December 9, 2024
Namib-Naukluft National Park in Western Namibia was established in 1907 and includes some of the world’s oldest desert. It claims the world’s tallest sand dunes, some of which rise as high as one thousand feet and is the largest game park in Africa. Alas, that is not what we were here to see. We can report no sightings of leopards, foxes, baboons, jackals or hyenas, nor, thankfully, did we encounter any of the many poisonous snakes that live here. With ground temperatures that can reach as high as 167°, most of the park’s inhabitants are nocturnal. What we did see was lots and lots and lots of sand.
As we made our way from the ship to the park we passed the miles and miles of pipe that carry water from Swakopmund to its outlying areas, including the uranium mines we mentioned in yesterday’s post. The roadways leading to the mine are lined with two pipes. One carries the drinking water and the other is for sewage.
We were introduced to the Welwitschia, Africa’s national plant. Declared a protected species in 1960, the plants have both male and female genders, differentiated by the size and shape of their cones (found at the end of what look like stems growing out of the center of the plant). The oldest Welwitschia found to date is believed to be 1500 years old. They can grow to more than fifteen feet tall, but it must take an awfully long time because the oldest plant we saw was 400 years old and still pretty low to the ground. Age is determined by carbon-dating the stem of the plant – the center part that looks like wood and goes deep into the ground.
The plant needs less than an inch of rain to be able to germinate. It uses a unique type of photosynthesis that allows the pores in its leaves to open to absorb moisture from the ocean fog, and then close again. Bees and wasps carry sperm from the male to the female.
Our primary destination was an area of the desert known as “Moon Landscape.” It’s an area where prehistoric granite rocks were uplifted (by volcanic activity maybe? Pam looked and looked but could find no explanation). Over time they were covered in gypsum that was then washed away by an ancient river, exposing a formation of rocks that resembles the surface of the moon. Our guide said a number of movies have been filmed here, including “Mad Max.” It’s quite a unique site to behold in a desert.
On our way back to the ship we stopped at the Goanikontes Oasis, a rest-stop built in the heart of what is known as Moon Valley. It’s a cool little stop.
The rest stop has a unique way of identifying male and female bathrooms.
We had a bit of a surprise when we went to board our bus. The clutch went out as the driver was attempting to park, rendering the bus inoperable for our return trip. Uh-oh! That’s a long walk…never fear! There were four buses in our group and the other three made room for us to join them. Whew! That could have been the wrong kind of adventure…
The ride home included beautiful scenery and a photo op with flamingos.
Two sea days stand between us and elephants!
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