Martin's Travel Blog

Author: Martin

  • A weekend in a croft at Verlorenkloof

    A weekend in a croft at Verlorenkloof

    The trout rises gently to the surface. He is hungry, but wary of predators. A shadow is cast upstream but it is far away. As the cold water rushes past him, he spots a meaty treat splash down not far ahead, drifting to his side. He lunges without hesitation. But, as he devours the insect, the thing tugs at his mouth, and starts pulling him forward. How is this possible? Then, he starts fighting for dear life.

    The fisherman can’t believe his luck. On his second day in the same rapid, he finally spots another trout. Unlike yesterday, this one rises to the surface, ready to feed. He swings the fly-rod back and forth twice; the length is perfect and he lands the woolly bugger just to the left of his target. The trout doesn’t hesitate, it goes for the bait. The fisherman’s heart races as the fight starts.

    A friend invited us to spend a long weekend at Verlorenkloof.

    “Trout fishing? Sure …” I said, knowing that I am unlikely to even make an attempt – but that my youngest son would take the bait.

    But before I get started; if you are into this for pictures only, feel free to explore the gallery.

    The Dullstroom region is the undisputed trout capital of South Africa. The cool, misty conditions at a relatively high elevation provides ideal conditions for the species to thrive.

    This post is a brief overview of Verlorenkloof, and what it has to offer. The summary, if you don’t feel like reading, is that Verlorenkloof offers a luxurious stay within the trout triangle in Mpumalanga. It is nestled between mountains with fantastic views and offers activities such as hiking, fishing and mountain biking. The area showcases the birdlife, plants and geology of the region.

    Accommodation

    There are several crofts scattered throughout the area in Verlorenkloof. I am not completely sure how ownership works, but you can rent a place for a weekend or mid-week breakaway. Ownership options include syndicated fortnights, weeks, etc. with a new croft (the Homestead) being built for those who would like to bring dogs with.

    The crofts are stone-built, they are spacious and I would imagine that most of them are (similar to the one that we stayed in) quite luxuriously furnished – but it is best to check this when you book.

    Being a luxury destination, the accommodation is unlikely to be cheap. So you need to assess the surroundings and activities and decide whether it is right for you. If it is, then the experience will be well worth the money.

    Fly-fishing

    The region is renowned for trout fishing, and there are several options at Verlorenkloof. A popular option is to fish at one of the seven stocked dams. My son will attest to the fact that the dams are not overstocked, and that he managed only a single catch during the course of the weekend. Apparently the dams are of varying difficulty, but we stuck with one.

    For those who prefer rivers, a prime part of the crocodile river meanders the property. We did not fish the river, but spent some time relaxing on its banks.

    Activities

    Fly-fishing is far from the only thing to do at Verlorenkloof. There are numerous hiking and mountain biking trails. You can do sections of a hiking trail, and whilst I don’t think it will be easy to get lost, there are definitely sections with no cellphone reception, so always make sure that you have sufficient supplies in case of an emergency, and that someone knows where you are going. You could hike for an entire day, if you are so inclined.

    Some antelope are present, but the bird-life is especially abundant, with specific bird-trails also marked out.

    Other activities at the farm area include horse riding, or spending time feeding and working with farm animals.

    Brunch

    On Sunday mornings, a brunch buffet is served, with several farmed products. This is a feast, and I would recommend taking advantage of the opportunity if you have the time for it.

    The shop keeps some fresh farm supplies, some fishing essentials, books, and so on.

    Outside of the restaurant, there is a kids play area where you can let little ones roam a bit, while you take in the surrounding scenery.

    Hiking

    Since I spent about two hours hiking up a kloof and back, I may as well tell you about it.

    Hiking
    Paths are well marked
    Small waterfall
    Trail

    I am not sure where the trail starts, but from our croft, if you simply drop down into the kloof (probably thirty meters or so, you get to a stream. You can hike up the stream all the way to to the top. The trail crosses the stream several times, and while the terrain is not technical, you should wear proper shoes (in other words, not flip-flops or something with a slippery sole). If you are fairly able-bodied, any sport shoe will do, whilst hiking shoes is probably preferred. I just wore normal tekkies and I was fine, but your mileage may vary.

    The growth is dense and you’ll be in the shadow of the forest canopy ninety percent of the time. Along the way, several indigenous plants and birds keep you company. The sound of the rustling leaves, the gentle stream and numerous birds creates an atmosphere that is easy to remember; and that will leave you relaxed.

