Partners Content – 8th March 2013
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LandscapeEscape to the Skeleton Coast
The Skeleton Coast, or "The Land God Made in Anger" as the Bushmen called
it, remains one of the world’s last great wildernesses: harsh, still not completely
explored, definitely untamed and extraordinarily beautiful.
The sky casts a ghostly shadow over the land, creating the illusion of a sunken desert,
photo by Paul van Schalkwyk
There is no denying the Skeleton Coast is an unforgiving and eerie landscape. The cold
Beguela current produces a thick, heavy fog that clouds the coast for most of the year.
The icy surf of the Atlantic Ocean pummels the shore. The desert winds from the east
bring less than 10 millimeters of annual rainfall.
The Skeleton Coast got its name from the bones that once littered the shore, remnants of
the whaling industry. Today, the skeletons that remain are those of the ships that fell
victim to the hidden rocky outcrops and blinding fog. You can still see these strewn
vessels along the coast - the Eduard Bohlen, the Otavi, the Dunedin Star and Tong Taw to
name a few. Not surprising then, that the Portuguese sailors once referred to the coast
as "The Gates of Hell".
The skeletons of old shipwrecks that line the Namibian coast, Photo by Vicki Brown
Whale bones that wash up onto the shore, Photo by Tala Images
The Skeleton Coast Park
The national park, which protects about one third of Namibia’s coastline, boasts
dramatic landscapes of wind swept dunes, rugged canyons of richly colored volcanic
rock and vast mountain ranges. See roaring and fossilised dunes, ancient lava flows, the
Hoarusib castles of clay and the saltpans near the Agate Mountain.
Proclaimed in its present form in 1971, the park extends from the Ugab River in the
south for 500 km (311 miles) to the Kunene River in the north, covering an area of
16,390 km2 (6,328 square miles).
There are plans to extend the park to include the entire Namibian coastline, which will
make Namibia the only continental country in the world that has its entire
coastline protected as a national park. The new park, provisionally called NamibSkeleton Coast National Park (NSCNP), will be the eighth-largest protected area in the
world, the sixth-largest terrestrial protected area globally and the largest park in
Africa, covering an area of 107,540 km2(roughly 41,521 square miles).
The wandering dunes that are shifted along the landscape by the winds, Photo by Paul van
Schalkwyk
Signs of life
Despite being inhospitable, the Skeleton Coast is home to many animals. Gemsbok
(oryx), springbok, jackal, ostrich and brown hyena roam the park while desert-adapted
elephant and even black rhino, lion and giraffe travel up and down the dry river courses.
The Skeleton Coast Park is important for ancient wildlife migration routes east to the
Etosha National Park. Many wildlife species rely upon the numerous west flowing rivers
(known as ‘linear oases’) that thread through the park for survival. While rivers rarely
flow, underground water and springs in the river beds nourish vegetation, riparian
forest, and provide water, food, breeding grounds and shelter.
An Ostrich egg lies abandoned by its mother in the sand, Photo by Tala Images
Lonely jackal scours the coast, Photo by Paul van Schalkwyk
People also once lived in this harsh land. Remnants of the “Strandlopers” (beach
walkers) can be found by the collection of old white mussels shells found along parts of
the coast.
There are over 100 lichen species with more still to be discovered and their role is
essential to the park ecology. The lichen grows on the plains and west-facing mountain
slopes, changing color and becoming soft and leathery to the touch when the coastal fog
pushes inland.
Above: Lichen colours the land; Below: just some of the hundreds of different types of
lichen seen along the Skeleton Coast, Photos by Tala Images
Visiting the Skeleton Coast
The Skeleton Coast is a heavily protected conservation area. Certain areas (north of
Mowe Bay) are off limits to any visitors, while the southern parts, entrances between
the Ugab and Hoanib rivers, require permits.
Accommodation in the park is provided in a rest camp at Terrace Bay, previously a
diamond-mining settlement, and at the Torra Bay camping site, open only from 1
December to 31 January. Overnight visitors must be in possession of a valid reservation
for Terrace Bay or Torra Bay and arrive at the checkpoints at the Ugab Mouth and
Springbokwasser gates not later than 15h00 and leave from these points not later than
17h00.
