turns to circumvent the unassailable slopes; moreover the brightness of the now almost white sand becomes almost mesmeric.
We spot a jackal, a sure sign that we are nearing our objective: on such a forlorn piece of coastline as this there will be abundant seal life with some occasional rich pickings for the hunting quadruped. And pickings on this long coastline are to be much treasured - diamantes for the humans and food for the wild life - further to the north its Herero name "Kaokoveld" translates to the lonely coast and mariners worldwide have long named it "The Skeleton Coast", all for good reason. Desolate indeed, dangerous in the extreme but inspiring nonetheless.
Finally success. We catch a glimpse of the Atlantic, a welcome blue balm against the searingly white backdrop through which we have struggled during this unforgettable day. We feel both achievement and relief together, tempered by the knowledge that we still have to return??.
There were in days of yore, many machinery movements along the shoreline from Lüderitz in the south, transporting a virtual complete mining operation along the beach - tides, dunes and weather permitting. Incredible ramps and temporary bridging structures were formed to set up the machinery as required at specified areas inland in the dune sea. We were in the next couple of days to witness the relics of this bygone intrusion into the desert in the name of diamonds.
We soon indeed come across some extremely well preserved accommodation close to the shoreline, which must have served as a central point in the past. Volker tells us that this camp at Saddle Hill will be our home for the next two nights. Having set up our canvas village in a sheltered area, we park up the trio of Land Rovers and walk to the shoreline in search of fresh sustenance. Before long we have located an ideal rocky creek and scramble down into the inlet to bathe and hunt. As we expected there are crayfish (rock lobster) to be found in many a crevice in this craggy seaboard cove and with a lot of daring and perhaps a little skill we manage to catch some mouth watering seafood for supper. Next to the beach for our starters: white mussels in the shallow water accumulated simply by digging with your toes. And so a veritable feast was enjoyed by all - fresh barbequed lobster. A prelude to another good night's sleep, interrupted only by marauding jackals.
Along the coast
Next morning, time to pay the 90 and 110's some close attention after their worthy labours. All three have performed in exemplary fashion and detailed inspection unearths no major problems. Our all important tyres are in good shape (running on average at 1.2 bar) and we seem to be ahead on fuel, much over half of our original supplies still remaining. Volker's Land Cruiser is fine too, so plaudits to both manufacturers since this environment we are driving in is probably as hostile as even Land Rover and Toyota will ever see?
The distinctly cooler coastal climate lends itself to a day of exploration to either side of our shore base. Our convoy makes light of the damp beach sand in an awesome journey along the waters edge, with the dunes of the Namib Desert towering upwards to the other side literally rising out of the very sea itself - a geological phenomenon indeed. We soon come to a rocky abutment with virtually no space at all to manoeuvre courtesy of the steeply rising dunes to one side and the tidal flow to the other; consultation of tidal charts shows that we have some three hours grace if we venture through before the water will seal the way forward until the next outgoing tide. Under bonnet compressors swiftly inflate our tyres to 2.5 bar so as to protect the side walls against the jagged rocks, and all men to the shovels to remove a barrier of sand to the nearside. This could be fun. Rocks and sand under the nearside wheels and rough slippery outcrops under the offside with the tide lapping constantly: not to mention a traverse angle that seemingly defies the published Solihull figures. The fact that each Land Rover slithered, scrabbled and scraped its way through this tortuous trail is further testimony indeed to the breed - long live the Defender!
Not long after, we came face to face with another mighty dune leading away from the sea, but this time with an excellent approach and a markedly less steep climb than some encountered inland. The four vehicles first gaining excellent momentum, then finding traction unsurpassed roared their way one by one to the long flat plateau on the summit. You would kill for the view. Several kilometres on - still high above the sea and some way inland - we came across a museum piece on a huge scale. Derelict machinery, including dozers, sifters and graders together with workshops and housing enough to support a full business community.