    And is that not why we visit these places?

    In closing

    There are several parts of the farm that I did not get a chance to visit – a weekend is only so long. But if you have the opportunity to visit Verlorenkloof, I would highly recommend it – it is a gem of a place in a setting that will be tough to match.

  • Verlorenkloof Gallery

    Trail
    Small waterfall
    Trail
    Paths are well marked
    Hiking
  • Two important learnings from my first overlanding trip

    Two important learnings from my first overlanding trip

    Our recent trip to Namibia was by no means my first long trip, or my first camping trip … but I would say that it was my first overlanding trip.

    The Oxford dictionary is not very good at explaining overlanding, so I turned to an AI:

    Overlanding is a form of self-reliant adventure travel that involves exploring remote destinations in a vehicle, with the journey itself being the primary goal. It typically involves long-distance travel across varied terrain, often for extended periods, and relies on a self-sufficient approach to camping and lodging in the wilderness, far from traditional campgrounds. 

    When you overland, you need to carry enough stuff to survive, and I want to survive in relative comfort. Or perhaps I should phrase it differently: I am in this for the scenery, to see new things, experience different places. This requires a certain amount of sacrifice which I am willing to make, but I am not in it for the suffering.

    During the Namibia trip there were are a couple of items from my camping days that were really helpful – such as a small gas stove, a refrigerator, chairs, etc. For overlanding, I added a battery box for the first time. This allowed me to run the fridge 24/7, add a light to my canopy, charge devices and so on. I will write a post about that, at a later stage. It is the National Luna DC25 with a 100ah lithium battery.

    But in this post, I want to focus on two items that I didn’t have, or rather, that I would buy if I had to do it again: my tent and (lack of) a drawer system.

    Tent

    I have an Oztent (RV-3). This is famously known as the 30 second tent, as you can pitch it in 30 seconds.

    As with everything, the marketing version is not 100% true. I love my Oztent, and it’s going nowhere. It is a great, well-built tent and it is perfect for camping. However, if you relocate to a new location every day, it adds up.

    Due to the size of the tent (folded, it is 2m long) I carry it on the roofrack. To set it up, I need to do the following:

    • Untie the straps from the roofrack.
    • Lift it from the roofrack and set it on the ground.
    • Get it out of the bag.
    • Set it up (this is the part that takes 30 seconds).
    • Attach the poles.
    • Peg it to the ground.
    • Insert mattress, cushions, bedding.

    To take it down, the reverse process is followed. And I hate getting sleeping bags back into the tiny, small, little miniscule micro bags that they came with.

    The processes really are not that bad, but doing it day after day becomes tedious. It is totally do-able, but there are easier ways.

    If I had to do it again, I would rent or buy a hard-top type rooftop tent. The pic below is of an Eezi-awn blade, from their website.

    Credit: www.eezi-awn.com

    Some of the advantages are:

    • Extremely quick to set-up – just open it up, and lift. The gas struts open it automatically.
    • Just as easy to take down.
    • Can leave bedding inside the tent.
    • Can be safer from predators, but not without incident, and this is highly controversial.

    The last point has been debated many times. Personally, I want to visit Chobe next year, and I am not keen on a ground tent. I was very … ermmm … cautious at Purros on the Namibia trip – I am not keen on camping in the path of an elephant. The elevation may provide a false sense of security, but it does trick my mind, so I’m all for it.

    Some of the disadvantages are:

    • You have to climb a ladder.
    • There is less space.
    • You have to (preferably) park on even ground.
    • They require lots of storage space when not in use.
    • The hard-shell types are expensive.

    So, in a nutshell, if you need to move frequently, I think a roof-top tent is better. I am going to invest in a second-hand one, and will feedback after an upcoming camping trip during December / January.

    Drawer system

    Prior to the trip, I considered a drawer system of some sort, but decided that I can manage space a bit better on my own with crates, bags, etc.

    Now, it is true that a drawer system eats some of your space, but:

    • It keeps things organised.
    • It keeps things safe – no falling about inside the cab.
    • It makes things accessible – just slide out the drawer, no need to climb into the load bay.

    According to one of the Namibia posts, it looked like the devil was let loose in the back of the car, and I was not exaggerating. In fact, despite our best efforts, it looked like that almost all of the time.

    Eventually we gave up and just threw everything into the back. It was not much worse, but things were thrown around, some stuff got damaged, and so on.

