Outdoor UAE Total

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MTB RACE nº1
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Buscando nuevos retos para este año
2013 había oído hablar de la Trans
Hajar en Omán por lo que me dispuse
a buscar información, cuando vi que
iba Fátima Blázquez a quien conocí en
la Titan del año pasado en Marruecos
con un grupo de gente. Intercambiamos
varios emails y sin darme cuenta
me había unido a la aventura cuando
quedaba un mes y medio en el que habría
que prepararlo a conciencia, y a lo
que afortunadamente Fátima me ayudó
desde su faceta de entrenador (Gracias!!
Si no hubiera sido imposible!!)
El domingo 27 de enero partía desde
Madrid con destino Dubai con mi bici
en la caja, la maleta y un montón de
ilusión y ganas. En Dubai me encontré
con el resto del grupo que viajaba
desde Barcelona y la mañana siguiente
viajamos en coches alquilados desde
Dubai hasta Mascat la capital de
Omán, fue el principio de la aventura
ya que atravesamos desde desiertos
de dunas, y tremendas montañas rocosas
y como no, una frontera.
Eso nos llevó todo el día, dormimos
en Mascat y al día siguiente partimos
hacia el campamento de la Trans Hajar
que estaba aproximadamente a 1 hora
de la capital. Tras llegar al campamento,
montamos las bicis y nos fuimos a
rodar un rato teniendo nuestra primera
toma de contacto con el terreno, para
darnos cuenta de que iba a ser duro en
todos los sentidos, temperatura, pedregoso
y con desnivel, así como con
la gente omaní ya que lo más cercano
donde pudimos comer algo era una
gasolinera en la que ofrecían un fast
food un poco peculiar, por la tarde nos
montaron las tiendas y pasamos nuestra
primera noche en el campamento
después de bajar al supermercado
más cercano a comprar provisiones
para los desayunos y comida post
etapa ya que la inscripción nos incluía
las cenas.
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La primera etapa se trataba de una contra reloj de 40 kilómetros y aproximadamente 600 metros de
desnivel, que inocentemente y no me preguntéis por qué pensé que iba a ser una etapa fácil sin dema-
Se podía tomar la salida entre las 8am y las 2pm cuando quisieras, la gente local lo iba haciendo según
llegaban, nosotros lo hicimos aproximadamente sobre las 9 de la mañana y al kilómetro de salir un
tremendo repechón seguido de una tremenda bajada con terreno muy suelto y así seguiríamos bastantes
kilómetros, alternándolo con alguna zona de sendero un poco más pedregoso, y terminando en un
sendero de 8 kilómetros en subida de pura piedra con sus trialeras de libro incluidas y con unas vistas
dejaba a1 km en plano de la meta, se hizo bastante dura y nos empezamos a dar cuenta de que el calor
jugaría una baza importante en esta carrera.
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Según los locales las temperaturas que tuvimos
este año eran más altas de lo normales para
estas épocas, había momentos que llegaban a los
36 grados con un alto grado de humedad.
Por la tarde después de reponer fuerzas tocaba
estiramientos, relax y puesta a punto de la bicicleta
hasta la hora de la cena, que era un catering
que servía un restaurante local, con variedad de
arroz, noodles y varias carnes que estaban muy
ricas además de fruta.
A las 7.30 u 8 de la tarde ya estábamos en las
tiendas, que eran individuales, y a mi por lo
menos me dejó tiempo para aquello que normalmente
no solemos tener, y fue genial que no
un frontal, un libro, música y tiempo…
Para la segunda etapa nos levantamos a las 6 de
la mañana ayudados por las llamadas a la oración
desde al menos dos minaretes próximos y que
ayudaban a crear cierto ambiente de misticismo.
Como despensa teníamos el maletero de nuestra
furgoneta y ahí nos cargábamos de fuerza para
la etapa, en el caso de hoy fueron cerca de 90
kilómetros con 2000 metros de desnivel. Una etapa
con una primera parte muy rápida después de
riguroso repechón de salida, y que transcurría por
una valle e íbamos por una pista muy rápida que
picaba bastante en bajada durante unos 30 kilómetros,
después vino una subida larguísima de
muchos kilómetros que nos subió hasta una cima
desde la que podíamos ver la ciudad, supongo
que era Mascat, y el mar a tan solo unos kilómetros,
mas terreno de continuos y gigantescos sube
y baja, ya que parece que por aquellas latitudes
lo hacen todo a derecho.
Debido a eso hicimos una de las bajadas más
espectaculares que he hecho en mi vida, una
recta de varios kilómetros con una pendiente
muy considerable y que nos lanzaban por encima
de los 80 kilómetros por hora en nuestras mtb,
solo pedía que nada fallase en esos momentos….
Después vuelta al campamento por la misma
pista rápida que picaba en bajada, solo que ahora
picaba en subida y las bajaditas ahora eran subiditas,
por lo que ya no era tan rápida y contando
que el calor ya apretaba se hizo bastante difícil
llegar, pajarón de últimos 10 km incluido…
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Llegada a meta, comer , hidratarse,
estiramientos y puesta a punto de la
bici, cena y tiempo de relax en nuestras
tiendas burbuja.
La tercera etapa eran casi 130 kilómetros
de recorrido muy variado y
bastante desnivel, senderos pedregosos,
pistas, algo de asfalto, pero
lo que sin ningún lugar a dudas se
llevaba la palma fue el recorrer un
wadi o rio seco en el que el suelo
es básicamente piedras sueltas y
por el que es casi imposible avanzar
montado en la bici y en el que
andar cuesta un triunfo, y por el que
los no tan rápido tuvimos que pasar
cerca del medio día con la que
estaba cayendo , también incluyeron
el cruce de un rio, una tremenda
subida y volver el mismo recorrido
de la primera parte para terminar
con el sendero pedregoso de 8km
del primer día. Etapa larga de verdad
que mermó las fuerzas y esta
vez debido a lo largo de la etapa
con menor tiempo de recuperación
para las piernas para la que sería la
última etapa.
