Intermediate Starfish Dunes Overnight Trip to Oman.
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Starfish Dunes Drive in Oman!!!
Starfish dunes are big pyramidal dunes that lie south west of Jebel Hafeet in Al’Ain just across the border in Oman. They are remarkably beautiful dune formations surrounded by a sea of smaller dunes. The starfish name comes from the fact that when you look at this dunes from above, they look like a starfish. It is a great, read Challenging, area for offroading!
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMcsT76e_vQ[/media]
Description Of Event:
The plan is to visit this great area and drive from big dune to big dune until we find a suitable camp site (around 17:00), camp, continue driving next day and finally finish around 14:00. Camping is mandatory for this trip. We will do at least 150Kms off road. Please plan your fuel accordingly (extra fuel is highly recommended).Meeting point: Mezyad Petrol station (N24 01.829 E55 50.684) at 9am Friday 26th.
Mezyad Petrol to starting point: 11km
Mezyad Petrol though starfish dunes to Mezyad Petrol: 150km
Finish Point: N23 43.318 E55 54.205 at 14:00 Saturday 27th
Level: Intermediate+
Maximum number of cars: 7+ 1 LeadThe meeting point is approximately 147 KM from Dubai. Please allow 2 hours or so just to get there. It is through Al’Ain and just before the border. We can refuel here and cross the border although fuel is 30% cheaper in Oman. Once over the border, we refuel and then it’s straight off into the Dunes.
Escape Routes: The area is crossed by a series of ‘tongues’ and stretches of sabkhah as we progress southwards. The escape options are to head to the nearest sabkhah and heading eastwards we hit the main road.
Equipment:
As well as the clubs mandatory gear. Please make sure you have plenty of fluids for yourself, passengers and your car. Bring spare Oil, Coolant, Brake fluid, hose clips and some strong hose tape. Sand ladders may be useful, too. Radios are mandatory. Spare fuel might also be needed for those of us with small tanks (Jeeps) or who like to play a lot or have a heavy right foot!!!Paperwork: You will need passports with valid residence Visa for self and your passengers, your car registration and proof of Omani car insurance. We will need to get OMANI visas at the border and they will want to see that you have Omani insurance before they will let you across. Insurance can be paid for at the boarder if needed.
Cost:
UAE exit stamp: 35AED, Oman visa: 50AED.
The number of stipulated members for this drive has already been exceeded.
Further Registrations are thus closed.
I guess each one of us should be totally prepared, both individually as well as collectively.
Each one of us should have at least 4L of water per-head Plus food Plus 2 bundles of firewood.
Extra fuel will be nice, too, for Jeepers Specially!!!
Just make sure that the Fuel is in airtight containers and is secured properly OUTSIDE the vehicle’s cabin. Carrying Fuel inside the Car is an absolute No No!!!
So…See you all at Mezyad then??? Friday Morning!!!
BTW…there is some development on the weather front and there might be some Rain on Friday Night in Al’Ain…and we are not very far from Al’Ain…so be…prepared!!!
Ahmed Bhai,
I am sorry. Unfortunately i may have to miss this wonderful drive due to some sudden commitments.
Predictions for Friday night
Lo 22°
RealFeel® 21°
Precipitation 8%It looks like it is quite unlikely we’ll get wet 🙂 It is however recommended to check the weather forecast tomorrow.
quote Ricardo:Predictions for Friday nightLo 22°
RealFeel® 21°
Precipitation 8%It looks like it is quite unlikely we’ll get wet 🙂 It is however recommended to check the weather forecast tomorrow.
:-BD :-BD
quote Ahmad Pervez:Starfish Dunes Drive in Oman!!!It is a great, read Challenging, area for offroading!
Sounds like we are good to go: 2 DO Marshall’s + 3 advanced DO’s + 3 DO intermediates including a winch-man lots of good humour and a couple of bundles of wood for a fire to keep Ghost Town spirits back in the UAE and not on this trip yay 😀
quote brianj:quote Ahmad Pervez:Starfish Dunes Drive in Oman!!!It is a great, read Challenging, area for offroading!
Sounds like we are good to go: 2 DO Marshall’s + 3 advanced DO’s + 3 DO intermediates including a winch-man lots of good humour and a couple of bundles of wood for a fire to keep Ghost Town spirits back in the UAE and not on this trip yay 😀
Who is the winchman in the group?
quote Ahmad Pervez:quote brianj:quote Ahmad Pervez:Starfish Dunes Drive in Oman!!!It is a great, read Challenging, area for offroading!
Sounds like we are good to go: 2 DO Marshall’s + 3 advanced DO’s + 3 DO intermediates including a winch-man lots of good humour and a couple of bundles of wood for a fire to keep Ghost Town spirits back in the UAE and not on this trip yay 😀
Who is the winchman in the group?
Carl, AKA ‘Plowboy’ has just fitted a 1200lbs Warn to his beast, he’s lifted it too, nice job 🙂 ,
quote brianj:Carl, AKA ‘Plowboy’ has just fitted a 1200lbs Warn to his beast, he’s lifted it too, nice job 🙂Yup!!! :-BD
BTW, its no more a wrangler, its something else 😀
quote GKumar:quote brianj:Carl, AKA ‘Plowboy’ has just fitted a 1200lbs Warn to his beast, he’s lifted it too, nice job 🙂Yup!!! :-BD
BTW, its no more a wrangler, its something else 😀:yesss: That’s good News!!! 🙂
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
What a drive report!!!! Awesome 🙂 Thanks Brian :thanks:
Happy to know that you guys had good fun 🙂
:ymapplause: :ymapplause: :ymapplause:
Wow!!!
What a drive and very eloquently described in words by Brian!!!
Thanks To Ricardo for taking us all into a new area of unmatched beauty and savage brutality, too!!!
The whole scenario reminded me of offroading in UAE/ Liwa deserts some ten years back…no fences, no farms, no vehicles or tyre marks and no humans except our little tribe of gutsy adventurers!!!
The Dunes are beautiful but extremely deceptive with hidden treacherous bowls, extremely sharp and tall ridges camouflaging long steep drops!!!
=p~ =p~ =p~
Beautiful!!!
Wow…What a drive report…Felt like i was part of it…
Unfortunately missed the fun due to family commitments. Catch you next time…
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