The alarm clocks went off well before sunrise, but nobody needed much encouragement to get out of bed this morning.
Today’s launch site could hardly have been more spectacular. One by one, fourteen colourful balloons inflated beneath the imposing granite walls of Spitzkoppe before gently lifting into the calm morning air. Watching so many balloons floating away together, with the first sunlight illuminating the rocks behind them, was simply magical. It is one of those sights that photographs struggle to do justice.
After landing, however, it was straight back to work. Every balloon had to be quickly packed and all cylinders refuelled as the truck has to leave as soon as possible. The tracks leading to our next flying site near Purros are far too rough for our standard truck, so all fourteen balloon systems will have to be completely unloaded and transferred into a rugged 6×6 truck specially arranged for this section of the journey.
The drive today was another highlight. We stopped at Cape Cross to visit the enormous seal colony before continuing through the Skeleton Coast towards Terrace Bay. Between the Atlantic Ocean, the desert landscapes and thousands upon thousands of seals, today felt like several adventures rolled into one. We are certainly starting to settle into expedition life now… and after such a full day, nobody will need much convincing to get an early night’s sleep.