Namibian Dolphin Project

Last year I was trying to figure out why one of our early hydrophone deployments was shoing a 'on land' and went to google earth to check out the history of the Pelican Point from the freely available satellite imagery. I made a few quickmaps and shared them with the local guiding group and Damien from Ocean Conservation Namibia has now built that into a nice article int he Namib Times . what was missing from that online version of the article i saw was a scale but also the imagery of the lighthouse area --

Pelican point has 'grown' by about 500m since ~2010 and the slender central part is very much at risk of breaking through. The port had to move the bell buoy if i'm not mistaken (it use to be 1nm off the tip of the point), and the lighthouse is getting very close to the ocean. But it's largely natural - if you want to see what these bays evolve into it look at Sandwich Harbour -nearly closed off nearly with a moving mouth area, and Baie Dos Tigres in southern Angola where the peninsula has broken through.

See next post for some further comment

Sands of Change at Pelican Point

Walvis Bay's iconic Pelican Point Peninsula is much more than just a sandy stretch of land. This natural sand spit acts as a crucial shield, protecting the busy international port from the powerful swells of the South Atlantic Ocean and creating the calm waters needed for trade along the coast. But beyond its economic importance, Pelican Point is a vital haven for wildlife, home each year to up to 100 000 Cape fur seals and thousands of seabirds including terns, cormorants, and flamingos.

According to Damian Schreiber, Marine Conservation Communications and Field Officer for Ocean Conservation Namibia, the peninsula is a living landscape, constantly shaped by nature's forces. The Benguela Current and strong south-westerly winds carry sand and sediment from the Orange River mouth and southern Namibian coast, depositing it at Pelican Point where it is trapped and reshaped by local winds, currents, and ocean swells.

“Satellite images from 2008 to 2025 reveal the peninsula's remarkable transformation over 17 years. The western side, near Pelican Point Lodge, has eroded by roughly 185 metres, about 11 metres per year, while the northern tip has extended some 474 metres to the northeast, growing about 28 metres annually”, Schreiber told the Namib Times and continued, “this dynamic growth has not been without challenges. The Pelican Point lighthouse, built in 1932 at the tip of the spit, gradually lost its position as the land shifted. Before satellite navigation was widely used, this caused confusion for ships and resulted in at least 15 vessels running aground, mostly fishing trawlers. The peninsula is expected to continue stretching northeast toward the mainland. In several hundred years, this could potentially close off Walvis Bay from the open ocean - a scenario with serious implications for both the port and local marine eco-systems.”

According to Schreiber, more immediately, the peninsula may break apart into one or two islands as narrow sections become increasingly flooded by large ocean swells. This natural fragmentation could create new island habitats, offering seabirds safe breeding grounds free from land predators. Pelican Point is a vivid example of Namibia's natural heritage in action, a place where shifting sands support not only economic lifelines but also vital ecosystems that nurture wildlife and balance the coastal environment.

By Eileen van der Schyff

they sing off Namibia too!

Humpback whale song - False Bay, South Africa This recording was made on a bottom mounted hydrophone (Soundtrap 400) moored nears Simons' Town, in False Bay south of Cape Town.Humpback whales can be fou...

Amazing seeing how rapidly the whale numbers have been recovering over the last few years. We've always had records of summer whales which were "likely feeding".. but in the last few years we've had this striking increase in groups of whales foraging close to shore. And in contrast to South Africa where they are mainly feeding on krill.. in Namibia we are mainly seeing them eating small pelagic fish (sardine etc). Great post guys