Growing up near the Rocky Mountains in Canada, it was a regular occurrence to head out on the weekend to go camping with the family. Most of the camping was what I like to call “car camping,” where you drive up to the site with all of your supplies in your vehicle, you park and camp. With this type of camping, people generally fill their cars with much, much more than the bare necessities. I typically bring an extra-large tent, inflatable mattress, a big cooler with lots of food; I even have a collapsible kitchen with a sink! I bring everything! In the mountains of Canada you can’t camp anywhere you wish. Instead, people are sequestered to designated camping areas called campgrounds. Some of the largest campgrounds can accommodate nearly 10,000 campers! So, even though you are in the forest, you are still surrounded by hordes of people.
If you miss out our last Oman Escapes 8 episode then read here.
As I grew older, I continued to explore the wilderness and became a big fan of back country camping, where you carry all of the necessary supplies on your back, limiting yourself to necessities, and head as far into the back country as possible, away from civilisation, for days on end. With this type of camping, everything in your pack is carefully thought out and weighed; anything deemed a luxury generally doesn’t make the cut. With back country camping, it is very plausible to go for days without seeing a single person. In my youth, I completed one camping excursion on my own, covering hundreds of kilometres over nearly three weeks without seeing another person!
Also, Check out The Hidden Falls of Oman
Since living in Oman, I have been introduced to two new types of camping. There is car camping but with a twist. Here it is possible to 4×4 into the middle of nowhere and camp wherever you wish, bringing all of your luxury items,making it easy enough to find a location where it is unlikely to see anyone else around. The second type is my favourite type of camping thus far, “boat camping.” It is exactly what it sounds like, camping with a boat.
Upon arriving in Oman, my wife and I promptly decided that in order to take full advantage of our proximity to the ocean we required a boat. So, we purchased a half share in a boat that suited our needs and our first boat camping trip took place only a few months later. My wife and I, along with our friends, the Coopers, decided to head out to the Daymaniyat Islands for the weekend. The Daymaniyat Islands are located 20km off the coast of Barka and 65km from where we set off in the boat. This nature reserve consists of nine islands. The islands are home to beautiful, white sand beaches and some of the most stunning examples of coral and marine life in the country. The islands are protected and hence, are off limits from April to October when various species of turtles flock to the islands to lay their eggs.
Also, Read The Omani Stretch: Epilogue
We checked the weather, loaded everything into waterproof bags on the boat and set off to find our very own desert island to camp on. The journey took nearly two hours to reach the most distant islands. The water was flat calm and the visibility was great so we explored some of the shallow lagoons, had lunch and spent most of the afternoon snorkelling. As the temperature cooled and the sun neared the horizon, we headed to a nearby island with a sheltered lagoon and found the perfect stretch of beach to set up camp without another person in sight. That evening, the Omani coast became more visible as the lights from the road and towns lit up the entire horizon. Similar to car camping, we brought plenty of luxury items including large tents, inflatable mattresses anda portable shower. We even had a three course meal for dinner, providing the perfect end to a perfect day.
After a long active day in the sun, I was exhausted and headed off for bed… then at 2:00 a.m., I awoke. I had attached three anchors to the boat, fearful of waking up in the morning on a desert island with no transportation home. So when I awoke, I was still a little paranoid. I poked my head outside of the tent to assure myself that everything was okay and realised that what I had not accounted for was the tides! The water had gone out further than expected, forcing me to swim out in the darkness to move the boat and reset all the anchors. It was a mistake I haven’t made since. In fact, my wife and I have realised since that it is much more comfortable and less stressful to sleep on the boat under the stars, while anchored to shore. Other than that little mishap, the rest of the trip was amazing, and we have since spent many nights camping on our very own desert island.
Because the Daymaniyat Islands is a nature reserve, you require a permit from the Ministry of Environment if you wish to snorkel, dive or overnight in the area, which needs to be arranged in advance. If you are interested in this type of weekend adventure but are lacking a boat, several operators offer overnight snorkeling, diving and camping trips out to the area from Muscat and Sawadi. As always, stay safe, be prepared and as we like to say in Canada, get out there, have fun and “keep your stick on the ice.”
Darryl MacDonald
