PAUL VAN SCHALKWYK
COASTAL STRIP The coastal strip houses the towns of Cape Cross, Henties Bay, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, and the fishing settlement of Wlotzkasbaken. The Dorob National Park – proclaimed to protect sensitive environmental areas – extends between the Swakop and Ugab rivers, while the Skeleton Coast National Park covers the area north of the Ugab River up to the Kunene River, protecting the northern third of Namibia’s coastline. Due to the TransKalahari Highway and uranium rush, the area is home to two of Namibia’s fastest-growing urban centres – Swakopmund and Henties Bay – and hosts two of Namibia’s major contributors to the GDP, mining and fishing. In 2013, the Namib Sand Sea – stretching from the Kuiseb River southwards to the northern boundary of the Sperrgebiet National Park – achieved World Heritage Site status, making it Namibia’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site.
DOROB NATIONAL PARK
To protect the most frequented coastal area against damage caused by off-road driving, the stretch of coastline between the Kuiseb Delta and the Ugab River – eastwards from the low-water mark of the Atlantic towards the boundary of the Swakopmund district – was proclaimed a national park in 2008, elevating the status of the West Coast Recreational Area (WCRA) to that of national park, and proclaiming it as the Dorob National Park. It includes the Walvis Bay Lagoon – a RAMSAR site – but excludes the municipal areas of Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Henties Bay and Wlotzkasbaken.
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The Namibian coastline is a haven for numerous unique plants, animals and birds. A special feature of international interest is the extensive occurrence of lichen fields. Over a hundred lichen species have been recorded in the Namib Desert. A symbiotic composition of an alga and a fungus, lichens are dependent on coastal fog for survival. The continued existence of this intriguing form of desert life is a matter of serious concern to environmentalists, as lichens are extremely slow growing and are destroyed when vehicles driving offroad tread on them. The 200-km stretch of coastline between the Swakop and Ugab rivers
is renowned for its excellent angling potential. Over the years popular angling spots along the coast were identified by dedicated anglers and named to indicate their distance from Swakopmund. New rules, regulations and law-enforcement measures were implemented at the end of 2012. To drive in specially demarcated off-road areas, drivers must have a permit, which is issued free of charge and can be obtained from Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) offices in Swakopmund (064 40 4576) and Walvis Bay (064 20 5971). A free information pamphlet is also available from above-mentioned offices, as well as from coastal information offices.