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Una última etapa para la que también
nos levantamos a las 6 de la
mañana y que con sus algo más de
60 kilómetros debería dejarnos buen
sabor de boca y no nos defraudó-...
subida imposible de salida, sendero
pedregoso, esta vez en bajada, un
sinfín de cortas pero explosivas subidas
y bajadas, otro wadi y un bonito
recorrido por valles y la falda de la
montaña acompañado de camellos
sueltos, rebaños de cabras y locales
que nos animaban a nuestro paso.
También me gustaría felicitar desde
aquí a la persona que diseñó el recorrido
por darnos la oportunidad en
esta última etapa de probar nuestras
fuerzas y nuestra convicción por llegar
a la meta por esa kilómetro que
había que hacer casi toda a pie, por
terreno suelto cuando eran las 12 de
la mañana y el sol hacía justicia, sa-
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iendo que después de esto ya solo te quedaba un kilómetro de bajada hasta la meta, eso sí una
vez superada esta barrera tanto en lo físico como en lo psicológico que te hacía preguntarte de
sación
de alegría al llegar a la meta y atravesarla y terminar esta aventura.
Después comida, entrega de premios, bailes típicos omaníes y mucha alegría por haber terminado.
De la carrera me gustaría destacar el precioso y duro recorrido, con paisajes que impactaban,
zonas bonitas para los amantes de la práctica del mtb, variedad en el terreno, perfecto marcaje
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organización, yo diría una organización de 10 sobre todo para ser solamente el tercer año que se
celebra y no ser una organización profesional, creo que hay gente de otras carreras mucho más
iconizadas que deberían pasarse por la Trans Hajar para aprender tanto en lo organizativo como
en lo humano. Solo ví una caída que pareció un poco fuerte y en la que un italiano parecía haberse
roto la clavícula, y en dos minutos había una moto de la organización que hizo llegar a las asistencias
asi que Bravo por Lake y su equipo. Esta carrera la utiliza mucha gente como preparación
para la Cape Epic y el ganador fue en su día campeón del mundo de triatlón con lo que sí que hay
bastante nivel.
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Aparte de lo contado me quedo con mil anécdotas, con el haber compartido una etapa con Shawil
de Sudáfrica y que llevaba a todo trapo una voz que recitaba los versos del Corán, y quien me
ayudó a que la pajara no me venciera, las mil y una bromas con mis compañeros de grupo que
hicieron de estos días sin duda de lo más divertido que recuerdo (Gracias Fátima, Jep, Josep y
Marcel, por las risas y por los consejos) y me llevan a recomendar esta aventura a todos los que
quieran vivir algo nuevo sobre una bici de montaña, sin duda una carrera mucho más dura de lo
que pensábamos.
Nosotros proseguimos nuestra aventura durante un par de días más en Dubai donde entre todo
lo más grande del mundo (torre, fuentes, centro comercial ,pista de esquí indoor la cual probamos
etc..) nos recuperamos de la carrera, aprovechamos para hacer turismo e hicimos buen uso de
nuestro sentido del humor, porque si una cosa ha habido en este viaje han sido risas, bromas y
buen rollo.
Con pena porque se acababa la aventura partimos hacia nuestras casas, pero con la alegría y la
satisfacción de haberlo vivido y de tener ganas de buscar la siguiente….
Jorge Padrones
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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
DivinG
Philippines
“Thresher Sharks.”
Those two words sold it to me
when friends of ours offered
to organise a diving trip to the
Philippines. Only once before
had I seen one of these magnificent
creatures. But that one
time, I was so stunned and confused
at what I was seeing that
by the time I managed to pick
up my camera, the moment had
passed and the creature had
disappeared into the blue from
where it came. I was desperate
to see one again, but this time I
would be ready with my camera
in hand. I had spoken with a
few people that had been diving
there and been told it was
“good” or “enjoyable.” So I was
unsure what to expect.
The Philippines, which is an archipelago
in the western Pacific Ocean comprised
of over 7,000 islands, has the fifth longest
coastline in the world. It was labeled as one
of 17 “megadiverse” countries in 1998 by
Conservation International, meaning it is one
of 17 countries recognised to harbour the
majority of the earth’s species. As we found
out during our trip this was true not only on
the land, but under the ocean as well.
After arriving in Manila, our hosts organised
a van to transport us the two and a half
hour trip to the Acacia Dive Resort in Anilao.
There we had booked a three-day, ten-dive
package with full board. This boutique style
resort was a hidden gem and very well
organised. Each diver had their own area
for equipment, there were padded camera
stations with plugins for charging batteries
and the rooms were spacious, which
is helpful when you have suitcases full of
camera and diving gear to organise. Shortly
after arrival, we were introduced to our dive
guide, Padoy, who was specially requested
by our hosts. Padoy, a local from Anilao who
in a previous career was a national windsurfing
champion, had been diving in the area
most of his life. He had a massive head of
dread locks and a sun weathered face that
reminded me of a long haul sea captain.
Our guide was very laid back but extremely
informative as he briefed us on our itinerary
over the coming days and, being a
photographer himself, was quick to answer
my questions about what we might see and
what lens to bring on which days.
The following morning, after a leisurely
breakfast, we headed out for our first dive.
