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Table of Contents "On the road to Kabul
and other short stories of treks"
Oman
Wadi Shab: the cave pool
swim (April 2004)
Wadi Shab
I follow the other swimmers
in the low hanging tunnel of the large pool in the half open cave. To continue,
we swim underneath the dark rocks touching the water, the light coming in from
the side illuminating the water.
Access to Wadi Shab
Wadi Shab is a 2 hours
drive South-West from Muscat and starts
at Tiwi, half-way between Quriat and Sur.
From Muscat to Quriat is one hour along a 2-lane tarmac road and we are
driving mostly between sharp hills of dark brown ophiolites without vegetation picking up the strong late April
sun. Today it is 36 degrees Celsius.
Past Quriat, the tarmac
road changes to gravel but you can see signs of the new road to Sur being
built.
Some 20-30 minutes past
Quriat there is a giant sink hole, the
x cave which has a connection to
the sea. A concrete stairs takes you down and you could take a swim. It is now
turned into a major tourist attraction with a car park and surrounded by a
fence.
Wadi Shab at Tiwi is 1 hour
from Quriat and the entrance is just before the village where you park close to
the main road.
Wadi Shab walk
In 2004 a small boat took us across the main stream. The trail takes you through a green oasis with a single wide stream you have to ford.
Wadi Shab
After a km, the valley gets
more narrow and rocky and now low bushes and palm trees sit between the light
brown solid rocks and boulders with a few green pools.
Wadi Shab
Wadi Shab
The trail is now rocky, on
solid rocks or between boulders and the canyon makes a turn to the right and
left, respectively. After 45 minutes from the entrance, you reach a straight fairly narrow valley
with barren rocks and a series of water pools in the middle. Here most tourists
stop and some to take a swim.
Swimming
You can go down in the
first big water pool along the only steep trail down which requires some effort
to find. The first pool is about 30 m long and fairly deep, a favorite spot for
young Omanis to jump in from the 15 m high cliffs. You can walk to the second
pool which is fairly shallow. Teva slippers are a must on the loose and barren
rocks. The third pool is the biggest and has the cave pool.
You enter the cave swimming
and at the end there is a narrow tunnel. You can see the next cave but often
the water level is 20-30 cm above the low point visible by overhanging
limestone rocks touching the water but not dissolved and you will need to swim
underneath for only 2 meter.
The next cave is the main
attraction, an almost completely closed round cave with a few openings for
daylight giving it the light atmosphere of a church.
There is a tunnel going
round and the day light illuminates the water below as the light comes in
freely from all sides, resembling a lighted pool.
I follow the other swimmers
in the low hanging tunnel. To continue, we have to swim underneath the rocks
touching the water. I miss judge the distance and come up too early hitting my
head on the rocks and swallowing some in my lungs causing a 5 minute cough when
finally emerging.
There is also a rope to get
out and jump back in, walk back or continue.
On the way back, a group of Omani men were taking a bath in
the first pool. Two of them jumped of
the cliffs into the water. Looked scary.
Wadi Shab, Omani men
bathing
The two girls in our party
felt uncomfortable by the men’s gaze but had saris to cover up.
Wadi Shab. Omani boys
jumping down
Epiloque
A long drive but a nice,
easy walk and a very good swim. text