12 March Luderitz Bay

Luderitz town is compact set between the Atlantic and the desert. The first Europeans to settle were German and there cultural legacy endures in the architecture and language. Although seabird guano was the first economic boom, it was diamonds discovered at the turn of the twentieth century, fine gem quality diamonds lying on the sand, that made Luderitz the richest town in Africa at the time.

new and old rail track

ballroom now marine shop

Barrels restaurant

historic houses

Church on the rock

Now fishing is the main industry and diamonds are dredged from the seabed.

The roads are wide enough for four lanes with not many cars driving on them. You'd have to be very unlucky, or careless, to be knocked over by a car here.

We visited a curio-cum-bookshop-cum-tourist information shop to pick up a local map and ask for suggestions for what we should see. The lovely lady was an ex-cruiser herself and happy to chat. She said we should go to the diamond ghost town of Kolmanskop 10k out of town and for a longer trip she recommended the sand dunes at Sossusvlei