EXPLORING GHOST TOWNS AND RUSTY WRECKS

of the Namib

Text & Photographs Le Roux van Schalkwyk

Appreciate what you have before it's gone. We often hear this phrase but how often do we have the opportunity to act on this good piece of advice? The Shipwrecks and Diamonds Tour, recently launched by Sandwich Harbour 4x4, provides an opportunity to explore decaying shipwrecks and the historical diamond mining settlements of yesteryear, now ghost towns, in the central Namib before they are completely reclaimed by the unrelenting desert.

Namibia’s coastline is notorious for bad luck when it comes to ships. Called the Skeleton Coast, it is the graveyard of an estimated 500 ships, wrecked as a result of infamous rough seas, roaring winds, strong ocean currents and thick mists which can envelop the world in an instant. Making it to shore didn’t improve the lot of hapless castaways either because they had to contend with the Namib Desert. Dune belts that stretch as far as the eye can see in some places and vast barren gravel plains in others, mostly devoid of any surface water.

Yet, the Namib and the adjacent Atlantic coastline have an oddly mesmerizing effect. The desert has a striking beauty that can only be fully understood once you have spent some time there, and the isolation has a way of lifting stress from weary minds like the sun dissolving the fog. Life is found in odd places, from wandering jackals on salt pans to gemsbok trekking across dunes to the fascinating array of desert plants like the endemic !Nara. It also holds tales of the shipwrecks and the hopeful diamond miners who established tiny settlements, braving the harsh elements for the lure of potential riches.

The three-day Shipwrecks and Diamonds excursion starts from Walvis Bay on a scenic journey heading south along the coast into Namib-Naukluft Park past Sandwich Harbour, Conception Bay and Meob Bay. The route leads across epic dunes and along the beach at Langewand where massive dunes drop steeply into the Atlantic Ocean.

True to the tour’s name, participants are free to spend time exploring the shipwrecks and historical diamond mining relics of the area.

One of the wrecks along the route is the Shawnee, a transport tug stranded on a narrow stretch of beach between the ocean and the dunes. The Shawnee ran aground in mysterious circumstances in February 1976 when trying to assist a vessel in distress, the Polaris 11. Now the tug is home to a variety of seabirds. The second wreck is one of the most famous on this coast, mostly due to its odd location around 400 m inland. The 2,272 ton cargo ship Eduard Bohlen was sailing from Swakopmund to Cape Town when in thick fog it ran aground on a sandbank 500 metres from shore near Conception Bay in September 1909. As a result of the ocean forever changing the coastline, the 30 m ship now rests in the desert quite some distance from the sea – a strange sight indeed!

The second day of the excursion is spent visiting abandoned old mining settlements. The discovery of diamonds near Lüderitz in 1908 caused an uncontrollable diamond rush which brought fortune-seekers from far and wide.

The German Colonial Government at the time proclaimed a no-entry area, a Sperrgebiet, stretching 100 km inland from the coast between 26 degrees south and the country’s southern border. This forced prospectors to move north of this area and deep into the inhospitable Namib. When diamonds were discovered at Spencer Bay and between Meob and the Conception Bay area, the small mining settlements of Holsatia, Charlottenfelder and Grillenberger were established. An incredible feat, as no form of engine-driven transport was available during the first years. Oxwagons fitted with special, wide iron bands to make it through the sandy ground were used to

DID YOU KNOW?

• Sandwich Harbour 4x4 recently launched another two exciting excursions.

• The Shipwreck Sandwich Harbour

Excursion is a day tour that combines a trip to the scenic beauty and wildlife of the Kuiseb Delta and Sandwich Harbour with a visit to the Shawnee wreck.

• The Sunset Photography Excursion to Sandwich Harbour offers the opportunity to capture Sandwich

Harbour and the surrounding areas for the most stunning photos during the golden hour. Each tour is led by a photography guide. transport everything from construction material to mining equipment and supplies. After the invasion of Union troops in the early stages of WWI in 1914, all of these places were abandoned.

