Vote for your favorite multihulls! Sand, ruins and bones... but what is there to do in a desert on the edge of the ocean? No towns, no roads, no trees and no sign of animal life... and yet! Have you ever heard of Hottentot Bay, this extraordinary anchorage along the coast of the Namib Desert, better known as the Skeleton Coast?
Apparently not, as very few crews attempt to stop here. The indications on the charts are not very inviting: dubious seabeds, approximate soundings, no detailed information? That’s why most sailors continue on their way.
Nevertheless, I’ve put this anchorage in my top 5. Why? Because everything is just perfect to create the ultimate adventure. This stopover is a real voyage of discovery and excitement. Well, to each his own: perhaps not being able to get a beer on the beach at sunset will put some people off! There’s something for everyone though... But let me share with you these magical landscapes that seem to have come straight from another dimension.
What to see / What to do
If you like surfing and you can handle the cold, you’ll find the perfect wave here! Got some scraps of cardboard on board? If you’re looking for a bit of exercise, there’s nothing better than a spot of sandboarding! Children will love surfing and riding down the dunes - even if they get sand in their hair. On the face of it, there doesn’t seem to be much to do in this beautiful desert... and yet, yes, there is plenty to explore.
There are no barriers here, so you can head out into the sandy desert with a backpack or explore ancient ruins. A colony of sea lions and another of cormorants share a small rock near the headland. Take a trip in the dinghy to picnic with them and chat with the gulls.
Search for shipwrecks on the immense beach or track down whale skeletons: You’ll really feel like you’re in another world here...
According to rumors from Luderitz, a few dozen miles down the road, once a year a group of 4 people come here to camp for a week in 4X4s across the dunes. Suffice it to say, it’s not a busy place at all!
Anchorage
Sheltered by a headland to the south, the bay is vast, offering the possibility of accommodating several dozen boats, although privileged positions will naturally be chosen. The swell has a tendency to penetrate from all sides, making it quite tricky. These conditions mean that, thanks to the shallow draught of our multihulls, we have chosen certain zones near the headlands and the beach.
Sea Lion Island serves as a landmark. On your approach, be careful not to get closer than 300 meters (1,000 feet), otherwise you risk encountering a rocky seabed. Before reaching this area, you’ll find a muddy zone in depths of around 3 m / 10 feet - you won’t be able to move an inch! My description is approximate, but here are the precise coordinates of the anchorage I recommend: 26°8.098’S - 14°56.811’E.
Weather
Namibia’s enchanting coastline, caressed by the cold waters of the Benguela Current, offers a unique maritime setting. Between the cool green waters (57°F/14°C during the austral winter, 63°F/17°C in summer) and the Namib Desert stretching out in the background - so many dunes accompanied by endless mirages and extraordinary sunsets - this region is the setting for a captivating climatic dance.
The Benguela Current, a faithful coastal companion, brings with it nutrient-rich waters, shaping a thriving marine ecosystem. This meeting of cold waters and warmer air creates a mysterious veil of coastal fog, a meteorological signature specific to this area that adds a unique touch to this lost coastline.
This marriage between the dryness of the desert and the coolness of the ocean gives the Namibian coast a very special character, with very cool nights on watch at these sub-tropical latitudes,
Here, rainfall is rare, very rare: there are only 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain per year (in Miami, there are 1,590 mm/62 inches per year) and the sun shines 79% of the time. The region is subject to the prevailing southerly winds that follow the African coast. These winds sometimes reach 40 knots - in those conditions, the sand can whip your face!
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