11 Swakopmund, coast

Namib desert coastline
Namib desert coastline

 11.03.14, Swakopmund, Namib desert coast

My flight along the coast was together with an American couple whom I had already met in Windhoek. It lasted a little more than an hour and was most spectacular. The plane flies low over the beach with the sand dunes on one side and the sea on the other. Colonies of fur seals can be seen all along the coast and towards the end near Walfisch Bay there are flamingos and sea birds.
We arrived around lunchtime and I could see my next accommodation as we landed. It is built like a lodge but is just on the outskirts of Swakopmund overlooking the sand dunes. The receptionist lady kindly offered to drive me into town to save me getting a taxi, which she seemed not to consider completely safe. I was first able to book an all day excursion inland into the desert for the next day. Then after a quick look at the few historic German-style buildings I spent most of the afternoon walking along the beach. I spotted some interesting wader birds (plovers) including a species of curlew (Whimbrel) although not as big as the European one and in a lagoon there were flamingos, pelicans and cormorants. The afternoon ended in a beach bar watching the sunset, followed by a fish and chips pub-dinner.

 

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