Where Is Sandwich Harbour In Namibia?

Sandwich Harbour lies between the high coastal dunes and the Atlantic, about 40 kilometres south of Walvis Bay. Although referred to as a harbour, it is, in fact, a narrow fresh water lagoon whose waters are believed to spring from a subterranean flow of the Kuiseb River.

Sandwich Harbour is a sanctuary for a wide variety of birdlife, from the maccoa duck, to the teal, grebe, avocet and tern. Mixed in among them are pelicans and flamingos that appear from over the high desert sand dunes to feed and rest in the reed fringed waters. Sandwich Harbour is also a magnet for other wildlife, including gemsbok, jackals and brown hyena, wishing to partake of its fresh water reserves.

The lagoon was once much bigger than it is today. The vestiges are revealed by the narrow sand bas, once connected, that form the natural harbour. The shrinkage is continuing; the once wide beach is fast receding as the desert dunes advance seaward, swallowing up the lagoon as they go.