Coastal Living: Swakopmund

On Thursday our group of 14 took off for a long weekend in Swakopmund.  Located on the coast and next to the massive Namibian port Walvis Bay, Swakopmund was originally inhabited by Damaras and later settled by the Germans.  Despite the four hour drive to the coast it passed relatively quickly between naps and breathing in the cooling air.  The heat break as we drove West was so welcome — there’s a twenty degree difference between Windhoek and Swako.  The most incredible thing about Swakopmund was the scenery as we drove up; we were greeted by palm trees, beautiful rising dunes, and the Atlantic Ocean.  Seeing the ocean meet the desert will always be one of the most breathtaking things.

Before settling in we visited the memorial site for the OvaHerero/OvaMbanderu genocide that occured from 1904-1908 at the hand of German colonialists.  The site is right before the bridge the leads from Swako to Walvis Bay.  Many people are not aware that this site exists and I think it is important to overlook the German influence in the town and realize what that really means.

 

The next day we headed to Walvis Bay which boasts the largest Ports in Southern Africa.  It’s also a safe place for Sea Vessels and Cargo Ships because it’s a natural deep water harbor.  This also contributes to the business since bigger Cargo ships can dock as well.  The imports from Walvis Bay service from South Africa to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  When we stopped at the Lagoon, I found a really beautiful dock and took a picture with it because I liked it so much.

While in Walvis Bay we visted NACOMA (which is an enviormental centere), Walvis Bay Multipurpose Center (which is a youth mobilization community outreach that focuses on AIDS/HIV, relationships amongst genders, and preventional care and support) and NamPort –he shipping yard. Namport manages both the Port of Walvis Bay and the Port of Luderitz which is much further south.  Namport is essential in catering to the Import/Export needs of Southern Africa, increasing the competitiveness of SADC regions trade (through port services), and facilitate growth in Namibia by boasting one of the largest, most efficient trade routes in Africa.

  

Before leaving Walvis Bay we did what we came here to do: climb Dune 7.  Dune 7 is the highest Dune in the world and located in the Namib Desert and is 383m tall.

The climb up was practically vertical and it took about 5-7 minutes to climb to the very top.  However, the view from the top was absolutely breathtaking (literally… I sat in the sand and caught my breath for a little) and made the “breathless” assent completely worth it.

That night I traveled down to the jetty and was able to take some amazing shots of the sunset. (Again, I’m kind of obsessed).

 

On Saturday we had a free day, we could do whatever we wanted.  Some people choose to go ride ATVs in the desert, others went skydiving, some hung out at the beach, and me and three friends went on a Boat Ride.  We saw Seals, Pelicans, Dolphins, and tons of other cool critters. One of the coolest things we witnessed was Pelican Point which is home to THOUSANDS of seals. It’s one of the largest seal colonies in the world according to our Captain.  We also had a seal jump in our boat which was kind of a shock (Seconds before the Captain was telling us how just last week an aggressive male seal took a chunk out of a passengers arm… yikes).  They’re quite dense creatures up close.  I also tried oysters for the first time and they are very much so an acquired taste.  Afterward, my friend Louise and I decided to make the whole day ocean themed and walked to the Swakopmund aquarium and hung out there for a while and then ended our day at the beach.  It was an awesome day and I took plenty of pictures.

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Visiting Swakopmund and Walvis Bay was probably one of my favorite adventures to date and it was wonderful to get away for the long weekend. Not only is it a beautiful place, but it’s rich in history. It’s definitely on my list of places to return to one day.