Wahiba Sands EarthCache

The desert

The Wahiba Sands, or Ramlat al-Wahiba (also called Sharqiya Sands), is a region of desert in Oman. The region is named for the Wahiba tribe. The area is defined by a boundary of 180 kilometers north to south and 80 kilometers east to west, with an area of 12,500 square kilometres.

Geology

The desert was formed during the Quaternary period as a result of the forces of south-west blowing monsoon and the northern shamal trade wind, coming in from the east. Based on the types of dunes found in the area, it is divided into the high, or upper, Wahiba and low Wahiba.The upper area contains mega-ridge sand systems on a north-south line that are believed to have been formed by monsoon. The dunes of the north, formed at some point after the last regional glaciation, measure up to 100 meters high, with peaks accumulating in the areas just beyond the strongest wind speeds, where declining velocity wind deposited sand.  The north and west boundaries of the desert are delineated by the fluvial systems Wadi Batha and Wadi Andam. Beneath the surface sands are an older layer of cemented carbonate sand. Alluvium deposits believed to have originated from the Wadi Batha during the Paleolithic era have been disclosed in the central desert 200 meters beneath the interdune surface. Wind erosion is believed to have contributed to the existence of a nearly level plain in the southwest.

Inhabitants

The area is occupied by Bedouins who congregate at Al Huyawah, an oasis near the border of the desert. Arabia’s most iconic inhabitants, the Bedu (often Anglicized to “Bedouin”) have long been seen – by Westerners at least – as the human face of the desert peninsula. For outsiders, the Bedu have come to personify a rather romanticized ideal of nomadic life amid the sands, with their distinctive lifestyle of ferocious independence and outbursts of legendary hospitality.

Approximately 28.000 beduins live in Oman now.

This Earthcache

The published coordinates will take you next to the 1000 Nights Camp in Oman. The most easily way to the camp is from Bidiyah. There is a road from the town to the camp (use 4X4 car or camel). The desert can be dangerous, because of the variable environment. Don’t risk your life!

To claim a find on this earthcache, please complete the tasks outlined below. Answers to the questions should be emailed to the cache owner and not mentioned in your online log.

You can log this cache after you get the confirmation for the owner. If you want to reply, please include your email address. Any logs not accompanied by an email will be deleted.

Questions:

1. Wahiba Sands is ideal place for adventure desert sports, because famous for its steep dunes. What do you think how big can be the angle of the dunes?
2. The dunes themselves follow a surprisingly regular pattern running in long lines from north to south – an orderly sequence of so-called “linear” dunes formed by the conflicting winds blowing in from the eastern and southern coasts. They are also constantly on the move. How much is this moving per year?
3. A celebrated expedition by the Royal Geographical Society in 1986 discovered 150 species of plant, which plays a major role in stabilizing the dunes, as well as providing firewood and shade. What is the binomial name of this plant?(see)
4. At GZ there is an unusual structura in the desert. Can you describe it?
5. (optional) Take a photo of yourself and/or your GPS in the desert with camels (if you see).

Have Fun! Enjoy the spectacular desert!