Time was now running out and the sea inexorably in, so back to the passage par excellence: en route we discovered the steepest slip face that any of us had encountered before. A hundred metres that seemed almost vertical, but if the grains of sand stay in place then so should our vehicles. The angle is just incredible but both Volker and guests find their 4x4s, in low ratio, are as surefooted as a big cat. Job done and after another set of damp palms through "the gap" - incidentally the V8 110 very nearly ended up at sea after the rear end slewed in a big way, but some vital throttle pulled the vehicle straight just in time - and so back to camp for a late lunch.
Spencer Bay
Deflate tyres once more and we drive off to the north and Spencer Bay - to try and locate the wreck of the SS Arcona, which ran aground in the early seventies carrying a considerable cargo of dynamite along the coastline still feared by navigators to this day. All efforts to recover the vessel and its wicked freight either from the sea or from the land failed hopelessly. So, to prevent the highly dangerous consignment falling into the wrong hands, a decision was taken to detonate the entire vessel and contents in situ. The explosion was heard several hundred kilometres away and parts of the ship ended up over 5 km inland. We found anchor chains and large parts of the hull scattered over a huge area, untouched for some thirty years. Since we are now exploring on foot, we experience clearly the extraordinary, indeed weird noise that the almost constant wind makes as it blows over the dunes, especially across the crests. Known by the indigenous folk as "soo-oop-wa", it produces an odd groaning sighing sound. A wicked sea mist suddenly appears from nowhere, coming quickly upon us and making our journey back to base alarming indeed. The menace of this perilous voyage was never made more apparent to us, but we managed somehow to retrace our journey successfully.
As we prepared to sleep on our last night at Saddle Hill, all around us a frenzy of small life forms would soon start going about their nocturnal business: perhaps the most astonishing creature being the Golden Mole, endemic to the Namib and a species completely without eyes. It spends the hot daytime far underground and surfaces only at night to devour prey that falls to its very highly developed senses of smell and hearing. Often you can see the mole's trails on the sides of dunes at daybreak, even when hunting they tend to burrow along just below the surface. I am privileged indeed to have seen such a mole when on a desert guiding course with some research guys last year, but it is rarely that humans will ever be able to fleetingly closet a mole for the purposes of biological advancement. The entrapment methods, which cause no harm whatsoever to the mole, save an interlude in its hunting process, render the creature visible to human sight albeit briefly.
The next morning, however, we could find no trails at all. We did however spot a beetle basking rear to front on the dune slope, awaiting any moisture precipitation coming in from the coast to settle on its back and run down its naturally sealed and grooved wings to collect in vessels extending from either side of its mouth. Nature will always find a way.
And so the journey home started, direction sand sea and proved to be every bit as daunting yet majestic as the outward odyssey. Some tired but contented travellers reached Lüderitz in the afternoon, each carrying memories of a remarkable journey, an awesome experience that would surely stay with them forever.
Fact File
Coastways Tours of Lüderitz offer two alternative fully guided self drive trips in their concession areas for 2005. Described here is the 3 day Saddle Hill/Spencer Bay trip, costing N$ 1500 per person. Participating tourists need only provide their own food and fuel. (Min 3 vehicles/8 pax). A six day tour along the coastal area of the Namib from Lüderitz to Walvis Bay is priced at N$ 6000 pp. All meals, with tea/coffee or juice are provided, whilst customers must supply their own camping equipment, fuel and personal items. (Between 20 and 32 people are required on each trip). A further one day visit to Bogenfels/Pomona, using Coastway's own transport and with lunch provided, costs N$ 800-00 pp (min 4, max 12 pax). Discounts for children are available on all tours, and a percentage of all tour income is paid as a levy to the Government, supporting local communities. Contact either Lewis Drucker or Jenny Meyer on +264 63 202002 (Fax 202003) or by e-mail [email protected]
Kommentar
Allgemeine Zeitung
Zu diesem Artikel wurden keine Kommentare hinterlassen