blank slate: The Great Sea-Scape

After a number of half-hearted attempts, we finally managed to take this trip last weekend to the Musandam peninsula, Oman. Four and a half years in Dubai (for me) and this was our first serious outing by road. Not only over-night, but international!

A car drive of under 4 hours via Ras Al Khaimah (including the UAE-Oman border visa formalities) Friday morning and we reached Khasab, Musandam’s principal town (built by the Portuguese early 17th century).

Fairly good road, the Oman leg of it winding up and down and around (and over!) stark mountains on one side, with the Persian Gulf on the other, the way to Khasab along the coast was quite thrilling. The Hajjar mountains appear arid and inhospitable, yet oddly attractive, their treeless ruggedness highlighted even more by the blue waters of the seas around. The amount of quarrying on the way was however quite a put-off.

But we were quite unprepared for our hotel, which sits on a cliff overlooking the clear waters of the passages of Hormuz. On this cusp of land facing northwards towards Iran you have the Persian Gulf on the left, the Strait of Hormuz in front, and the coastal fjords of Musandam on the right, stretching eastwards towards the Gulf of Oman.

The highlight of our trip was the traditional Omani Dhow cruise the same afternoon. Comfortable low seating helped us work off our lunch as the boat sailed out. Inhaling sea breeze and absorbing the blue around, the sunlight played its part, highlighting the landscape which became breath-taking with the light and shadow as dusk approached.

Quite an experience. Dubbed the "Norway of Arabia" because of its fjords, Musandam has some of the most scenic panoramas in the Arabian Peninsula, with a number of khors (creeks); and our dhow explored the largest of them, 'Khor as-Sham'.

Crystal clear waters encircled by massive naturally carved rock walls(mainly limestone), colourful aquatic life and a pod of 7 playful wild dolphins, showing off their skill in the water and even racing our boat.

We anchored at the well-known ‘Telegraph Island’, a station along the old telegraph cable that linked London to Iraq's southern city of Basra and onwards to Bombay. IS even enjoyed a short swim in the clear water.

On the way back we could see a number of speedboats racing across the sea-corridor connecting Oman to the Iranian coast (50 kms. away), and heard from our guide about the smuggling of traditional goods like zaffran, livestock, etc. from there, with consumer goods being taken in on the return.

The next morning we went into the town (which was quite deserted) and saw the Khasab Fort and Museum. We returned home that same evening wanting to do this trip again.