Sand Patterns, Shadows and Camel Balm
I recently got back from a brief work trip to the United Arab Emirates. Whilst there I visited Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Fujairah and spent…
Tag: oman
Toponymy in Oman
The Gooley family are just back from a week’s holiday in Oman. It was mostly sun, sand and swimming, but we did venture into the…
Back from Oman
Just back from extraordinary research trip to Oman. Sailing a traditional dhow using stars, moon and sun to navigate and other studies. More to follow.
Bertram Thomas Crossing the Rub’ al Khali and Wilfred Thesiger
A big thanks to Mark Evans at Outward Bound Oman, for sending over images and the actual star sightings used by Bertram Thomas, from when…
Nature and Technology
Following on from my last blog post about the windvane self-steering marvel, comes another wonderful piece of sailing technology. Although this one also works closely…
Astro Photo Quiz
This really is one of the best astronomical photographs I have ever come across. It is amazing even before you notice that the sea is…
How to Use a Kamal
In this photo, one of the Outward Bound Oman instructors, who I visited recently, is being taught how to use a traditional and beautifully simple…
Oman Desert Navigation Training
As promised, here is a more detailed update on my short time in Oman last week. My main reason for being there was to train…
The Desert and Back
Thank you to everyone who came to the course at the Royal Geographical Society on Friday. Also to those who came to the talk and…
Which way are we looking? Updated.
My thanks to Mark Evans who not only flew over from Oman for a course, but also sent me this great time lapse photo from…
Mountainous Oman
There is a good piece in yesterday’s Telegraph travel section, by Kate Humble, encouraging those who visit Oman to step out of the resort and…