Swakopmund & Walvis Bay: Tale of two cities in the Namib Desert

Just about to take off

Acrobatic flip...wish i could do that

Had it not been for work, I would have skipped Swakopmund altogether but now in hind sight I think I was fortunate to have spent some time there irrespective of the main reason I ended there. All the material I had read prior to leaving for Namibia pointed to Swakopmund being a beach resort town where most well-heeled Namibians head to in the summer…not exactly a place for a vagabond like me.

Kayaking with Cape Fur Seals off the coast of Namibia

Showing its bad teeth

I will try not to elaborate the work part of my stay and focus solely on the fun activities because most folks who will read this probably aren't interested to know what my work entails. The city, as was clearly evident from the architecture, was founded by German settlers in 1892 as a primary harbor for the imperial German interests in the region. Today, the city still has a charming European feel to it with most of its population being of German descent.

Must like the feel of the oars

Thinking about a nibble

A large flock of flamingos outside Walvis Bay

Flamingos: Greater (left) &  Lesser (right)

Since my visit, I have learnt that there is a profound connection between Swakopmund and Liberia and it does not involve me. Apparently, the first German settlers who came to this region were offloaded by seamen from the Kru tribe from no other country but Liberia. Now, I am informed that the Kru tribesmen were seafarers working on European merchant ships during the colonial times but this snippet of history was remarkable in itself. I could never have imagined Swakopmund owning its existence (among others) to the country I currently live in.

Feeding

Odd sight of flamingos in the sand dunes

Swakop as it is affectionately called, is one of two cities that are located in close proximity on these Atlantic shores; the other being Walvis Bay a further 30kms south. The drive between the two was quick due to a good asphalt road with the foggy beach on one side of the road and large sand dunes on the other which made the drive rather interesting.

A black backed jackal snacking
on a flamingo

Left: A typical sleeping posture 

While Swakopmund seemed heavily influenced by Germany, Walvis Bay had a more Afrikaans feel to it, be it in its layout, architecture, or residents. Perhaps, I shouldn't have been surprised since Walvis Bay used to be an enclave first of the British and then Apartheid-era South Africa isolating itself from Germany and then the newly independent country of Namibia (circa 1991) until it was peacefully integrated in 1994.

It was astounding was that these two cities with million dollar beach front homes, perfectly manicured lawns in the midst of sand dunes and chic restaurants & cafes was a world away from the rustic charms of Kaokoland. I had to literally pinch myself to believe that this was still the same country…the land of the traditional Himba seemed a world away although it was just a few hundred kilometers away. This contrast of its people is as diverse as its landscape.

Jellyfish

Pretty homes and flowers

Million dollar homes in Walvis Bay

Keeping an eye out for predators even when sleeping

The real reason I was in Walvis Bay was to go kayaking with cape fur seals. The Americans I had gone rhino tracking with in Damaraland had rated it alongside their experience of being among mountain gorillas in Rwanda, and they were fairly well traveled chaps, so for them to rate the kayaking experience this highly surely meant it was worth checking out especially since I was in the vicinity.

Early in the morning I met Jeanne at a local coffee shop by the bay lined with lavish houses on one side and plentiful birdlife wading in the low tide waters on the other side. The bay also had flamingoes and although not as abundant as Lake Bogoria in Kenya there were still hundreds of both the lesser and greater variety. The pretty pink birds against the stark desert background were a bizarre yet pretty sight.

Wonder why they sleep in one feet

Flamingo potrait

Jeanne bought along with her the kayaks and waterproof gear (overalls, shoes, and camera pack). The cold gusty winds coming from the benguela current would normally have been too cold to be outside for a long time but since we were kayaking I never felt the chill.

Interestingly, as soon as we approached the colony of seals, they swam towards us and began frolicking all around the kayaks. It was as if they sought out our company and just wanted to play. The rank smell from the Cape Cross Seal Colony was noticeably absent and it made for a more pleasant outing. According to Jeanne this was because the colony home was sandy rather than rocky thus allowing the waves to wash away the seal urine which was the real reason for the stench.

Road between Swakopmund & Walvis Bay

German influenced architecture in Swakopmund 

Some of them playfully bit our oars and then acrobatically jumped across the kayak to provide some really memorable moments from that morning. How would I rate it…well I have not tracked mountain gorillas in Rwanda (atleast not yet) so can’t compare it directly but it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience…no doubt about it!

The following day I took a ride into the Namib Desert with Tommy who has been running trips into the Namib Desert for decades looking out for the “Little 5”.

Sunset in Swakopmund

Namib Dune Gecko

The Little 5 is his signature tour to seek out some of the small yet amazing creatures of the Namib Desert including the Peringuey's or side-winding adder, the Namaqua Chameleon and the Namib Dune Gecko. I recollect seeing these little creatures often being portrayed on wildlife documentaries of Namibia and the Namib Desert and it was a unusual experience as compared to the big game safari commonly associated with Africa.

Namib Desert by the Swakop River in the early morning

Taking a moment to admire the Namib

Late afternoon I chilled at a coffee shop in Swakopmund that oddly was showing cricket on its big screen. The bartender, a white Namibian, was having a conversation with another customer and I overheard him talking about the Indian IPL (Indian Premier League) and how he was a big fan of Indian cricket and the IPL. I got in the conversation with them but initially refrained from disclosing my nationality to get an unbiased view of India, cricket and its culture.

Stare

Namaqua Chameleon

Shovel-Snouted Lizard...I think

Peringuey's side-winding adder.
Inset: The adder disappearing into the sand

Only after a long time did they learn that I was from India and perhaps that must have been the reason he offered me another coffee on the house. It struck me as quite fascinating that something like the IPL which even I don’t follow, was popular in certain sections in Namibia.

First it was Namibia’s link with Liberia’s Kru people and now India’s IPL connection, but this seemingly intriguing relationship left me in a state of amazement at how things in this world are connected when it’s scarcely inconceivable.

Endless sea of sand

Namib Desert...the oldest desert

With Evelyn & Mandy
(and the infamous fog)

In the evening as I debated over my dinner options I met Mandy and Evelyn; two Americans teaching at the international school in Johannesburg who were road-tripping through Namibia. After dinner, intent on experiencing the local club scene we wandered around trying to figure out the best local joint and funnily stumbled around back to the place I was staying at…no wonder the previous night I had heard a lot of racket but had been too tired to be bothered.

It’s always nice to meet other travelers and more so expats who are working in Africa. Somehow it seems like I don’t encounter many of them on my travels which I presume is directly related to the demographics of the expats working in Africa.

As I look back, I think it was time well spent in this corner of Namibia and I was delighted that my travels luckily happened to pass through Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. Sometimes, great things happen when least expected and this was one such experience!