When you think of the Skeleton Coast you think of a bleak desert with sand dunes hitting the unforgiving Atlantic coast. This is exactly what is is like, probably the bleakest place we have visited on our trip. The entrance gates were adorned with a skull and crossbones - giving the sense we were entering Hell rather than a National Park. A deep mist blanketed the coast line making the area seem even more inhospitable. The Skeleton Coast gets its name from the numerous ship wrecks that litter the shoreline. The tide and the current made this stretch of coastline one of the most treacherous in the world. If any sailor survived their vessel being wrecked on the rocks they would face a certain and horrible death as they made it to the shore. There is no water for miles around and the desert disorientates any survivors. Unfortunately most of the 'skeleton' wrecks have disappeared over the years but we visited a couple slowly disintegrating in the sand. Rather than camping in such an inhospitable environment we drove on to Swakppmund, a bizarre fishing town that has become known as the adrenalin capital of Namiba...a great place to celebrate Rich's 30th birthday! Before the big day we received a distress call from our friends Bill and Claire. They had broken down with a suspected head gasket problem and needed someone to tow them to Swakopmund. Rich drove the 400km round trip to rescue them and brought them back to Swakopmund where we all got in training for the next day by going out to the local restaurant, aptly named the Cape to Cairo.