The Rock Bridge – The Spitzkoppe
The stars are bright and close in the Namibian winter skies – especially in the Namib Desert.
(Light Painting by Ben McRae : Photo and Lightroom editing by myself.)
After being tipped onto the tarmac at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, Namibia, one night last month, the first thing I noticed – after the cold, mind you; it was still mid-winter in the Southern Hemisphere – was the sky.
The sky was black, with very little ambient light. And it was full of stars: stars so close you could reach out and touch them.
It is no surprise, then, that the attraction for many tourists to Namibia is its night sky. Away from the young country’s small cities, there is very little light pollution. And, far out in the rural villages and National Parks, there is practically none.
A few days into my Namibian adventure, I was camped out under the stars at the Spitzkoppe Campsite in the Namib Desert, some 100+ kilometres inland from the barren, sandy, Atlantic Coast. The Spitzkoppe (German for “pointed dome”) is a group of granite boulders rising dramatically out of the flat desert surrounds. Over 700 million years old, these rocky outcrops rise to as much as 1,784 metres (5,853 ft) above sea level, and are popular with rock climbers and star-gazers. I was there with Photographer Ben McRae, Pedro Ferrão Patrício from Photoburst, Namibian guide Morne Griffiths and four other photography enthusiasts. We were preparing to create some star trails and to do some light painting.
This was my first real attempt at star photography and my results (as you will see below) were mixed, but it was a wonderful (if cold) experience.
Bornhardt Rising
As we drive across the Namib Desert, a granite bornhardt – a dome-shaped, steep-sided, bald-rock outcropping – comes into view. (iPhone6)
Community?
The Spitzkoppe brings a whole new meaning to the idea of “the middle of nowhere”. But, because tourists visit, a small, rough, settlement has grown up. (iPhone 6)
Spitzkoppe Campsite
The campsites are a patch of flat ground with parking …
Loo with a View
… and a dry toilet enclosure. The cubicle has no door, so I made use of my sarong for privacy. (iPhone 6)
Cape Glossy Starling
A Cape Starling (Lamprotornis nitens) hangs around, hoping for lunch scraps.
Afternoon Walk
After a late lunch, the group sets out to explore the terrain.
Puppies or Rabbits Kissing?
Some of the rock formations take on the shapes of animals. (iPhone 6)
Lone Tree
Trees and shrubs cling precariously to life in the dry and austere environment.
The Bridge
The Rock Bridge is probably one of the best-known formations.
The Bridge
People climb all over it in the afternoon light, giving the structure a sense of scale.
Afternoon Shadows
From the top, you get a good view of the surrounding desert.
Last Sun over Spitzkoppe
As the sun lowers in the sky, …
Set-Up
… we pick spots for our tripods and set up the cameras. (iPhone 6)
Lone Tree
We are ready for some long exposures on the night sky and light-painting on the rocks …
(Light Painting by Pedro Ferrão Patrício; Photo and Photoshop editing by myself.)
Star Trails on the Bridge
… and an attempt at star trails.
(143 x 30-sec exposures, compiled with StarStaX)
The stars were, indeed, glorious – and the photos don’t really do them justice. After a few attempts, I retreated to my tent to try to warm up (did I mention, it was cold?) and to prepare myself for a sunrise shoot on the ancient boulders.
‘Till next time !
~ Ursula
Pictures: 13August2015
Hi Ursula,
Very well done. Love the humor.
Ruti
Thanks, Ruti! Nice to have your visit. 😀
a journey through Namibia super. Ursula I wish jou a very nice time.
Greetings Dietmut
Thanks, Dietmut. It was wonderful!
[…] is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, which makes for clear skies, cold nights, and – even in winter – searing-hot […]
[…] Coast, we turned back into the desert, this time to the northerly part, with its clear skies (see: A Sky Full of Stars) and dramatic rocky outcrops (see: Morning over Spitzkoppe), leaving the ocean and the sand dunes […]