Skeleton Coast, Namibia, Africa

A beautiful sunrise is truly a spectacular sight to witness. Behind the mountain range of the Skeleton coast, the sun is just showing a tiny bit. Magnificent colors of the rising sun are showing in the sky.

copyright Anette Mossbacher, 17 July, 2023

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This photograph was captured with a Canon EOS-1D X and a lens. The following settings were used:

  • Aperture: ƒ/25
  • Exposure time: 1/6s
  • ISO: 100
  • Focal Length: 102mm

The original photograph has the following dimensions: 5184 by 2160 pixels (WxH).

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The mysterious Skelton coast desert at sunrise is truly a spectacular sight to witness. The ascending sun instantly warms the cold nights of the desert. The colors it brings along with it are vivid against the barren wasteland of sand.

Many of the locals suggest exploring the Skeleton Coast by a tented mobile safari. A safari will give you a real sense of this arid place. You can drive along the shoreline from Swakopmund to Torra Bay or Terrace Bay and then onwards to the Kunene River. This river acts as the boundary between Namibia and Angola. It is also definitely worth it to wake up early and enjoy the desert at sunrise.

What You Find At The Skeleton Coast

The Skeleton Coast is absent of anything human-made. Except for the odd fishing camp, shipwreck wedged in the sand or the single stone cross. That is the place where Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão stepped ashore in 1486. Shipwrecks scatter the shoreline. However, some skeletons we have discovered in the actual desert. These skeletons belonged to the surviving sailors. The survivors did not escape the dry environment that they thought was their savior. Quite an emotional rollercoaster if you ask me!

Not only is it incredible to witness the Skelton coast desert at sunrise, when the fog rolls in. There are also other interesting sights to behold. These include the before-mentioned shipwrecks, wildlife, enormous dunes, Himba villages further inland, and abandoned diamond mines.

Please visit our landscape photographs portfolio or explore more desert photographs.

If you’re interested, then have a look into these unfortunate tales of the famous shipwrecks along the Skeleton Coast. Our landscapes photo prints you can buy on different photo print materials.

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1 comment for Desert At Sunrise – Namibian Coast

  1. Clare

    Beautiful array of stunning colours!

    • Anette Mossbacher

      Thanks a lot Clare 😉

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