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To be honest, I would probably not have bothered with the harbour tour at Walvis Bay if my parents hadn't done it a few months earlier and waxed lyrical about how wonderful it was. And, if I hadn't, I'd have missed out on one of the most fun ways to pass half a day in the Swakopmund/Walvis Bay area - which is saying something given how many marvellous activities are on offer for tourists in this region.
The trip starts with a tour of the harbour, which is surprisingly interesting. There are quite a range of boats at anchor, from the seaworthy to old rusting hulks over which the birds and the seals have long since established squatter's rights. There are also often fishing boats - usually Chinese or Spanish - which have been caught fishing illegally in Namibian waters and have been impounded.
However, by far the most interesting thing about the tour is the wildlife you encounter. When we started our tour, I couldn't work out why there seemed to be so many old tyres floating in the water - until I realised that these were seals, fast asleep with their snouts tucked into their tails! They come in to feed on the outfall from the petfood factory, and gorge themselves to the point where they need to sleep off their gargantuan meal! When we visited, one of the seals who has become habituated to people leapt in to join us in the tour boat, narrowly avoiding catapulting a whole tray of open-faced brotchen (German bread rolls) into the ocean!
The tour then proceeds out past the harbour limits towards a nearby seal colony. As you approach, the sound and smell of the seals becomes overwhelming (better hope that you're upwind!) and the seals and magnificent pelicans gather around the boat hoping for easy pickings - see photo of one slipstreaming in our boat's wake. The reason for their enthusiasm become apparent when you weigh anchor and the captain assuages your thirst by distributing cold beer and sparkling wine before starting to shuck local oysters. When we did the tour, my husband thought that he had died and gone to heaven as the oysters kept coming and coming ... he finally gave up after a couple of dozen (the captain was all set to keep shucking!).
The marine birds are superb, and apparently the tours often encounter dolphins and whales (in season), as well as the occasional leatherback turtle and more exotic creatures such as sunfish.
The tour lasts about 3.5 hours, and may initially seem a little on the expensive side (I don't have a handle on current prices, so consult a recent travel guide or websites). However, when you consider the duration of the trip and the generosity of the catering, it is actually good value for money, and I would highly recommend it. There are several operators who offer boat tours - both of the harbour and the lagoons at the mouth of the Kuiseb River, so I suggest you shop around to see which best matches your interests and requirements.
Updated Dec 15, 2011
Address: Harbour, Walvis Bay
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Walvis Bay is a 'twitcher's' (bird watcher's) paradise due to the diversity of the ecosystems - mudflats and lagoons sheltered from the open ocean by a sand spit - along this section of the coast. Birdlife International states that "In terms of numbers and species of birds, this is the most important coastal wetland in southern Africa, and is probably one of the three most important coastal wetlands in Africa". The coastal birds such as cormorants and pelicans are the obvious stars of the show, but the lagoons at the mouth of the Kuiseb offer a chance to see species such as flamingo and other waders, and also provide seasonal homes for a huge range of migratory species.
Perhaps the best introduction to the birdlife is to take the harbour tour in Walvis Bay, during which you will see masses of cormorants, pelicans and heron. If you are keen to visit the lagoons, then there are both boat and 4 x 4 tours that will take you there.
In town, the best birding spots sound unlikely: the sewage works and the salt works. Both have been afforded nature reserve status and offer great opportunities to observe a wide range of wading species.
Happy twitching!
Updated Jun 1, 2011
Website: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=6712&m=0
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This is a fast-growing town with current population at around 65,000. The nicest place to hang around is the Esplanade where there is a long promenade facing the Walvis Bay Lagoon. Both the lagoon as well as the beautiful houses lining the promenade are very, very interesting. When I grow up I want to live here in one of the magnificent villas :-) But I know it will never happen, because I will never grow up!!!
Updated Apr 4, 2011
The city of Walvis Bay is surrounded by the desert every where one goes.
Not being used to be in the desert myself, walking a little bit through it was an experience managed to try.
MF, Walvis Bay, April 2010.
Written Sep 11, 2010
We did a boat tour with Mola Mola and were lucky enough to have Billy as our guide. There were about 8 of us on the boat and we set off at around 8.00am.
Our guide was funny and informative about the local area especially the Bay.
Be prepared to have a drink or two as we started with sherry at about 9.00am. Up until lunch we were offered refreshment with local beer or I should say Namibian beer and sodas.
After our visit with the Cape Fur Seals, Flamingos and Dolphin, we stopped in the bay for lunch of fresh Namibian oysters and S.A. sparkling wine. Excellent. We were back in our hotel late afternoon.
Mola-Mola also offer other trips such as 4x4 drivinbg in the dunes and fishing trips.
Written Jul 4, 2008
Address: Mola Mola, P.O. Box 980, Walvis Bay, Namibia
Phone: 264 64 205 511
Website: http://www.mola-namibia.com/
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If there is a beach, you are bound to find them. We met a number of them whilst cruizing in the harbout hoping that they would also get a bit of freeby fish that was being fed to the seals and pelicans.
Written Apr 30, 2007
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One of the best things to see in Walvisbaai is the Flamingo's. Sometimes they are quite close to the roadside, other times a bit futher away. They have two kinds there, the black flamingo's and the pink flamingo's.
Written Apr 30, 2007
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If there is something that I will recommend without a doubt, it will be the Dolphin Tour. We used Molo-Molo and they were very professional and our guide has a tremendous knowledge of the seals and marine life in general. We met 5 seals in person, they climbed into the boat and Sally the surfer was surfing behing the boat for quite some time before getting in and catching a bit of a ride. It was truly amazing.
Written Apr 30, 2007
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I did not in my wildest dreams ever think I would get this close to a Pelican. Pelicans are amongst the largest flying birds. We saw quite a number at close range as they came to the boat in the hope that they would get fed some fish.
Written Apr 30, 2007
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Pelican point is the sandy outer peninsula ebracing the Walvis Bay lagoon. The guide told us that is grows by 14 meters every year which is fantastic. I was also amazed by all the seals and how full of the joys of life they were. Jumping in and out of the water like dolphins and just having a ball of a time.
Written Apr 30, 2007
Reviews and photos of Walvisbaai attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Walvisbaai sightseeing.
Pelican point is the sandy outer peninsula ebracing the Walvis Bay lagoon. The guide told us that is grows by 14 meters every year which is fantastic. I was...
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