The Portuguese sailors arrived in this natural harbour in 1486 and called it “Port D’llheo” meaning “Point of the Island”. It is still unknown why the Portuguese made use of this harbour, but later during the 19th century, we know that it became a commercial fishing and trading port. While the area was extensively used for industries it was also a source of freshwater.
Today Sandwich Harbour lies about 50 kilometres south of Walvis Bay. Sandwich Harbour has a freshwater lagoon that is fed by springs and a sandy beach that has huge dunes on one side and ocean on the other making for a picture perfect landscape of dunes and sea. The lagoon area is home to many pelicans, flamingoes, sandpipers and at least another 20 different bird species. Dolphins are often seen offshore and it’s not uncommon to find jackals on the beach.
It is still a bit of a mystery as to how the harbour got to be called “Sandwich” harbour. There are several theories, some say it could be from the German word Sandfisch” which translated means “Sand Fish or Shark”. Another theory is that it was named after the ship HMS Sandwich that docked in the bay during the 18 century. Or after descending the dunes towards the ocean and you reach the beach and look around you, you will get the distinct feeling that you are not sandwiched between the ocean and dunes.
This is best done in low tide as you will need to be very careful not to get caught there in high tide. Although the lagoon used to be an oceanic bay that was accessible from the coast, in 1890 the sand spit protecting the natural harbour broke off thus making the harbour too shallow for ships to enter. Today sand and reeds surround the 10km long lagoon.
Sandwich Harbour is in the north of the Namib Naukluft Park. Namib Naukluft Park is an ecologically protected area that was proclaimed in 1979. At the time it was the largest protected area in Namibia.
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