The so-called dragon’s breath is literally a warm, humid breeze that rises from the lake. It strikes you without warning as you peer over the round rock. The hole through which the humid air is forced is the lip of a precipice in the roof of the lake chamber. Basking in the uniqueness of the moment, it struck me once again how unbelievable it was that halfway between Tsumeb and Grootfontein this awesome body of water, which is tipped to be the largest subterranean lake in the world, can be viewed.

It was equally interesting when John pointed out that in 1986 the first-ever exploration team had included several female adventurers who, due to their smaller body frame, were required to wiggle their way through the access chamber down to the lake. With water security on the lips of so many people these days, time will tell how the water in this lake will increasingly come into focus, not only as a tourist attraction but also in terms of how the water can be conserved and at the same time used responsibly.

Journals in the Namibian Scientific Society archives indicate that in as early as 1970 a vision for the conservation of Namibia’s water resources was verbalised by the then Director of Water Affairs, MC Myburgh. He described water as an economic necessity, one that should be managed by Namibia’s government as a precious resource. He emphasised that equal access to such water should be given to all people as opposed to any one individual owning it.

On a more esoteric note: my visit to the lake left me with a prevailing sense that this enchanting world should remain untouched. That it should be conserved as something with an intrinsic value that we can hold in the chambers of our hearts as an unuttered prayer, a marvel that is forever present but remains invisible. When interviewed, the controversial South African sangoma, Credo Mutwa, once referred to these spiritual spaces as places “where a greater mystery speaks to us from the shadows.”

The last words about the peaceful, undisturbed world beyond the lip of the cave go to John: “The lasting impression of Dragon’s Breath is one of a huge but largely lifeless lake, which, in a few barely hospitable corners, harbours an unlikely community of animals that is utterly dependent upon a very precarious food source against remarkable odds. Even the most jaded biologist will realise anew just how wonderfully tenacious this thing called Life really is.” TN