Shipwreck Zeila, Henties Bay, Namibia
The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean coast of Namibia and south of Angola from the Kunene River south to the Swakop River, although the name is sometimes used to describe the entire Namib Desert coast. The Bushmen of the Namibian interior called the region "The Land God Made in Anger", while Portuguese sailors once referred to it as "The Gates of Hell”.
It is one of the most treacherous coastlines in the world due to strong crosscurrents, heavy swells and dense fogs caused by the ice-cold fast-flowing Benguela Current. Rocky reefs and sand dunes that stretch into the sea spell disaster for any vessel that get caught up in the gale-force winds and all-enveloping sea fogs, reducing visibility to virtually nil.
The fishing trawler “Zeila” is one of the many shipwrecks populating the Skeleton Coast. It was sold as scrap metal to an Indian company by Hangana Fishing of Walvis Bay and it got stranded after it came loose from its towing line while on its way to Mumbay. On board were two Indian crew members, who spent a night of hell at sea as the dilapidated ship was tossed into the darkness and left to drift at the mercy of the swirling seas.
Stripped to its shell, the ship offered the men no comfort nor any hope of survival, with their rescue equipment consisting only of a hand held walkie talkie and a life jacket.
At break of dawn the ship went aground and the two men were rescued by a group of fishermen standing on the beach.
Interested in a photo tour through the American Southwest, Brazil, Bolivia, Namibia or Tuscany? I can help you with it and make you come back with unique shots.
_______________________________
Image is under Copyright by Peter Boehringer.
Contact me by email if you want to buy or use my photographs.
_______________________________
Shipwreck Zeila, Henties Bay, Namibia
The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean coast of Namibia and south of Angola from the Kunene River south to the Swakop River, although the name is sometimes used to describe the entire Namib Desert coast. The Bushmen of the Namibian interior called the region "The Land God Made in Anger", while Portuguese sailors once referred to it as "The Gates of Hell”.
It is one of the most treacherous coastlines in the world due to strong crosscurrents, heavy swells and dense fogs caused by the ice-cold fast-flowing Benguela Current. Rocky reefs and sand dunes that stretch into the sea spell disaster for any vessel that get caught up in the gale-force winds and all-enveloping sea fogs, reducing visibility to virtually nil.
The fishing trawler “Zeila” is one of the many shipwrecks populating the Skeleton Coast. It was sold as scrap metal to an Indian company by Hangana Fishing of Walvis Bay and it got stranded after it came loose from its towing line while on its way to Mumbay. On board were two Indian crew members, who spent a night of hell at sea as the dilapidated ship was tossed into the darkness and left to drift at the mercy of the swirling seas.
Stripped to its shell, the ship offered the men no comfort nor any hope of survival, with their rescue equipment consisting only of a hand held walkie talkie and a life jacket.
At break of dawn the ship went aground and the two men were rescued by a group of fishermen standing on the beach.
Interested in a photo tour through the American Southwest, Brazil, Bolivia, Namibia or Tuscany? I can help you with it and make you come back with unique shots.
_______________________________
Image is under Copyright by Peter Boehringer.
Contact me by email if you want to buy or use my photographs.
_______________________________