Look closely, and you might picture the Eduard Bohlen moving across calm waters, but today, it rests in a sea of sand. Her spine is broken, her stern lifted above the shifting dunes, a haunting sight 400 meters inland on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast history spot. Once a proud vessel, the Bohlen now rusts away under the desert sun.
Built in Hamburg
The Eduard Bohlen was crafted by the German shipbuilder Blohm & Voss, famous for their steel-hulled ships, including the WWII battleship Bismarck. This historical ship launched in 1890 as a modest cargo and passenger vessel, the Bohlen measured 94 meters and could carry 2,272 tons, making her ideal for coastal routes. She transported passengers and cargo between Swakopmund and Table Bay, Namibia, back when the area was German Southwest Africa.
The Skeleton Coast
The Skeleton Coast, now a national park and history spot, is where the desert meets the sea. Its ominous name comes from the bones of whales and seals left by whalers, along with the remains of animals that have perished in the harsh landscape. Portuguese world sailors once called this desolate stretch “The Gates of Hell,” hinting at the dangers lurking along its shores.
The Final Voyage
On September 5, 1909, the Eduard Bohlen set out on her regular route from Swakopmund to Table Bay, planning to offload equipment for diamond miners near Conception Bay. Coastal fog, thick as ever, enveloped the ship, causing her to run aground on a sandbank about 100 meters offshore. The crew quickly offloaded cargo to lighten her, hoping to refloat the vessel, but their efforts were in vain. Sand built up rapidly around the Bohlen, and she was soon abandoned, becoming another of the Skeleton Coast’s many victims.
The Bohlen’s Legacy
Today, the Eduard Bohlen lies partially buried, enduring the extreme elements. Jackals sometimes seek shelter in her wreck, while curious travelers occasionally visit, though she largely remains undisturbed, gradually disappearing into the sands. Stories of skeletons surrounding her remain mere myth, as no lives were lost since her crew and cargo were safely evacuated.
If you wish to witness the Bohlen, time is of the essence. This relic of the Skeleton Coast histoy spot will one day vanish beneath the relentless sand, while the coast itself waits, ever ready to claim those who venture too close.
Article & Image source: world abandoned
