Swakopmund and Cape Cross Seal Colony
There was a possibility of an optional early morning balloon ride over the Namibian desert but we didn't take advantage of it. Instead, the group headed out across the desert towards Swakopmund. Past the dune fields, into mountains, across the desolate gravel plains before reaching more coastal sand dunes at Walvis Bay. Walvis Bay is a large spit that forms a natural deep-sea harbor. This harbor attracted the first navigators in the late 1400's. Many flamingos and pelicans. Walvis Bay also considers itself "Namibia's Adventure City" with sandboarding on nearby dunes, skydiving, quad bike tours and scenic air excursions. The area also had a seal and dolphin boat cruise done with ski boats in the protected lagoon area. An unusual excursion.
We stopped for a picnic lunch on the beach. The group had this routine down pat...unload the camp chairs, set them up, prepare lunch, collapse the camp chairs, restow in the vehicle, and we were done. After lunch, an easy walk to see the flamingos and other bird life in the Walvis Bay lagoon before continuing on into Swakopmund. Another trick learned early in the trip was how to get in and out of our Safari truck, quite high off the ground, without mutilating and bruising your legs. You had to climb up and down...carefully...watching that knees didn't bash into the metal.
It was early evening by the time we arrived in the coastal town of Swakopmund, too late to explore and everything but the restaurants had already closed for the evening.
We definitely could have used more than one evening and half a day in Swakopmund and I think the tour operator has added another free day in Swakopmund since this trip. This little town is considered to be the tourist mecca of Namibia with its temperate climate, German background, fishing, hotels, and facilities. Swakopmund was filled with pubs, german-style confectionaries and wonderful fish restaurants. A vibrant little town with lots going on.
There were 11 buildings in Swakopmund declared national monuments because of their architectural style and a small museum. No time to really see much of anything.
Early the next day, vendors were busy setting up a small flea market filled with African souvenirs...heavy on the carved giraffes. (Their giraffes didn't have the personality of the one we bought years ago at Victoria Falls.) We had just enough time to browse the square and through a few nice shops with tribal art and artifacts that fortunately opened early.
A long drive, leaving early and heading north along the coast to the Cape Cross Seal Colony. The Cape Cross Seal Colony is the breeding place of the Cape Fur Seals (actually a species of Sea Lion) and had between 80,000-100,000 Cape fur seals. ...View image...These seals are very big with the average male weighing up to 500 pounds. The females had just given birth around Late November to early December (our trip was around Christmas). They usually have only one pup and the colony was filled with babies.
Seal pups have been hunted for their jet black pelts and for the beautiful olive-grey coat which they acquire after moulting, for centuries. The adult's fur is too coarse to be suitable for use in the fur industry. A few days after giving birth the mother has to return to the sea to feed. During this time the youngsters are very vulnerable and hunted by Jackals and Hyenas. Sometimes they are also permanently separated from the mother and will die with no one to feed them. Unfortunately, we saw quite a few dead babies littering the beach.
It was very interesting watching the seals going to and from the Atlantic, listening to all the noise but if you've never visited a seal colony of this magnitude, there is also an unbelievable ammonia stench!
It took another solid day before I could get that smell off my clothes and out of my nostrils. The strong ammonia also made our eyes water. Huge...huge...undescribable stench permeating everything...
