Konni & Matt - Perpetual Travellers: 2007

Indian Ocean

Gulf of Oman

Middle East

United Arab Emirates

Emirate of Fujairah

Fujairah International Marine Club +97192221166 fimcfuj@emirates.net.ae

SY "Kamu II" alongside a modern finger pontoon.
AED 800.- or US$ 217.- per month, plus AED 10.- or US$ 2.70 per hour for wireless internet access.

Click below for an interactive satellite view of our marina berth in the Fujairah International Marine Club:
N 25° 07.64' E 056° 21.50'

Diesailing from our sheltered and very safe anchorage at Bandar Jissah directly into Muscat’s Port Sultan Qaboos, going alongside the customs jetty (one Iranian dhow with a deck cargo of fragrant watermelons in front of us, another dhow with stinking and bleating goats from the United Arab Emirates astern), saying adieu to the agents of the Muscat Shipping Agency +96824591770 who did the paperwork for us, clearing officially out of the Sultanate of Oman and sailing leisurely along the coast of the Arabian Pensinsula towards Fujairah thus logging the sailed distance of only 180 nm during three relaxing days at sea between Muscat and Fujairah.

Berthing alongside the floating guest jetty in the Fujairah International Marine Club, clearing the United Arab Emirate's customs and immigration for AED 50.- or US$ 13.- per person and being greeted by Major Ahmed Durak, the enthusiastic marina manager and good friend, and a bunch of friendly enough expat sailors, fellow cruisers and beer drinkers; thank you for your hospitality, Isolde & Hermann from the Austrian fishing vessel MV “Isolde”, Marilyn & Ian from the expensive Seffrican vessel (for sale) SY “Kerasheba”, Cathy & Jeremy from the Australian vessel (a touch too small for their big ego) SY “Forever Young”, Jane & Bernd from the half-done German vessel SY “Chimani”, Wan & Matthias from the high and dry German catamaran SY “Mc Duck”, Baggy and Bill from the English kennel SY “Rowan Spray” and Aiden from the Scottish one-person castle SY “Moon Penny”.

Exploring the Emirate of Fujairah, the Arabian Jewel, with her spectacular beauty, her dazzling coastline between Kalba and Dibba, the majestic Western Hajar Mountains and her deep wadis (Ain al-Ghamour springs and Wurayah waterfalls), discovering timeless fortresses (e.g. the historic Fujairah fort and Bithna fort) and old mosques (e.g. the al-Badiyah mosque) and admiring Fujairah's shopping malls, contemporary high-rise buildings and international restaurants.

Touring glitzy, frenetic and trés sheikh Dubai all the way from the cargo wharves of the Dubai creek aka Khor Dubai and the old Dubai souqs, via the various shopping malls (our favourite ones: (i) the pharaonic, kitschy Wafi City Mall, (ii) the ersatz-Tuscan style Mercato Mall and (iii) the modern souq of Madinat Jumeirah) to the skyline of Dubai Marina and other modern skyscrapers, like the Burj al-Arab, the Emirates Towers and the yet unfinished but already tallest building in the world, the Burj Dubai aka Burj Khalifa.

“I want Dubai to be a place where everybody from all over the world meets each other, don't think of fighting or hate, just love it, enjoy their sport, and that's it.”

(Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum)

Celebrating New Year's Eve in the yacht club, going through the challenges and learning opportunities which we had encountered during the old year 2007 CE, with c. 2,650 nm logged and exactly 428 engine hours motored, and looking forward to the new cruising year 2008 CE and the upcoming sea passage to India.

“Travel is glamorous only in retrospect...”

(Paul Theroux)

Click below for more blog posts about our trips to vibrant and big Asian cities
22 May - 04 Jun 2013 Seoul
13 Mar - 18 Apr 2013 Bangkok
13 Dec - 17 Dec 2012 Hong Kong
25 Oct - 08 Nov 2012 Hanoi
03 Jul - 31 Jul 2012 Beijing
02 Jun - 01 Jul 2012 Toronto
05 May - 01 Jun 2012 Taipei

Click below for a summary of this year's travels

2007 Map Konni & Matt

Recommended books - click below for your Amazon order from Germany:

For Amazon deals from the United States, please click here
For Amazon deals from Canada, please click here
For Amazon deals from the United Kingdom, please click here

Indian Ocean

Gulf of Oman

Middle East

Sultanate of Oman

Bandar Jissah

Oman National Dive Centre

SY "Kamu II" at anchor, at 2 m depth, on sand (excellent holding), opposite the

Oman

National Dive Centre.

Click below for an interactive satellite view of our shallow anchorage:

N 23° 32.84' E 058° 39.09'

DM Konni: Cleaning the hull below the waterline, the keel and the skeg of our 43-foot ketch SY "Kamu II", labouring with heavy-duty spatulas and hard brushes, removing eventually a two-inch thick, pizza-frutti-di-mare-like layer of strong barnacles and soft coral which had mistaken our old antifouling for a healthy culture medium, and remembering the old definition of cruising: "Fixing your ship in exotic places!"

“Huh, please don't you rock my boat

'Cause I don't want my boat to be rockin' anyhow

Please don't you rock my boat, no

'Cause I don't want my boat to be rockin'…”

(Bob Marley)

Enjoying a great farewell beach party with Spanish red wine, grilled seafood and fish, organised by fellow sailors and good friends Teresa & Lorenzo from SY "Lesprit DuVignemale"; muchas gracias, dear friends.