12th August. Cape Cross, Atlantic Coast

Cape Cross, Atlantic Coast. Namibia.
Quite a big day today. We reached the West coast of Africa. 30 days and over 6,000 kms ago we left the east coast at Peponi Beach in Tanzania. We knew we were getting close because we could see this cloud bank that hovers over the Atlantic coast. This coast line must be one of the bleakest anywhere. Early Portuguese sailors called it Areias de Inferno or Sands of Hell. To them, being shipwrecked on this treacherous coast would mean no chance of survival. For hundreds of kilometres down the coast and a hundred kilometres inland there is no water. We are camped tonight metres from the ocean. On arrival we were told there is no water as the water truck hasn’t arrived. Some things don’t change. The area attracts hundreds of surf fishermen in the season, with this campsite catering for over 500 visitors I would say at a guess yet we are the only ones here tonight.
We’ve done a couple of touristy things since leaving Etosha like a Petrified Forest and some very good rock carvings west of the national park. We have passed through some memorable scenery much of it very reminiscent of scenery in the outback of Australia. That is until you see three elephants passing by.
The carvings were very impressive. Carved by the desert Bush Men some 4000 years ago they are in a very good state. Chiselled into the sandstone they depict animals that they felt helped to bring the rains and good hunting. The carvings are reputed to be the best in the country.
From there we travelled south west to where we are now. We went a little north from here before settling for the night, to the Cape Cross seal colony. The barking and the smell of the seals strike you before you get to them but they are still an impressive sight. There must be over 4000 in the colony, it would be impossible to walk between them, while out at sea hundreds are diving for fish or just gallivanting around. A group of silver backed jackals hovered around looking for a neglected calf or an old codger ready to cark it.