Participants in the excursion have the opportunity to explore Fischersbrunn, a source of freshwater during the mining years, and Meob Bay which served as a landing site for people and equipment, as well as Grillenberger, Charlottenfelder and Holsatia.

Nights are spent at Namab, a rustic tented camp at Meob Bay. With its close proximity to the ocean in the west and picturesque views across the dunes to the east, it is the perfect place to decompress after each day’s adventure and experience the beauty of desert nights.

The hostile environment of pounding winds, an unforgiving sun and a high rust factor has, however, taken its toll on the buildings and wrecks over the decades. Deterioration is evident from one year to the next. This means that the time to visit and appreciate these historical time capsules, or what is left of them, is now, before they, too, will be gone forever. TNN

For more info visit www.www.sandwich-harbour.com

LÜDERITZ

...the Diamond of Namibia!

Text Bruno De Comarmond Photographs Brad Wood Lüderitz in the far south is probably the most unique town in Namibia, if not on the entire African continent. Originally named Angra Pequena (small bay) by famous Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, who in 1487 was the first European to sail into the bay, the burgeoning settlement was renamed Lüderitzbucht in honour of German merchant Adolf Lüderitz in 1886.

Lüderitz enjoys a moderate climate. The infamous coastal mist envelopes the town perhaps on 15 days a year. This historical town, built on undulating rocky terrain, sits between the massive coastal dune belt to the north and the treacherously rocky coastline to the south.

Lüderitz boasts no less than 95 early twentieth-century German buildings, most of them Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) and all of them enjoy National Heritage status. The most striking examples are the neo-Gothic Felsenkirche (1912) and Goerke-Haus (1910). Other attractions of the small town are its waterfront development, the colourful fishing harbour – and Kolmanskop.

The world-famous Ghost Town of Kolmanskop, just 10 km away in the Namib Desert, affords visitors the opportunity to see and experience what life was like in the heyday of diamond mining in this harsh desert landscape. Back in 1912, Kolmanskop was one of the most affluent villages on the planet with impressive mansions, an enormous outdoor swimming pool, a bowling alley, entertainment hall, an ice-making factory and a hospital which was equipped with the first X-ray machine in the southern hemisphere. The tiny settlement even operated an electrified railway line to the diamond fields. Kolmanskop is a must-visit when staying over in Lüderitz.

Lüderitz is also famous for its delicious fresh seafood, harvested locally. Lüderitz oysters reputedly have the best quality in the world, and just as sought-after are abalone and rock lobster.

Local excursions include self-drive trails (4x2 and 4x4) on the wild, expansive Lüderitz Peninsula with its unique flora, solitary beaches, lagoons, bays, rocky fjords and a cave. Man-made landmarks are the Dias Cross (1488), the lighthouse and the remnants of an old whaling station. Help to protect the sensitive flora and fauna by staying on demarcated tracks and gravel roads. Full-day 4x4 guided tours into Tsau //Khaeb National Park include southern Africa’s highest coastal rock arch, Bogenfels (59m), and the ghost town Pomona, a former tiny diamond settlement which has been deserted long since.

Catamaran tours to see one of Namibia’s largest colonies of African penguins depart from the picturesque fishing harbour daily at 08:00 – weather permitting. During this fabulous twohour tour to Halifax Island, a protected marine reserve, you will almost certainly encounter Heaviside’s dolphins, Cape fur seals and in the whale season humpbacks and southern rights.

Lüderitz is also known as the official speed windsurfing capital of the world, proclaimed as such by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC). From 2008 to 2019, no less than 145 national and 20 world speed windsurfing and kiteboarding records have been smashed at the annual Lüderitz Speed Challenge event. The current speed windsurfing record is 53.27 knots / 98.28 kph (average speed) over 500 metres. This incredible speed was achieved by French windsurfing legend Antoine Albeau who holds twentyfive World Championship titles. For those keen on windsurfing and kiteboarding, the fantastic second lagoon and Shearwater Bay will put your skills to the test and provide hours of pure enjoyment (when the wind blows, of course).

