Garub waterpoints cleared of sand

Tanja Bause
Last week, the east wind battered the South and the coast, covering the two water points near Aus, Garub and Garub 1 with sand. These two water points provide water for the wild horses and oryx, ostriches and other desert animals.
This past weekend, Dieter Curschmann and members of the community of Aus as well as the Ministry of the Environment, Forestry and Tourism teamed up and cleaned the two water points. This according to a message on the Namibia Wild Horses Foundation Facebook page.
Curschmann and Bernd Roemer also offered to put out food for the horses for the next week or so. “The strong winds destroyed the remaining grass and now there is only a little left until the new grass will grow again in about two weeks.”
However, the wind did not only cause damage. The strong wind pushes surface water away from the coast, creating an upwelling. This means that cold, nutrient-rich water from the deeper ocean rises to replenish the water pushed back by the wind. These "interactions" can make the sea appear alive and beautifully colourful.