Surfing among shipwrecks and hyenas in Namibia

SURFING AMONG SHIPWRECKS AND HYENAS Soulgear.com Surf The Skeleton Coast To the non-surfer, Namibia’s Skeleton Coast is not the most inviting landscape. Spotted hyenas and scavenging black-backed jackals scour the beach for helpless cape fur seal pups flopping in the sand. The skeletons and exposed shipwrecks only add to a feeling of desolation amidst a moonlike coastal landscape of windswept sand dunes. To the surfer, this desolation is gravy for the soul. A perfect swell pumps up the coast of this southwest African country, creating conditions awarded to the most sacrificing and daring traveler. Your adventure begins in the Danish capital of Windhoek (see Getting There for more information). Here you can rent a van or landrover and head about 150 miles west to Swakopmund, located along the coast. Load up on supplies before heading north along the Skeleton Coast (about 75 miles) to Cape Cross. By the time you reach the sweeping lefthand point at Cape Cross, a thick layer of Namib dust cakes your upper body. The grit in your mouth will feel like sandpaper. It won’t matter though, because the sweltering African sun will force you into the frigid Benguela Current that flows north up the coast. An empty lineup with six to eight foot lines roping up the beach will send you into a frenzy as you wrestle into your wetsuit. The air is blistering hot; the water is icy cold. Take your pick: unnamed reefs send A-frame grinding peaks in either direction; river-mouths blend with sand, swell, wind and tide to form sand bottom point breaks. What you won’t find along this lonely coast is other surfers checking every reef break within 100 yards of each other. In fact, don’t be surprised if you don’t see anyone at all except for the lone fisherman who shares his turf with the great white shark. Namibia does provide the traveling, nomadic surfer a solitude and untamed environment. Picture this: pulling up to a rocky bluff overlooking a myriad of empty six-foot peaks. You park the landrover with the sliding door facing the ocean. A herd of oryx (antelope) also checks the lineup. After your third surf of the day, pitch your tent and roll out your sleeping bag. You’ll be lulled to sleep by the whooping calls of hungry hyenas and the cracking waves at your current surf spot. The next morning, the stiff offshores blowing out from the desert send plumes of spray fanning into the wind with each cresting wave. You take off on a sucking lefthander, stuff your arm into the wave as the lip heaves over, finally ejecting you into a rippling channel. Something catches your eye loping on shore. It’s a lone hyena, the only audience on the beach, and it can only be Namibia, the land of open spaces. MORE INFORMATION / GETTING THERE Namibia is a relatively safe African country. Language barriers are minimal. Take a South African Airways flight to Johannesburg in South Africa. From there, catch a Namib Air flight to the capital of Windhoek. Answer your questions through Afroventures.com. LANGUAGE: The abundance of English and Afrikaans (Dutch/German dialect) makes for a predominantly smooth experience for the American traveler. SEASON: The best time to go is from May to August. ACCOMMODATION: Camp out. Namibia is relatively safe. Your largest combatant will be keeping the sand and dust out of your camping gear and camera equipment. Bring spare tent stakes, for the desert winds can be unforgiving. There are lots of snakes, lizards, and scorpions, so keep your tent zipped up, and always remember to check your boots for critters. SURF GEAR: You’ll want to wear at least a 3/2mm. The southern Atlantic is cold in the mid to upper 50s and into the 60s. Bring cold-water wax, some spare leg ropes, and at least two surfboards. MEDICINE: Immunizations are recommended for yellow fever, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A and B, polio and rabies. A sore arm is a small price to pay for your life. READINGS: Lonely Planet Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia (3rd Ed) by Deanna Swaney: Lonely Planet’s travel guide. The Sheltering Desert by Henno Martin: A classic tale of escape and survival in the vastness of the Namib desert.