Namibia - March J Snyman

Transcription

1 Namibia - March J Snyman Background My wife, Adri, is a member of the Mineralogical Society of South Africa (people that collect rocks, minerals and gemstones) and this Society has an annual get-together that takes place over Easter weekend. The Gemboree for 2008 was hosted by the Pretoria club and with the assistance of members of the Walvisbay club it would take place in Uis, Namibia. As is my nature, it did not take long to add another few days to this trip and we planned to explore the areas surrounding the Spitzkoppe, Messum Crater and the Doros Crater with a few friends on the way to Uis, although constraints at work only allowed us a few days to do so. The Participants Grant, Lara, Alexander (7) and Michael (6) Kelbrick in their Toyota Hilux 3.0 D4D. Malcolm and Margaret Jackson in their 1994 Land Rover Defender Tdi CSW. J Snyman 1

2 Adri and I in our 1998 Land Rover Defender Tdi Hardtop. Preparations All the vehicles, and their equipment, received a thorough service and going over before the trip. On a tour like this, your selection of clothing is extremely important as you need to make provision for different temperatures, dusty conditions, insects etc etc. We have found that the technical clothing sold at hiking- and outdoor outlets best suit our needs as they fit comfortably, come in neutral colours, are easily washed and are fast drying. Trousers with zip-off legs are also easily converted from day-time to evening wear. Light-weight hiking boots are comfortable to wear and protect your feet a lot better than open sandals do. For this trip we took no special precautions against mosquitoes apart from spraying our tents with Peripel 55 (a treatment that repels biting insects like mosquitoes), covering up exposed skin with clothing and using insect repellent in the evenings. We always take a laptop computer along on our trips to download photos and GPS data and also to keep a trip diary. As the security of our data is important, we take an external hard drive and CD s along to make back-ups. These are stored separate from the laptop preferably in another vehicle. Legalities We obtained licenses from the Namibia Communications Commission for our 29MHz radios at a cost of N$48-00 each. The license is issued in a matter of days, is valid for a year and in the form of a disc that is stuck to the inside of the vehicle s windscreen. We all displayed ZA stickers on the rear of our vehicles as it is a legal requirement to display the vehicle s country of origin when it crosses international borders. Although the rule is hardly ever enforced the fine for transgressing it is N$ J Snyman 2

3 We paid our Namibian Road Tax of N$160 per vehicle upon entry at Noordoewer. As most of the members of our party were avid rock/mineral collectors they had to be careful to stay on the right side of the law as prospecting licences are not issued to individuals that collect rocks/minerals for private use any more. It should be noted that it is illegal to collect rocks and minerals from any claim or mine without the claim-, mine- or property owner s permission or to be in possession of any rocks or minerals without an invoice proving that you have legally bought it. Before leaving the country you have to visit the Department of Mines and Energy in Windhoek to obtain an Export Permit for any samples collected. This Permit is issued free of charge but the samples have to be shown to officials so that an inventory of the type/number/mass/source of samples in your possession can be entered onto the Export Permit. The Tour Friday 14 March 2008 It was warm when we left Stellenbosch and we travelled via Klipheuwel and Malmesbury to the N7 from where we started travelling northwards. We kept our speed down until the Jacksons caught up with us near Springbok. After an uneventful drive and border crossing, we refuelled our vehicles at Noordoewer and made our way to Abiqua, with it s neat facilities and campsites overlooking the Orange River. The cost of accommodation was N$55 per person with a further N$10-00 per vehicle. Total distance for the day was 718km (714km tar and 4km gravel) and the travelling time was 8½ hours. J Snyman 3

4 Saturday 15 March 2008 After a very quiet night we were awoken by a noisy group of fellow campers just after 5am. We made a leisurely start to the day and were on the road just after 8am. Just after leaving Noordoewer, our GPS stopped working, but at that stage I was not too concerned as the Jacksons also had one in their vehicle. That evening I loaded the maps and routes onto their GPS via the laptop and their unit stopped functioning as well. I eventually re-plotted the routes on the laptop and resent them to the GPS, but when that did not work either I uninstalled the maps, only to discover that I did not have the unlock keys for the maps with me... Fortunately I had one of the older versions of T4A saved under my backup files and after I installed it, I re-plotted the routes once again and sent them to Malcolm s GPS. His Garmin 276C now had the 2006 non-routable T4A maps with manually plotted routes on it, and worked fine. Our Garmin V still had the new 2008 auto-routable maps on it and also worked fine after I loaded the manually plotted routes on to it. It appears that the route data I have originally plotted had become corrupted and some very important lessons can be learnt from this - have a back up to fall back onto, and take the unlock keys for your software with you. The whole of Namibia has recently received good rains and the countryside almost had an unnatural appearance and it was green al the way from Noordoewer to Windhoek where we camped at the Arebbush campsite for the night. The cost of a campsite for the 4 of us amounted to N$300. Total distance for the day was 830km (826km tar and 4km gravel) and the travelling time was 10 hours. J Snyman 4

