Marine Splendor alongside Desert Shores

Namibia is the densely populated nation on the African continent, and today we had the opportunity to go ashore in the port of Walvis Bay.

Walvis Bay, which means "bay of whale fish" in Afrikaans, didn't showcase any whales during our visit. However, we were fortunate to witness some incredible marine splendor in the waters of the desert shores in this part of the African continent.

Our adventure began as we ventured out into the Walvis Bay Lagoon, where we experienced the natural wonders of Namibia firsthand. One of the highlights was the friendly and inquisitive seals, with one even boarding our boat to mingle and enjoy some tasty fish snacks and spend a little one-on-one time with Jeff.

We journeyed about 5 miles to Pelican Point, a sandy peninsula that is home to a large seal colony estimated to have between 60,000 and 80,000 individuals.

Much to our amazement, several dolphins swam right alongside our catamaran, providing us with a delightful display of their grace and agility.

We were thrilled to observe some of dolphins slap their tails on the water's surface creating quite a splash around us. Primarily, tail slapping serves as a form of communication, allowing dolphins to convey messages, such as alerting others to potential threats (which might have been us!) or signaling their location to the pod. Additionally, dolphins may use tail slapping to stun or disorient prey, making it easier for them to catch their next meal.

Throughout our excursion, we also admired various bird species, including a curious pelican nicknamed "Air Force One" as it approached our boat. The captain of our vessel had nicknamed the bird Lady Gaga. The pelican's most striking feature was its enormous beak which was long, broad, and flattened. The beak was a colorful pale yellow or horn-colored, with a slight pinkish hue towards the base. Upon his arrival on our boat, it first peer through the upper window, before deciding to visit us "down below" and then proceeded to prepare for take-off after sufficiently solving its curiosity about the jovial visitors.

There was also a cut seagull who frequently returned, just to check up on us, or to try to determine why we were here ...

Before leaving the area, we were treated to a flock of Flamingos found at Pelican Point. These iconic pink birds gather to feed on algae and small invertebrates in the shallow coastal waters.

To add to the enjoyment of our adventure, we indulged in freshly shucked oysters, a sip of Old Brown Sherry (we were told after two you might see elephants off in the distance), as well as sparkling wine, all accompanied by an assortment of delectable snacks.

Our visit to Walvis Bay was an unforgettable experience, highlighting the stunning natural beauty and diverse wildlife that Namibia has to offer while at the same time enjoying lots of laughs with our fellow world cruisers.