The coastal city of Swakopmund sits on a split landscape. To the south, the bright orange dunes of the Namib desert. To the north, the eerie blank canvas of the Skeleton Coast.

We mapped our route and departed just after nine, making a quick stop to lessen the pressure in our tires, knowing that we were heading onto loose gravel and sand roads. They would also potentially be slick from the dense fog that crept in overnight and was severely limiting our vision. Not the ideal day for a road trip but we were undeterred all the same.

We turned north.

A small town we passed on the way.

Beneath the fog we could sometimes see waves crashing against the dull coast, the odd fisherman at its edge with enormously lengthy poles. We took turns down several different side roads, once to see the Zelia, a ship stranded in August 2008 when it came loose from its towing line and ran aground. Other times it was just to soak in the eerie ambiance, hear the waves, and feel the salty wind against our faces.

We once veered right when it should have been left and got turned around in the thick fog that hung against the pale land that all looked the same. There were no markers to indicate where we had been or which way back to the main road. We felt completely at mercy to the elements around us, like the ground could open up and swallow us. No one would have known the difference.

Our fear was not misplaced as we read later there are salt pans in the area 100 meters deep that can swallow vehicles.

The Zelia

At the mercy of the coast!

Arrival at the park gate was chilling, we peered past with longing to go further but were unable to, and thus began the long way back on the same road. The fog had lost its battle by then and instead became low lying clumps of cloud. The sun rays reached the earth in patches, making the previously dull colors pop brilliantly.

But yet we stopped less frequently to take photos. Was it that we’d seen it all before or did we prefer the weird and ominous scene of the morning?

Not sure. Probably a bit of both.

We returned that night to this swanky hotel in Swakopmund that we got for a steal (with an upgrade!) because of our booking in low tourist season.