One of Namibia’s most reputable hotels is found in Lüderitz. The four-star Lüderitz Nest Hotel was inaugurated by the first State President in April 1998 and has hosted guests from around the world with exceptional hospitality ever since. It is the only hotel in Namibia located directly on the rocks at the sea, boasting its own tidal beach and walk-on jetty.

Sea views from every room as well as from the lounge, the bar and the restaurant are an irresistible feature of this hotel. Its Penguin Restaurant is locally acclaimed for the best seafood, and its event centre (sea views!) is a popular venue for weddings. TNN

Isaiah Kapona

WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES THAT MAKE A TOP GUIDE?

What are the qualities that make a top Guide? The short answer: start with a great person.

The ideal safari Guide, he or she: • is comfortable with the responsibility of safety and expectation • is socially adept, alert, and responsive • can effectively interpret signs, sounds and behaviour • can deduce, plan and anticipate • can swiftly adapt as information changes • is a concise communicator, guests understand him/her • is informative, can turn the mundane into awe-inspiring • is diplomatic and tactful, capable of diffusing the knowledge and language differences between guests • is technically competent, inspires confidence by being: • physically capable • a defensive driver, possessing mechanical empathy • weapons proficient • a qualified First Responder • sensitive to photographic needs and nuances • licensed, and in possession of the required permits. • He has a life-long commitment to learning, and • shares his or her passion for nature in a manner that resonates, thereby converting legions of visitors into ambassadors and protectors of the wilds. Supplied by Rob Moffett of Ongava

The best guides in Africa

are holding down the fort on a game reserve in Namibia

Text Elzanne McCulloch

I have a firm belief, after many years of travelling all over Namibia and other countries in Africa, that it is your guide who determines your experience of your visit. A guide can make or break it for you. They are the glue that holds your adventure together, and so I started to ponder… what makes a great guide?

In August, I sat down with Isaiah Kapona at Ongava Lodge after two marvelous days on Ongava Game Reserve and asked him what life as a guide is like. Kapona, as he is affectionately known, has been working on the reserve for 20 years.

Ongava, the entire reserve with all four of its lodges, had been on lockdown since COVID hit last year. It only reopened in June 2021. When asked what he has been up to during this time, Kapona remarked that he and the others have been holding down the fort. A lot goes into safeguarding the natural world on a private game reserve. As much as into any national park. Having started his career at Ongava 20 years ago as a member of the anti-poaching unit, Kapona understands these needs more than most. He shares more about two decades of life on a reserve with us during our two day stay. And what a life it must be… that of a guide in Africa. The mopane bushland your office. Lion, elephant and rhino your colleagues. Nature your vocation.

So what makes a great guide? According to Kapona, a guide needs an allencompassing arsenal of skills. “You’re doing everything. You are a doctor. You are a chef. You are a teacher. We feel like we are ambassadors for the country. A lot of people come back to Namibia over and over. Why do they come back? Because they love what we share with them. They end up loving nature as much as we do.”

Is that all though? A deep love for nature? Surely it plays a crucial role, and it is always easy to tell if someone is truly passionate about their job, but I don’t think that is the only magic ingredient. A truly spectacular guide is dedicated to his or her craft. Beyond their people skills and ability to adapt to each personality type and nationality idiosyncrasies, they put in the hours of study needed to master their knowledge and understanding of the subject matters at hand. A good guide never stops learning. He or she does not limit themselves to the Cliffs Notes or the How to sell the bush handbook. They are zoologists, ornithologists, behaviouralists, meteorologists. They are mixologists and sommeliers. They are comedians and entertainers. They are everything you need them to be, and at the end of the day a really great guide enjoys every second of it.

From basics to going into incredible detail, a truly great guide quickly determines his guests’ experience level and knowledge of the bush or country and adapts his discourse accordingly.

