Skeleton Coast

The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Atlantic coast of Namibia. It is immediately south of Angola. Although the name is sometimes used to describe the entire Namib Desert coast stretching down much of Namibia’s west side.

What do we Mean by the Skeleton Coast

As you head up north from the comforts of Swakopmund, this coastline definitely takes on a more eerie feel. The landscape before you becomes empty and bare, there really is nothing around you and the sense of foreboding that this coastline once exuded is prevalent.

Namibian Bushmen refer to the region as ‘The Land God Made in Anger’, while Portuguese sailors named it ‘The Gates of Hell’. The C34 road along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast consists of salt, sand and gravel. It extends nearly 300 miles, from Walvis Bay to Mowe Bay.

It is an area where the Namib sands meet the sea and the warm desert air collides with cold Atlantic currents. Apparently, thick fog envelops the area for some 100 plus days a year. All of which have worked together in the past to lead to the destruction of hundreds of ships.

Why is it Called the Skeleton Coast

This northern stretch of the Skeleton Coast has become a graveyard for many a mariner. The warped metal remains of their vessels, washed up and rusted, once numbered the thousands. Namibia’s treacherous seas, strong winds, dense fogs and difficult currents threatened any sailor that dared to navigate these waters.

Nowadays, the salty air and winds have either dissolved the wrecks or they have been dismantled and sold as scrap metal. Although, certain ones are still there such as Zelia (about 57 km from Swakopmund) they are more spread out along the coastline. These rusty remains share their final laying place alongside washed up whale and seal bones that also litter the coastline.

As you head even further north, the landscape changes to more mountainous terrain. The Grootberg Mountains are off to the east and en route to Etosha National Park. If you’re doing a road trip in this part of Namibia, then this mountain range makes for a great stopover.

Key Attractions on Skeleton Coast Heading North from Swapskomund

• Zeila shipwreck . An Angolan fishing trawler that was being pulled to India for scrap, it ran aground in 2008. It lies wedged in the sand.
• Cape Cross Seal Reserve. Smelly home to over 200,000 fur seals, and the Walvis Bay Salt Works, where massive salt pans are coloured bright pink.
• The Skeleton Coast National Park occupies the northern section of Namibia’s famed coastline. It includes the road from the Ugab Gate to Mowe Bay, as well as the inaccessible portion of coastline near the Angola border.
• A couple of fishing villages/settlements such as Torra Bay, Terrace Bay, and Mowe Bay. There is very little here in these desolate wastelands – petrol station, basic lodgings. End of the road!
• Other shipwrecks along the Skeleton Coast include the Gertrud Woermann II, the Eduard Bohlen, the Dunedin Star .