Al Wahtba dunes

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon when the idea to find this place drove away the stupor I had. The clock factually declared that there was barely three hours of skin-complimenting golden sunlight and the clear skies promised at least an hour or so of blue light shooting. I had no time to waste. Studying the maps in the book and entering the coordinates, my GPS figured it would take 46 minutes to get to my destination. 

The 2016 edition of the UAE explorer off road book features an eye-catching cover picture of an out-

of-this-world landscape that seemingly invites the viewer to go out and explore what majestic treasures the desert has to offer. I just knew I had to go to that place.  An artwork in progress, this barren sea of sand littered with icebergs of rocks that are continuously shaped by mother nature's breath of seasonal winds is surprisingly not that far away from the city. The stunningly captivating masterpiece is centuries old and still far from complete. 

The thought of going to this place may be intimidating to some car drivers since it looks so remote and
the fact that it is in the cover of an off road book adds to the impression that a 4x4 is needed to get there. Reality is, this place is actually accessible to sedans. If fact, I was using my Altima when I first visited this dunes. Located just a few hundred meters from the road, the drive to this area actually is not that bad. 

Photography was the first reason for me to find this place. after a few visits I soon realized that this was a good camping site. Google maps actually marks this as a camp site. Since then, this became my favorite destination for a quick overnight camp or just to go celebrate rest days on Friday sunsets.

These natural formations are delicate works of art. They may withstand baking under the sun, strong winds, sand storms and all the elements but they easily crumble and even walking over these may cause a frack or even break them.  A sad observation I had was that some folks think that these formations are actual rocks and and they drive their rigs over the "rocks". Others  actually break the smaller formations by sitting on them for pictures. 

I was happy to find out during a 2019 visit that the trash left by campers and visitors was actually removed from the area. It is our responsibility to keep places like this clean by taking out rubbish materials with us after enjoying the place.

 

My last visit to the dunes was on my traditional new year's solo camp to welcome 2020. As seen in the video below, I got stuck on the soft sand. Was that an omen of what has to come this year? 

Shuweihat Island

 

It has been five months now since "lock down" has been implemented due the the COVID situation. Although this situation has prevented me from traveling freely, I am thankful that measures to promote our safety from infection has been in place. As  "stay at home" rules slowly ease up and a new "normal" is slowly being implemented, I just can't help but dream of the best road trips I have had in the UAE. I will be revisiting most of them when leisure road trips will be safe again. 

Topping my list of all-time favorite outdoor destinations in the UAE  would be Suhweihat Island. This

Instagram-candy island is located around 270 kilometres west of the capital. The accessibility of the island heavily contributes to the melancholic feeling when adventuring alone, which I find amusing. This rock island is actually reachable by a land bridge that adds to the dramatic approach to what arguably is the most scenic spots on the country's coastlines. Technically being a military base, most of the beaches are fenced off to the public but that does not serve as a turn off to the wandering ones since the accessible areas still make up more than enough for the 2.5 hour drive from the big city. 

Lined with cliffs and beaches, the coastline of this island paradise can be described with a thousand adjectives of praise. I would say, it is like Arizona's Antelope Canyon had a love child with the Maldives. The beauty of the island is highlighted by the pastel colors of the sands, rocks and the clear ocean that emits ever changing hues as the sun traces it's path across the Arabian sky. With the island being barely 2 kilometres wide, photographers can easily move about, taking full advantage of sunrise and sunset landscapes. 

In one of our opportunities of camping overnight a few years back, we have observed that a lot of 

rubbish is left by campers. It is a sad fact that humans leave an ugly footprint in natures masterpieces. Still, a silver lining is that there are more of those campers who are responsible enough to clean up after camp break.

My favorite activity in the island is exploring the cliffs and beaches. It is a unique experience to see the different faces of the beaches within a few hundred meters of walking and "discovering" caves along the cliffs. 

Public access to the island have changed quite a number of times in the recent year. If you plan to visit, doing due diligence of checking online may be a good idea. 

New year camp at Jebel Jais

The road to Jabel Jais

As the final hours of  the last shift for 2014 was dwindling down, I knew I just had to make a getaway. The options I had for meeting the year were either to watch fireworks at Abu Dhabi Corniche or just lay back and watch the stars. Being me, I had to pick the latter.

Getting a good spot for star gazing in this country is quite a challenge. Even the deserts in the middle of nowhere are cursed by light pollution. My last attempt to find such a spot in the desert along the Sharjah-Kalba road was futile. With this in mind, I knew finding altitude would increase my chances.