    It was very disorganised (according to me), or absolutely chaotic (according to my wife). In fact, it looks like we will not do another trip without a drawer system of some sort (or, I will be left to my own devices!).

    I will give feedback here once both these boxes (roof-top tent and drawer system) have been ticked.

    Thanks for reading!

  • Skeleton Coast 2025 #8: Down to Purros and Sesfontein

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #8: Down to Purros and Sesfontein

    This entry is part 8 of 8 in the series Skeleton Coast 2025

    I’ve been struggling to get to writing this post. Why should I struggle? I think it’s recalling the last stretch of our journey, and perhaps I’m not keen for it to end. Or, maybe I’ve just been lazy. Either way, this is the last post in this series, so let’s get to it.

    Today is all about the “Lone Men”. As we travel from Hartmannsvallei to the next campsite at Purros, there are quite a few of these weary travellers along the way.

    The stretch of road where we find ourselves is treacherous – the little sharp rocks sticking out from the road surface are more and they are sharper. Charl picked one up, puncturing on the tyre surface. We tried for a while to fix it, but simply could not remove the rock – it was in too deep. Eventually we changed the tyre. The ladies … ermm … they kept an eye on things.

    Luciano lost two two tyres on his previous trip in the same way. You do your best to avoid the rocks, but this is not a matter of driver skill. Unless you drive forty km/h all the way, it is really difficult to see the rocks in time, and risky to try and avoid them.

    Then we get to our first tourist attraction, and it is … somewhat unexpected.

    An orange drum!

    Because the areas we travel through are vast, the roads are few and the landmarks are only distinctive to the trained eye, people have placed these drums along the way, as reference points.

    There are other colours spread throughout the region, but this was the only one we passed.

    Soon after, the first of the lone men appear on a small outcrop. After him, another, and so on. Have a look at the gallery below, and, as always, there are more in the big gallery.

    Lone man
    Lone man
    Lone man
    Lone man
    Lone man
    Lone man
    Lone man
    Lone man

    As we travel southward, the grass becomes denser and we are starting to see wildlife. In South Africa we are not used to this – there is a lot more game in South Africa, but most of it is fenced in. Here, you are travelling on public roads, and you can see Giraffe and antelope next to the road.

    And let’s not forget that the desert lions roam these lands – we do not always know where they are, but they are there – so be sensible and take care.

    We finally arrived at the Purros campsite. Here the sand is as fine as baby powder.

    The ablutions are luxurious (compared to previous couple of days) – in other words, there are flushable toilets and showers with hot water. What more could anyone ask for?

    That evening, we had a special treat, with Luciano and Marius braaiing some of the best fillet I have ever tasted.

    I realise now that I have not written that much about the food – but in truth, you could write an entire series of posts just on the dinners we had – the food was always good, and Marius is a braaier of note.

    After dinner, we had a good couple of beers and reflected on our journey.

    Then, we slept like the weary travellers that we were. Weary, but happy. The distances are far, setting up camp every day takes some time. Personally, I was quite a bit more active than my normal days of sitting behind a desk. So we were weary, but happy. Three months ons, and I would repeat the trip in a heartbeat.

    In the morning, we drove to Sesfontein where everyone said their goodbyes. For us, it was off to a lodge and then on to Etosha – but that’s a story for another day.

    Thanks for reading along!

  • Skeleton Coast 2025 #7: Across the dune belt and into Hartmansvallei

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #7: Across the dune belt and into Hartmansvallei

    This entry is part 7 of 8 in the series Skeleton Coast 2025

    Today we woke with much anticipation – it was finally time to cross the dune belt that has been our constant companion on the right-hand side of the road.

    Luciano took a bit of time to teach us how to drive dunes during our stay at Bosluisbaai. A modern 4×4 vehicle can generally do much more than you’d expect of it; but that does not make it any less nerve wrecking – especially if you can’t afford a new one after every trip!

    I drive mostly on intuition, but dunes are a bit different and there are some very important concepts and considerations that need to be taken into account. It sounds serious, and it is. Doing the wrong things can result in injuries and death. A quick google will show quite a few unfortunate examples of this in Namibia. This is such an important topic, that I will dedicate a separate future blog post to it.

    If you are lucky enough to be on this trip, though, you have the advantage of an experienced guide that will help you through the dunes. We had yet another advantage: we were a very small group of only three vehicles. I can only imagine the effort required when guiding a dozen or so vehicles – but in such cases there are more guides involved, helping the front and rear sections of the convoy.

