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hougaard — The Dune Sea

Published: 2011-11-03 19:33:56 +0000 UTC; Views: 5495; Favourites: 271; Downloads: 0
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Of the whole Sossusvlei experience, it's the scale of these dunes that impressed me the most. Something in the human psyche just refuses to accept that sand can be as massive as these dunes are. What me and my friend judged to be a 15 minute walk and maybe a 45-60 minute climb, turned out to be a 45 minute walk and a three hour climb. Doing that in 40+ degree heat is far from pleasant and just when you think you're almost there, the dunes give you a final blow. The last 5% to the crest is soft sand and at a very exhausting incline. For every 10 steps you take, you slide 9 back down...so you try and crawl up, but your hands start burning after 2 seconds in the sand. That last 5% took more mental endurance than the first 95%, but the view from the top was worth it...as you can see. We were hoping the storm front would come closer so we could get lightning strikes over the dunes as there had been the previous night, but it was not to be...



This is one of the highest dunes in the Sossuvlei dune sea and we didn't go the highest part of the spine in our 3 hour climb. The record for the quickest ascent of the highest dune is 45 minutes...

Tsaucheb Valley Dunes, Namib Naukluft Park, Namibia

5D II
24-70mm
B+W kaesemann circular polarizer
Lee soft grad

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Comments: 29

SilksbySahariah [2012-01-24 14:59:23 +0000 UTC]

LOVE deserts!!!! Wowww!!

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alban-expressed [2011-12-07 23:08:04 +0000 UTC]

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tieflingwizard [2011-12-01 19:26:20 +0000 UTC]

And to think, somewhere out there, Drake is wondering around, dying, looking for the *puts on dramatic movie trailer voice* ATLANTIS OF THE DESERT!!

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AndyMumford [2011-11-20 16:36:35 +0000 UTC]

Wonderful shot, and great description

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hougaard In reply to AndyMumford [2011-11-23 08:37:01 +0000 UTC]

Thanks Andy

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Xpec1 [2011-11-08 19:43:59 +0000 UTC]

Looks familiar! Good Shot!

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hougaard In reply to Xpec1 [2011-11-08 20:29:00 +0000 UTC]

thank you very much

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psyfre [2011-11-07 11:54:43 +0000 UTC]

Impressive detail. Really like the shadow.

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hougaard In reply to psyfre [2011-11-08 20:29:01 +0000 UTC]

thank you very much Ed

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ChocoCherry1 [2011-11-05 06:30:22 +0000 UTC]

Such gorgeous shadows!

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hougaard In reply to ChocoCherry1 [2011-11-08 20:29:03 +0000 UTC]

thank you very much

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JakeSpain [2011-11-04 14:23:13 +0000 UTC]

Superb Mate.

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hougaard In reply to JakeSpain [2011-11-08 20:29:03 +0000 UTC]

Thanks Jake!

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snaphappy101 [2011-11-04 14:00:41 +0000 UTC]

amazing pic.

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hougaard In reply to snaphappy101 [2011-11-08 20:29:09 +0000 UTC]

thank you very much

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snaphappy101 In reply to hougaard [2011-11-09 15:01:38 +0000 UTC]

ur welcome

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Romylyn [2011-11-04 04:01:49 +0000 UTC]

Wooow <3

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hougaard In reply to Romylyn [2011-11-08 20:29:05 +0000 UTC]

thank you very much

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MeFlyingFree [2011-11-04 01:11:30 +0000 UTC]

Great shot! The clouds look almost like an extension of the terrain.

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hougaard In reply to MeFlyingFree [2011-11-08 20:30:02 +0000 UTC]

thank you very much

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MeFlyingFree In reply to hougaard [2011-11-08 23:27:54 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome!

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1st-Recon-Lylith [2011-11-03 23:36:43 +0000 UTC]

So Gorgeous.

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hougaard In reply to 1st-Recon-Lylith [2011-11-08 20:30:01 +0000 UTC]

thank you very much

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aFeinPhoto-com [2011-11-03 21:29:51 +0000 UTC]

Wow, what a spot. 40+ heat!? holy hell that's terrible! Look forward to seeing more

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hougaard In reply to aFeinPhoto-com [2011-11-08 20:30:00 +0000 UTC]

Thanks Aaron! Yip it was hot dan a mothafucka! I drank 4 litres of water on the climb and none of it came out below!

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Xxephan [2011-11-03 20:54:21 +0000 UTC]

Oh my god I want to be there

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Cpt-Oviaas [2011-11-03 20:10:14 +0000 UTC]

Too awesome brilliant shot

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hougaard In reply to Cpt-Oviaas [2011-11-08 20:30:14 +0000 UTC]

thank you very much

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Cpt-Oviaas In reply to hougaard [2011-11-09 08:22:19 +0000 UTC]

pleasure

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