5 Sunday 16 March 2008 After a not so quiet night, due to the proximity of a major highway and an airport, we first did some shopping in Windhoek before making our way to the Spitskoppe. We kept our speed down to allow the Kelbrick s to catch up with us, and they managed to do so while we refuelled at Usakos. After a lunch stop next to a dry river, we made our way to our overnight campsite next to the Spitzkoppe. The campsites have no facilities and it cost the 8 of us N$300 to overnight there. Total distance for the day was 297km (261km tar and 36km gravel) and the travelling time was 5 hours. Monday 17 March 2008 We rose early and climbed up some of the rocky outcrops to marvel at the views and then climbed into the Bushman s Paradise. We encountered small pools of water everywhere and most of them were filled with flowering water plants and thousands of tadpoles. We even encountered a terrapin (water tortoise) wandering about! J Snyman 5

6 From the Spitzkoppe we made our way to the Klein Spitzkoppe before proceeding northwards and crossed the Omaruru River just as the water started flowing in it. There were lots of springbuck to be seen on the plains but it was very obvious that they were being poached as they started running as soon as they saw, or heard, our vehicles. We also encountered a field abattoir of the poachers that has seen recent use. We pitched our camp on the open plains that night with barking geckos making their clicking calls all around. J Snyman 6

7 Total distance for the day was 76km (all of it on sand and gravel) and the travelling time was 7 hours. Tuesday 18 March 2008 We continued over vast open plains and again encountered lots of running springbuck. We also came across numerous abandoned open cast mines with bulldozer tracks criss-crossing the countryside and it is a pity to see that no attempt at any rehabilitation of the area has ever taken place. J Snyman 7

8 From there we made our way to the Messum Crater where we explored the crater, climbed up to the ancient Damara settlement and some of the caves before pitching our camp at one of the viewpoints overlooking the basin of the crater. Total distance for the day was 117km (all of it on sand and gravel) and the travelling time was 8 hours. Wednesday 19 March 2008 The day started with a lot of excitement when the Kelbrick s discovered a huge scorpion that had decided to make its new home under their tent. After breaking camp we made our way out of the Messum Crater to the D2342 and then drove down the Numas Schluct River to the Ugab River. J Snyman 8

9 The intention was to drive down the Ugab River for a distance of 16km where we would leave the river to drive the Doros Crater Eco-Trail but the extremely difficult conditions forced us to turn back after covering only 5.3km s. The river still had pools of water in it, there were lots of deep channels and trees that blocked the way and in some sections the ground was so soft that you sank knee-deep into it. J Snyman 9

10 The Hilux picked up a right rear puncture while we retraced our steps to the D2342, from where we made our way towards the Ugab Rhino Camp. We turned off the D2303 near the abandoned houses of the old Brandburg West mine and made our way along a track along the ridge of the mountain range towards the Ugab River to make another attempt to reach the start of the Doros Crater Eco-Trail. However, we had to abandon this attempt to drive upstream in the Ugab River as well after only covering 620m of the required 2.1km and retraced our steps to the abandoned houses of the Brandberg West mine where we pitched camp for the night. J Snyman 10

11 Total distance for the day was 166km (all of it on sand and gravel) and the travelling time was 11 hours. Thursday 20 March 2008 After some exploring of the old mine site we made our way to the Ugab Rhino Camp where we crossed the Ugab River without any problems and proceeded with travelling along the Desolation Valley Eco-Trail. We made good progress along this trail up a dry river bed and across vast open plains and had a look at the ancient Damara stone dwellings and the fresh water spring at Gai-As before proceeding northwards to the Huab River. J Snyman 11

12 We had lunch just after crossing the Huab River and then proceeded in an easterly direction with the intention of completing the remaining 54km of the Desolation Valley Eco-Trail along the Huab River before making our way via the D2612 and C35 to Uis. However, this was once again not to be and we were forced to retrace our steps for 50km to reach a point from where we could proceed towards the Doros Crater and the Goantagab River to the D2628. J Snyman 12

13 And this is when trouble started brewing on the horizon. The skies to the east of us, in the direction that we had to travel, had turned an ominous black colour and it was evident that heavy rains were falling in the distance. We were soon engulfed in a heavy downpour as well and were driving as fast as conditions would allow. At 17h00 our progress was halted by the Doros River that was coming down in flood and there was water everywhere. It was absolutely amazing to see, once again, how rapidly the rivers in the area can rise. We parked our vehicles on the highest ground we could find, lit a fire and had supper while we waited for the water level to drop. By 19h00 the decision was made to proceed as the level of the river had dropped and we were supposed to be in Uis the next morning. The distance to be covered was only 103km. This proved to be a very tough task as there were still lots of smaller rivers in flood, sections of the track had been washed away and we were starting to become concerned that the Hilux would run out of fuel, as the distance we had travelled was now almost a third more than originally planned. Torches were of no use to find the track and identify obstacles, but fortunately the skies had cleared and the full moon provided more than enough light. I stayed wet to the waist from wading in rivers and in one river bed we collided with a rock that bent one of the steering arms (the drag link) of our vehicle. Although both the front wheels were now pointing slightly outwards and the steering action was impaired, the vehicle was still drivable and we continued. We eventually reached an area with red Kalahari-type sand dunes from where we started making good progress and reached the Sorris Sorris campsite on J Snyman 13