    There are different types of dunes – if this is of interest to you, further reading is available here. For the purposes of this post, you need to know that many (my guess would actually be most) of the dunes in the Namib have slip-faces. That is, they are rounded on one side, but when you get to the top, there is a slip-face that descends steeply. If you overshoot the dune, you are going to be airborne, so this is dangerous. Always approach the top with respect (slowly, but not so slow as to get stuck).

    But on the point of getting stuck – everyone gets stuck. It’s not a big thing, but be prepared for it. Have some proper ropes with rated shackles – the forces involved are enormous and flying pieces of shrapnel kills people. Most of all, never, ever use your towbar for recovery, that is not what it was made for. I am talking about the actual ball at the back, the harness might be suitable for recovery but know where your recovery points are, before leaving on the trip. By the way, regardless of which vehicle you drive daily, it is still good to know where the recovery points for your car are – please check the manual.

    Another important point that is not always very intuitive, is not to turn when you ascend a dune. Drive straight up, when you need to go back reverse straight down. The length of a vehicle can handle angles up to 45 degrees, but the moment you turn sideways this number decreases to about 35 degrees. So, if you go up a 40 degree incline and you turn sideways, your vehicle will roll down the dune.

    The last point is to not underestimate the amount of fuel your vehicle will use crossing the dunes. Even though the actual distance is quite short, you will use fuel. I reset my consumption meter before starting the dunes, and watched it climb all the way to 38l/100km (the exception and worst case scenario for a diesel, hopefully!)

    But enough preaching about dangers – the reality is that dune driving was probably my favourite part of this trip – it is a lot of fun, even if you do it really responsibly.

    And then, just like that, the far-away dunes on the horison slowly changed into rocky structures, the ground got harder, and we were back on terra firma.

    We crossed over into Kaokoland, and it was time to have a little something to eat, and calm the nerves.

    In the classic Jamie Uys film, “The Gods must be crazy”, M’Pudi calls the Land Rover he is working on, “The Antichrist”. Our vehicles were much better behaved, but I must admit that every time I opened the hatch, it looked as if the antichrist was let loose in the back of the back of my bakkie in a fit of fury. They say you live and learn, and I definitely learnt the value of having a drawer system on this trip. Or rather, I should say I learnt how horrible it is without one.

    We still had quite a way to go to get to our camp, which was in the Hartmansvallei. The landscape, once again, took a few dramatic turns. One moment it was hard with pointy rocks sticking up like little soldiers with tyre-bayonets, and then we were back to the powdery sand that wants to suck your chassis into the earth.

    Along the way, we met our first of “The lone men of Kaokoland”. There are roughly fifty of these sculptures scattered throughout the region. They add to the mystery of the landscape, and creates some anticipation as to when you’ll see another. They are numbered, but unfortunately I didn’t get this little guys’ credentials. Rest assured, he was almost at the top and soon he’ll be able to walk upright again.

    Our campsite tonight was probably the most scenic of all the sites we’ve been. You’re camped in the Hartmansvallei, surrounded by rocks and silence. I tried my level best to capture the beauty of the environment, but I can only hope better photographers can do it more justice than my simple pictures.

    We had yet another gorgeous sunset, and tomorrow we’ll set off to Purros – and the end of this journey. Remember to check the gallery for more pics!

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #1: Introduction

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #2: Getting there

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #3: Swakopmund – old German charm

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #4: Through the mist to somewhere north of Terrace Bay

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #5: Up towards Angra Fria

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #6: Towards and at Bosluisbaai

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #7: Across the dune belt and into Hartmansvallei

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #8: Down to Purros and Sesfontein

  • Skeleton Coast 2025 #6: Towards and at Bosluisbaai

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #6: Towards and at Bosluisbaai

    This entry is part 6 of 8 in the series Skeleton Coast 2025

    Our itinerary included a day or two at Bosluisbaai, where fishing is supposed to be excellent. But, we had quite a bit of ground to cover before getting there.

    As we were already a little bit in-land, Luciano added to our list of sights by taking us to yet another destination that seemed to be through a gateway to a different planet. I cannot remember what the koppie that we ascended was called, but it was another great example of how drastic and quickly the landscape can change in this region.

    One minute we were still driving dunes, the next the ground became hard and had a distinct green tint. The colour comes from thousands of little green stones that covers the landscape.