May your next adventure to Namibia award you with the experience of meeting your new best friend on a safari. May they wow, entertain, educate and inspire. May they instil a deep love and understanding of nature in you and plant the seeds of passion for the outdoors and all things wild that comes with an obsession with Namibia. If you are looking for the best guides in Namibia, Ongava Game Reserve is the place to start… TNN

Meet the Paperbark Acacia

Getting to know the trees of the northeast

In this latest series we explore the beauty of trees with our beloved local nature-enthusiasts and authors, Helga and Pompie Burger. Each with a unique voice and opinions on how best to identify the trees of the Kavango and Zambezi, Helga and Pompie help us through the tricky trials of identifying northeastern Namibia’s most iconic flora.

Icome from the central highland of Namibia and are acquainted with the acacias there. The sieberiana with its papyrus-like yellow bark and green leaves was a revelation to me – I really had to work hard to ID this tree with conviction. The papery bark, bipinnately compound leaves with many (20 -40) leaflet pairs, straight white thorns, cream coloured acacia-like fluffy flower balls and the fruit are now familiar and do not easily evade my eyes anymore. - Helga Burger

We planted paperbarks at our church (20 trees, I dug almost 19 of the 20 holes), so I know them. This is a trunk tree, the yellow bark with papery flakes is unmistakeable. The paperbark thorn is relatively localised in this region, except for a few of these trees in the north-western area.

- Pompie Burger

October 2019 February 2020 November 2019

The yellow brown trunk is visible even from a distance White thorns on older stems Fruit is big, thick, flat and straight

AN EASY GUIDE TO IDENTIFYING THE PAPERBARK ACACIA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Acacia sieberiana

AFRIKAANS: Papierbas acacia GERMAN: Papierrindenakazie KWANGALI: Muhengeva LOZI: Mukate

STRIKING FEATURES OF THE PAPERBARK ACACIA TREE

• Trunk and branches have yellow papery bark

• Covered with white puffball flowers in spring to summer

• Masses of fruit clustered on the end of the branches

MAP GUIDE

Tree density in various areas

Main road Where to find paperbark acacia in the northeast

SEASONS OF THE PAPERBARK ACACIA TREE

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec ICON GUIDE

Fruit season

Flower season

Leaf season

DRINK & DRIVE

• The yellow brown trunk is visible even from a distance • Wide spreading crown • Exposes a yellow trunk under the papery bark

STOP & STARE

• Cream coloured fluffy round flowers on long stems • Dark green leaves are packed with leaflets like acacia

TOUCH & TASTE

• Pairs of straight thorns are pinkish brown initially • White thorns on older stems are more visible

DOWN UNDER

• Fruit is big, thick, flat and straight (sometimes curved) • Common on sandy plains close to water This article is an extract from The unbearable beauty of trees: 56 magnificent trees of Kavango and Zambezi written by Helga Burger, published in 2020.

To order The unbearable beauty of trees, contact Bonn at bonn@venture.com.na.

A story about a fridge

Growing up my family went camping a lot. The eclectic set of camping gear included anything that could pack easily on the back of a bakkie and was sturdy enough to survive endless gravel roads and jeep tracks.

One of these items was a 32 litre Engel camping fridge with a yellowish body and light green lid, and it met all the above requirements. This thing travelled to every corner of Namibia and also saw its fair share of Zimbabwe and Botswana. Most importantly, it was the source of frozen meat for the duration of the camping trip. Only years later, when my dad upgraded to a new Engel, did I hear that the first one was quite the historical artefact.

CYMOT imported the first three Engel fridge/freezers into Namibia in 1982. Coincidentally, my family rented a house in Windhoek from Claus Theissen, then head of CYMOT. One day on a visit to the house he told my dad about this new type of portable fridge, revolutionary at the time for working with a compressor and not having to be completely level to operate. Sold on the idea, my dad bought two, one for himself and one for his department boss, at the pricey (at the time) amount of R300. Theissen kept the other Engel for himself. With dad working as a geologist for Rössing’s exploration department, the Engel saw extensive service throughout Damaraland, Kaokoveld and Bushmanland apart from the countless family camping trips.

