Walvis Bay … 85,000 inhabitants … the only natural harbour of any size along the country’s coast. Being rich in plankton and marine life, these waters also drew large numbers of whales …

I walked the “lagoon” for several hours, enjoying innumerable sea birds, pelicans and flamingos.

my full resolution photos

In 1990 South-West Africa gained independence as Namibia, but Walvis Bay remained under South African sovereignty. At midnight on 28 February 1994 South Africa formally transferred sovereignty over Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands to Namibia …

Walvis Bay features the very rare mild variation of the arid climate. Walvis Bay receives an average of less than 10 mm of precipitation per year, making it one of the driest cities on the planet. Despite the fact that it has an arid climate, Walvis Bay seldom gets very hot or very cold, an extremely unusual feature for a city featuring this climate. This is primarily due to cold offshore currents near Walvis Bay.

Next time I’m planning on the adventurous 48km drive to Sandwich Harbour, a freshwater lagoon surrounded by dunes, and a favourite amongst anglers and ornithologists