    The climb up the koppie was semi-tough, but worth it. The view from the top was spectacular, despite the misty conditions.

    There were agate stones everywhere, with varying patterns and translucency. Agates are well-known for their beauty and are frequently used in jewellery. The many different examples kept us exploring for quite some time.

    The rocks that make up the koppie are covered by lichens. This was not the only place we saw lichens, but was probably the example with most abundance.

    After that, we headed back to the coast and visited the well-known seal colony at Angra Fria. As others will tell you, if your windows are open you will smell the seals long before you see them!

    I don’t know quite how many seals there are, but we saw three colonies with probably a good couple of hundred seals in each (how’s that for a precise answer)! Several seals were also in the water. Among the seals, jackals were scavenging and presumably looking for stray pups.

    Apparently a seal eats approximately 4-6% of it’s own body weight in fish per day. Considering that a large cape fur male weighs in around 200-300kgs, there has to be a lot of fish in this ocean.

    We were due to sleep in the wild tonight, but considering the strong wind, we opted to push through to Bosluisbaai. We could not use the camp, as a previous group was still there, but we were able to camp a bit in-land, sheltered by large dunes on two sides.

    The following day, we were able to move to the camp where we had hot showers and a kitchen at our disposal for two days. We made full use of these luxuries. The bathrooms were excellent, and I made use of the shower following a mumbled comparison to the odour of a seal, coming from my wife.

    We took the opportunity to fish for the next two days. Whilst this is not a fishing trip, the days at Bosluisbaai are pretty yours to do what you want (dune driving, fishing, or just chilling with a book). Despite relatively short stints fishing, we caught quite a few nice sized Kabeljou.

    It is strictly catch and release – but rumour has it one made it into the pan.

    In addition to the kitchen, there is a big open area with a bar (unstocked) where we had dinner. These turned out to be quite festive. You will never have enough drinks or enough diesel on this trip – plan carefully.

    From Bosluisbaai it is a short drive to the Kunene river mouth. The road there goes past yet another abandoned mine (diamonds, this time). The river is not massive, but certainly bigger than anything else you’ll encounter on this trip. In the distance is Angola.

    They have clean diesel at Bosluisbaai. The premium is probably around 50%, due to the difficulty of getting the diesel to the camp. If you are even remotely uncertain about your fuel, discuss it with the guide and rather fill an extra jerry-can. Once you leave Bosluisbaai, it is traversing dunes all the way into Kaokoland and your jaw will drop will as fast as the fuel-gauge.

    But let’s keep the dune crossing for the next post!

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #1: Introduction

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #2: Getting there

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #3: Swakopmund – old German charm

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #4: Through the mist to somewhere north of Terrace Bay

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #5: Up towards Angra Fria

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #6: Towards and at Bosluisbaai

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #7: Across the dune belt and into Hartmansvallei

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #8: Down to Purros and Sesfontein

  • Skeleton Coast 2025 #5: Up towards Angra Fria

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #5: Up towards Angra Fria

    This entry is part 5 of 8 in the series Skeleton Coast 2025

    Today we don’t have a lot of ground to cover, and we can take things a bit slower. Perhaps that is also the reason that a couple of my favourite photos are from today.

    We keep travelling northward to the Kunene mouth. Our first stop is at the humble remains of an boat. I wish I could tell you a bit more about it, but I simply cannot recall the story. Was there even a story? Yes, there definitely was. At every single spot that we stopped, our guide had a story.

    While I can not recall the story of the boat right now, Luciano shared a story on the side with me that he heard from an old guide. In the old days, he says, when ships were made of wood, very large iron nails were used in ship building. Iron was a commodity and frequently traded in stead of coins.

    Sailors, when going ashore, would often remove a nail from the ship to render payment for … ermmm … services that they received from ladies. In Afrikaans they called this ” ‘n Spyker vir ‘n spyker” which roughly translates to “a nail to get nailed”. I found this both funny and fascinating, but have no idea whether it is true or just a bit of folklore.

    No wonder the ships didn’t last!

    The next wreckage is that of a Lockheed Ventura. To understand where the wreckage of the Ventura came from, we need to talk a bit about the Dunedin Star. The Dunedin Star was a ship designed to ship frozen meat from Australia to Britain, but during the second world war, it was used operationally in the war.

