Because the trip offers more than ‘mere’ exhilaration – for newcomers to the sport it’s even a bit scary. The great German explorer Alexander von Humboldt once remarked that looking down the slopes of a pyramidal mountain (which the dunes certainly are) gave him the illusion of standing atop a vertical wall – frightening! And if, as happens often enough, there is a hump in the way, the boarder will become airborne. Wheee – I’m flying! One way, that is, and the board another.

Landing is frequently connected with a spectacular wipe-out upon a medium warranting relative freedom from pain; the many little globules make it possible. But it’s still unyielding underneath and those 80 km/h are nothing to sneeze at. A hard hat is therefore recommended and mandatory in commercially organised activities. It’s commonly the head that’s affected in a wipe-out, and that’s where it hurts most. Never mind that bottom-searing skid.

Otherwise a sandboarder’s equip-ment is laughably simple. “Lie-down boarders” use a platelet just large enough for the belly of the pilot. He or she will lift the forward end a bit to form a “bow,” allowing for a modicum of steering, while legs dangle in the void and will at the most, if at all, be used for braking. (Don’t wear your newest and most expensive shoes for that purpose!).

“Stand-up boarders” use conven-tional snowboarding gear on which they stand upright. Well, not always. Or, rather, most of the time they’ll hit the dirt. Sandboarding is just as easy (or not) as snowboarding. The main difference is that the stuff the sandmen and –women are doing their thing on is not cold, but sizzlingly hot – the activity takes place in the desert, after all.

Of course, a fresh breeze will cool the protagonist’s brow as he whizzes downhill at terrific speed. But oh, crawling up that slope again is pure torment, in wobbly sand that gives the impression of glowing lava! For that reason, activities commonly begin early in the day and will be terminated by noon, when the air fairly starts to boil. By that time, the boarders will have polished off half a busload of cold drinks and smeared themselves with oodles of sunscreen, both very sensible measures.

Guided tours to the dunes are organised by Dare Devil Adventures of Walvis Bay (Tel: +09264-209532, daredadv@iafrica.com.na) and general information may be had at the Walvis Info Bureau (Tel: +9264-209170). The organisers will see to it that their programmes are in consonance with nature preservation laws, an important issue in Namibia, although practically no harm at all is done to the environment with this inoffensive sport. The weather is great all year-round, and the natives are friendly. Be prepared for lots of fun and excitement.