A day permit to drive directly through the southern region of the park is obtainable from
the Ministry of Environment & Tourism Office in Swakopmund, as well as at the Ugab
and Springbokwasser gates. Day visitors need to enter before 15h00 and leave by 17h00
and may not visit Terrace Bay or Torra Bay.
Entrance to the Skeleton Coast National Park, photo by Mikael Castro
Because of the highly sensitive environment and serious conservation efforts, not all of
the Skeleton Coast is accessible to people. Take a flying safari over the national park to
witness the vast display of shipwrecks and untouched landscapes from the sky!
Soar above the wild coastline of Namibia to get the best views, Photo by Vicki Brown
Facebook
Namibia in black & white: Christopher Rimmer, shares his striking portraits and some
inside info on his photographic expeditions to Namibia.
More tips and photos in our Capture Namibia series here: http://bit.ly/11m6hoO
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The Walking Trees of the Kalahari, Namibia
The wind dances around the Kalahari, taking the red dune sand with it, leaving trees
standing tall. Just another curious performance by Mother Nature in Namibia.
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900 Year old skeletons trees in the Deadvlei
Photo by Sébastien Del Grosso - find him on FacebookS.D.G
Photographie http://on.fb.me/15m9NoA and Flickrhttp://bit.ly/Yv4lZc
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Shipwrecks, wandering dunes and eerie fog: experience the untamed Skeleton
Coast of Namibia. More herehttp://bit.ly/ZxuLbO
Photo by Paul van Schalkwyk Photography
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Imagine a morning dip, peering over a view of the Grootberg valley, Namibia
Photo by Mikael Castro
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Dune 45 as seen through the lens of Roberto Sysa Moiola
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Twitter
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The Walking Trees of the Kalahari, Namibia #mothernature #curious
pic.twitter.com/ibuqnfqk0Z
Namibia in black & white http://bit.ly/11m6hoO photography tips from
Christopher Rimmel
WWF campaign to protect the animals of Namibia http://wwf.to/13kXJ2T via
@World_Wildlife
Let @oriolalamany take you on a photographic journey through Namibia with
these beautiful shots http://vimeo.com/64297710
Ever heard of The Penguin Runner? http://bit.ly/YvVztY #crazypeople
#conservation
Bushmen call it “The Land God Made In Anger” http://bit.ly/ZxuLbO Skeleton
Coast, Namibia #untamed
Rare green grass of the Namib desert http://tmblr.co/ZItcutiucULN #photo via
@alexoah
#didyouknow Namibia won the 2012 International CIC Markhor award for
outstanding #conservation. More facts http://bit.ly/YzQnI6
Caught on camera! Hyena in the Skeleton Coast of Namibia
http://instagram.com/p/YLH4qfJ6YQ/ #wildlife #cameratrap via @willbl
Namibia: Mother Nature's studio pic.twitter.com/lWzkKW0My2 Elephant at
sunset #photography via @igoralesenko
Catching some winter rays http://instagram.com/p/YKcQedgAqZ/ via
@jdsutthoff
Shipwrecks, wandering dunes & eerie fog: experience the untamed Skeleton
Coast, Namibia http://bit.ly/ZxuLbO pic.twitter.com/Y2O9JbRpem
"Why I love my adopted country Namibia" http://ow.ly/k4nA2 via
@TravelNewsNamib
Sanurra the cheetah & Ellie the dog "Is it her dinner?" http://ow.ly/k4Tin
#conservation #wildlife #namibia
Namibia: Home to some of the world's darkest skies http://bit.ly/YDsJXb
#stargazing
A jurrasic plant that lives up to 1,500 years & only grows two leaves? The
Welwitschia. Extreme Namibia http://bit.ly/YWL8Df
Landscape Escape to Namib Rand, Namibia pic.twitter.com/4slVd1vl0g Photo
via @isabelcom_