Sesriem

20 MAY 2023

There will be days that stand out in my memory for ever and this will be one of them. Visiting the sand dunes of the Sossusvlei was quite extraordinary. We set off as soon as the park gates opened and stopped to climb up the Dune 45 for the sunrise.

Sossusvlei

Sitting on the top watching the changing colours was amazing. Andrew and I perched on the highest ridge of the sand dune awaiting the sun rise. All around us were dunes and their linages, criss-crossing the landscape. Within this sand sea, the dune reaches a height of 150m and is part of one of the oldest ecosystems on earth. I loved being in this location, witnessing this daily phenomena in its full majestic brilliance. What an absolute privilege to watch nature perform at its finest. I was so happy to also be there when Andrew played his recorder - almost like an ode to the sunrise.....

On our way down back to the track, I wanted to run down the side of the dune. I ran the last bit and had that wonderful liberating feeling of free fall for a few minutes.

Big Daddy

After a wonderful banquet style breakfast served next to our vehicle, we drove on to the Big Daddy dune. The track was sandy and required John's expert rally driving tactics to get us through. I was dropped off on route to begin the shorter climb to the top. I'd misunderstood the starting point and headed straight up a virgin sand dune. Amazing - walking where no one else's foot steps were and along a ridge of totally unspoilt sand. I ran down the edge of the approaching dune to get my first fix of that downward free falling.

Then on and upwards to the top ridge of Big Daddy at around 325m high, from where you can see across the valleys and view the dried river beds below. It's possible to get some idea of the route of the Tsauchab river, and imagine what it would be like when full of water. It's told that this sand probably originated in the Kalahari between 3-5 million years ago. Washed down the Orange River and out to sea, and then swept northwards by the Benguela current, the sand would have been deposited along the coast.

Deadvlei

From the top, I followed Pete and Simon down the steep side and had that great experience of free running down to the Deadvlei below, the alluring pan with its sprouting petrified trees. These had parched limbs casting stark shadows across the baked, bleached white canvas of the ground. The contrasting colours of this with the sands of Big Daddy and the blue of the sky, were spellbinding.

Sesriem Canyon

We took a ride to Sesriem canyon and walked along its valley floor - seemly the gorge was created from sedimentary deposits later eroded out by a river pathway. We caught sight of a viper moving into a shady spot in the rocks.

Karen and Andrew performed a musical piece in this gorge - a real treat to witness - an atmospheric moment of musicality.