Our first destination: muck diving in our
guide’s front yard. Now when I say his front
yard, I don’t mean in the figurative sense
that he lives in the area and dives there a
lot. I literally mean ten metres from the front
entrance to his house and it was awesome!
If you have never been muck diving before
then there needs to be some explanation
here. Muck diving generally consists of diving
in the sand or muck, which means the
scenery can be lacking. However, the sand
is filled with some of the most weird and
wonderful creatures the ocean has to offer. If
you like the little stuff or dive with a camera,
this is some of the best diving there is. As
it was our guide’s front yard, many of these
creatures were like pets to him. Padoy knew
where everything lived and although he
never admitted it, I wouldn’t be surprised if
he had names for most of the creatures there
as well. What did we see? Well, there were
Harry Shrimp, Banded Shrimp, Peacock Mantis
Shrimp, Harry Frogfish, Banded Pipefish,
Clown Frogfish, Ghost Mantis Shrimp, Pompom
Crab, several species of Nudibranchs
and the list goes on and on and on. The dive
was so fantastic that we went back again a
few days later and were rewarded at the end
of the dive with the best Blue-Ringed Octopus
experiences I have had to date.
The diving over the three days was both
stunning and diverse. The visibility averaged
25-30m and the temperature was consistent
at around 27°C. Over the entire three
days of diving, I can, in all honesty, say there
wasn’t a single dive that I didn’t enjoy. Only
three of the dives were muck diving, while
the rest consisted of night dives, drift dives

and a few deep dives offering some superb
examples of mixed coral gardens with
colours that reminded me of the Caribbean.
At the end of our stay, we allowed ourselves
an extra night to pack and let our gear dry
out before continuing on to next part of our
journey.
After overnighting in Manila, we flew to
Cebu Island where we took a harrowing
four-hour drive, during which it seemed
every time I looked up we were playing
chicken with another vehicle on the wrong
side of the road! We then boarded a boat for
a further 30-minute ride north to the island
of Malapascua, dropping us off directly on
the beach of The Exotic Island Dive Resort,
which we were to call home for the next five
nights. The resort is rustic with simple but
clean rooms and stunning views overlooking
the ocean. Not quite as much space as
we were afforded at our previous resort,
but the majority of our days were spent
eating, sleeping and diving, so there was
little time to enjoy the rooms. I also found
the camera facilities to be lacking and had
to use the bed in our room for ripping apart
and rebuilding equipment in between dives.
Fortunately the quality of the food and the
diving was such that all else seemed of little
consequence.
That evening, after an early dinner, we
prepared our gear for the following morning.
This was the dive I had been looking forward
to. Not usually a morning person, I awoke
before the alarm clock at 3:45 a.m. excited
about the upcoming dive. Everyone stumbled
sleepily onto the boat and we began
the 40-minute ride to our destination, “Shark
Wall.” The top of this underwater mountain
varies between 20-30m and its walls drop
down beyond 250m.The various cleaning
stations scattered over the surface draw
the sharks here. Arriving on site just as the
sun hit the horizon, we donned our equipment
and wasted no time jumping in and
descending to the bottom. Not two minutes
after reaching the first cleaning station, I
heard the familiar tap, tap, tap of our guide’s
tank alerting us that he had something
interesting to show us. I looked up to see a
five-metre Thresher Shark swimming towards
us out of the blue. It was mesmerising as it
completed several passes in front of us, its
tail, which was nearly the same length as the
rest of the body, streaming behind it like a
banner giving the creature a surreal quality.
The shark came in closer with each pass, and
I moved closer to it each time it swam away,
staying low to the ground to avoid scaring
it off. It continued to circle, closer than the
last each time, eyeing me wearily until, at
last, it disappeared back into the depths.
This dive alone was worth the long journey,
but the rest of the trip didn’t disappoint and
was just as spectacular. If you were to ask me
how diving in the Philippines was, I would
tell you without hesitation, unbelievable!
We enjoyed our trip so much in fact that we
already have two more trips planned within
the next year. This is certainly a place I would
recommend putting on your diving “bucket
list.”
Darryl MacDonald

THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
OCTOBER 2012 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
EVENT REVIEWS
Red Bull Cliff Diving
World Championship
Imagine three seconds of free
fall before hitting the water at a
speed of 85 kilometers per hour.
Now imagine trying to incorporate
several twists and turns into that
timeframe without landing on your
face or pulling off a spectacular
belly flop! The divers competing
in the Red Bull cliff diving championship
are some of the best in
the world, performing complex
acrobatics from a height of 27
meters with the utmost precision.
More than twenty divers from ten
countries competed in 2012 to
be declared the best in the world.
The competition traveled to several
stunning locations including France,
Norway, Portugal, Ireland, USA,
Whales and, for the grand finale,
the Sultanate of Oman.
The event, which I must say was one of
the best organized events that I have had
the pleasure to attend in Oman, took place
in Wadi Ash Shab along the coast of the
country. We were amazed when we arrived
to see such a tremendous turnout as hundreds
of people poured into the wadi. We
began our trek into the canyon, wondering
where there might possibly be enough
water to jump from such a height, when we
rounded the corner to find a massive crowd
gathered in front of a large emerald pool.
Onlookers filled the entrance of the pool
and lined the cliffs. As I looked around, my
18 OUTDOORUAE
Words + Photos: Darryl MacDonald
gaze finally settled on the dive platform high
up near the top of the canyon, and it made
the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
From that height, one small mistake could
lead to an extremely serious injury, or worse.
There was a boat anchored in the water for
the judges to have a clear view of the divers.
