THE BEAUTY OF A BARREN LAND

The Namib desert is one of driest lands on planet earth. It receives an average of 11mm rains annually! Compare that with Blantyre (in Malawi) 1500mm, Johannesburg (in RSA) 700mm and Mawsynram (in India) 11, 872mm! Over a million years of geological activities has created sand dunes that baffle the imagination. The Namib has some of the highest sand dunes in the world with a number of them going over 300m in hieght.  These majestic and expansive dunes have created a unique landscape that really takes the breath away from any first time visitor.

The Sand Dunes of the Namib Desert rising to touch the clouds

The dunes of the desert rise from the Atlantic oceans on one edge. The meeting point of the ocean and the desert is so breath taking a view. The rising sand mountain always makes one ask why the sand is not collapsing into the ocean? But the sand mountain defies that logical questions and stands majestically like a model on a Milan fashion show! Geologists and geotechnical engineers have spent years trying to explain this  very point! 

The Namib desert meets the Atlantic Ocean

The one prevailing feature of the Namib is the angular position of the dunes. Everywhere one looks at the dunes one gets an impression of movement of the dunes. This scenario is given by the distinct waves that form on top (of the dunes). This impression is not very far from the truth; geologist say that the dunes are constantly in motion as are they under the effect of a constant ‘push’. The winds blowing over the Atlantic Ocean are so strong and they are constantly pushing the sand inland. The waves on top of the dunes point in the prevailing direction of the winds.

The dunes with waves on top

Overtime the dominance of winds in a specific direction leads to the waves growing into dunes. Year upon year more sand will be piled up on top of the older sand. The continued piling of the sand creates dunes with sands that are densely compacted on the windward side  and loosely placed on the leeward side of the dunes.

 Top view of Dunne 5 

General View of a Namib desert landscape

BEAUTY OF EARTH’S ROTATION

Physicists have proven beyond reasonable doubt that the earth rotates around the sun. In a 24 hour period a point on earth would have done a 360⁰ spin that would take it closest and farthest from the sun. This seemingly innocuous movement has a far reaching effect on the appearance of our sky that is sometime taken for granted. When a point is closest to the sun a maximum amount of sun radiation reaches it this is what is normally called mid-day. At mid-day  the strength of the sun radiation is so strong that almost the entire light spectrum reaches earth. Due to this the mid-day sun appears close to white.

On the other hand when a point is moving far away from the sun the amount of radiation reduces to a point when there is so minimal radiation and night fall comes. Just prior to night fall a phenomenal exhibition of the earth’s beauty is displayed; normally called the sunset. As a point moves further and further away from the sun the amount of energy it receives reduces leading to some light waves not reaching the point. Just before the sun disappears the energy that reaches a point is mostly concentrated in the color red of the light spectrum hence the display of red colors experienced when the sun sets! From wherever the sun is looked at Sun set is a phenomenal view to behold! The images that follow do show how the sun set was seen from different places.

A sunset observed in Serowe lights up the horizon with fiery colors. One would be forgiven for thinking that forest fires have been lit in the heaven! The contrast between the setting sun and the clouds sets up a scene worthy beholding. 

As the sun sets in the west the reflective effects were observed on the southern side of Serowe; again the available light clouds ensured that the spectacle is easily appreciated as seen in the picture below.

On the Atlantic coast of Walvis Bay (in Namibia) the sunsets as a ship awaits to get into the habour is seen in the picture below. The horizon is empty of any clouds but still the colors of the setting sun are still very vivid.

Driving along the M1 in Malawi, between Lilongwe and Kasungu, a sunset was captured that completely changed the colors of the sky.

Even in built up areas of an urban setting a setting sun still presents something worthy look at. In the picture below the sunset was caught at service station having set the sky alight.

A sunset seen in a residential area with the sun- rays projecting out of the clouds sets out yet another stunning view. The projecting light rays do make this view even more worthy taking a moment to appreciate the view presented.

On a highway in Gaborone the sun set is seen towards the residential area of Mogoditsane. As the sun sets behind the little hill in Mogoditshane the flimsy clouds are set alight in red colors.

From whatever view point a setting sun is looked at it does present a spectacular view which need appreciating.