A trip to the desolate spaces that make up the Skeleton Coast is one of the many highlights of a Southern African safari to Namibia.
What’s in a name?
Hardy animals and plants tough it out in this harsh part of the world, marine life thrives in the icy Atlantic waters and shipwrecks litter the landscape both onshore and off.
The term ‘Skeleton Coast’ was first mentioned by John Henry Marsh in his book about the Dunedin Star. The local bushmen referred to this place as "The Land God Made in Anger", while Portuguese sailors got right to the point by calling it “The Gates of Hell”.
With stormy seas lashing its coast, dense fog and temperamental currents washing towards rocky shores, the Skeleton Coast has earned its reputation as a treacherous place for seafarers.
Famous Wrecks
Some of the shipwrecks which can be seen along this coast include:
The Dunedin Star which sank offshore in 1942. Interestingly, the bad luck surrounding this vessel continued when a tug ran aground attempting to rescue the survivors and a plane crashed into the desert while trying to bring them supplies.
The German cargo ship, Eduard Bolen which ran aground in 1902 and now lies 500m away from the ocean surrounded by the desert sands.
A recent discovery by a mining company looking to reclaim diamonds from the ocean near Oranjemund was the wreck of the 500 year old Portuguese ship, The Bom Jesus. Remarkably, most of the cargo, including copper ingots, elephant tusks and gold to the value of $13 000 000 was still intact.
Until this bizarre find, the oldest shipwreck in Namibia had been the Vissingen which met its fate at Meob Bay in 1747.
Close to the top birding spot of Sandwich Harbor, rusted spikes jutting from the beach are all that remains of the fishing trawler, the Elly, which ran aground here in the 1990s.
Recent Wrecks
In 2006, vicious winds dashed the trawler, Kolmanskop, against the rocks just south of Swakopmund. In accordance with the Namibian Government’s decision to prevent any further debris from accumulating on the shores of the Skeleton Coast, the Kolmanskop, together with the next ship to go down here, Zeila, was dismantled down to sea level and the wreckage removed.
Apparently, the Namibian Government have had enough of ships running aground; but if you can’t get enough of historical shipwrecks, get in touch with us and we’ll arrange a trip to see the skeletons of the coast during your Namibian safari.
