Lamberts Bay
If you're a 4x4 city slicker, constantly craving the desert landscape but put off by the long haul to Namibia, then it's time to head up to The Dunes near Lamberts Bay on the West Coast. Just three scenic hours drive from Cape.
The midday sun beats down hard and a screaming engine revs up high. Wheels spin and sand flies everywhere. The rugged 4x4 is stuck fast on the crest of a dune, its undercarriage straddling the V-shaped sandy ridge. With a few helping hands, the vehicle finally lurches forward to cheers from the sand-caked crowd and begins to slide down the other side.
'Come on boys, if they can get over, then all of us can,' says one of the sweaty rescuers, eager to tackle the steep slope. One by one, they battle up the dune, many taking two or three attempts to reach the summit. Then it's my turn. I have my doubts about my baby 4x4 matching the performance of the other high-powered brutes so it's a pleasant surprise when I'm up and over and sliding down the sheer descent.
If you're a 4x4 city slicker, constantly craving the desert landscape but put off by the long haul to Namibia, then it's time to head up the West Coast. Just three scenic hours' drive from Cape Town is the answer to your desert dreams. Ten kilometres before Lamberts Bay on the road from Clanwilliam is The Dunes, South Africa's own sandy playground for 4x4 fanatics, quad bike enthusiasts, sandboard surfers, hikers and flower folk.
The Dunes
The Dunes was taken over several years ago by Suzie and Theunis Engelbrecht and is fast becoming a very popular off-road trail for anyone who enjoys driving in the sand. The 26km route through the 250 Ha of undulating dunes has been laid out with the cooperation and approval of Nature Conservation. With the strong winds experienced in the area, the tyre tracks have usually disappeared by the following day.
'We don't allow vehicles to go off on their own and everyone follows the same path,' says Theunis. 'A minimum of three vehicles and a maximum of 40 are allowed on the route and there is always a guide for their safety and to ensure that they keep to the eco-friendly rules.' The area also offers interesting hikes through the dunes and vegetation with many species of birds to be seen. In the flower season, the surrounding bushveld is transformed into a colourful wonderland.
No-one knows for sure how these desert-like dunes were formed but a recent visit by a geologist may have shed some light on the mystery and offered an explanation as to why shells and pieces of petrified wood are sometimes found in the sand. 'A UCT geology student investigating sedimentation and sand formation visited here and took some sand samples which she had analysed,' explains Suzie. 'She concluded that about 20 000 years ago, the Olifants River flowed across here and formed a lake. It then later dried out and with the help of the wind, the dunes were formed.'
If you're driving up from Cape Town, try make an early start and you may be fortunate enough to witness some of the great mist banks that often roll in over this part of the world. It's early morning and the valleys are shrouded in a great sea of white. Outlines of windmills suddenly appear through the mist and flocks of black birds fly up, silhouetted against the silver sky as my car speeds past Piketberg.
In addition to the 4x4 route, another popular adrenalin-charged activity is a dice through the dunes on quad bikes, the latest craze sweeping through southern Africa. 'The quad biking here is better than anywhere else,' says Bles Dreyer of West Coast Eco Tours. 'The sand is very loose and there are many vertical drop offs so it makes for an exciting ride. But we are very aware of the environment and never ride over vegetation. The bikes also have to follow in the tracks made by the leader.'
We start to cruise through the dunes and I'm immediately hooked. Addicted to the freedom of the wind. We spend the next three hours ramping over slopes and criss-crossing the vast sandy expanse. My 250 Trailblazer Polaris attempts to climb one dune a little too slowly and my wheels sink deep in the sand. A rapid reverse down the slope then it's full throttle up and a gentle slide over the other side. 'At the vertical descents, sit with your body weight back, keep your arms straight and lock your elbows,' instructs Bles. 'Then just relax and enjoy the ride.'
The Main Event
The next morning, we're up early for the weekend's main event. Spirits are high and the boys are raring to go so tyres are quickly deflated and it's time to hit the sand. There are 13 cars in the convoy and not a woman in sight. 'With this group being only men, things could get a little out of hand,' smiles Theunis who is coming along for the ride. 'When women come along, they usually keep the men under control. But even though the dunes are a great place to play, they can be dangerous. People who come here thinking they know everything are the ones who are likely to get into trouble.'
The most memorable accident Theunis can remember was when a vehicle sped up a small dune far too fast and then flew through the air, landed on its nose and flipped over onto the roof. 'But luckily no-one was hurt because the steel canopy took the force,' he smiles. The only thing damaged was the Colman cooler box.'
We round a corner and suddenly the vegetation comes to an abrupt halt. Stretching out before us is a vast sand desert, dotted by a few bizarre shaped rocks and isolated patches of grass. Although the crowd with us seem like a group of hardened 4x4 macho men, there are obviously some novices among them as within five minutes, a car is already stuck in the sand. While we wait for the vehicle to be towed to freedom, someone whips out a waxed board and we all take turns surfing down the long steep slope.
Further on, a shiny Defender turns too sharply on a curve and there's a pop as its tyre comes off the rim. 'Jislaaik, this is a hassle, but I suppose it's all part of the offroad experience,' says the driver, as he inflates the airbag and begins to loosen the wheel nuts.
It's a hot day and I'm soon caked in sweat and sand as we continue up and down some seriously steep dunes. With wheels spinning and a brisk breeze blowing, the fine sand gets everywhere, coating cameras and clothes and cars.
All too soon, our adventure nears its end. Looking down from the top of a dune with not a modern construction in sight is a tonic for the soul. This is just three hours away from the city sounds and stress yet it's a world apart. It could easily be Namibia. Maybe even the moon.
By Jeremy Jowell