“The Blue Eye of Africa” – Mauritania
The Blue Eye of Africa, the Eye of the Sahara, or officially the Richat Structure of Mauritania, is a bizarre, circular mystery in the Sahara. A case of strange but true! Discovered in 1934 by French desert enthusiast and explorer Mr. Théodore Monod, it wasn’t fully seen in its entirety until 30 years later. The circular shape, clearly visible from space, is a favourite landmark for astronauts orbiting the Earth. How cool is that! It was once believed that the unique crater was formed by a meteorite impact or a volcanic eruption. There was even speculation that the shape was manually dug, as all the rings are evenly spaced from the centre, showing perfect symmetry. Today, it is said that the forty or so rings, ranging from 1 to 50 metres in width and with a diameter of 40 kilometres, were simply formed by erosion and the gradual wearing away of hard rock, likely originating from the breakup of the supercontinent Pangea, 100 million years ago.
Fairy circles – Namibia
This photo may look photoshopped and too unreal and magical to be true, but believe me, this natural phenomenon is real and can be found in Namibia. In the sandy grasslands and plains of Namibia, thousands of elliptical or round fairy circles can be found, standing out beautifully against the flat surroundings. The Fairy Circles got their name from the fact that scientists have been puzzling over the mysterious circles for years. Long ago, it was thought that they might be connected to UFOs or other extraterrestrial beings. A very plausible cause, of course. But a few years ago, a more realistic theory was proposed, suggesting that the circles were caused by termites… After further investigation, it turned out that it is impossible for termites and ants to create such a uniform pattern. More research was conducted, and researchers flew there to observe the magical phenomenon up close… and it turns out that the circles were surprisingly formed by plant growth and rainwater runoff. Based on similar circles found in the deserts of Australia, it seems that this magical phenomenon occurs in places with limited water availability. As a result, the landscape isn’t fully covered in plants; the circles form where water doesn’t reach. If you visit Namibia, you must not miss this phenomenon! Go and see it for yourself!
Sardine run - South Africa
As a third phenomenon, an awe-inspiring natural spectacle: the sardine migration! The what migration? Yes, you read it right: sardines. Roughly between June and July, schools of billions of sardines travel along the coast of South Africa towards warmer waters. This is one of the largest migrations in the world. However, unlike the wildebeest migration, which occurs around the same time every year, the sardine run is difficult to predict. Scientists believe that the sardines migrate when the water temperature drops below 21 degrees. The schools swim near the surface of the water and sometimes seem endless. With a length of about 7 kilometres, a width of 1.5 kilometres, and sometimes a depth of 30 metres, it’s almost incomprehensible how many fish this involves. This phenomenon is even large enough to be seen from space! This current triggers an incredible moving fish buffet, a kind of endless sushi stream, that doesn’t go unnoticed by other sea creatures. Sharks, dolphins, birds, and other predators lie in wait, ready to strike. Travel to KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa in June or July to witness this extraordinary natural phenomenon. Most travellers view the spectacle from a boat or by plane, but occasionally, a brave soul will dive into the frenzy!
