Tony Walsh – author on Oman & Arabia
Work has started for the Harweel 50MW project for Wind Power in Oman.
General Electric (GE) Renewable Energy who are supplying the turbines for the site said “road works, civil works and foundation works are currently ongoing”.
The turbines components should arrive Continue reading “Wind Power in Oman”
There are lots of Eid Events in Oman (cultural, family oriented and a horse event) this August 2018 – check them out and some places to see when you visit each.
22nd August 2nd Day of Eid 16:00 – onwards; SUR – N’ama Beach
Sur with its 2 forts Continue reading “11 Eid Events in Oman”
In north-western Oman are the ancient tombs and monuments associated with the UNESCO sites of Bat, Al Ayn and Al Khutm. UNESCO’s International Council on Monuments and Sites describes Bat as ‘the most complete and best-known site of the 3rd millennium BC’.
The sites were inscribed Continue reading “UNESCO sites of Bat, Al Ayn and Al Khutm”
The last month has seen a flurry of activity by Oman that seems to be focused on Iran and a meeting between Donald Trump and Hassan Rouhani.
This may have been set off by a meeting on March 13th James Mattis the USA Defense Secretary met with Sultan Qaboos in Muscat .
Following this meeting On March 16th ‘s Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Continue reading “Donald Trump and Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian President, might meet”
Oman’s Frankincense would have been the original cash crop if cash had been invented 3,500 years ago; but in those days it was a crop of barter, royal gift or the spoil of war.
The most famous use of Frankincense is Continue reading “Oman’s Frankincense”
Currently, arrival regulations in Oman for tourists include a requirement that the vehicle in which they travel is insured for the territory of Oman.
Insurance may be either taken by Continue reading “Oman may implement tourist health insurance”
With its 2.5 million date palms, Al-Ahsa Oasis is the largest oasis in the world, its now a Saudi Arabia UNESCO site.
The town has a portfolio Continue reading “Saudi Arabia new UNESCO WHS”
Oman is on the verge of having a large new commercial port, Sur Port Oman.
Located at Sur in eastern Oman, the proposed port will be part of a growing industrial base focused on the LNG plants and Omani India Fertilizer Company.
The feasibility study was Continue reading “SUR PORT Oman looks ready for construction to create another port in Oman focused on raw material trade“
After the British Foundation for the Study of Arabia (BFSA) Annual General Meeting, there was a good chance to listen to Dr Derek Kennet talk about Archaeology in Oman and especially the Iron Age archaeology of a little-studied region in Oman .
Dr Kennet has Continue reading “Rustaq Oman has some remarkable new discoveries from Iron Age”
Sir Wilfred Patrick Thesiger was born on 3 June 1910 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) into a life of privilege and aristocratic connections.
His father was the Continue reading “WILFRED THESIGER the explorer of Oman and Arabia “
Cyclone Mekunu brought what is probably Dhofar’s most intense rainfall ever, which in turn brought some deaths (6 reported and perhaps a few more will be found), caused destroyed roads and spectacular waterfalls.
The effect can be seen by the closure announcment, by the National Committee for Civil Defense, of major road links – shown in a diagram issued after Cyclone Mekunu. As the diagram Continue reading “Cyclone Mekunu aftermath”
One of the most astounding events during the Cyclone Mekunu in Dhofar Oman has been the complete filling of the vast Tayq Cave sinkhole.
This sinkhole is about 3million cubic meters and its now full.
Tayq Cave is in an area of Karst Limestone, whose fractures provide the original ingress to water for the formation of a cave below the surface. Over time the cave enlarges as Limestone can eventually dissolve in water, the reverse happens when Limescale is deposited on water pipes. Over many hundreds of thousands of years if not more, the roof of the cave collapses giving rise in this case to the enormous Tayq Cave sinkhole 1.25km across.
Tayq Cave lies where two wadis meet, Wadi Sharaa to the east and Wadi Thirrat and these are the main sources of water into the sinkhole. The base of Tayq Cave contains a ‘drain’ that is believed to empty via the base of Tawi Atayr, also a sinkhole (8.5kms away), into the Arabian Sea at Qashrawb about 12kms east of Khawr Rawi and 16kms from Tayq Cave. The enormous quantity of water that will exit the cave over an extended period should enable geologists to determine the exit point into the sea.
Updated 1st June - Ahmed Al Toqi has taken an image of the sinkhole a few days after it filled - and it is now completely empty - emptying over about 5days.
The draining system (below centre left in shadow) down to the sea must be exceptionally efficient, or is there a second, even larger chamber under the visible sinkhole?
My rewrite of the Bradt Guide to Oman includes Tayq Cave – sinkhole on page 308 Tawi Atayr which is the location of the famous eponymous ‘well of birds’ sinkhole from page 307. The guide is available in eBook here and paperback through Amazon worldwide here.
Tayq Cave is located in the region where the Frankincense Tree grows and the trade in its resin developed. Explore The Land of Frankincense with my book which is available as an eBook here, and paperback through Amazon worldwide.
Cyclone Mekunu approaches Dhofar Oman and has formed to the south of the southern Oman coast of Dhofar. This Cyclone is relatively weak, with the ‘eye’ disintegrating and forward speed of less than 10kmph. However, the ocean surface temperature remains at over 31c and this will certainly provide an increase in the energy of the Cyclone as it approaches the coast.
Circulatory windspeeds of around Continue reading “Tropical Cyclone Mekunu approaches Dhofar Oman”
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