From Bogey to Waters (8/12)

Andre led us on a sunrise hike to explore the local geology and a massive stone sand clay castle in a small canyon, where we encountered our first ground squirrel.

After breakfast, we boarded an African Queen for a ride down the light-filled bird-watcher’s dream of a Kunene River, bordering Angola and Namibia. A small band of Cuban guerilla baboons prowled the Angolan hillside and a crocodile lounged on a sandbar,

while a hyrax (looks like a guinea pig, related to the elephant) whitewashed the canyon’s sidewalls (the large white patches are referred to as hyrax latrines).

As we trolled the Kunene, scores of birds beckoned us with their unique calls and flights. We followed the Pied Kingfisher of Kunene as she dove and missed,

then dove and caught a fish.

Green Herons Auger buzzards, wire-tailed swallow, bee eaters, woodpeckers, blacksmith lapwings, a black-faced baby vulture, and darters perched, pecked and soared, as a black stork flew by, perhaps on its way to Melbourne to deliver Dan and Nancy’s second grandchild (yes, they ARE that old), due any day now.

With great stealth, we docked the boat on the Angolan shore for our tea-and-biscuits invasion.

Before leaving, we picked up an Angolan hitchhiker named Orandero, who joined us for the remaining down-river portion of our cruise.

Returning to the camp, we quickly packed box lunches en route to Terrace Bay and Swakopmund, which would sadly mark the end of our Skeleton Coast Safari. We were forced to refuel along the way, because the prior station attendant had forgotten to replace the gas cap. A small group of Himba traveling saleswomen acted as a cross between a Namibian AM/PM mini-market and the Badda Bing.

On our final flight back to the coast, we passed over zebra, oryx, elephants and giraffes while munching on our homemade airplane food. Once atop the seashore, multiple colonies of seals kept Dan drooling for tomorrow’s kayak trip, as we passed by the not-so-Roaring Dunes of Terrace Bay (apparently, your butt must be ON not simpy ABOVE the dunes),

and multiple shipwrecks that gave the Skeleton Coast its moniker.

On the coastal outskirts of Swakopmund, Andre once again handed over the controls of the plane to Captain Anne, who ably soared the Cessna over a guano platform where thousands of cormorants were nesting. On our final descent into Swakopmund, a flock of pink flamingos flew in a fish formation beneath our plane, to punctuate a truly DIVINE Skeleton Coast Safari!

With regret, we said our auf wiedersehens to Andre, our most wise and able pilot, geologist, naturalist, and guide, and made our way from the airport to our deluxe accommodations at the Villa Margherita, where the four weary campers moved into an elegant 2 bedroom guest house, complete with kitchen, dining room, living room, private driveway, 6 separate keys, our 4WD rental Jeep, and, most importantly, Anne’s suitcase, sans just one pair of black underpantsJ!!!

We showered, test drove the vehicle, cleared out 450 emails, and learned that Tahli had not yet popped, before heading to the Ocean Basket for a pleasant if uninspiring seafood dinner. On the way back to the hotel, we were unable to find ice cream, but we GLEEfully discovered a twelve piece a capella group of teenagers crooning outside a gas station. Good night, Irene!