14 the banks of the Ugab River at 01h30. We were now on public roads and only 38km from Uis. Most of the drifts had been washed away and many were still under water and this required that each and every one of them had to be waded to ensure that they were indeed passable. The Hilux ran out of fuel 7km before reaching Uis and had to endure the indignity of being towed through the remaining rivers and drifts by our Landy. About 5km from Uis we found a Volvo motor car left in the middle of the road next to a river crossing and it was evident that it made a very unsuccessful attempt at being a boat or submarine. We eventually drove into Uis at 03h00 dog tired, but safe. Total distance for the day was 297km (all of it on sand-, gravel- and rocky tracks as well as river beds) and the travelling time was 17½ hours. Friday 21 March 2008 Everything was quiet when we awoke that morning. It was clear that the town had also been subjected to the heavy rains the day before and there were pools of water everywhere. The tents and camping equipment of many campers were drenched and many people had abandoned their campsites the night before when the river rose, and flooded, the White Lady Campsite. The cell phone network was down and the only ATM in town was not working, presenting a major problem to people who did not carry enough cash with them. It was time to greet some old friends as well as meeting some new ones at the Gemboree and start participating in the activities. There were 125 people attending mostly from southern Africa, but there was also 3 that flew in from Ireland and one that flew in from Austria. Many people had stories to tell about the day before It was the 3 Irish attendees who drowned their rented Volvo and one of the attendees from Natal had bent the chassis of his Land Cruiser pickup when negotiating a washed away drift at speed. I removed the drag link of our Defender, straightened it, checked the wheel alignment and everything seemed to be OK again. As a precaution against uneven wear, I replaced the 2 front tyres with the 2 old spare ones I had with me. That evening we all attended the official opening ceremony of the Gemboree and had a delicious supper. There was also a very interesting talk on the problem of J Snyman 14

15 people selling fake crystals and minerals in Namibia and the lengths people go to do so. As an additional bonus, officials from the Department of Mines and Energy in Windhoek were also attending the Gemboree to assist participants with their paperwork and it would therefore not be necessary to go to Windhoek to get the Export Permits. Saturday 22 March 2008 Our group undertook a field trip to the Goboboseb Mountains where we had permission to dig in a small mine and specimens could also be bought from the small scale miners active in this area. J Snyman 15

16 Total distance for the day was 169km (all of it on gravel roads and rocky tracks) and the travelling time was 9 hours. Sunday 23 March 2008 We undertook a field trip to a nearby fluorite deposit and drove on some of the roads we travelled on when we drove to Uis a few days before. By now the area had dried out and the damage could clearly be seen. J Snyman 16

17 As I had to be at work on Wednesday morning, Adri and I decided not to participate in the field trip to the Spitzkoppe the next day, as we ve been there on a number of occasions, but to rather start making our way home. So, after lunch and saying our goodbyes, we drove to Henties Bay along the C35, said hello to Adri s brother who resides in Swakopmund, and then took the C14 from Walvis Bay through the Namib Desert. We drove until 20h00 and then pitched our camp next to the road with a big yellow moon rising in the distance. There were a number of jackals active in the area and you could hear them calling one another until late that night. Total distance for the day was 430km (34km tar and 396km gravel) and the travelling time was 8 hours. J Snyman 17

18 Monday 24 March 2008 After a very good night s sleep we were on the road by 07h00. The Namib Desert was covered in green grass and herds of zebra and springbuck were to be seen grazing everywhere. We continued driving along the C14, stopped to refuel and eat apple tart at Solitaire, took a short cut via the D855, D850 and D831 to the C14, drove through Helmeringhausen and Bethanie to the B4 and turned off onto the C12 at Seeheim and made our way via the D601, D324, C10, D316, D207, Gamchab Eco-Trail and the D212 to Abiqua where we spent the night. Total distance for the day was 891km (96km tar and 795km gravel) and the travelling time was 12 hours. J Snyman 18

19 Tuesday 25 March 2008 We made a fairly early start and had an uneventful border crossing and drive home. As we were now travelling or a tarred road, I stopped at regular intervals to check the front tyres for uneven wear, but they were doing fine. Total distance for the day was 718km (714km tar and 4km gravel) and the travelling time was 8 hours. Conclusion It was a great privilege to be able to visit the areas we did with my favourite travelling companion and some great friends, but I cannot but help to wonder for how long we will be able to do so, as there are individuals who are spoiling it for all of us by their actions. We were on the road for 12 days and travelled a total distance of 4709km, of which 2645km was on tarred roads and the remaining 2064km on gravel-, rock- and sand tracks J Snyman 19