Skeleton coast namibia africa
The population of seals noted above may be found in the Cape Fria area. The northern region of the park features the ephemeral Hoarusib River, the salt pans of the Agate Mountains, and Cape Fria. The northern area is also well-known for its large population of seals.
The higher dunes are located in the northern part of the park. Gravel plains are found in areas of the southern part of the park. The majority of the coastline is soft sand with periodic rocky outcrops. Ships often became stranded because they could reach the shore, but the conditions would not allow a ship to launch back out to sea. The shoreline features a consistent heavy surf. Visitors must take advantage of one of the fly-in tours. Vehicles are prohibited from accessing the northern region of the park.
Any vehicle that approaches the north will be greeted by a skull-and-crossbones sign deterring any further advancement. The southern region is where the majority of activity occurs where four-wheel-drive vehicles are permitted to travel about the park and explore the region. The national park is separated into two distinct regions. Locals often ascribe this saying about the park, “The Land God Made in Anger.” The name was actually derived from the skeletons of whales and seals scattered across the shoreline from the whaling industry. There are over 1,000 remains of wrecked shipping vessels scattered along the coast. The remoteness, inaccessibility, and collection of ruins from wrecked ships make the name apropos for the park. This coastal region is one of the most inaccessible shores and shipwrecks are scattered across the area. The park covers an area of 6,504 square miles (16,845 sq km). Skeleton Coast National Park is located along the shoreline of northwest Namibia.