Another early morning for Dan and I to meet up with our group in Walvis Bay ( about a 30 km drive from our B and B art Namib Guest House). We headed down to the breakfast room for a quick breakfast at 6:50 am, only to find that our lovely hosts had prepared a breakfast to go for each of us! What a treat! We even had time for a somewhat leisurely coffee before heading out and eating our breakfast enroute!

It was another glorious morning without a cloud in the sky. Our first stop was to Pelican Point Kayaking centre where we would meet up with the rest of our crew for a morning of sea kayaking with the fur seals! A total crew of about 10 plus our guide headed out towards Pelican Point. To get there we passed a salt reclamation factory (supplying a great deal of the road salt for North America. They process up to 1.5 million tonnes of slat per day from salt pan reclamation sites along this coastal stretch. When we drove past, the wind was picking up and the super saline water mixed by strong breeze created salty balls flaking into the air (looked like snow balls) being thrown across the road! Quite something to see. At points the road was defined by huge mounds that reminded me of snow banks back home!

When we reached the turn off for Pelican Point we were pretty much driving along the sand. Out driver SJ was very skilled and was able to drive most of the way with 2 wheel drive, but gave in on the last part when the ruts became too deep and put the car into 4 wheel drive…. It was like a tank through the sand! He said that his dad had let him drive their family 4X4 in the sand dunes before his feet could reach the peddle! By the time he was 11, he was independently driving the 4X4 with his dad in the passenger seat! (Off road only!!!)

After about 30 min we reached our launch location. Very close to the light house (now an exclusive hotel) as well as a large South African fur seals colony. Perfect entertainers for our paddle in the bay.

What an amazing adventure. We could have stayed out there for hours! But alas, we had more in store for today. When we headed back onto shore our guide set up a lovely brunch with tea, coffee and treats. All in all a very fulfilling morning!

Once we all loaded back into our truck we drove to the rendezvous point for our next tour. A 4×4 drive along the coast to Sandwich Harbour, about a 60 km drive along the coast where the dunes meet the sea. Since it was going to be high tide in a couple of hours, our guide/driver watched the sea closely. The dunes literally come right up to the ocean during high tide, and there’s no saving a 4×4 that gets caught in the water!

As we turned to start our return we our driver gave us quite a ride! The only way I can describe it is it was like we were on a self driving roller coaster. These huge dunes that we would go down on the leaside were standing at about a 45 degree angle, and we’d climb up the wind side at about a 40 degree angle. My grandsons would have love this drive as we ran down, climbed back up, zigged and zagged and had great fun!

When Andre, our driver thought we’d had enough fun he managed to find a spot that was sheltered somewhat from the wind and set up a lovely luncheon for us, complete with Champagne!

As we headed back, we saw some more animals close to the old river bed, long since dried up.

It was soon time to pack up from our idyllic location and head back into Walvis Bay to pick up our car.

Well, we made it safe and sound back at Walvis Bay, picked up our car and continued on to Swakopmund. What an adventure!!

Tomorrow we leave this fair place and venture into Damaraland where we hope to see some larger game animals (desert elephants perhaps) as well as some ancient hieroglyphics… but that will be for a later day. Our drive tomorrow is a long one that begins by flowing the Skeleton Coast (I completely understand the name) and then head inland and north east. Until tomorrow have a wonderful day! Talk to you all soon!