Roaming around the Skeleton Coast Park

This morning, when we woke up, we looked out of our window and saw a dense fog on the Atlantic Ocean while the waves were crashing on the beach; but we are on the Skeleton Coast, it could not be otherwise.

After breakfast we get in the car, that is as wet as if it was raining, and we leave; today we drive on the Skeleton Coast stretch from Terrace Bay leading to Ugab Gate, from here we will continue to Swakopmund, crossing the Dorob National Park.

The C34 runs parallel to the ocean and allows us to cross different landscapes.

There are several rivers that descend from the plateau to the ocean, but they are almost always dry, though here and there there are water puddles where vegetation grows; there are also some brackish lagoons that are spectacular.

Although there is a desert here there is life, in fact some species of plants and animals have adapted to live in this place, even though the conditions are extreme; nature is really fascinating and surprising.

At some point we can see footprints on the sand beside the road, probably they belong to a jackal looking around here tonight for food.

Every now and then on our left we have some spectacular ocean views, here we see some fishermen’s car who, with their long fishing rods, fish in one of the fishiest coasts on the African continent.

As we continue our journey South, the mist has risen, even though the air has remained damp and brackish.

We drive along the C34 that Tracks4Africa indicates as "salt" or "salty", the bottom of the road is of very compact and smooth sand and the surface is dampened by the fog of the night; this is a very slippery ground, especially in the morning and in the evening when there is more fog.

To our right high sandy dunes alternate with rock formation or natural salt deposits; we cannot stop taking pictures.

Some sand dunes are lower and have a shape that is typical of this area: on one side they have a very sweet slope, while on the other they precipitate vertically, looking at them from above they have a typical U shape; often on the sloping side grows some vegetation.

We overtake Torra Bay and the deviation from where we arrived yesterday, leading to the Springbokwasser gate; henceforth the landscape is a bit less varied, but it is still spectacular.

At some point, overtaken Toscanini, where there is an old abandoned mine, we see a rusty grate in the sand, initially we think it is one of the famous Skeleton Coast wrecks, but when we approach we find that instead it is what remains of an old oil well, abandoned for several years and corroded by salt.

Shortly after we find the signs for the "Shipwreck South West Seal", it is one of the most popular and visited wrecks of the Skeleton Coast, also because it is just a short distance from the C34; we take the detour and go down to the ocean for a few hundred meters and there it is, almost on the shore.

Nowadays, there is little left of the ship that was when it came to this coast, that was, and still is, the terror of all sailors.

From here we travel a few kilometers and arrive at the Ugab Gate, we go to the office and sign the exit from the Skeleton Coast; this is the famous gate with the skulls that intimate, to all those who venture on this street, to be very careful once they have crossed it; it sounds a bit like "let every hope you who come in"; but we're going out and so we're safe!

We take some pictures to immortalize our passage and then continue, the road to Swakopmund is still long; god knows if from now on we will meet some vehicle, because we did not meet anyone from Terrace Bay to Ugab Gate.