    The Dunedin Star stranded near shore on 29 November 1942. She carried 106 passengers, 42 were taken to shore and the rest were rescued by a Norwegian cargo ship. Now I am wondering whether the wreck above is not part of the boat that carried people to shore? If you know, drop me a comment below, please (otherwise I’ll ask the guide on my next trip!)

    The Lockheed Ventura was dispatched from the Cape of Good Hope with supplies and water for the survivors. It carried out its’ task, but got stuck in the sand trying to take off again, and some remains are still seen today.

    Then a second bomber was sent. This time they just dropped the supplies, but then it crashed into the ocean! The three survivors swam ashore and had a good old walk in the desert. The whole story can be read at wikipedia if your interest is piqued. Also, more pics in the gallery.

    Now, we turned a little inland. One of the most interesting things about this landscape is the multiple personalities that it can assume. You could be driving on the beach between a dune and the deep blue sea, but turn inland and twenty minutes later you are in an arid area where nothing seems to grow. Another twenty minutes and you are between rocky outcrops where lichens seem to be the only living thing around.

    Before we went on the trip, someone told me parts of the landscape can be compared to the moon. So imagine our surprise as we plodded along, suddenly to be faced with the picture below. It felt like I was on Tattooine in Star Wars, or as if I had stumbled onto a Mars colony.

    The picture is actually of an abandoned mine called the Sarusa mine, where semi-precious stones were mined (more pics in gallery). The owner also owns Kristall Galerie in Swakopmund. Sadly, the mine is no longer in use.

    It now holds this blogs’ trophy for the most scenic toilet! I have a feeling it will have it for some time – the pics below can’t do the view justice.

    Long drop
    Toilet with the worlds most scenic view

    Next up, we needed a place to sleep. The mine looked cozy but no doubt there are ghosts looking for treasure at night, so we pushed closer to ocean again. Not too close, because the nights are still windy and a bit misty.

    The chosen spot was well sheltered and looked ordinary enough, but a short walk provided one of the most beautiful sunsets that I would probably ever see.

    This evening also provided the setting for my favourite photo of the trip (at least, I think so). No, not the one above, the one below.

    But first, I have to explain how the shower on this trip works. No guys, showers are not compulsory, but it is very nice (or so I’m told).

    It works like this: a shower cubicle is erected for privacy. Inside the cubicle, there is a table and on the table is a basin with hot water, a submersible pump in the water, and a shower spout at the end. So, switch on the pump, and wet your body. Switch off the pump, soap to your hearts’ content, switch on the pump and rinse off the soap. There is not a lot of water to work with, so be quick about it. Or, (in my case) just don’t shower until you get to something proper.

    The way the water for the shower is heated, is quite simply by putting a steel jerry can next to the fire. This image, of the jerry can with ash all over it, spoke to me that night, and it still does.

    It takes me back to the place where I took the photo (I guess that is the general idea of photos, right?) – so that is also a good point to end this post at.

    See you at the next one!

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #1: Introduction

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #2: Getting there

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #3: Swakopmund – old German charm

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #4: Through the mist to somewhere north of Terrace Bay

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #5: Up towards Angra Fria

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #6: Towards and at Bosluisbaai

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #7: Across the dune belt and into Hartmansvallei

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #8: Down to Purros and Sesfontein

  • Skeleton Coast 2025 #4: Through the mist to somewhere north of Terrace Bay

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #4: Through the mist to somewhere north of Terrace Bay

    This entry is part 4 of 8 in the series Skeleton Coast 2025

    Today we hit the road for most of the day. It starts at dawn and we meet the team at the Engen fuel station on the Henties Bay road. Clearly this is a popular stop for all traffic going north. Besides having really helpful staff, they are well-versed at filling jerry cans, they sell big bags of wood that is perfect for the trip and the shop is well-stocked with items. They don’t only sell the usual cold drinks, sweets and chips, but also sandwiches, salads, cold meats, wraps and other items that are perfect for lunches.

    Here we met the guides for the first time – Luciano and Marius (his Ovambo name is Daleni – he is fine with either). They fitted the two-way radios, explained how we will travel and answered our general questions. In bigger expeditions, there will be two guide cars, one bringing up the front and one the rear, but in our case we were only two cars (three with the guides) and so we followed the guide car.

    The morning was extremely misty – we could hardly see the car in front of us but this is where the radios come in handy. Here and there the mist lifted, but just as soon it would envelop everything again. Our first stop was the town of Hentiesbay, which is well known amongst South African shore anglers for fishing. We had a quick stop at the Henties filling station and I filled up again despite the short distance travelled (around 70kms). When in doubt, fill up!