The “drop zone” was marked with jets
sprayed into the water so the athletes can
pinpoint where they were meant to hit 27
meters below and was surrounded by divers
ready to deal with the repercussions of a bad
landing.
As the first contender walked out onto the
platform the crowd roared to life then slowly
faded to silence as the former British Olympic
diver, Blake Aldridge, readied himself,
then without hesitation proceeded to do
three consecutive rotations before landing
perfectly in the water below, three seconds
later. The crowd went wild! The spectacle
that followed over the next three rounds
was jaw dropping. This year’s finale was
particularly exciting with the scores among
the top three contenders so close going into
the Oman finale that any one of them could
claim the world title. The competition was
fierce.
Orlando Duque, at 37 years of age, was
definitely the man to beat in this year’s competition.
With an illustrious career, Duque
holds nine world championship titles and a
Guinness world record for the only diver ever
to achieve a perfect score from all the judges
after performing a double back somersault
with four twists during the 2000 world finals
in Hawaii. After breaking his ankle in 2011 in
a skydiving accident, the Columbian native
worked extra hard for this year’s competition..
He came back strong, leading most of
the series this year. I asked Gary Hunt, the
World Series champion for the previous two
years and runner up in 2009, how he felt
about his chances coming into the finale and
he had this to say:
“All through the year I’ve felt like it might
not go my way this year. Orlando has been
in the lead the whole time, and even in this
competition just felt it was just slipping away
but I did know that I had my hardest dive last
so if it did go well it could be enough.”
Orlando and Gary went head to head
saving their most difficult dives for last. It
was a close competition, but Gary came out
on top, managing a two point lead to secure
the world title for the third year in a row!
Orlando captured second place based on
his strong performance through the year. An
interesting twist of the day was David Colturi
climbing the ranks and capturing third place
for the Oman event. Colturi, a 23 year old
US national champion, is not only a newcomer
to the series but is also the youngest
diver to take part in a full competition.
Colturi showed the world that he has what it
takes by keeping up with the seasoned, top
athletes.
The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Championship
is a unique event that should be
on everyone’s must see list. It was a high
energy, meticulously organized event with
visuals that make even the spectators’
adrenaline flow. The schedule for 2013 will
be announced on the Red Bull website:
https://www.redbullcontentpool.com/content/cliffdiving
and next year will be the first
year that female entrants will be allowed to
compete for the World Cup. So stay tuned
for the big event in 2013!
2012 Final Standings
1. Gary Hunt UK 860
2. Orlando Duque COL 840
3. Steven LoBue USA 740
4. Artem Silchenko RUS 670
5. David Colturi USA 550
6. Michal Navratil CZE 400

LOCATIONS
OMAN
escapes
Words + Photos: Darryl MacDonald
Visiting Masirah Island off the
southwest coast of Oman for the
first time feels like taking a trip
back in time. With its rugged interior
and rocky shoreline, the island
hosts 12 small villages, one small
town and a military base spread
primarily over the northern end of
the island. In total, there are nearly
180km of untouched, uninhabited,
easily-accessed beach offering a
true desert island experience; making
this one of the true hidden gems
of Oman. Dotting the coastline are
many traditional examples of the
Arabian dhow and several wellpreserved
shipwrecks.
The locals here still drive their 1970s Land
Rovers, many of which have been fixed up
to look like new, giving the island a unique
sense of nostalgia. The temperatures range
in winter from the low to mid-twenties and
in the summer from the mid-twenties to
low thirties during the Khareef (southeast
monsoon), making it a cool reprieve from the
high temperatures in northern Oman. One
of the other highly appealing features of the
island is the consistency of the winds during
the Khareef. From May until September,
the winds average between 12 to 16 knots
creating large rolling waves and transforming
this small desert island into the perfect
playground for kiteboarding, windsurfing,
surfing and body boarding.
The island is not only popular with tourists
in the summer months, but with turtles as
well. Loggerhead, green, hawksbill and olive
ridley turtles arrive on the beaches en masse
to lay their eggs in the sand. The entire season
for the various turtle species ranges from
February until October, peaking in the summer
months. For this reason, the beaches
are extremely sensitive during these months.
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At the time of this writing, there are currently
no protected areas in place on Masirah
Island, but all beaches should be treated as
such during the peak periods in order to aid
in the protection of these fragile, indigenous
populations. More information on the turtle
population in Oman and on the island can
be found on the Environment Society of
Oman (ESO) website (www.environment.org.
om).
As the summer monsoon comes to an
end and the seas begin to calm, fisherman
flock to the island for the start of the fishing
season. This is the perfect time of year for
camping along the coast and exploring
the island. Humpback and Bryde’s whales
have been spotted off the coast this time of
year along with several species of dolphins
including bottlenose and common dolphin.
The southwestern end of the island, in part
because of its unique bathymetry, offers
some of the best snorkeling in Oman and,
for the same reason, generally has clearer
water than the rest of the island. Massive
schools of fish and excellent examples of
both soft and hard coral can be found in this
area including some of the best opportunities
to see turtles.
The only way to access the island is via
ferry that leaves from the town of Shina,
which is about a four-hour drive south of
Muscat along the coast. The ferry generally
runs from 6:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. depending
on the sea conditions and will take you
to the town of Hilf, on the north end of the
island. Once on the island, there are a small
range of hotels to choose from and plenty of
opportunities for camping. If you are there
for the watersports, a company called Kiteboarding-Oman
(www.kiteboarding-oman.
com) runs a Bedouin style camp about 40
minutes south of town between the months
on May and August. They offer room, board,
rentals and lessons and are a great source of
information for the rest of the island.
