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3.5 amazing hours, Namib Desert (#7 in series)

 

 

 

The featured image looks north/ish from Kulala Desert Lodge to the nearest dune on the edge of the Namib Desert’s “sand sea”.

The sand sea’s most easily accessed portion is in this area, which includes Sossusvlei.

As you can see, the dunes are not “lifeless”; as well as being huge and exquisitely formed, their core structure is very much more stable than most people imagine.

The above photo was taken at 7.09 pm on 21 November 2022, 18 minutes before sunset.

Two hours earlier, when looking from the same vantage point, this dune was invisible.

The next photo was taken ten minutes later, looking northwest.

 

 

From circa 40 ks east of Sossusvlei, looking at edge of Namib “sand sea”, 7.19 pm, 21 November 2022. All photos copyright Doug Spencer.

 

 

Moisture-shedding clouds had not yet disappeared from our field of view, but – just 8 minutes before it would set on this day in the Sossusvlei region – the sun was about to break through.

I turned around, just as direct sunlight began to advance, then suddenly – briefly – bathed almost the entire landscape.

 

 

 

7.20 pm, 21 November 2022, Namib Desert, circa 40:ks east of Sossusvlei. Previous image looked north/ish, this one looks south/ish. All photos copyright Doug Spencer.

 

 

 

 

7.20 pm, 21 November 2022, Namib Desert, circa 40 ks east of Sossusvlei. 7 minutes before it sets, the sun breaks through! All photos copyright Doug Spencer.

 

 

 

The next seven minutes provided this astonishing day’s most sublime moments…

 

Published in Americas and Eurasia and Africa nature and travel photographs