Luderitz - General Info
Description:
Luderitz is a pretty little German town, perched between the sea, the desert and the diamond mines. There is an interesting ghost town called Kolmanscop which is close by and is worth visiting.
This is a port of entry for Namibia and there is a procedure in place for arriving yachts. See Clearance for details.
Entrance Notes and Cautions:
There are two cardinal buoys off Shark Island and Penguin Island into Robert Harbour (there are range markers on the eastern shore). Be aware that on turning east to enter this bay, you are in a wind acceleration zone and the strength of the wind will significantly increase.
Turn south and head into the buoyed channel to Menai Creek, or straight ahead to the self-anchorage area. Entering at night and going to the self-anchorage area should be easy and safe.
This is a safe harbor in all weathers and the approaches are well marked.
Call Port Control on VHF Channel 16 (24/7 hours) before entering Robert Harbour to be advised of shipping movements. This is especially important in poor visibility which is common on this coast.
Port Control will ask for all the boat and crew details and will assign an anchorage position or mooring buoy. See Docking. They will also notify all the authorites of your arrival.
Cruiser Highlights:
Visiting Namibia after leaving South Africa makes for a nicer passage to St. Helena and then across the Atlantic to Brazil. The Seven Seas Ldz Project in Luderitz has enabled simplified clearance for yachts visiting there, as well as its on-going research work into sustainable development. They can assist with local information, including services, tours and weather. Find out more at this report. There are many wonderful sights and activities in Namibia, using Luderitz as a base.
Position:
26° 38’S, 15° 09’25″E (entrance to the bay)
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Port Navigation
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May 2023 update:
The moorings are now NAD 200 per day. Be aware that the dinghy dock is not a public dock. You should ask permission to use it and pay (Andy knows where to go). We arrived on a public holiday. Port control tried to reach immigration and customs, but they didn’t answer. The next day we were reprimanded by the customs official for not checking in on the day we arrived. So make sure you do.
We got a sim card at MTC with just a passport (all done inside their shop on Bismarck Street).
Good rental car service at BB Car Rental at the top of Bismarck Street.
When departing, even if going to Walvis Bay, visit customs again, as well as Port Control.
January 4th, 2022: s/v TRANCE arrived in Luderitz from Cape Town
See the track and passage notes here: https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/Trance
As well as here: http://www.sailingtrance.com (sometime before next week)
Approach and Entry: From the south keep outside the 30 meter line to clear Halifax Reef. Navionics warns of lost mining gear, anchors and floating ropes… but we didn’t notice any of this debris. Once Dias Point bears SSE, then head to pass north of the N Cardinal buoy (26 36.9’S 15 07.5’E), off Angra Point. Then steer 120 deg to pass between the two cardinal buoys off Shark Island and Penguin Island into Robert Harbour (there are range markers on the eastern shore). Then turn south and head into the buoyed channel to Menai Creek, or straight ahead to the self-anchorage area. Entering at night and going to the self-anchorage area should be easy and safe.
Call Port Control on VHF 12 or 16 (24/7 hours) before entering Robert Harbour to be advised of shipping movements, this is important in poor visibility… fog and poor visibility are common on this coast.
Self-Anchorage or Mooring Buoy?: It is recommended that you get on a mooring buoy if available. Ask Port Control to contact Andy who will guide and help you. If available, Mooring Buoys at the south end of Menai Creek (26 38.434S 15 09.427E) where the Dinghy Dock, Luderitz Yacht Club, and all the places you’ll want to go are located. To arrange for a Mooring Buoy contact Andy +264 08 57244257, or have Port Control contact Andy and Andy will communicate on VHS 9. Andy is good… he will ask for R or N100/day for services, which includes mooring help, advice on where to go and what to visit, Andy will keep an eye on your boat if you go away. If you go on a trip, Andy will put your dinghy back on your boat while you’re gone, and he retrieve it when you return. All for just R or N100/day! Andy can also perform additional services… just ask Andy.
The Self-Anchorage area is free and located at 26 37.779S 15 09.628E, which is a much longer, possibly wetter, dinghy ride to/from the Dinghy Dock. You should not anchor in or near the mooring field. Besides swing room issues, the mud in the mooring field is about 2 feet thick, yet it’s like slate underneath the mud, anchors slide along the bottom in stiff breezes, which are common.
Health Check: Once on a mooring or at anchor, radio Port Control, and they will contact Health Ministry people and have them meet you at the Dinghy Dock or at the Luderitz Yacht Club, which is near the Dinghy Dock. The day before we left Cape Town, we had SARS-nCoV-19 RT-PCR testing performed by a Trusted Traveler System laboratory. The health person looked at our test result certificates, that said “none detected”, which was acceptable to him. We emailed the certificates to the Health Ministry person. Then, the Health Ministry person escorted us to Immigration to tell Immigration we passed the health checks. We arrived 75 hours after our testing time.
We understand you may have COVID testing performed here at your cost, yet it will delay your check-in process.
Immigration was quick & easy, and so was the visit Customs and Port Control. No fees were collected. Avoid lunch hours, afterhours, and weekends. All are a short walk from the Dinghy Dock. Andy also escorted us to all the check-in stops, and he showed us the location of a few highlights in town, as well as suggestions on shopping, restaurants and touring areas surrounding Luderitz.
Nice protected anchorage with some moorings available. Moorings are not officially maintained, but local sailor Andy did come over and point out which are better to use. Checking in was straight forward and there is a supermarket, bank and most stores all within walking distance of the port. Cell (mobile) phone connectivity is not great and local WiFi in cafes was very slow.
Fuel is available at the local service station which will deliver to the dock using your jerry cans. The yacht club is more of a restaurant only and opens in the evenings. Water is available from the yacht club. Luderitz does make for a pleasant and secure quick stop.