Monday, February 23, 2009

Romancing the Stone...Adventures in the Namib Desert

A heart rock story guaranteed to make your heart swoon!

Glenn McCrea shares this touching account of his adventures trekking through the Namib desert in South Africa. Determined to fulfill his dream of finding a heart rock for his wife, he refused to leave empty handed...how far would you travel to find love?



Nambian Heart Rock

Hello,

I discovered your site today and decided to share my best heart rock story.

My wife, Deborah, has been a seeker and collector of heart-shaped rocks for many years. Whenever we are out in the wilds we keep our eyes peeled for specimens to add to her extensive collection. Back in December 2000, I spent several weeks visiting my brother, who was working in South Africa at the time. While there, we made a road trip up into Namibia to the Sossusvlei area (http://wikitravel.org/en/Sossusvlei) in the Namib desert.

This area is famous for its huge red sand dunes. The plain below the dunes is littered with the most fascinating weathered black rock, which I believe is dolomite. The surface of all the rocks has been carved by eons of wind, and each rock has the texture of a dark Haas avocado.

When I saw these amazing rocks, I fantasized about finding a heart-shaped rock made out of this unusual stone to give as a gift to my wife. I searched for the two days we were there, and just as my brother and I were leaving the area, I asked him to pull over so I could make one more search. It was late morning and very hot, so he sat under a tree while I wandered out in the full sun trying to fulfill my dream of finding the perfect heart rock for my wife.

When I look back on the find I made, it seems almost like I conjured the rock out of the ethers. It was so perfect that it looked like someone had placed it there for me to find. I believe it is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.

The next time I had a chance, I telephoned my wife from Namibia to tell her that I had a special rock for her, and that if somehow the plane crashed on my way home, she should make sure they combed through the rubble to try to find it. Luckily, that wasn't necessary, and I lived to see the incredulity on her face when she first saw it. The rock measures 5" across by 4" top to bottom and is 1.5" thick.

Glenn McCrea
Santa Rosa, California
mccrelliott@earthlink.net

Check out Glenn's website www.dewdropworld.com
~beautiful nature photography seen up close & personal~



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