When accessible mountain heights is brought up, the known Jabel Hafeet in Al Ain is usually one's first pick. The name itself makes me feel jaded so I referred to my UAE off road book. Jabel Jais, the highest peak in the UAE became my first pick. With an altitude of 1,925 metres (6,315 feet) I knew I'd be sleeping with shivers. This peak has a history of having heavy snow fall in January 2009. That fact gave me even more gusto in making it there for the new year.



night sights from my camp

Like my other camping trips, this one was no different- it is unplanned. I passed by a shop to get  some food supply. Of course, my camping gear was already in the car. (When was the last time I took them out of the car?) I took 2 coats and 2 sleeping bags. I've had experiences of sudden temperature drops in the desert before, forcing me to sleep inside the car with heater on and that is not happening tonight. After exchanging wishes with the person that matters, I left Abu Dhabi at 10 pm. GPS said the trip would last 3 hours an 37 minutes. I was on my way. Stopping to make sure I had enough petrol before making the ascent, I noticed the boys attending the pump started dancing and making high fives. It was 12 o'clock. We chatted for a while, asking them for directions. I gave them 2 sachets each of UNO 8 in 1 coffee, got into the car and headed for the mountain.

I woke up to this view from my tent. Simply awesome.

I knew I had to eat before I sleep so just before the climb, I pulled over and wrapped 1 can of potato soup with a rag, taped it to the strut brace and was on my way, knowing the engine heat would give me a warm meal later. (now you know!) The drive was challenging. Unlike the "driveway" in Jabel Hafeet, this road was totally dark and had far more horse-shoe curves. I felt an increase in ear pressure so I rolled down a window. The road was not as steep as I expected and driving on ascending curves flexed the muscles of the 175 horses under the hood. After 45 minutes, the navigator declared that I have reached my destination. It was a point in the road where cars were parked in both sides. Tents were pitched and the paved road ended. Some 4x4s took up the challenge of negotiating the steep dirt road that continues to the military base at the top of the mountain. I didn't drive 3 hours just to camp roadside. The only direction I would go is up.



view from camp as seen by the naked eye

With only headlights to illuminate the road and a cliff on one side, I knew it would be fun!
In some ascents, you only see the hood of your car and considering that most of the mountains in the area are shaped like "Pride Rock" from the "the Lion King" I cant help but entertain the feeling that I might be driving to a cliff. It was the type of driving where torque in low revs was needed and I wanted no interference of electronics in my driving so I turned of the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC). That gave me the ability to spin my front tires when needed- sometimes an essential in getting grip in loose gravel. Luckily, I did not have to trade gasoline for horse power as the road was well kept.

Finding a place to park near a good vantage point was easy as there was barely no one else on top. Taking some pictures, I noticed a silhouette of a stone table near the ledge of one peak. That was the place to make camp.

home for the night

Yes, there were stars and yes, they were affected by the ever-present light pollution. At first, I just enjoyed watching the lights of cars negotiating the road below and I started taking pictures. I knew my camera battery would not last long in this cold, which I could feel through my leather gloves. (the car thermometer registered 8 degrees) Settled in the comforts offered by my tent, I made myself a cup of coffee and opened the warm can of soup. I tried to brave the cold and take pictures but managed to only get a few before the camera battery decided it needed sleep. A tent, one yoga mat and two mummy sleeping bags- one as extra mattress and the other to crawl into. That would to it. Yes, I had a sweatshirt and a coat on. I felt so snug and comfy just like I was in a cocoon. 3 am. Goodnight, world!

6:30 am. the fone alarm woke me up. It was too cold to take my gloves off so I used the tip off my nose to slide it off. I wear an N95 mask when I sleep t keep my face warm and prevent frostbite in my lips. Feeling the cold LCD in my nose woke me up! I started chuckling at myself. It was comfortable but getting out of my cocoon of comfort was such a task. I feel you, butterfly! I was now awake. First light was breaking and I had to warm my camera battery for this.

I had a hearty breakfast, invited the first guy I saw but he shyly declined. He was bringing four asses (not the ones you stare at... the ones you ride on- donkeys!) to get hay supply for the stable below the cliff. I got him a paper cup of nice hot coffee. He was all smiles and said something before he left. I guess it was happy new year, he said. He didn't speak English.

I spent the day exploring the peak. I spent hours waking around, climbing rocks and meeting occasional hikers and giving them water and prime juice to prevent cramps and boost their energy. I drove further up to where the road ends. Apparently, it does not end. there is just a check point near the military base. One hiker said a passport is needed to get thru as that was Oman across the gate. I was too tired to get my passport in the car so maybe some other time.

Overall, it was a much needed getaway where there was nothing in my head except for the "here and now" situation. 2015, I'm ready!