The hostile but impressive Skeleton coast has to offer some splendid sand dunes. In that fine art B&W photograph, the sand dunes of the Skeleton coast appear white and greyish. The areal view shows a massive dune in a form like a giant wave followed by several smaller white sand dunes as waves.
The Skeleton Coast is a long coastal stretch of about 500 km / 310 mi in length. It is also 40 km /25 mi wide as it goes inland. That is a fascinating place. However, it is also unforgiving and unsympathetic. There is the unpredictable Benguela Current of the Atlantic Ocean that conflicts with the dune and desert landscape of north-western Namibia.
The name Skeleton Coast came from the fact that many whales washed up along the shore. Their skeletons and bones can be seen all along the beach. The Ovahimba people, who are settling in the far north-eastern parts of Namibia, used the whale bones for building their huts. As well as many shipwrecks we can see along the coast. The seas around this coast are rough, frigid, and bring along unpredictable storms and fog. As a result, it is giving an eery, cold quality to the environment. Hence the name ‘Skeleton Coast.’ Quite fitting. The shipwrecks came along with sailors. If any sailors were to have survived and made it to shore, they would have died of thirst on land. That due to the desert terrain and inhospitable nature.
Explore more black and white photography if you enjoy the ‘Skeleton Coast Sand Dune Shape’. You can license it and buy a fine art print online.
Stefan S. –
So beautiful dunes.
Anette Mossbacher –
The vastness of the sand dunes. The Skeleton Coast in Namibia is breathtaking, not only at sunrise or sunset!
Thanks so much, Stefan.
Ciao Anette