Masirah Island offers a wide range of
adventures for just about everyone and is
definitely a place worth exploring. If you
decide to undertake this weekend adventure,
it’s always a good idea to bring extra
supplies including water, first aid kit, snacks,
sunscreen, etc. If you do any camping on the
beaches, a 4x4 is a must and it’s generally
a good idea to carry off-road supplies like a
compressor, shovel, tow strap and tools; and
travel in a convoy.
As we like to say in Canada, get out there,
have fun and “keep your stick on the ice.”
Darryl MacDonald

THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
February 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
LOCATIONS
Oman
escapes
Words + Photos: Darryl MacDonald
Since arriving in Oman, one
thing that has continually astonished
and surprised me is the sheer
number of easily accessible, quality
places available to explore. I’m
talking about truly amazing, beautiful
and seemingly remote locations.
I come from one of the largest
countries in the world. We have
some truly amazing places there
as well, but what’s the difference?
If it’s amazing and accessible, it’s
also teeming with people. If you
want beauty and remoteness in
Canada, you have to work for it. You
have to hike, climb, kayak or 4x4
for hours to escape the crowds.
Here in Oman, it’s a different story.
Within an hour of leaving my house
in Muscat I could: be hiking past
an ancient abandoned village in
the mountains with absolutely no
indications that you are near the
city; find a desert island and have it
completely to myself; or be sitting
on a mountain top with a view of
the coastline completely free from
towns, villages or any other signs of
human intervention.
Those are just a few examples of things in
close proximity to Muscat, so you can imagine
the potential if you’re willing to drive or
4x4 a short distance.
A few weeks ago, my wife and I were sitting
around on a Wednesday night (Thursday
and Friday is our weekend) wondering what
to do for the weekend after our previous
plans fell through. We thought, “Hey, let’s
go camping on a desert island!” The following
morning we enjoyed a little lie in before
packing up the camping gear and food. We
stopped for a leisurely lunch at the marina,
where we met up with our camping friends
before hopping in our boat and heading out
to sea.
First, we headed straight out from Marina
Bandar Al Rowdha about 10km off-shore
where the ocean floor plummets well beyond
1,000m deep. During the winter, this
52 OUTDOORUAE

is a great place to see pods of female
sperm whales cruising along the surface
or, if you’re really lucky, you can spot
a lone male sperm whale, which is a
spectacularly mammoth creature and
a much rarer sight. Unfortunately, as it
turned out, luck wasn’t with us that day,
so no whales. But as we headed towards
our destination, a pod of bottlenose dolphins
appeared! Slowly cruising alongside
the dolphins, we were fortunate
to have a few of the more playful ones
launching in and out of the wake and
bow riding close enough touch. Then
after about 45 minutes, the dolphins
became bored with us and continued on
their way, so we did the same.
After arriving at our destination in
Bandar Khayran, we took our friends to
one of my favourite snorkelling spots for
a quick dip before setting up camp for
the night. This particular snorkelling site,
as it happens, is a shark nursery where it’s
possible to see baby black tip reef sharks
most of the year. Luckily, it was breeding
time. So as we hovered motionless in
the water, we saw up to 10 sharks, some
of which were nearly three metres long.
It was incredible to see these beautiful
creatures in such close proximity. They
were certainly aware of our presence,
but didn’t seem to mind as long as we
stayed where we were. Sadly, these types
of encounters have become shockingly
less frequent in recent years as Oman is
one of the major exporters of shark in
the Middle East.
As the sun dipped on the horizon, we
decided to head off to find our home for
the evening. Bandar Khayran is a series
of small islands and shallow inlets with
a number of coves and sandy beaches
fringed by mangrove forests. The mangroves
provide a nursery for many fish
and bird species throughout the year,
and the beaches are important nesting
grounds for hawksbill turtles during the
winter months. Most of the area is very
well protected from the rough seas, thus
providing smooth water all year round, making
it a popular place for camping and water sports.
But even on a weekend, we had no problem
finding an empty beach on our own little island
to set up camp. We watched the sunset, ate
supper and chatted the night away in front of
the fire. My wife insisted that we not bring the
tent and camp out on the deck of the boat
under the stars instead. This seemed like a great
idea, and it was, but I do admit to a little griping
and moaning on my part about leaving the
warm fire to put my cold, wet bathing suit back
on before completing the lengthy swim back
out to the boat for bed. However, the evening
stars as we drifted to sleep were the pay off and
worth the chilly swim. The following morning,
we had a leisurely breakfast and finished our trip
with a few hours of wakeboarding before heading
home. Not bad for a last minute trip.
Bandar Khayran can be accessed by both
road and water. There are several companies
who offer a variety of trips from evening
dinners on the beach to snorkelling, diving,
camping combinations. This area has been
designated as an environmental tourist
location. As with all the places we love to
use as our playground, leave it as you found
it for future visitors to enjoy. This means the
“leave no trace” policy, ensuring that you
pack away any garbage and don’t take any
souvenirs from Mother Nature. As we like to
say in Canada, get out there, have fun and
“keep your stick on the ice.”
Darryl MacDonald
OUTDOORUAE
53

LOCATIONS
OMAN
escapes
Words + Photos: Darryl MacDonald
When my wife and I first moved
from Canada and started exploring
Oman, we instantly fell in love with
the country and its people. When
we spoke to our friends and family
back home, we were overly enthusiastic
about how wonderful it was
and how everyone should come and
visit.
