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Stony beach and Chevrolet’s attempts to across a stony track.
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From the beach we went into the mountains and made a first camping into the beautiful valley (wadi) with the hot fresh water and streams.
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| Easter Hajar mountains. There is many of valleys with a fresh water. |
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200 series in the wadi.
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Our camping site near the stream.
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Peter was sure that J200 is fully water proof :).
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Our J76 in the morning during way back from the mountains.
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The first night was very pleasant. Temperature in the evening was around 23 centigrades. All except me and Trop were sleeping out site. In the morning we woke up when a big group of the goats just came to our camping. The first funny view in the day.
From the mountains we moved earlier into the main road and from the Hajar Mountains we moved to the Sur. Old port situated around the natural harbour where in the last centuries the sailors and the fishermen could find a shelter.
In Sur we made a quick shopping and moved to the old fashion wooden shipyard where in traditional way they still build typical fishermen boat called “Dhow”.
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Sur. Overview on the harbour.
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Dhow parked near the old town.
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Shipyard.
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Brass properer in the new Dhow.
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The Bangladeshi worker in the shipyard
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From Sur we moved towards the ocean again and near place called Ras Al Jinz, which is well known for its large population of the green turtle we pulled over the cars for swimming . The water in the Ocean was warm and a bit wavy. All team without any special encourage immediately jumped into the sea.
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The beach near Ras al Jinz.
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The turtle's signs on the sand
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Early afternoon we were in our cars again and quickly moved into the desert. The next night we had to spend between the sand dunes near the ocean in the place named Eastern Sharkiyah Sands.
We reached the desert an hour before the sunset and after reducing the pressure in the tires we set off between the sands. The first few kilometers were a bit difficult because we had to drive slowly on the very uneven surface with many of small sand heaps or immersions. On the end of it the landscape dramatically changed and we parked land cruisers opposite the clear white sand dunes. It was a time for testing our cars. I went on the biggest dune with my camera and rest guys drove on the soft sand.
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On the way to the white sands.
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J200 in action.
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| ... and again. |
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Heavy cars surprisingly work well.
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Pawel “Pyrka” and J76.
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Buzzing dunes in the evening in Easter Sharkiyah.
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Again the classic Land Cruiser J7 on the sand.
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The tree. Here we established a night camp.
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The third day we spent on the desert as well. In the morning after breakfast i found a sandy track into the shore line, and we moved to the cliffs where the sand dunes meet the turquoise ocean. The weather was a bit different, the temperature a little cooler and on the sky we noticed some clouds. The wind was also stronger and we continued the driving on the bright sands near the sea.
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Cooder taking photographs during the sand bashing.
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Sandy cliff near the Ocean.
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Gecko met near the cliff.
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Ocean near Eastern Sharkiyah.
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Afternoon we moved into the ferry harbour and we aimed to reach the Masirah Island in evening. The weather change completely and i considered the rain. Still remember my lonely trip to Masirah in November 2011 when i survived a disaster and flood.
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On the ferry.
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The ferry sail around an hour and a half and afternoon we reached silent small town called Hilf. After the lunch in the local restaurant we set off towards southern part of the island.
Our camping site was in the place named Ras Abu Rasas. A bit tired of the intensive day we just got a quick bath on the sea and after supper went to sleep. Next day we moved around the island but intentionally avoid an asphalt roads and drove slowly between the rocks and white sand beaches.
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Masirah beaches and our cars.
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Crossing a stony track.
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Toyotas land cruiser.
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Our destination point was on the rocky shore where around year ago the local fishermen boat crashed. The wreck is still there.
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J200 near the wreck.
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On Masirah are many of old land rovers :).
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Neer noon we a little changed our previous plan and we decided to back on the main land. All attenders were more curious of desert driving, so am quickly change our plan and turned on the flat and sandy track leading us on the end of the Hikman peninsula. This day was very long. We made a an hour rest on the white beach in Hikman and after sunset continue driving on the sandy tracks towards a white sand dunes near Khaluf. It seemed to be long day again.
Hikman is very flat but the traveling there is not easy. The soil is soft and unstable with many of salty basins, where driving even in good 4x4 cast can be dangerous. In the middle of the Hikman we pulled over the vehicles and again a bit deflated our tires. All were interested how the heavy and big cars on the small wheels can work on the sand. It was a time for some small “drift show”
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Action in Hikman!
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J200 works much better then you can imagine.
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Cooder attacking!
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Runar makes a dust.
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On the end of the Hikman beach we stopped for a quick lunch. Guys rapidly went into the warm sea just to washout the dust and sand after the fun. Pawel and me just prepared our “signature meal” The rise with the smoked tuna :)
Relax on Hikman rebuilt us so we got back on the track and after sunset went to the north. The last petrol station was around 50 km from Hikman so we had to refuel the cars and buy some simple food stuff for next day. Later in the night we moved towards Khaluf Sands, as we planned before. Was completely dark, so i had to followed the GPS locator.
After around an hour we just parked our Land Cruisers in the crack between a long sand dune and high rock. The place was perfect for night camping. Protected by the wind we set together around the bone fire and talk till late night.
