Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Dune Dining

Prepared February 3, 2012, South Atlantic Ocean, enroute to Cape Town and continued February 12, 2012, Southwest Indian Ocean enroute to Fort Dauphin, Madagascar

January 30 and 31, 2012, at sea, South Atlantic Ocean, bound for Walvis Bay: Boat Building and Reunions

After departing Jamestown, St. Helena, we steered southeast toward the coast of Africa and our next port of call, Walvis Bay, Namibia. The longer we are at sea, the more nautical terms creep into this blog!
Both days, there were bridge lessons and play, as well as trivial pursuit. Bridge has expanded to nine tables of duplicate play and one table of beginner rubber play. J & E continue to improve, sometimes. There are very few non-bridge players who would intrude into the card room during match play. It would be a little like entering the dragon's den, but on January 31, one hardy soul did break tradition. She came parading through the card room wearing a sandwich board advertising one of the boat's (Silver Queen) in the upcoming boat building contest. The bridge players were so impressed by the sandwich board lady's bravery that they agreed to play a few less boards (hands) and to attend the contest.

The Silver Queen -- Captain Fluffy & Crew

Guess which one is crew!

Boat building contests have relatively few rules. Passengers form teams (any number per team), and using trash (politically correct term: recyclables), they build a boat that must carry cargo (full beer cans) and stay afloat for 60 seconds with the cargo on board. Senior ship's officers, including the Captain, act as judges and award extra points for boat-like appearance, etc. Originally, four teams were formed, but only two boats made it to the pool deck in time for the competition. The other two failed to launch. One of the competitors was the "Silver Queen," based on a Mississippi river boat design, and the other was "Fernando's Hideaway," which boat bore a striking resemblance to a life preserver with an orange plastic laundry bag on top.

With some ceremony, the first boat (Silver Queen) was launched into the swimming pool, and with the assistance of the cruise director, Fernando, beer and soft drink cans were loaded aboard. About 60 cans were loaded, the boat floated for the required 60 seconds, and the cargo was removed.

Loading "Cargo" on Silver Queen

Next, Fernando's Hideaway was launched with great ceremony, including a singing mermaid who sang, you quessed it, Fernando's Hideaway! In the pool, 60 cans were loaded and the float test was passed with ease. The decision now rested with the judges. Long consideration was given, and first place was awarded to the Silver Queen with a winning score three points more than Fernando's Hideaway. There was some grumbling from supporters of Fernando's Hideaway, but all ended with good cheer from boat builders and observers alike.

The Mermaid of Fernando's Hideaway

Fernando's Hideaway -- It Floats!

On the evening of January 31, those of us who had cruised together on the 2007 World Cruise had a cocktail party before dinner. About 25 of current cruisers were on the 2007 World Cruise, so there was a lot of discussion about things that happened back then. It was good to see people with whom we had previously cruised and had not yet encountered (believe it or not!) on this ship.


February 1 and 2, 2012, in port, docked at Walvis Bay, Namibia: Not the Africa We Knew

By mid-day February 1, we had begun the long approach up the marked channel in Walvis Bay Harbor where the ship docked . As at Guanabara Bay, oil rigs and drilling support ships were much in evidence in Walvis Bay. After the ship tied up, aboard came the Namibian Immigration officials for a face-to-face inspection of each passenger before the ship could be cleared. Now we know what US Aid money is used for -- to train African immigration departments in US Immigration methods. When the inspection and passport stamping was finally completed, we were cleared to go ashore. There must be a HUGE amount of illegal immigration from cruise ships here!

Ashore, we boarded tour buses for the trip to Swakopmund, the old port of German Southwest Africa and now a tourist resort about 25 km north along the Atlantic coast from Walvis Bay. The bus was specially adapted for Namibian desert touring, with raised and stiffened suspension and the engine mounted in the front to cut down on dust -- think 40-passenger Land Rover!  After a short bus tour of Walvis Bay and a visit to the commercial salt pans to see flamingoes (they had left the day before we arrived!), it was off to Swakopmund along the coastal highway, with the Atlantic beaches on the left and 100 to 500 ft. sand dunes on the right.

Walvis Bay Salt Pan

Where are the Flamingoes?

For those of us with previous African exposure, Swakopmund was a shock. Somehow it has retained that Teutonic tendency for order and cleanliness which has never been of much concern in the rest of Africa. Our tour's first stop was at a rock, mineral, and crystal display at the Kristall Galerie. The Kristall Galerie's claim to fame is a 14-ton rock crystal cluster held to be "the World's largest." Actually, the crystal displays were interesting, but the main purpose was to get our shopping elements into the Galerie's store so that some "rock" could be sent overseas.

The "World's Largest" Rock Crystal

Having survived this commercial encounter, we were on our way to the old part of Swakopmund to visit the local museum, look at the early German government buildings, and see the old railroad station. We also spent part of our afternoon in a German bakery, eating cakes and drinking coffee/cocoa. The tour did show us the town and its late 19th and early 20th Century buildings.

19th Century Lutheran Church

Government Administration Building

Formerly German Insane Asylum -- No Comment!

About 6:00pm, it was back on the bus and off across the desert to a Silversea Experience "Dinner in the Desert." Driving about 45 minutes along the back side of the sand dunes on unpaved roads, the bus took us up into an area between several dunes.  There large tents were clustered around a central plaza.

Giant Sand Dune

Climbing down from the buses, we were met by the sight of camels available for our riding pleasure. Bypassing this opportunity to be spit upon and bit, we headed for a reception line, where local ladies in traditional costumes greeted us with libations of several sorts (fruit punch for J&E). Our travel thirst quenched, we watched school children sing and dance for us, as we were led into large tents and seated for dinner. Dinner of local food stuffs -- vegetables, seafood, fish, meats -- was excellent, and about 10:00pm, we were shepherded back on our bus to return to Walvis Bay and the ship.

Camels -- Keep Your Distance!

Greeter in Local Costume

Local School Singers 

Since we were not to sail for Cape Town, South Africa until 1:00pm on February 2, J&E decided to take the ship's shuttle bus into Walvis Bay to shop for a shoe horn. Yes, a shoe horn! Walvis Bay is a modern, well planned and maintained city with shopping centers and all the other aspects of 21st Century urbanity. But, shoe horns, it appears, have not become a fixture of local life, and finding one turned into a bit of an adventure. J&E visited four or five shoe stores before one sales lady said she might have a shoe horn in the back. After a long wait, she returned with a plastic shoe horn that was a promotional item for a brand of shoes.  She refused to accept payment. We also investigated "fit-over" sun glasses for J, but they were not to be found. So, off we went to the shuttle bus and our return to the ship.

The Silver Whisper took in lines, and we sailed out of the harbor, back down the channel, setting course south southeast for Cape Town.