“In all those years the only thing that broke was the plastic power connection when I bumped it in 2010. It cost me N$400 to replace, more than the Engel,” my dad jokes. According to my old man, the only disadvantage of this particular model is that a 750 ml bottle couldn’t stand upright. In the same breath, and quick to defend his trusted Engel, he mentions that it could fit a whole lamb except for the ribs. The trick is to pack the meat when it’s fresh and then let the Engel freeze it solid for a couple of days before leaving on your trip, and since the ribs didn’t fit, eat them on the first night.

Finally upgrading in 2015, his new Engel has also seen its fair share of travelling through Namibia and Zambia. What became of the old Engel? When he bought the new model from CYMOT, he gave his old one to the company as a historical piece. Where is it now? Word around the campfire is, it currently resides in the office of Claus Theissen’s son Axel, the current head of CYMOT. The Engel is destined to become a feature in the planned company museum.

Get your iconic Engel fridge from any CYMOT branch or from CYMOT’s safe and easy online store before setting off on your next adventure!

SHOP ONLINE. SAFE-SECURE-RELIABLE.

Free Delivery for purchases of over N$ 1000.

Hiking in the Namib Naukluft

Text Ena Visagie Photographs Le Roux van Schalkwyk, Ena Visagie & Elzanne McCulloch

In my opinion the road from the coast to the Naukluft Campsite of Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is among the most visually charming drives in Namibia. Coming from the mostly misty coast and making your way into the sunshine of the dry, dusty desert is experiencing the diversity of Namibian landscapes first-hand! As the view through the windshield changes, so does the adventure. Prepare to stop for more than a few photo opportunities because a big part of this route runs through Naukluft National Park.

As the road gets dustier, the cell phone signal becomes weaker – this is the case with most of the beautiful, more remote places in this country. It is an opportunity for both a physical and mental breakaway from everything else that usually forms part of our routine and everyday lives. The adventure begins!

At NWR’s Naukluft Campsite there are a ton of camping spots to choose from, each with its own braai area and within walking distance of the bathroom facilities. The best spots are next to the stream, where you can cool your feet during the day and hear the bullfrogs at night. Be aware, it can get quite chilly though.

There are three different hiking trails on the NWR grounds, two of them highly recommended, and the third – well you would first have to pass a health test conducted by a GP to ensure you’re fit enough – is an eight-day hike, and it’s challenging (not speaking from my own experience)!

The hike with the largest variety of sights and sounds is the Waterkloof trail. There are numerous pools along the way, many of which are fed by streams of fresh water. You can crouch down and drink right from the stream before filling up water bottles – those bottles are very important. The pools with water are a sort of holy grail when hiking in the African sun, to stay hydrated, yes, but also to take a dip, swim and cool down before proceeding. The hike is 17 km long. Keep your eyes peeled for the footprints painted in yellow, left by an invisible guide, and keep an ear out to intently listen to the surroundings throughout the hike. From various bird species, frog burps, the flow of crystal clear water and leaves catching a breeze to rocks and sand under your feet and baboons on high cliffs, it really is an audio journey.

There is a massive pool at about 1.7 km into the Waterkloof trail. If you are not too eager about hiking, I highly recommend you just make your way to that first pool. With a few drinks and snacks you can spend a leisurely hour or so in and next to the chilly body of fresh water. The pool itself and the surroundings are… au naturel. Please remember not to leave any bottles or packaging behind – take them back with you for proper disposal. Continuing on the 17 km hike: it is very rich in trees for quite a distance. Lots of shade courtesy of the tall trees, but steer clear of thorn bushes along your way. Around the latter section of the first half of the hike the tall trees disappear and the trail opens up onto a plateau dotted with camel thorn trees. From there it is a taxing ascent to the highest point of the route. When on top you are awarded with a 360-degree panoramic view of myriads of mountains, one rolling out of the other as far as the eye can see. A special place to spend a few minutes, take it all in and realise that no camera can do justice to this experience.

Onto the descent, a couple of last pools and a very long way down a massive (dry) riverbed.

This hike is challenging and shouldn’t be recommended to anyone with knee or ankle problems. But as much as it is exhausting, it is every bit as rewarding, every second of it. After the hike, however, the biggest reward, even before heading to the showers, is cracking an ice-cold Namibian Tafel Lager. TNN