In the morning we eat a quick breakfast and moved into Khaluf. All wanted to see some completely worn out land cruisers from series 4 and 7 still working in the fishermen village. From Khaluf again we set off to the sandy track and went deeper in the desert.
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On the way to white desert.
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Khaluf sand dunes.
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I stuck in to the soft sand.
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Crossing the small dune.
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Big mamas still work well.
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Trop and Pyrka during the trip.
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Between the white dunes we spent almost a half day. Intentionally we choose a “virgin” desert instead a bitten tracks usually using by the local fishermen. It was additional experience of sand driving before the main attraction of the trip, The Empty Quarter.
Afternoon we reached an asphalted road just for a few minutes on the petrol station and later back on the sandy surface and went into long valley called Wadi Shittal.
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Convoy at the entrance of Wadi Shittal.
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The sand dunes here are yellowish and orange. Completely different to compare Khaluf.
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Pyrka getting rest afternoon in Wadi Shittal.
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Our J76.
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In Shittal all have got a free time. The crews from the J200 moved to explore a stony and sandy desert behind Wadi Shittal. Pawel and me stayed under the small acacia tree and prepared the diner.
In evening all group back to the site and we eat deserved big supper.
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Evening at Shittal.
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Trop waits on his bowl.
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After supper, despite we had been tired, we moved into the black top road and towards directly to Duqm. In Duqm we made the last shopping and set off into the small town called Haima. Everyone was interested to see Empty Quarter in the morning. We went sleep near 12 am near the first small sand dunes behind Haima. We reached the edge of the biggest sand desert on the world. The Empty Quarter.
Next day all woke up earlier due to the low temperature in the morning. Always on the big deserts the difference between the day and the night temperature is much bigger. Without any break we moved rapidly to the next sand dunes that were around 12 km from us. There we eat a breakfast.
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Reaching a sand dune on Empty Quarter.
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Our cars next to a massive dune.
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The sand was much softer than we expected and we stuck for a while. It was a good experience. Everyone convinced that driving here could be more unpredictable then on the white sands near Khaluf.
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The long sand dune on Empty Quarter.
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Runar running down on the hot sand.
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Our cars seen from the high dune.
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The view from the dunes was absolutely stunning. Long and high sands dunes spread on the horizon and there was nothing more. Just overwhelmed and pristine environment.
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The team is climbing up on the dune.
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The time was perfect. We were around 50 km from the last asphalt, but still had enough fuel for exploring the desert for one or two days. Eager and enthusiastic we went deeper between the sands. The temperature climbed up and the sand was much softer. Around 12 noon we got in the first troubles. On my GPS locator i saw that the destination point is still around 30 km ahead of me. Suddenly we had to a cross a long and big sand dune. I realized that the driving will be more difficult, so went out and tried to find some possibly most safety route between the sand heaps. From the top of the dune i saw the electrical line likely going to some oil exploration site which should be not to far from us. It was a good news. Near the oil facilities are good conditions tracks.
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Wires on the horizon.
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The way through the dune was full difficulties and all we stuck into the sand. It looked like we will spend much more time in that place.
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J 200 and a shoveling.
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Even if you could across the dune you will stuck on the bottom.
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Never go there without the towing rope and sand ladders.
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After around an hour playing in the sands we happily moved ahead.
In evening a bit scorched by the sun and tired after the dune bashing we reached destination point. we were around 90 km from last tarmac road.
The place was most beautiful location that we seen during the entire trip.
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Empty Quarter. Overview.
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Sands and sands and sands...
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Short relax on the dunes.
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I moved on the dune to capture some photos.
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Willy and Peter on Empty Quarter.
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Willy teaches Peter how to drive on the sand.
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I found a nice location on the night camp just behind the dune and as usual in the evening we spend a good time sitting and talking. The night was again much cooler, and the silence was incredible.
Next day was a long way from the Sand dunes to the completely different landscape. We had to drive almost 400 km towards Jabal Al Akhdar where we appeared afternoon after shopping and lunch in Adam. On the top of the mountains where the gravel track begin, we stopped to take some photographs. All needed a serious cloths. November in the Omani mountains can be rainy and very cold. Especially that we had seen a lot of clouds on the sky.
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Jabal al Akhdar.
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Track to our camp site.
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The mountain range.
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The last night was long. We made a big bone fire and prepare the last meal. All were tired after long and intensive week. i went to sleep before 9 pm but in the night woke up by the lightnings. The storm in the mountains could be extremely dangerous so i was sitting in the car and watched the sky. Happily the storm passed us many kilometers and in the morning after big coffee we could continue the trip on the winding and steep gravel track.
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Old Hillux seen on the track in the mountains.
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Rocky canyon.
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Village in the Jabal al Akhdar.
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A few hours later after a short break in Wadi Abyad we reached Muscat. After seven long and unforgettable days.
During this trip we did 2200 km around Oman. It was not the highest range during all Discoveroman.eu expeditions so far, but definitely we did much more kilometers on the off road tracks and sand dunes.
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The team says goodbye.
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Time to back to the days routine. The next trip in the February 2014.