Since it is a 25-hour flight from Canada to
Oman and not a popular vacation destination
for Canadians, we thought we might be
lucky if we had anybody come to visit. As
it turns out, my wife and I are in the wrong
business. We should be promoting parties or
concerts or some such thing because what
started as a trickle of visitors has turned into
a flood. In less than three years, we have had
eight different sets of Canadian visitors. During
February and March of this year alone,
my wife and I have four, yes, that’s four different
sets of visitors coming from Canada.
My wife has resorted to putting hotel soaps
and shampoos in the guest bathroom and
bath robes in the guest bedroom. At some
point we may need to put a sign over the
door and start charging for room and board!
You might ask, “Where am I going with
this?” Well, having such a wide variety and
large quantity of guests, a host requires an
array of activities to keep them entertained.
My wife has become an expert tour planner
and I have become an expert at executing
those plans. She has created a broad range
of itineraries to suit the full range of friends
and family, from couch potato to extreme
adventurer. Among all of those itineraries,
there are a few common trips that work for
the full range of visitors and that we are
happy to repeat over and over again. Wadi
Bani Khalid is such a place. My wife has enthusiastically
declared this her favourite wadi
in the entire sultanate and it consistently
receives rave reviews from our visitors.
The wadi, located just over 200km south
of Muscat, is a little long for a day-trip but
being close to the Wahiba Sands, it can be
easily combined with an overnight desert
adventure. There are several ways to explore
the canyon. For those that want the full
adventure, the best way is to drop a vehicle
off in the town of Sayq, then proceed 40
minutes north to the town of Bidah. Hiking
through the wadi from Bidah to Sayq takes
approximately five hours, depending on
your fitness level. The wadi slopes gently
downwards as you pass waterfall after waterfall
after waterfall (seriously, I’ve never seen
so many waterfalls) scrambling down rocks
and swimming through massive pools. It’s
certainly one of the most breathtaking wadis
in Oman as you swim, hike and scramble
through the canyon. One waterfall, near the
beginning of the hike, reaches 15m with
a massive emerald green pool below. You
could happily spend the day there swimming
and lounging near the edge of the pool.
Beyond this point, it is unlikely that you will
encounter other tourists or locals until you
near the next town. The hike is not very technical,
but is physically strenuous and involves
sections where swimming is the only option
if you wish to continue.
Closer to Sayq, the wadi widens creating
some pools large enough to be labeled as
small ponds. On the right hand side is the falaj
system which can be followed like a path
and continues all the way to the village. Here
the hike takes on a completely different feel
as you pass through the shade of a meticulously
manicured orchard filled with date
palms, banana trees and mangos all terraced
along the falaj system passing over the emerald
green pools of the wadi below.
So depending on the time frame and what
type of guest we are catering to, we may
choose to do the entire wadi (complete with
vehicles to shuttle), although most of the
time we park at either Bidah or Sayq and
hike in for a few hours then return back the
way we came. This way you can take your
time to stop and enjoy some of the larger
pools, which are a nice reprieve from the
heat.
If you want an easier day, with no hiking,
there are a few massive pools of water near
Miqil just before Bidah. These are complete
with paved walking paths, a restaurant and
shaded seating areas but can be busy on
the weekends. Also in Miqil there is a small
cave that can be explored with a waterproof
torch if you’re willing to get dirty. Some of
the passages are a pretty tight squeeze,
certainly not for the claustrophobic among
you. As usual, if you decide to undertake this
weekend adventure, be sure to play it safe.
Bring with you all necessary supplies such as
sunscreen, extra water, waterproof torch and
snacks. More information on this area can
be found in the Oman off-road books so you
can plan your trip accordingly.
As we like to say in Canada, get out there,
have fun and “keep your stick on the ice.”
Darryl MacDonald
52 OUTDOORUAE

THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
April 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
LOCATIONS
Oman
escapes
Words + Photos: Darryl MacDonald
Last weekend, my wife and I took
some Canadian visitors on a hike that
has been on our “must see” list for
nearly two years. The Chains hike is
located on the north end of the Western
Hajar mountain range.
The name of the hike comes from a set of
chains that must be ascended halfway through
the journey. Rumour has it that the chains
were originally set up by the British military
in the 1920s in order to utilise this area as a
training ground for troops; there is of course
no way to be certain. The trailhead of the
hike is approximately a three-hour drive from
Muscat which, in my opinion, is too far for a
day trip and so it was decided to overnight
nearby. We left Muscat late Thursday morning,
detouring first to the Nakhal Fort and hot
springs, located just south west of Barka. The
fort is a little touristy, but an excellent example
of the many Omani forts speckled throughout
the countryside, while the hot springs provided
a lovely spot for a picnic lunch. We then
continued north past Rustaq towards the Ibri
road before finally turning back towards the
coast. The scenery through this area is always
nice, but becomes particularly stunning after
leaving the main road and heading towards
Al Ghizayn. The roads here wind in and out
around mountains, passing some spectacular
terraced gardens and several small villages.
We passed a few crumbling towers and
a small abandoned mud village offering a
glimpse into the rich history of the country.
Using the off-road Oman book as a reference
for directions, we noticed that many of
the roads in the area had changed and the
suggested camping area now had permanent
residents nearby. Not wanting to camp
near someone’s house, we set off in search
of another campsite. We managed to find a
dirt track off the main road which we followed
before turning up a small wadi, well off the
beaten track, and found a suitable area to settle
for the night. We lucked out that evening
with a brilliant evening sky, an outstanding
view of the Milky Way – just a few of the many
perks of camping in the rural areas.
The following morning, we packed up camp
after breakfast and prepared for the adventure
ahead. As this was our first time doing this
hike, I brought some extra equipment just to
be on the safe side. In my backpack, I carried
58 OUTDOORUAE

two small ropes along with some slings,
anchors and carabineers along with the usual
gear such as water, snacks, sunscreen, etc.
