Stretching along the length of northern Namibia, the Skeleton Coast is a stretch of Atlantic coastline that evokes images of desolation and mystery, a landscape both inhospitable and fascinating. This place, marked by shifting dunes and treacherous sandbanks, is the scene of countless shipwrecks, so much so that there are over a thousand wrecks scattered along the coast. It was also called "the land that God created in anger," a nickname inherited from the Bushmen, while the early Portuguese explorers remembered it as "the sands of Hell" for its inaccessibility and its hostile appearance. The powerful waves of the Benguela Current and the incessant winds carry the dunes to the sea, generating treacherous underwater sandbanks that threaten even modern ships, while the historic shipwrecks, trapped in the sand, are now incorporated into the coast, sculpting a ghostly and majestic landscape.
The grey beach of the Skeleton Coast, with its violent waves crashing onto the shore, creates a breathtaking spectacle of wild nature and marine power. A few kilometres from Henties Bay, exactly halfway between Swakopmund and Cape Cross, lies the wreck of the ship Zeila, which ran aground on 25 August 2008. This steel skeleton, still clearly visible and surprisingly well preserved, emerges from the water a few metres from the shore, offering an eerie and majestic impression at the same time. Its hull has now become a permanent home for dozens of cormorants that, like sentinels, continuously crowd it, adding a touch of life to this symbol of desolation.
The stop at Zeila is also an opportunity to break the journey along an extremely deserted stretch of coast and, at the same time, to contemplate the immense gray beach that extends as far as the eye can see. The proximity to the coast and accessibility make this wreck a fascinating attraction for visitors, who can closely observe the signs of wear left by time and saltiness, which is progressively consuming the structure in a slow and implacable embrace.

Web: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть