Around the World in 128 Days - Walvis Bay, Namibia - The Namib Desert

 

Travel Day 110 - April 22, 2024 - 8,427 Steps

This post is late because the day resulted in over a hundred photos I wanted to post as well as a dozen and half videos. Thankfully I realized that was not something virtually no one would want to wade through. Below is the "cliff notes" version of the day, but I do plan to put another post up sometime with more of the photos and videos of the day for anyone who would care to see more of what we experienced.

The is a fairly constant feature in this part of Africa due to the cold waters of the South Atlantic current flowing to the north.

Walvis Bay is home to large numbers of jellyfish.

As we get older, getting around can be more difficult and even a railroad crossing can become an obstacle.

Today's excursion was getting up close to what lives in the Namib Desert and the fact there were only three of us on the tour made for a truly fantastic experience.

There are no wild camels in the desert, but there are camels for tourists to ride, however we were here to explore the desert, not ride camels.

Ernst was our guide and he had an a oneness with the desert that was to make the day the best.

A palmato gecko Ernst dug out of the sad. A cute little thing that could fit in your hand.

Another creature Ernst dug out of the sand. Typhlacontias Brevipes known as Fitzsimons Burrowing Skink. It was about 8 inches long and and evolved to be legless and sightless.

A Side Winding Adder. Very small and very poisonous which was again dug out of the sand by Ernst.

Dollar bush, its leaves filled with water, it serves as both food and water for the Springbok who can graze on it.

Very fresh hyena tracks.

Moving further inland the vegetation disappears.

Namaqua Chameleon. It was fascinating how its eyes could independently look in completely different directions and its brain could process that information and react to it.

Out comes the tongue and into the mouth goes the insect so quickly you can't really see all of it. Here it has just grabbed the insect with its tongue.

The desert can be such a beautiful place,

But it not the same place for long as the shifting dunes can easily wipe out what man builds, as this small section of of exposed ties along an abandoned railway line being covered and uncovered as the dunes move, shows,

Dune sand is exceeding fine and the black grains are magnetite. Ernst pointed out that one of the difficulties of traversing this desert was that compasses don't work in it.

Magnetite grains accumulating on Linda's magnetic bracelet.

Oh no, more sand in her shoes. Poor Linda.

Sharp eyed Linda pointed this out to me. While the tire tracks run straight, lines in the sand are not only wavy, they also split and recombine randomly.

Last animals of the day was a large flock of flamingoes.

Bernard Nordkamp Centre choir made up of students and alumni singing and dancing on the World Stage. The ship's passengers donated some $16,000 to the Centre which helps disadvantaged children in the Windhoek, Namibia area to have a better chance at life than the extreme poverty they are raised in. There is another meaning to the BNC logo, which is Beautiful Namibian Children. And they truly were just that.