There’s not a breath of wind. There’s no singing birds, no sound. Nothing but sand and clay, surrounded by large basalts and dark rocks. The sun shines brightly, almost burns. The only audible sound is my own breath and the dusty sand gliding under my feet. T
Text: Angelique van Os | Photography: Henk Bothof
I stare up, mesmerized, at the phenomenal clay castles around the Namibian Hoarusib River. These Clay castles are thousands of years old and hundreds of meters high, found in various gorges along the riverbed. This unique natural phenomenon arose because sand and water were blown into the gorges by the wind and held back by dune walls. This led to the creation of small lakes, in which, partly due to rainfall, for years a clay-like substance built up layer by layer and finally led to the so-called Clay Castles. The question is how long the fragile substance remains intact due to increasing rainfall, is exposed to erosion and climate changes. Because of its isolated location, there are hardly any tourists here, so those who want to enjoy a moment of total silence and Zen, will certainly come to rest here. If you are visiting Skeleton Coast, ask your guide for the coordinates of this special area.
