The previous post described our experiences in the Tiras Mountains and in NamibRand Reserve. Now it’s time to move on to Gobabeb Research Centre and Bullsport Ranch.
Fairy Circles
Before we leave NamibRand, though, it is worth pausing to show some fairy circles.
People are fascinated by these roughly circular patches of bare ground scattered among the grasslands.
There are many theories about the origin of these circles, including toxic chemicals left by long dead plants, termite activity, or utilization of scarce resources such as water. Compelling arguments are made by smart people regarding which theory is correct, but all of them seem to have their strengths and weaknesses.
Gobabeb Namib Research Institute
It was a long drive from NamibRand to Gobabeb, punctuated by a stop for gas and apple pie at Solitaire. We were happy to finish the long drive across desolate gravel and arrive at the station.
The Gobabeb Namib Research Institute is not a major destination for tourists, but I had read a number of papers resulting from research there. It seemed worth a visit if we had traveled all the way to Namibia. We were not sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a highlight of the trip.
Gobabeb is where the dunes stop their journey north. In the satellite view at left, Joanna is shown on a green line (the Kuiseb River) that divides the massive sea of sand in the south from the gravel desert to the north. The photo above shows the red sand stopping at the southern bank of the river.
Located where the Kuiseb divides the barren granite gravel from the red dunes, the station is perfectly situated to study the interactions of these ecosystems, . As long as the river continues to flow from time to time, the sand will not advance past the dividing line.
Our first night started with a hearty dinner at the cafeteria, followed by a night walk with one of the scientists.
The walk was reminiscent of a night SCUBA dive, in that we got to see organisms that stayed hidden during the day. I had brought a ultraviolet flashlight for finding scorpions, and was not disappointed. Bark scorpions prefer to hide in the deep, craggy bark of the acacias, and were easily spotted by their green glow under UV.
We also found a little sand gecko, who was not particularly shy, and a dancing white lady spider out hunting.
It was particularly fun to see the spider, because our guide in NamibRand had shown us the lair of one of them. They weave a silken lid over their burrows, which gets coated with sand to make it almost invisible.
We took a tour the next morning with a different scientist, who took us to the river and the dunes to describe the plants and daytime wildlife. Despite the extremely dry conditions (less than 1/4″ per year), life carries on.
The nightjar nesting in the sand and gravel above the river was a treat. Scientists had set up a trail camera next to the nest, so we knew where it was, but it was still hard to spot the bird among the rocks.
After the field trip, our guide took us on a tour of the station. We learned about its history, and that it was originally established to study the diverse Tenebrionid beetles that are found there. Because of the dry climate and remote location, the focus of the research has shifted to monitoring the effects of climate change and developing tools to monitor climate remotely via satellite.
The station houses a trove of original data, along with a massive collection of beetle specimens from decades of research. Maybe I can return one day for a deep dive into the collections.
In the afternoon, we treated ourselves to a hike up the dunes.
It was not easy to climb the soft sand, but it helped to follow the ridgelines. At more famous dunes farther south, we would have had to join a large tour to climb the dunes. Here, we could just walk right up and enjoy them at our own speed.
The wind was strong at the top, and the constant movement of sand illustrated how dunes can be so big yet so ephemeral.
Before we left the next morning, Joanna shot a nice video showing the station and surrounding region. It’s worth a look.
Bullsport
After 15 years, we returned to Bullsport (or Buellsport). It is a cattle and horse ranch that also serves as a guest ranch. The rooms are comfortable, the food is good, and there are some excellent hiking trails.
The secenery between Gobabeb and Bullsport is also worth the drive. The road travels through some fascinating folded slate mountains and two beautiful gorges.
We took a quick hike after arriving at Bullsport, and enjoyed the different plant and animal life in the foothills.
We came across several toad hoppers, large grasshoppers that look like rocks and move like toads.
Slangkop (snakehead) lilies (Pseudogaltonia clavata, left) abounded on the hike. Cherry spot moth caterpillars (Diaphone eumela, above) fed voraciously on the flowers. 10/15/26
The next day, we decided to repeat the Quiver Tree Gorge hike that we had enjoyed so much 15 years before.
The scenery was just as spectacular as we remembered.
As expected, there were plenty of quiver trees, named because their branches were used by the San and Khoisan for making quivers. Some of the trees were quite large.
About half of the hike involved scaling a a ridge to reach the upper entrance of the gorge.
After that, the hike followed the gorge downward.
The creek at the bottom of the gorge was a permanent source of water supporting plant and animal life.
There were even some fully aquatic species, like this clawed frog (Xenopus sp.)
We surprised a large group of hyraxes in the reeds. One of the members in the rocks gave warning calls, while the others scuttled across the path to safety.
It was a long hot day, so we were happy to finish the hike and return to the ranch for dinner.
The next stop will be something completely different. We will be going to Okonjima Nature Reserve to see some of the more classic African wildlife. Stay tuned for leopards, rhinos, and wildebeest!