As the saying goes, “it’s better to have it
and not need it, than need it and not have
it” especially when ascending on gear that
was purportedly assembled in the 1920s. At
the head of the trail, we were met by some
local Omani teenagers who instantly began
leading us up the trail. We assured them that
we didn’t require any assistance, but they
trailed along behind us anyway, offering help
where they could. In the end, they were
quite friendly and helpful, so in exchange,
we offered a few of our extra bottles of water
and a bag of fresh fruit, which they seemed
quite happy with.
The hike itself is not long, approximately
50 minutes each way, but requires some light
bouldering in places and several water crossings.
The canyon is like something out of an
Indiana Jones movie, with smooth, white and
black marble-like rock and massive boulders
poised upright in the emerald green pools
along the canyon. In one section, the walls
become quite narrow and curve inward near
the top of the canyon creating a dramatic
effect. Upon arriving at the chains, a quick
inspection revealed the equipment to be in
excellent shape with several pieces of newer
gear added to the mix (I think it’s unlikely
there is anything remaining from the 1920s).
The chains are about 12m high and are
relatively easy to climb if you’re comfortable
with heights. A few people in our group
weren’t very excited about the prospect of
climbing up, but were encouraged with a
little help from the local Omanis and others
in our group. About 20 minutes beyond the
chains, after passing through the narrowest
section of the canyon, we came to what the
off-road book describes as one of the most
beautiful pools in Oman – it’s not. Don’t
get me wrong, it is a beautiful pool, but the
description in the book made the whole
journey a little anti-climactic. Above the
pool, someone has put some bolts in the
rock for those who would like to continue up
the canyon beyond. At the moment, there
is a rusting piece of rebar tied onto them
with some string. Do not use this to climb
beyond! We took a dip in the pool before
heading back down, which I might add was
more fun than coming up. All in all, this
journey was well worth the trip. Our entire
group enjoyed it thoroughly, even those that
weren’t excited about the climbing!
If you decide to undertake this weekend
adventure, be sure bring all the necessary
supplies/ equipment, and don’t forget to
“leave no trace.” If you’re not comfortable
with bouldering, it would be best to find a
local guide to take you through the area;
there are a few companies offering such
services online.
As we like to say in Canada, get out there,
have fun and “keep your stick on the ice.”
Darryl MacDonald
OUTDOORUAE
59

LOCATIONS
Oman
escapes
Words + Photos: Darryl MacDonald
According to the World Fact
Book, Oman has approximately
2,092km of coastline making it
the 53rd longest coastline overall
out of all countries surveyed.
Looking back now, it seems
almost ridiculous that most of
my articles thus far about Oman
have been about hiking and
camping, barely touching on water
sports. I have decided then,
that this month’s article should
be about one of my favourite
sports, a sport that became a
favourite after seeing it on the
James Bond film “Thunderball,”
over 20 years ago. I begged
and pleaded with my parents for
training as a birthday present
until they finally succumbed. If
you’ve seen the movie, then you
can likely guess that what I’m
talking about is scuba diving.
Now with all that coastline, there is an
abundance of dive locations. Some of the
common ones you may already know about
such as the Daymaniyat Islands, Bandar
Khayran or Musandam, but there is one
place in particular that really sticks out in
my mind. Located on the coastline, an hour
and a half north of Salalah, the small coastal
town of Mirbat is situated in a very unique
location. A mere 10km off shore, the ocean
floor drops a dizzying 1,700m straight down
endowing this area with a very unique aquatic
ecosystem. During the summer months,
the Khareef churns the ocean and upwelling
from the deep brings cold water and nutrients
to the surface. During the summer,
the Salalah area transforms into a budding
green oasis not only on land, but underwater
as well. Kelp forests grow, reaching several
metres in height and changing the underwater
landscape dramatically. The ocean is
inaccessible during these months, but when
the Khareef dissipates and the seas calm
near the end of September, Mirbat is one of
only a handful of places on the planet where
it’s possible to dive in a kelp forest.
Mirbat, the town, is quite small and has
only one major hotel at which is located
the only dive shop in the area, which makes
the decision making easy when booking.
My wife and I have made the journey down
twice now to spend a long weekend of diving
with friends. With the drive from Muscat
being approximately 11 hours one way, we
opted to fly. If staying at the Marriott Hotel,
where the dive shop is located, you will be
transported from the airport courtesy of
the hotel, negating the necessity to rent a
vehicle. When you enter the Extra Divers
shop, one of the first things you notice is
their “wall of fame,” a collection of photos
taken while on the dive boat in the area.
Among them are pictures of massive schools
of dolphins, breaching Humpback whales,
Bryde’s whales and Sperm whales. Thorston,
the shop manager, told us about once
dropping off a group of snorkelers in front of
a pod of Sperm whales to swim with them.
Apparently, they swam towards the whales
carefully then nearly ran back to the boat on
the surface once they saw them underwater.
I would be nervous too considering these
60 OUTDOORUAE

carnivores have been documented
eating megamouth sharks. The
dive shop has been in operation
for over two years and has been
exploring the area to pinpoint
new dive sites. During our first
trip, we did a few exploratory
dives. Some were excellent including
a recently discovered wreck
that had only seen one group of
divers before us, while some dives
were not so excellent. But that is
the risk you take when you agree
to an exploratory dive.
