Sandwich
Harbour is a natural tidal lagoon, squeezed between dunes from the
Namib desert and the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, 55 kilometers
south of Walvisbay in Namibia, inside the Namib-Naukluft National
Park. The large, shallow lagoon is surrounded by sand dunes up to 100
meters high, and is only accessible by 4x4 vehicles when tides and
general wave conditions allow.
Up
to a few years ago, there were also freshwater wetlands north of the
lagoon, but these disappeared over time due to shifting dunes and
other natural causes.
The
surface area surrounding the lagoon is fed with seeping fresh water
from below the sand dunes, supporting the large reed beds at the
water’s edge. This in turn stabilize the dunes to some extent,
preventing them from silting up the area.
There
is no clarity on the origin of the name Sandwich Harbour. Some
sources claim it is due to a ship with the name Sandwich that
anchored here around 1790, but we also heard other versions of the
name’s origin. What can be said is that ships did anchor in the
shallow harbour surrounded by a peninsula created from raised shingle
bars, to process whale meat, harvest guano from the small islands,
and get fresh water from the aquifer reservoirs fed indirectly by the
Kuiseb river. Many artifacts dating back as far as a 1,000 years can
still be seen in the area.
Sandwich
Harbour was abandoned permanently in the early 1900s, due to poor
infrastructure and unstable accessibility as a result of the tidal
influences. Today, Sandwich Harbour is mainly used for research and
sightseeing.
The
only roads leading to Sandwich Harbour are heavy 4x4 sand tracks on
the narrow beach during low tide, or changing tracks over the dunes
during high tide when the sea water runs right up to the bottom of
the dunes. This all makes for an unique off-road driving experience
with breathtaking sceneries.
Only
day visitors with valid permits are allowed access to Sandwich
Harbour. There are a number of tour operators in Walvis Bay and
Swakopmund offering guided tours with 4x4 vehicles.
The
approach road to Sandwich Harbour, just south of Walvis Bay, crosses
barren salt pans and hummock dunes covered with vegetation. Small
groups of springbok, ostrich, jackal and brown hyena can be seen as
well as raptors such as Peregrine Falcons, Pale Chanting Goshawks and
Black-breasted Snake Eagles. The landscape changes dramatically as
you encounter the huge wind-sculptured dunes closer to Sandwich
Harbour.
Fauna
& Flora
Sandwich
Harbour is world famous for its abundant birdlife. The area hosts
upwards of 70,000 birds, mostly seasonal migrants from the northern
hemisphere. Guaranteed, common bird sightings include big flocks
of flamingo, pelicans, grebes, as well as a huge variety of terns and
waders such as the red data bird species Damara tern and the
Chestnut-banded plover.
The Namib-Naukluft National Park is in one of the driest parts of the world. Most areas in Sandwich Harbour do not provide surface water. Animals and plants are very adapted to arid desert conditions and have learned to survive on moisture rich fog that sweeps in from the ocean in the evenings. This includes small animals such as shovel-snouted lizards, palmetto gecko and the fog-basking beetles.
The !Nara plant is the most significant plant in the Sandwich
Harbour Area, providing shelter as well as food and water through its
fruit. Ramsar status
Sandwich
Harbour was classified as a wetland of international importance at
the same time (23 December 1995) as Walvis Bay, hence becoming one of
Namibia’s first Ramsar wetlands. The total area for the Ramsar
wetland is 13,825 hectares.
Date
of visit: June 2016