Swakopmund (pix to follow)

Background
Swakopmund was founded two years later than Windhoek, in 1892, as the main harbour of German South West Africa. Increased traffic between Germany and its colony necessitated establishing of own port as Walvis Bay, located 33 kilometres south, was already in British possession. The choice fell on Swakopmund where water could be.
The original Nama name for the Swakop river was 'Tsoakhaub' ('excrement opening'); a description of the waters when floods carrying masses of mud, sand, pieces of vegetation and animal corpses came down to the sea. The Nama name was changed to ''Swachaub'' and with proclamation of Swakopmund as independent district in 1896 the present way of writing came into use (‘mund’ meaning ‘mouth’ as in the mouth of the river).

Some historical dates.
1892. First building (army barracks) erected in Swakopmund
1894. 19 inhabitants.
1897. First post office in town.
1899. Introduction of cable telegraph service.
1901. Telephone service established with 40 subscribers.
1903. First wooden pavements.
1905. 1 433 inhabitants.
1911. Shipping connection with New York.
1914. Shelling of the harbour by British naval cruisers.
1915. Occupation by SA troops.
1926. Railway bridge opened over the mouth of Swakop river.
1930. First guano platform constructed.
1959. Opening of salt road to Walvis Bay.
1960. 4 701 inhabitants.
1967. Tar road from Windhoek reached Swakopmund.
1970. Tar road to Walvis Bay opened.
1973. First 3 traffic lights.
2006. 31 425 inhabitants.

I am reading the biography of Nakambale (see earlier posting). It took him and his family 2,5 months to travel from Ondangwa to Walvis Bay (33 km south of Swakop) by ox wagon (in order to have some R&R by the sea). In the process they nearly died of thirst at one point, had to say farewell to their oldest surviving child (only 3 out of 9 made it to maturity) as he was sent by sea back to Finland from Walvis for schooling, and his wife bore (and lost) a premature baby girl. How easy we have it today. We are (gratefully) able to build on the foundations of these pioneers, with Christ as the cornerstone.
Being in Swakop overwhelms my senses. It is the first big town with lots of shops I have been in since leaving Windhoek last March. I even found a BOOK shop! I have enjoyed speaking German (SO many folk here speak it as their first language). Prices are a bit higher here. But the choice is overwhelming!
We went to see the museum-piece steam engine. It was brought here to carry folk between Swakop and Windhoek … but broke down on its maiden voyage, never to go again. It was thence nicknamed ‘Martin Luther’ (“Here I stand”.)
The children LOVE the beach. Apart from the odd seal carcase to avoid, there are some sheltered spots with break-waters from the wild waves of the Atlantic. The weather is rather cool for me (hence ideal for David) here. Each morning mist rolls in from the sea.
We have had one visit to the dunes but did not get far as we became bogged in the sand. Next stop: Dune 7 down at Walvis!! …
Dune 7 was HIGH! It is exhausting climbing in (almost vertical) sand because your feet slide down each step you take, so you end up taking far more steps than would be necessary on firm ground. Étienne, of course, zoomed to the top, dashed around, ran down (great fun on such a slope) and rushed up for another go. We took the children quadding on the dunes. As we had the children we did not really go over more than a few mild humps but they enjoyed it tremendously.
The afternoon was spent on the beach looking in rock pools and collecting mussels for dinner. Caris, especially, enjoyed the marine life.
We are relived to hear that the longed-for rain has since started to fall in the North so people can sow their crops. It is a month late and we hope it continues as long as necessary.