    Leaving Henties there are several fishing spots along the way, and they have colourful names such as “Horing Bay, Rondeklip, Buurman se Gat, Popeye” and so on.

    More information on Henties fishing is available on this document.

    Exactly one marathon out of Henties Bay (42,2km), just past some salt works, there is a place next to the road where locals put some beautiful salt crystals on display. You are welcome to take some, and leave a tip in the honesty box.

    A little further, we get to the skeleton of an old oil rig. It is a beautiful setting for photography. Large, rusted metal structures seem to be buried slowly under sand. The competition to the slow burial is rust, wind and erosion.

    Only time will tell who wins the race. But for now, the rig is not ready to give up – it has been there since the late sixties, and still endures. Apparently the bank recalled their loan in 1972, and the rig was left abandoned. The pics below are clickable, and please have a look in the gallery for more.

    Leaving the rig, we kept travelling north to the main entrance of the Skeleton Coast National Park. Here the guide will pay the fees applicable to your trip, but the driver of each vehicle is also required to complete a register.

    They had some T-shirts for sale as well as stickers. The prices were reasonable considering the location. There is a small display area with samples of minerals, stones, photos of wildlife and so on.

    Before proceeding, be sure to take a photo at the iconic gate!

    From this point we proceeded to Terrace Bay. The road to get there is fine, with a few moderately difficult sections, and a very small river crossing (I guess it could get fuller during the rainy seasons, but it was negligible in our case).

    We were told that we could potentially fill up with fuel at Terrace Bay (the briefing document describes it as the last fuel stop) – but there was no fuel to be seen. There is a small shop and a small liquor shop.

    Apparently Terrace Bay was a favourite fishing spot of Sam Nujoma, Namibia’s first president. He had a very strong connection to the place and loved spending time there.

    The end of day was drawing near, and we had to start finding a spot to camp for the evening. This was just a little further north, and perhaps 400m inland from the ocean. Here was a chance to relax, take in the beauty of our surroundings and to realise that this is something special: there are no people, no lights, nothing around but ourselves, the sand and a few nosy jackals.

    Luciano and Marius were quick to inspect the jackals from a distance – it is not impossible for them to be rabid, but apparently their behaviour would be so erratic that it is easy to spot. I could photograph the jackals for hours on end, more photos in the gallery.

    Whilst dinner was being prepared, we set up the tents and walked up the dune behind our camp to a spectacular view. During the night there was a tiny bit of rain, and the picture below was taken at sunrise the next morning.

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #1: Introduction

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #2: Getting there

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #3: Swakopmund – old German charm

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #4: Through the mist to somewhere north of Terrace Bay

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #5: Up towards Angra Fria

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #6: Towards and at Bosluisbaai

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #7: Across the dune belt and into Hartmansvallei

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #8: Down to Purros and Sesfontein

  • Skeleton Coast 2025 Gallery

    Skeleton Coast 2025 Gallery

    (Check back regularly for updates)

    Photos complementing post #1 and #2 and #3 (up to Swakopmund)

    “Jetty” self catering in Swakopmund
    Packed and ready to go
    Altstadt German Restaurant in Swakopmund
    Light tower in Swakopmund
    Room at guesthouse in Swakopmund
    The pier at Swakopmund
    A lone jackal
    Coldest beer in the Namib (Goba Lodge)
    Honey, I’m home!
    Through the dunes…
    Turtle Skeleton
    Sunset
    Misty Sunrise
    Jackal
    Swakop shop
    Rent a bike in Swakop
    Swakop Icecream (recommended)
    Hotel in Swakopmund
    Salt crystals on display
    Salt crystals
    Skeleton Coast National Park Entry
    The open road
    Ounooi

    Photos complementing post #4

    The OK Express that has everything
    When last did you fill up 190 liters?
    Landscape past salt mine
    Oil Rig
    Oil Rig
    Oil Rig
    Oil Rig
    Oil Rig
    Oil Rig
    Will the Isuzu make it?
    Terrace Bay
    Wanda & sand
    Camp from above
    A sandy view
    A sandy view
    Champagne & sand
    Jackal
    Jackal
    Jackal
    Jackal
    Jackal
    Jackal
    Light rain at night
    Let’s turn around
    Misty morning
    More misty morning