On our most recent trip, the site
locations had been much more
refined, including a site that had
some of the largest nurse sharks I
have ever seen, and another site
with a Chinese wreck that was
claimed to be over 100 years old
and previously carried Chinese
porcelain. The marine life in the
area seems to be quite healthy, with massive
schools of fish and, well, massive fish! There
are a number of species there that I have yet
to come across in the Muscat area including
some larger catfish, the previously mentioned
nurse sharks and a few others that I
have yet to discover the names of. It’s also
the only area in Oman where I have ever
heard of divers seeing dolphins underwater!
Don’t get your hopes up though, according
to the staff this has only happened twice in
two years.
Thus far, my diving experiences in the area
have been fantastic. There is of course never
any guarantee of weather, and the visibility
underwater can go from nothing to 30m
and back to nothing in the blink of an eye,
with no obvious reasons why. So if you’re a
certified diver and decide to undertake this
weekend adventure, make sure you check
the weather beforehand. It’s also a good
idea to call ahead to find out about visibility.
If you’re not a certified diver, lessons are also
available. The kelp forests only last until the
middle to end of November, but the diving
in the area is generally good until the start
of the Khareef, at the end of April. So as we
like to say in Canada, get out there, have fun
and “keep your stick on the ice.”
Darryl MacDonald

THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
June 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
LOCATIONS
Oman
escapes
Selma Plateau
When my wife and I moved to
Oman from Canada, we brought
with us nearly everything we
owned. Everything was shipped
in two batches; 99 per cent of
our belongings were loaded into
a shipping container onto a boat
and would hopefully arrive at our
destination within six months.
We were also provided with a
very small amount of air freight
which would meet us a few days
after arrival, consisting of everything
we would need to survive
until the sea freight arrived. So
the question was, if our sea
freight did not arrive for four to
eight months, what could we not
live without? It took some long
and thoughtful consideration, but
we selected our items carefully,
things that would get us through
even if the sea freight arrived
late. We packed items that would
make us feel at home in our new
home, everything we thought was
essential to acclimatising to our
new environment.
Words + Photos: Darryl MacDonald
For us, this included:
• Climbing gear
• Scuba diving equipment
• Kite boarding equipment
• Photography equipment
• Enough clothing to last a week without
laundry
And so it was that less than two weeks
after arrival, we were off camping for the first
time in Oman. My wife had met a wonderful
couple at work who had been living in the
country for nearly 11 years, exploring every
nook and cranny of this coastal desertscape.
They were heading out for the weekend and
kindly offered to take us along and show
us the ropes; our destination, the Selma
Plateau.
We left early Thursday morning taking
the highway from Muscat towards Tiwi and
ultimately turning off into the mountains
near Fins. Now when I say turn off into the
mountains, I mean drive up the face of
the East Hajar Mountain range to the top.
It’s slow going and the road can be quite
treacherous at times, but we were rewarded
with stunning views of the ocean from the
top, making the journey worthwhile. We
continued on over the top of the mountain
range, through several small villages until we
reached our destination, the Beehive Tombs.
These structures, believed by archeologists
to be ancient tombs, are thought to date
back between 4,500 and 5,500 years in
origin.
At this point, I would like to note some
differences between our new home country
and Canada that became immediately
prevalent upon our arrival at the Beehive
Tombs. In Canada, most areas have
designated camping spots and it is illegal
to camp wherever you feel like. In Oman,
there is no such thing as a “designated”
campsite. In Canada, something with such
historical significance would be fenced off,
guarded and cost money to visit. Oman, I
noticed, was a little different as I watched
a local climb one of the tombs to have his
picture taken. In Canada, there are trees,
tree stumps and boulders that can be used
for hanging gear, putting up shades, used as
tables and sitting on. In Oman, there is nothing
but wide open, rocky space, leaving us
to realise we were completely unprepared.
52 OUTDOORUAE

THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
June 2013 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
All of this became clear to me as we set up
our camp, struggling to use our Canadian
camping gear.
The other thing that was soon brought
to my attention was the black and ominous
clouds growing rapidly larger on the horizon.
In Canada, these clouds would not have
been a big deal. Shortly after we finished
setting up camp and were ready to sit down,
relax and enjoy the surroundings, the first
of the rain started to fall. What started as
a trickle turned into a downpour of epic
proportions. We watched helplessly from
the confines of our vehicle as winds gusting
beyond 20kn tore apart our camp. Luckily,
our tent was a four-season, back country
tent and didn’t budge. However, our friends
did not fare so well. Their tent, which was
a “Carrefour special,” was completely flattened,
snapping the poles and filling it with
water.
After an hour of pounding rain and
gusting winds, the clouds parted, the sun
came out and once again the weather was
beautiful. We spent the rest of the afternoon
putting our camp back together and
repairing tents. That evening, the view of the
Milky Way was stunning as it always is in the
back country of Oman with the added bonus
of a few massive storm clouds spitting out
lightning in the distance. The temperature
was also nice and cool compared to the
Muscat heat we were experiencing; perfect
for camping.
The following morning we descended
down the opposing side of the Hajar
Mountain range, passing through a wadi
and following the inland highway back to
Muscat. The drive down the mountain was
less treacherous than our path the previous
day. Upon arriving at the wadi, we were very
happy to see the department of roads and
transportation (aka the local tractor) clearing
out the large boulders that had been
washed through in the previous night’s rain.
The entire trip offers spectacular views and
has slightly cooler temperatures throughout
the year, making it great for camping, even
in the hotter months. Information about the
area can be found in the Oman off-road
books. Should you decide to undertake
this weekend adventure, remember to
always play it safe. A 4x4 vehicle is a must
(minimum of two vehicles is recommended)
along with a GPS unit. So as we like to say in
Canada, get out there, have fun and “keep
your stick on the ice”.
Darryl MacDonald
OUTDOORUAE
53