GERMAN PORT COLONIZED IN 1880'S
By Bob Van Leer

  (LUDERITZ, NAMIBIA, Friday, Jan. 26,2001) - This port was developed by the Germans mainly because the best harbor, Walvis Bay, was already occupied by the British when Germany colonized the area in the 1880s.

  A dock for loading of larger ships was developed last year and this is where our cruise ship, Pacific Princess, is docked. But we had to back in to get to the dock.

  Betty and I hired a cab and drove around town. This is not a large town, I'd estimate the size as a little larger than Brookings. Commercial fishing is the major industry here. The harbor has an international fleet of large trawlers and there are a number of processing plants on shore. We went by one plant that harvests and dries seaweed from the rocky shore.

  Tonight we will sail on a 492 nautical mile run to Cape Town, South Africa, which will be the last stop on our cruise.