Christmas and New Years

The camp site

Looking for dinner

How cool is this?!

Sunrise over the Indian Ocean

Barracuda

Flamingo's

Wadi Bashing to the waterfall

Snorkeling in the Indian Ocean

Snoopy Rock

Gail and I got a great opportunity to go camping with friends over New Years.  Our friends drove us about 3 hours East to the Emirate of Fujeirah.  We got a late start, but eventually made it to a spit of land that separates the Gulf of Oman from the back waters and the forests of mangroves.  I had said in other posts that we were on the Indian Ocean, which is what we were told, but that isn't 100% correct.

We got there just in time to get camp set up, get the fire going and start dinner.  We crawled in the tent before too late and woke to a beautiful sunrise over the ocean.

New Year's Eve, our one full day was pretty action packed.  We piled into two cars and headed north to find the only continuous running waterfall in the UAE.  We had to four wheel 2.9 k through a Wadi to get there.

Wadi (Arabic: وادي‎ wādī; also: Vadi) is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some cases, it may refer to a dry (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain or simply an intermittent stream.

The waterfall itself was unimpressive.  The rocks were all tagged with spray painted with messages, most spelled incorrectly.  Visitors don't seem to have a problem leaving their garbage lying around, thinking that if magically disappears.  The guide book warned us not to swim in the pool of water at the bottom of the falls due to parasites in the water....yum.  It looked somewhat inviting, but I heeded their warning. 

Next we went further north to a little beach area.  Some of the group played at the free beach, while the rest of us paid the 75 dirhams to use the facilities at Sandy Beach Hotel.  What a cool little place.  I want to go for a few nights and chill there.

Snoopy rock is directly out from the hotel, and if there is water, you know where you'll find me.  Gail, Karen and I rented gear and snorkeled out to the rock.  The visibility wasn't great, but I can see where it would be a great snorkel experience.  After drying off we went up to the open air pub that looked out over the water, and had some lunch and a couple cool ones to celebrate the day.

We got a late start back to the camp site, and made it back just before dark.  Dinner and too much wine followed.  Gail, Dan, Karen and I decided to hike over to the ocean side in the dark.  The crashing waves were creating an incredible light show as the phosphorus lit up all up and down the beach.  We sat in the sand and enjoyed for awhile and the show eventually started fading away.

We enjoyed the warm fire as the temperature started going down, and only made it until 10:30 before hitting the rack.  We both slept like babies!

Next day four of the group took off kayaking through the mangroves and the rest of us hung out and started packing up camp.  The kayakers got stuck due to the tide and we had to drive down to where they beached the boats and pull them up. Upon leaving our camping spot, we are greeted by a herd of free roaming camels out for a little walk and snack. Unbelievable........

During the long trek back, Dan and Karen mentioned a good Mexican place, so we met them for a very good dinner and then hauled our sleepy butts back to the apt for a good night sleep, and the beginning of the New Year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!