Cape Cross, Namibia

You can't exactly miss the seal colony at Cape Cross, your nose will tell you that you have found it before you see it.

Its an amazing site of hundreds of Cape fur seals, which are actually sea lions, big brutish males with their harems, little babies with their mothers and the unfortunate ones that didn't make it being devoured by Jackels.

They are great fun to watch, snoozing, sunbathing, feeding their young, playing or squabbling.

Sea lions are different to seals apparantly because they can walk on their flippers. They are the most likely kind of seal that you would see in a circus.

Cape Cross is about a 30 minute drive North from Swapokmund.

Its famous for two things:

Firstly a cross which marked the point where the Portugese first landed and discovered Namibia and secondly for a very large (and smelly seal colony)

There is a cross marking the spot where Diego Cao landed in 1485. Its a replica as the orginal one is in a museum somewhere. He didn't think much of the place as he just claimed the country for Portugal, erected a cross and left to continue his journey around Africa to the indies.

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This is probably the most popular stop of the Skeleton Coast - the 100,000 strong colony of Cape Fur Seals. The colony is present at this spot all year round - and so is their stench! The pungent smell is caused by their droppings, but mostly by the dead - which are usually pups either too weak, or crushed by the massive neighbours. It is interesting to spend some time just watching - and hearing - the cacophony of activity. Sleeping seals, angry seals, nursing seals, playing seals, dead seals - there is a wealth of activity going on. This is definitely not a peaceful neighbourhood - or nice - Jackals are scavenging for the dead and dying, and so are the gulls and the occasional hyena. If you look further into the ocean you can also see seals braving the huge waves to come ashore - and somehow all manage to find their own smelly spot.

At an hour and a half's drive from Swakopmund, this makes for an unmissable excursion. One can also continue on to Damaraland from here, either by following a sideroad further along the C34 or else turning back till the junction for C35 leading to Uis. The reserve opens at 10.00am.

The coastal town of Cape Cross should be on your "to visit" list in Namibia for two reasons. The first is the large seal colony resident at its shore. (I discuss this in another "must see" entry)

The second is pure colonial history.....
Cape Cross is the point at which Europeans first set foot on Namibian (and that of southern Africa) soil. In 1484, the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão, a contemporary of Vasco de Gama, visited the area. The explorers erected a large cross commemorating the landing. Diogo Cão actually never left the area, apparently dying during his port time in Namibia. His body is thought to be buried in the immediate Cape Cross area.

The original Portuguese cross has been removed and replaced with a replica. An additional cross, erected by the people of Namibia, has been placed on the beach at the point of landfall. There are also two stones with engraved messages concerning Diogo Cão and the Portuguese visit some 500+ years ago.

Even though the Skeleton Coast of Namibia brings to mind endless stretches of sand where nothing lives and death is the only certainty for grounded ships and their crew, its cold waters are bursting with marine life. The Artic Benguela Current is plankton rich attracting mackerel, anchovies, and pilchards which in turn bring cape fur seals, sharks, and a plethora of bird life as well.

Cape Cross is one of the largest and best know of the seal colonies. It contains thousands and thousands of seals that are practically on top of each other there is so many. Even in the water you can see them floating, frolicking, and fighting to use a poor onamonapea. The site is quite spectacular and so is the smell.

Apparently, there is real problem with the seals and their competition with the fishing industry. So not only is the brown hyena a danger to the seals but men culling the seal to maintain their population is a danger too.

Admission is $3 US or about $25 Rand per person and vehicle.
You may not cross the barrier that separates the seals from their visitors.
Stinky toilets are available that are just as bad as the seals themselves.
Snack bar with drinks and other munchies available.

Check out my Cape Cross page for more information.
Cape Cross Seal Colony

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After a long way through Skeleton Coast we arrived to Cape Cross. You have to pay a fee entrance at the reception where you will find big wale's bones.

You get where the seals are and you park the car where the Cross of Cape Cross are. It was cold and windy and its true that there is a big smell but you get use to it after a while. Thousands of seals, babies, males, females, jackals around many seals skeletons at the shore, the sky full of birds ... a coast of life and death.

It is true that every day many are sacrificed, I was said it was for control the population number cause they are so many that the end with the fish reserve.

Imagine the stench of seal poo, then multiply it with 100,000 and you get the idea of the aroma that greets you as you get out of your vehicle at Cape Cross. I found Tiger balm on the top lip helped to mask the smell.

Pong aside, a visit to see the enormous seal colony here is well worth it. The car park is surrounded by a low wall and on the other side of this wall are the seals. When we visited, the toilets were out of bounds as a couple of seals had made it their home. They can be quite aggressive so stay within a safe distance.

Just watching them go about their daily business is such a pleasurable way to spend an hour or so. I was captivated by a young pup emerging from the water and trying to find its way back to its mum. He called and the mum called. Somehow they could both recognise the cry of the other over thousands of other yelps. With a few false starts (approaching several females who made it quite clear that she was NOT his mum) he made it back safely - much to everyone's relief and delight.

You probably won't want to stay long, (because of the smell) but it is still worth a visit. As far as the eye can see on land and in the ocean are seals, seals and more seals. An estimated 100,000 seals.