Flamingos, both greater and lesser, gather here in their thousands, along with pelicans, terns and waders, and the pink line of birds against the grey water is a sight that makes even a hurried rider slow down. The Benguela current, cold and rich, brings fish and fog, and the town is often wrapped in mist while the desert behind is sunny.
For many years the port was a South African enclave inside Namibian territory, and it was handed over only in March 1994, after independence. Today it is Namibia's main harbour, with cranes, salt works, fish factories and a pleasant waterfront. Swakopmund, a German-flavoured resort town, lies thirty kilometres north along a road that runs between sea and dunes, and Dune 7, a huge golden dune, is a short ride away. Pelican Point, a long sandspit across the bay, is home to a colony of seals.
The Gamsberg Pass route heads inland from here, and it is a very different kind of riding. The roads go east into the desert, through the gravel plains and the deep canyon of the Kuiseb river, and up onto the Khomas Hochland, the high plateau, passing the Gamsberg, a flat-topped mountain of about 2,350 metres. Much of the road is gravel, with corrugations, sand patches and loose stones, and it demands lower tyre pressures, steady speed and respect. Rain is rare, but when it falls, dry riverbeds can flood suddenly. Temperatures swing from cool mornings to hot afternoons, and the sky at night is brilliant.
Fuel is available in Walvis Bay, which has several stations, and it is essential to fill up completely and carry extra, since stations inland are far apart and may be closed. Carry water, spare tubes and a tyre pump, and tell someone your route. Oysters from the lagoon, grilled fish and German-style pastries are good in the town.
Watch the flamingos for ten minutes before you go. The calm of the lagoon is a good start for a long, hard road.