Bird Rock

A small, shallow island located roughly 400 metres offshore between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, Bird Rock Island is only visible at low tide, when a multitude of sea birds – mainly cormorants and pelicans gather there, depositing large amounts of guano that was previously washed off the rock with each high tide. In order to catch and harvest this precious source of fertiliser, a vast guano platform was erected on the rock in the 1930s, high enough to remain permanently above the high tide mark so that the guano can slowly accumulate over time. It is a massive structure, measuring roughly 14 400 square metres in size and held up by thousands of rust-proof iron poles. Once a year, a cableway is erected between the mainland and the island and used to transport workers and the guano between the two points.