09/03/18

I was going to tell you today about the wonderful Etosha Reserve, the spectacular wild life and about why I am never going camping again. But I’m not because on the scale of things it seems so unimportant.

Instead Martin and I decided not spend any time looking at the wonderful animals from afar, we got to see two Rhino’s at the Waterhole last night, but head out to the Skeleton Coast.

It has been on my personal wish list for as long as I can remember, and until quite recently inaccessible, for about 100 years, to anyone not sanctioned by the Namibian Government. It was a major diamond mining area, where Oppenhiemer was dispatched by Rhodes to see if the rumours were true that diamonds were literally lying on the beach and when he discovered that they were he signed the contract for himself and De Beers was born. If that’s not the true story keep it to yourself as I have believed it for a long time.

Anyway I digress, we left Khorixas and went off the tarmac roads to travel circa 200 km to the coastal reserve, which even the lonely planet says very few people make it this far. I drove with my heart beating a little faster than it should as I knew that this time we really were going off piste. After about 70km in and just after I said to Martin how well it was going and lol, one of the tyres blew. We didn’t panic, 2 grown able bodied man, well one anyway, and promptly changed the wheel. However, we knew there were no more chances. It is lonely and scary out here. With the temperature about 38 degrees and a raging African sun it was beginning to feel like flight of the Phoenix.

As we had pre-booked into a small hotel in Terrace Bay, an old mining encampment way up North on the skeleton coast, we were able to get a message to the reserve keeper to keep the gates open for us. We then carefully made our way arriving about 2 hours after closure time.  They attempted to repair the tyre, African style on a large gash in the rubber, and sent us on our way, warning of wild lions who had taken someone’s life only yesterday.

Sorry forgot to mention tyre pressure should be about 2lbs for off road not 3lbs. School boy error.

The journey on was, to put it lightly, special and beyond words. I am afraid that the pictures of this place do not do any justice to the reality but if I could sum it up it is like being on Mars, red, sandy and so remote. It was indeed quite scary but exhilarating at the same time. In all we have travelled over 200 km in to the desert

We were told that we would not see any other vehicles, but we did, one which had broken down and the occupants had been there 2 days. We gave them our last rations, some biltong and 2 packets of biscuits and promised to phone for help when we got the hotel.

We arrived just as the evening set in, and initially went to an old industrial building, the reception,

to sign in, and then checked into our rooms. This is a community run business utilising the old mining facilities to establish a viable business that has kept this tiny community together. It was

going to be bought by Onassis (Greek shipping) and be developed but he pulled out at the last minute. The village stepped forward and with some government support a thriving little business was created and Hey presto the community was saved. It is now one of the worlds most attractive fishing destinations albeit very hard to get to. Tom if you get the chance its one to do.

There are no diamonds here now, Black diamonds, but it doesn’t stop you looking. My only disappointment here is Wilber Smiths’ exaggerated description of the rolling seas crashing against the desolate beaches, but I suppose even he is allowed a little writers licence. In every other way it has lived up to my long held imagination. Thank you, Skeleton Coast.

PS. The lions are only 20km out of town last night. Yikes

PPS. Betsy has required further repairs, exhaust, but where there is a will there is a way.

PPPS. The whole village runs off a large generator.