John Dera
" Where the desert meets the sea, the northern Namib desert."
The Namib Desert
The Namib sand dunes are dynamic; that is, they are constantly shifting with the wind. The breeze displaces sand from the crest, sending it down the slipface hence perpetuating the continually changing shapes and contours.
The various shapes of dunes are results of different wind patterns and there are several different types.
* Traverse dunes are long and linear with the crest perpendicular to the prevailing winds,such as the dunes at Walvis Bay.
* In the area around Sossususvlei parabolic dunes prevail,a result of variable wind patterns. Being the most stable they are also the most vegetated.
* Star dunes have multiple ridges, their eponymous form created by the forces of multi-directional winds.
* Lastly there are barchan dunes which are formed by unidirectional winds and are the most mobile of all the dunes. These can be found in the southern part of the Skeleton Coast Park, and fitting to the sometimes sinister characterization of this bit of coastline.
" Where the desert meets the sea, the northern Namib desert."
The Namib Desert
The Namib sand dunes are dynamic; that is, they are constantly shifting with the wind. The breeze displaces sand from the crest, sending it down the slipface hence perpetuating the continually changing shapes and contours.
The various shapes of dunes are results of different wind patterns and there are several different types.
* Traverse dunes are long and linear with the crest perpendicular to the prevailing winds,such as the dunes at Walvis Bay.
* In the area around Sossususvlei parabolic dunes prevail,a result of variable wind patterns. Being the most stable they are also the most vegetated.
* Star dunes have multiple ridges, their eponymous form created by the forces of multi-directional winds.
* Lastly there are barchan dunes which are formed by unidirectional winds and are the most mobile of all the dunes. These can be found in the southern part of the Skeleton Coast Park, and fitting to the sometimes sinister characterization of this bit of coastline.