Intermediate Starfish Dunes Overnight Trip to Oman.

Ahmed Bhai,

I am sorry. Unfortunately i may have to miss this wonderful drive due to some sudden commitments.

:-BD :-BD

Yup!!! :-BD
BTW, its no more a wrangler, its something else 😀

Drive Report,

Sitting here this morning looking out of my window, it is some how ‘irréelle’ thinking that yesterday morning we woke up in a remote wilderness of such savage and voluptuous natural beauty as the starfish Dunes in Oman. Photo’s and words cannot convey the images, sensations and emotions that this incomparable area has in store for those that choose to seek it.

Health warning

If you do not have one of the following conditions them stop reading here, Sand in the veins; also known as sandbug Fever, appetite for the wilderness: also known in historic times as Adventurous, Love of and respect for nature, affinity for team work: both conditions also known as good people & DO familyitess 😀

Two hundred kilometres of tarmac, a less than expected tedious passage through UAE and Omani border procedures brought us to entry & deflation point. Our little band of humanity had gathered some 40minutes prior at an Adnoc filling station on the frontier post. Frontier is a good word in all senses, It feels like frontier country vast remote and almost untouched by humans apart from the scattered hamlets and military bases clustered around the tarmac.

Dominated by the isolated ‘massif’ of Jebel Hafeet to the Northeast the Starfish Dunes cover an area of approximately 1000sq kms. Roughly Trapezoid in shape the area lies between the Omani/UAE border to the west and the Main Al Ain/ Mucat road(E21) to the east. Although the southern limit is defined by a great expanse of Sabka (phonectic spelling), geographical there is no limit. In a border-less world these dunes are part and parcel of the vast internal desert that spreads across the UAE, Oman and Saudi they are in effect the precursor to the Liwa ‘Rub al Khail’.

Having set the scene and deflation accomplished convoy positions were allotted; Ricardo at the lead, Ahmad as second lead and Saif at sweep, the ‘jeepers’ nicely corralled by the FJ’s, off we set. We encountered a group of 3 LC’s threading their way through the still wet Sabka our paths briefly intersecting, the first and last ‘other human’ presence we would encounter for the next 30+ hours. 😀

Leading in the SFD is both a joy and a feat of absolute concentration. A joy as the sand is absolutely pristine, total focus as here the dunes hide magic bowls, steep slip faces, amazingly intricate valley runs and huge stunning vistas from the top, or close to the top, of huge red sand mountains. We started our journey by a long leg almost due west toward the Oman/UAE border fences, a double row of razor wire meant to keep both groups of nationals in their allotted plots!! This first leg last several hours and we took in the fist and second points in our drive plan, turning southward we ran parallel to but a couple of kms away from these border fences. The dunes here were high and aloof spreading their largese out before us and challenging us to pass safely through. Within the dunes there were sub dunes and pockets the size of houses, we worked our way slowly south and stopped for lunch in pleasant bowl’ish sort of formation, with an amazing set of wind valleys to one sided and a high lenticular dune to the other, at our back a perfect triangle of razor sharp sand. The children played with gay abandon and the adults got out the chairs and indulged in what DO’ers do best ‘car talk” :ymhug:

Following lunch we climbed a couple of monter piles of sand stopped briefly to admire the huge vistas spread before us and continued descending and crossing a large expanse of Sabka. Climbing again and heading south east we explored an area of vegetated dunes, with the bushes carrying a flourecent green colour some of which were 2+ metres tall. THe whole area was dotted with trees. Almost at the top of one Iftar sized dune a group of trees had taken up residence, it seemed bizarre to see them sprouting like hair from the northern face of a pile of sand 😮

The afternoon continued in a delight of untracked sand formations, as if to bear witness to this awesome place the radio was utterly slilet each of absorbed in the drive the view and the power of mother nature 😉

Crossing another patch of Sabka we climbed diagonally south west and started to prospect for a camp spot, like a wagon train we grouped on what can only be called a valley floor, open to the west and dominated by another Ifatar’esque sand pile which Saif on his reconnoitring climbed.

We found a smaller, more homely patch of Sabka to set up our little nomadic village in and everybody relxed. Tents up, fire pit dug by our youngest members, food on the grill, a fabulous night far far far from the madding crowd. 😀

The following day started with little rain spots that plagued us all day, early vehicle hassles delayed us and eventually we set off toward our 9th waypoint. However continuing mechanical hassles obliged the group to split, one group of 2 cars taking the pre planned exit route, whilst the other group of 5 cars moved deeper into the Dunes, however shortly afterwards this second group also headed for the exit route owing to further vehicle problems.

Our :thanks: go to Ahmad and Ricardo for the planning and execution of a really memorable trip 🙂

Our :thanks: go to our team members Firoz (Sofia, Farah & Ray) Ricardo (and Georgina) Tijn, Carl, Saif, Ahmad & Lubnah for their company, support and unfailing good humour, our second family :ymhug:

A very special :thanks: to CCG Carl and his knowledge of all things mechanical 🙂 nice one mate 😀

A very very special :thanks: to Georgina, Ray and Farah for digging the best fire-pit in the universe and for keeping us all in touch with nature. The world through little people’s eyes is indeed a wondrous place :ymhug:
:thanks: DO