October 22: Sandwich Harbour

It was certainly a memorable day as we embarked early on our Sandwich Harbour tour.  We were picked up promptly at 7:00 am by our trusty guide Japie who was accompanied by his 9 year old son.

Our first stop was right down the street to see more flamingos — they were definitely closer than yesterday but not as many.  After a few quick pictures, we were back in the 4x4 vehicle and headed toward the pink river, which you guessed it, was pink. The river was also super salty which explains its proximity to the salt mine.

Next, we drove on the beach close to the shoreline where we observed a ton of seals both living and dead.  Our guide explained that the food chain had been interrupted by humans who routinely kill sharks and whales leaving the seals with less predators.  This human act leaves more seals than food to feed them and thus, results in many lifeless creatures on the beach.

The highlights of the tour were left for last as we entered Sandwich Harbour.  It was incredible to see the high desert dunes meet the cool Atlantic Ocean. At one point, we were sandwiched (pun intended) between the dunes and the ocean. After driving along the coast we entered the dunes of the desert and were treated by an exhilarating ride and spectacular views from two vantage points.  The first one provided spectacular views of the lagoon while the second showed the coastline touching the desert.  The desert ride was worth the price of admission as we experienced the thrills of a roller coaster ride on sand.  All and all it was another memorable day on our incredible adventure.