The Regent Mariner moored at Walvis Bay. Our excursions took us to Swakopmund on one day and on a trip to the seal colony out of Walvis Bay on the next day
Walvis Bay (Afrikaans meaning "Whale Bay") has 85,000 inhabitants. The bay is a natural deepwater harbour, and is the only natural harbour along the country's coast. The harbour's value in relation to the sea route around the Cape of Good Hope had caught the attention of world powers since it was discovered by the outside world in 1485. This explains the complicated political status of Walvis Bay down the years. When the Germans colonised the region, only Walvis Bay remained as an enclave of the Cape Colony, and outside of German control. The enclave was overrun by the Germans during the South-West Africa Campaign early in World War I. But South African Forces eventually ousted the Germans in 1915 and Walvis Bay plus German SW Africa was mandated by the League of Nations for South Africa to administer as an integral part of South Africa. In 1971, anticipating an imminent cession of its control over South-West Africa, South Africa transferred control of Walvis Bay back to its Cape Province, thus making it an exclave and reasserted its claim of sovereignty based on the original annexation. In 1978, the United Nations Security Council provided for bilateral negotiations between South Africa and a future Namibia to resolve the political status of Walvis Bay. In 1990 South-West Africa gained independence as Namibia. Walvis Bay remained under South African sovereignty until 1 March 1994 when South Africa formally transferred sovereignty over Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands to Namibia.
Swakopmund (German for "Mouth of the Swakop") is only 30 km from Walvis Bay . Swakopmund is a beach resort and an example of German colonial architecture. It was founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South-West Africa, and a small part of its population is still German-speaking today. Swakopmund quickly became the main port for imports and exports for the whole German territory, and was one of six towns which received municipal status in 1909. Many government offices for German South-West Africa had offices in Swakopmund.. Soon, the harbour created by the "Mole" (breakwater) silted up, and in 1905 work was started on a wooden jetty, but in the long run this was inadequate. In 1914 construction of a steel jetty was commenced, the remains of which can still be seen today. After World War I it became a pedestrian walkway. It was declared structurally unsound but in 2006 renovations started and the jetty reopened to the public in late 2010. After German South-West Africa was taken over by the Union of South Africa in 1915, all harbour activities were transferred from Swakopmund to Walvis Bay. Many of the Central Government services ceased. Businesses closed down, the number of inhabitants diminished, and the town became less prosperous. Today tourism-related services form an important part of the town's economy.
We had arrived on a Sunday, so the crystal museum was closed. The trip to Karakulia Carpets was substituted. I was not particularly enamoured by the product, and was not tempted to buy a carpet from them. The karakul sheep has been bred continuously in central Asia since around 1400 BC. Renowned for thriving under harsh desert conditions, an initial 12 animals were imported to Namibia by German colonists in 1907, and immediately took to their new environment. Considered to be the strongest of the ‘carpet wools’, karakul wool has been used in many of the finest carpets and Persian rugs, which last for generations. The agricultural co-operative AGRA reports that about 200 000 kilograms of karakul wool is produced annually in Namibia, with 95% being exported and sold in South Africa. The lightest shades are kept here and sold to a number of quality manufacturers, who, over the past 60 years, have developed a distinctively Namibian product. For more than 30 years, Karakulia Weavers in Swakopmund has drawn tourists from around the world to tour their workshop and to purchase the custom hand-woven, hand-dyed carpets, rugs and wall hangings they create exclusively from karakul sheep wool.
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Swakopmund Museum was founded in 1951 by dentist Dr. Alfons Weber. It is a diverse, not to say rambling collection of exhibits. But that is not to decry the museum, it is well worth wandering round and dipping into whatever exhibits take your fancy - we went round in just under an hour, which was ample time for a tourist: if you were really interested you could spend a day there looking at all the exhibits
The museum occupies the site of the old harbour warehouse, which was destroyed in 1914 by a ‘lucky’ shot from a British warship. It is the largest privately run museum in Namibia. On display are various types of indigenous plants, minerals, an archaeological exhibition, the transport system of old and a variety of cultural historical objects. One of a kind and educational is the exhibition “People of Namibia.” This focuses on the traditional heritage of the different ethnic groups of Namibia.
It also harbours a reconstructed colonial home interior, Emil Kiewittand’s apothecary shop and an informative display on the Rössing Mine. Also on display are the uniforms of the Camel Corps and the Shell furniture, so called because it was homemade from 1930s depression-era petrol and paraffin tins.
And there is an original ox- wagon, which operated between Grootfontein and Angola some hundred years ago, on show, emphasizing the importance of transport to pioneers. I had never realised that it needed a team of up to 20 oxen to pull one of these wagons.
Also to be viewed here are the carriage of the last German governor of the colonial era, a beautiful model of a dual locomotive, marine equipment, and the old beaming system of the Swakopmund lighthouse.
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Dune 7 Walvis Bay, Namibia (NA) is situated along the central coast of Namibia, 10km outside the town of Walvis Bay, and is the highest sand dune in the coastal dune belt. The local municipality has planted palm trees and erected toilets and a braai area (barbeque sites) and fresh water is available. It is the only man-made oasis in the dune belt. The dune is approximately 130m high and activities include sandboarding, quad biking and climbing to the top of the dune.
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The seal colony cruise, which we had done before, is quite enjoyable, even though a bit artificial with the feeding of the seals which climb up on the boat to be fed. But one does see the colony with tens of thousands of seals, which were hard at breeding when we passed by offshore. There were a few distant dolphins.
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Leaving Walvis Bay, we were due in St Helena a few days later, but.......
Continuing on at sea for 6 days, having had to abandon the stop at St Helena