Embedded Files
Post date: Jul 11, 2010 11:55:23 PM
We were able to sleep in on Day 12, and while we considered going dune surfing outside of Swakopmund, we realized that we'd awakened too late to have a decent chance of being able to do the tour, so we decided to wait for the next day to do sand dune surfing. Instead, we decided to eat a leisurely breakfast and then head north up the Skeleton Coast to check out Cape Cross and the Cape Fur seal colony.
The road up to the Cape Cross is a long, straight, unmarked, empty road called the Salt Road. We were traveling at about 130 kph (about 80 mph) the entire way, and saw very few other travelers on the route.
After nearly 2 hours of driving, we finally got to the Cape Cross park. The entrance was quite easy to discern - after all, there was NOTHING else around, and there was a quite obvious sign.
We'd heard from Lee and read in several guidebooks and websites that the seals were very stinky, so we rolled up the windows and turned the air conditioning to recirculation to prevent olfactory distress. However, as we got up the road after paying the approximately N$100 entry fee (about $13.33 U.S.), we came to a parking lot and a large observation deck. We realized that there would be no drive-by seal observing from the safety of our enclosed vehicle full of recirculating air, so we braced ourselves and stepped out.
If the Internet could capture and transmit smells, then you, Gentle Reader, would be retching at this point. There is no way that I can describe the utter horrible stink of approximately 100,000 seals all in one location. Fortunately, after about 15 minutes, you get used to the smell,
and the cuteness of the seals outweighs their horrible stench. We spent about an hour walking up and down the observation platform watching the seals swimming,
fighting for prime sunning position on the beach, listening to the seal bleats - which sound strangely like sheep, and having many "aww" moments.
Somehow, despite the horrid, acrid stench, we'd managed to work up an appetite, and decided to head back south for lunch. We had passed by an interesting-looking town called Hentiesbaai on the way up and decided to drop in and see what we could find. We stopped off in what I could only describe as the Afrikaans version of a country and western bar and restaurant and had a surprisingly good pizza. Later on, when we inquired why everything was in Afrikaans at the restaurant, we found out that Hentiesbaai is a resort town for South Africans. I recommend pizza with bananas if you ever get there.
On our way into Swakopmund the previous day, we'd seen a sign for camel rides, so upon returning to Swakopmund, we decided to go check it out. We followed the signs and pulled into the farm to see a child being let off of a camel. We greeted the proprietor, exchanged pleasantries (and jokes) and for N$100 (approximately $13.33 USD) per person, we had ourselves a camel ride booked. On our way out, I exchanged another joke with the proprietor in German, and she asked us if we wanted coffee or tea when we returned.
Our guides took us on a walk around the area for about 15 minutes and then returned us back safely to the camel farm. Upon our return, Erke, the proprietor, greeted us with a fresh pot of coffee and fresh brewed tea. We sat down with her in front of her house and had a long and wonderful chat. She was hosting a group of students from the University of Arizona, who had camped out in her yard, so we told her to ask them about buying oceanfront property.
We asked her the story of how she'd come to acquire 4 camels, and she said that she'd had them for 25 years. Many years back, camels were brought to South Africa and Namibia because of the lack of transportation, but as cars proliferated, camels were no longer needed, and they were often sold as meat. A group of people had ridden camels from a farm near Johannesburg to Swakopmund, and when they arrived, Erke discovered that the camels were to be sold for meat.
She figured that she could start up a camel riding business and bought the camels on the spot. Ever since, she's offered camel rides to any takers. Ironically, she'd had the camels for 25 years, but just that morning, she'd acquired a new puppy, a German Shepherd/dachshund mix (don't ask HOW that happened), so Nameless the puppy was getting to learn all about life on the farm. It was hard work.
Since Swakopmund was supposedly more German than Germany, we figured we'd get some authentic German/African food that night. We went to Kuecke's Pub for dinner and had German versions of game, including our new favorite dish, springbok. After gorging once again on fantastic food (notice a theme?), we called it a night.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse