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Published: October 9th 2012
We wake up early to leave at about 7:15AM and after eating the breakfast we ordered the previous day we pack the car and start the drive to Walvis Bay which is about 1/2h away. Unfortunately it is rush hour on the road between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay which mostly means large trucks behind which we are stuck for long periods of time so we arrive a bit late. On the way we are pleasantly surprised by the palm trees that line the road at the entrance to Walvis Bay and by the nice houses in some neighborhoods. There are however still areas typical of Namibia with unmarked crossings where people cross the busy highway from one (possibly) government built housing area to another. When we arrive at the meeting point we find out that another group was also stuck in the same traffic jam so there is no problem and after loading the tour SUV that will carry us the tour guide starts driving around the bay towards the launching point.
At the beginning the guide gives us a short description of the tour. We will be driving about 1h around the bay to the launching point first on good roads and then through the sand while she will be pointing out the different interesting features along the way. Then the kayaks will be launched near a seal colony and after about 1:30h of kayaking we will land at a different point from which we will take the car back to the meeting point. Almost immediately after leaving the city we see lots of flamingoes in the distance and even though the guide assures us that we will see more we snap a few pictures. Then we pass the Walvis Bay Salt Works and the road snakes among different salt evaporation pans.
On the salt pans and further in the bay we see lots of birds mostly avocets and flamingoes. The birds are everywhere and in large numbers and the car stops from time to time so we can take photos but we still have to take quite a few of them while the car is moving.
Next on the way we pass the filming site of the next Mad Max movie, quite interesting to see a movie site while filming. The guide tells us how difficult it must be for the filming crew and how they brought in sand to simulate a more desert like enviroment and how the wind is blowing it all across the road so they have to clean it every day. Also she tells us about the lonely tree that was brought in and then had too few branches and new branches had to be glued to the initial tree.
After the filming site we enter the deep sand and the car is gliding along, we just hope that we don't get stuck. Now we start seeing the fishing boats in the bay and also some wrecks along the bay. There are also some remains of fishing traps from a failed initiative to grow fish along the coast.
As we get closer to the launching site we pass the lighthouse at the end of Walvis Bay, one of the few in the country. Walvis Bay is actually the only natural port in Namibia which made it very important to the colonial powers and it was the only spot that England owned on today's Namibia coast. This left Germany without any port and they tried to develop Swakopmund into one but it did not work so well. Even after Namibia gained independence from South Africa Walvis Bay remained South African for a few more years until it was ceded back to Namibia. The car also passes the short rail line that was used to shuttle goods from the shore to the lighthouse, we cannot stop due to the deep sand. We also see a few jackals that live in the area and according to the guide are really lazy and always lounging in the sun.
After arriving at the kayak launching site we get an instruction on how to use the kayak and water proof clothing. One of the guides is placing a divider further away from the car behind which is the 'toilet' -quite unexpected and difficult to use. Also we get some water proof containers so we can keep our cameras safe and two bottles of water and then we are pushed out into the sea. The sea is a bit rough and our guide explains that it is because there is no fog from the mountains and it means that the winds will be coming early. We like the fact that there is no fog though and that we can see in the distance.
After getting in the water it takes only a few minutes for the seals to come to investigate. We are kayaking first along the shore right in front of the permanent seal colony which is used to the kayaks and therefore the seals are swimming mostly around us and are jumping out of the water and making lots of noises which is real funny. On land the seals look lazy but here they look hyperactive being everywhere and difficult to follow.
Continuing along the shore we pass a temporary seal colony and the seals are not as happy as the initial colony about our approach and they let us know that by splashing around the kayak with their tails - lucky that we had the waterproof clothing. They are also almost dancing around us which is fascinating. The guide lets us know that the SUV got stuck in the sand when trying to move to the landing site but it got free in the end.
The seals are not alone though. We see quite a large cormorant colony and walking among them were a few huge looking pelicans.
And then the guide points out that there are dolphins a bit further away where some sightseeing boats are. We go and take a look at them as they are jumping out the water or just cruising with the fin out. It is difficult to take pictures of them as they are quick and submerge fast but there are quite a few of them. The guide tells us that this is the most dolphins she has seen this year so we feel lucky and privileged to witness the spectacle.
There are also quite a lot of flamingoes on the shore and some of them take flight which is an impressive sight, it almost looks like a pink cloud. They seem to get along well with both the seals and cormorants as they walk among their colonies.
After getting back on land we get a lunch of sandwiches and tea or coffee which was included in the trip. We walk a bit around on what seems to be almost pristine sand looking for shells and also taking in the view of Walvis City across the bay.
On the return trip we pass again through the filming area and take a few more pictures of the interesting area and props. The filming has to be a boon for the area with the hundreds of people sleeping, eating and buying in the neighboring cities.
This time we stop a bit at the salt pans to take a few pictures of the salt producing process in the different stages. Basically they pump sea water in and let it to dry out and then collect the salt. The color of the water right before it finishes evaporating is a nice pink which mixes nicely with the white of the salt that is already visible.
Right before reentering the city and getting back to our car we view a flock of pelicans as they are landing, it is funny how majestic they are on the approach and then how difficult they make the actual landing.
We return to our room to change clothes as we intend to visit Swakopmund in the afternoon. It is quite a good time also to take pictures of the room else we are either too early or too late in the day.
Our first trip is to a bank so we can exchange some of our US dollars and finally after so many days we succeed and are flush with money (more or less). With the money in hand we go to a tire shop so we can change the patched tire. However they do not have the correct tire but they apply a permanent patch instead of the temporary one which they guarantee is as good as a new tire. Given that the temporary one lasted over 1000 km we have confidence that this will last us till Cape Town. And then we walk through downtown Swakopmund doing window shopping and admiring the old houses in this well restored German colonial town. They even have a fur store with furs from lots of different animals from which probably half you cannot even import in the US. Before returning at the B&B we go and buy some provisions from the Spar supermarket close to our B&B which has quite a large range of different products. And then after a short dinner we go to sleep as tomorrow we have to leave Swakopmund and drive to the Sesriem area.
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