    Images complementing post #5

    Sunset
    Old mine
    Old mine
    Lonesome long drop
    Toilet with the worlds most scenic view
    Heating water
    Heating water
    Sunset
    Sunset
    Are we on Phobos?
    Beauty
    Sea & sand

    Images complementing post #6

    Fishing
    Bosluisbaai
    Bosluisbaai
    Camp at Bosluisbaai
    Camp at Bosluisbaai
    Fish&Schips
    Fish&Chips
    Kunene river and Angola
    Kunene river and Angola
    Are they following us?
    Stars galore
    Old shelter
    Dunes
    Sand
    More sand
    Must be thirsty
    Old shelter of stranded wrecks
    Thirsty #2
    Angra Fria (I think)
    Seals
    Jackals
    Jackals
    Seals
    Seals & Jackal
    Seals
    Seals
    Seals
    Seals
    Seals
    Seals
    Jackal
    Lichens
    Rocky
    Rocky
    Rocky
    Agate
    Agate
    Agate
    Agate

    Images complementing post #7

    Camp
    Sunset
    Sunset
    Mountains around camp
    Sunset at camp
    View from camp
    View from camp
    Getting there
    Getting there
    Lone man
    Lone man
    Desert
    Desert
    Panorama
    Rocky
    Vehicles
    Yabbadabbadoo
    We will get through
    Vehicle recovered
    On our way

    Images complementing post #8

    My sad little friend
    Any excuse
    Purros
    Purros
    Don’t be fooled – people can fix tyres!
    My other little fried
    Giraffe
    Curiosity
    My two little friends
    Himba … I think?
    Lone man
    Heart
    Lone man
    Lone man
    Lone man
    Heart
    Lone man
    Lone man
    Orange Drum
  • Skeleton Coast 2025 #3: Swakopmund – old German charm

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #3: Swakopmund – old German charm

    This entry is part 3 of 8 in the series Skeleton Coast 2025

    The coastal city of Swakopmund was found in 1892 as the main harbour for the then German South West Africa. It feels a bit weird to call it a city, as the atmosphere is more of a small-town feeling.

    That feeling is amplified by the old German architecture that is seen throughout the town. The impact of German heritage is felt not only through the architecture, but it is common to hear people speaking German, and even the waiters at most of the German restaurants can greet their clientele in German.

    We stayed in a self-catering unit (Jetty’s) at the beach, but that didn’t really matter, as it was quite cold and windy during our short stay. The accommodation was great for the price, with my only complaint being that the curtains were very light and the streetlights were very bright.

    This is the last place to stock up on supplies for the trip. The trip includes breakfast and dinner, so the only items needed is for a light lunch, and drinks for the trip. There is a Woolworths in town, but the variety is limited compared to cities in South Africa, and the prices are quite a bit higher. This makes sense hough, as getting fresh produce to such a remote location is obviously expensive. The Pick ‘n Pay is probably your best source of food and beverages, so if you’re in a hurry go straight there.

    Once we stocked up, it was time to fill the water containers. Our host graciously agreed and provided us with a hose pipe. For the trip, you need to provide 60l of water per vehicle for showers, 20l of good, clean water for the kitchen, and as much water as you want to drink. We bought the kitchen and drinking water at Pick ‘n Pay.

    Our last stop was at the Aquarium in Swakopmund – this is where the offices are where you can purchase a fishing permit. If you want to fish on the trip, or at all in Namibia, you will need a fishing permit. It is dirt cheap, so just get one – it is the right thing to do and you don’t want to risk getting into a dodgy situation where your equipment may be confiscated.

    Then it was finally time to Tetris everything into the vehicles. It is strange how much disagreement there can be between people on how to pack. I think the anticipation of the trip becomes real at this point, and everyone just wants to make sure that things go well.

    So, one that hour or two elapsed, we decided to treat ourselves to a meal at the “Altstadt” restaurant. We spotted a place on our way in, and this turned out to be a gem. Good food, and those same ice-cold Hansa’s.

    Tomorrow the rubber hits the road!

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #1: Introduction

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #2: Getting there

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #3: Swakopmund – old German charm

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #4: Through the mist to somewhere north of Terrace Bay

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #5: Up towards Angra Fria

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #6: Towards and at Bosluisbaai

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #7: Across the dune belt and into Hartmansvallei

    Skeleton Coast 2025 #8: Down to Purros and Sesfontein