Skeleton Coast, Cape Cross Seal Breeding Reserve, Mondessa: 3/4

 Today we headed north to another wreck on what is called the Skeleton Coast. It runs about 300 miles  along the Namibian coast and fog, dangerous surf typically cause the problems. Many of the wrecked ships are visible by diving up to 30 feet along the coast. The bones of people and animals that wash up on the shore give it its name.

Water storage in a mostly vacation village. There
is little rain and no water infrastructure. People
have a tank on their roof and call a water supplier
for a fill when they need it.

A skeleton made up of a combination
of individualls

The Ziele, a decommissioned trawler that was 
being towed to India for scrap after her engine 
was removed. The towing rope snapped.

Our next stop was the Cape Cross Seal Breeding Reserve, a place where as many as 200.000 seals spend their time. Walls and walkways have been created for the seals and visitors. The number of seals in the water and on the land was astonishing. We saw lots of little ones, including several that didn't make it with nature taking its ruthless course.

We also learned about some of the lichen that helps hold the sand is place. This red lichen is very stiff. Interestingly, if you pour water on it, it gradually turns green. I took the 2nd photo a bit too early, but it is green at one side of the bottom.

The green is bottom right

Our tour bus --most of them look like thiis

Workers set up displays along the road to sell 
salt crystals that aren't big enough to be
commercially viable. Sometimes there are prices.
I bought 2 small crystals here and put my payment
in a locked metal box that will typically be 
emptied daily.

We had lunch in the Swakopmond suburb of Mondessa. This is clearly not a high rent area. We had typical Namibian foods which are eaten with your fingers and afterwards, had a short, terrific concert by a talented local group.