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- Yemen Map
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- Middle East Map
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- latest picture: February 19, 2011
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- 121
View from a hill to the barren
- coastal plain of Qadama and Qadama
- Beach in the Northwest of the island
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- 122
In Qalansiya, in the Northwestern
- corner, lies the Detwah lagoon with
- its turquoise and jade green colors
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- 123
A silvery mood lies
- over the Detwah lagoon
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- Continuation from 7th day, February 15th, 2011: (back click please here)
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- In the afternoon we continue our tour as planned with our new guide to the Detwah lagoon
near the village of Qalansiya in the Northwest. The outward trip is not very spectacular.
At the sight of the lagoon, however, which shines in every imaginable blue and green, we
are once more amazed by the natural treasures this island has to offer around every
corner.
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- 124
The small, secluded fishing
- harbor of Qalansiya
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- 125
Our camping at the Detwah lagune
- near Qalansiya. The orange tents
- belong to a Japanese tour group
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- 126
In the fishing harbor of Qalansiya,
- starting point of our boat trip to
- Shouab along the Western cliffs
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- On the other hand, we nearly get a shock when we approach the camping. Red tents are
everywhere. They belong to a Japanese tour group, which luckily later on leaves. We ask to
pitch our tent away from the main area and spend a very windy and cool, but quiet night.
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- 127
View from the sea towards the
- small settlement of Qeysoh near
- Qalansiya. Old rusted Soviet tanks
- in position are visible at the foreground
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- 128
A school of dolphins, at
- least 50, enjoy us with
- their play around our small boat
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- 129
A group of sea gulls gather
- on a rock table along the cliffs
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- 8th Day: February 16th, 2011:
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- Klaus who we meet here for the third time was already on the boat trip along the western
cliffs to Shouab yesterday. He recommends us to start as early as possible because the sea
is getting increasingly agitated during the morning. Today it is already rough at 8am when
we board the small boat. As was to be expected there is no rescue equipment at all
the trip has simply to work out!
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- 130
The mile long picture book sandy
- beach at the turquoise shining Shouab lagoon
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- 131
A crab leaves its traces in the
- pristine sand at the Shouab beach
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- 132
Sea gulls land at the
- deserted Shouab beach
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- We are not yet rocking a long time on the waves when we are surrounded by a school of
dolphins, at least 50 of them. For a precious moment, we have the chance to enjoy their
acrobatic play. Cormorants nesting on the vertical cliffs follow and then groups of sea
gulls are sunbathing on rock tables. In between, there are always tiny secluded sandy
bays.
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- 133
Does the little rocky outcrop
- along the Western bluff not look
- like a seahorse?
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- 134
A colony of Socotra cormorants
- (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis) is rocking
- on the waves offshore Qalansiya;
- probably they are foraging
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- 135
End of our boat trip:
- Our boat returns to
- the harbor of Qalansiya
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- After 90 minutes we are at the turning point at the mile long picture
book beach of Shouab with its calm turquoise lagoon. The sea is as smooth as glass
and wonderful to swim. However the vessel takes us again on board already after only 40
minutes. The next 60 minutes that follow will remain for a long time in my memory. As soon
as we leave the quiet West coast and turn towards Northeast we get into a stormy sea with
waves as high as seven feet, one after the other. When the boat pitches the bottom of a
wave, it is every time so brutal that I am afraid to break my back bone.
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- 136
View from a hill to the barren
- coastal plain along the Qadama
- Beach towards the East of the island
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- 137
Natural stones are the building
- material for many homes, also for these
- roundhouses on the Qadama Beach
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- 138
The morning sun climbs up
- behind the Haggier (or also
- called Haggeher) mountains
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- Desperately, I support myself with both palms on the wooden bench as good as I can,
trying to reduce to some degree the strong knocks by standing half upright. How long can
the vessel cope with this enormous power before its torn apart? How much does it
need until we capsize? The trip becomes a real nightmare for me and I have only one wish:
To reach safely the land. Because its all but certain: If the engine stops working,
we will be thrown without mercy with full force against the cliffs.
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- 139
Salt pan near Qoba
- (Ghoba/Ghubbah/Qubba
- depending on the writing) situated
- between Hadibo and Qalansiya
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- 140
The salt water pond in the
- village of Qoba is the
- childrens playground
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- 141
Old Soviet tanks rusting along, from
- the time before 1990 (People's Democratic
- Republic of Yemen) are positioned at the
- North coast and are pointing out to the sea
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- When already land is in sight, we suddenly see a floating dark carpet on the water in
front of us. What can it be? Coming closer to it we recognize it: It is a swarm of fishing
cormorants what a lovely ending of our adventurous boat trip. Shortly after, we
reach the shore where Ahmed is waiting for us with the LandCruiser to take us back to the
camping at the Detwah lagoon. The first thing we do is to shower the salt off our body.
Then it is tea time. I am almost addicted to the heavily sugared tea; not so much however
to the rice with potato sauce, which is served afterwards for lunch!
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- 142
In the East a good tarmac
- road meanders through brown
- barren mountains from Deleisha
- to the Momi Plateau
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- 143
..... Impressive bottle trees
- (adenium obesium), called also desert
- roses, appear before the turnoff to the
- antenna near Momi village .....
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- 144
..... whole forests enjoy our eyes
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- At 2.30 pm we break off camp and head to our next night spot: The several miles long
Qadama Beach along the North coast. There is no other soul, just us! On our long beach
stroll, we are followed by four little boys who help Liliana to look for nice shells. In
the evening, when we want to install ourselves in our small tent, we are missing one of
the two warm covers apparently Ahmed left it behind at the Detwah lagoon campsite.
This gives us the opportunity of a breakneck drive in the night on a deserted road. Later
our escort gives us notice that the guide is hitch hiking to Hadibo and Ahmed is driving
to the next village. Apparently they feel lonely on this wild camping spot having none of
their fellowmen to talk to.
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- 145
The rocky track leads us through the
- barren land of the Momi tableland
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- 146
..... Groups of bizarre white
- eroded rocks pop up .....
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- 147
..... then the grazing sheep and
- the distant mountain peaks
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- 9th Day: February 17th, 2011:
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- Breakfast without coffee there is none left. Lunch is prepared for the second
time by our crew itself at the lonely Deleisha Beach that we share with a solitary heron.
Two dolphins play near the shore. Its planned that once a big hotel should be built
here. Then we head off to the Momi plateau in the East towards a promising new landscape.
The road is twisting between brown barren lands towards the hills, interrupted by the
green of the palm oases.
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- 148
Also in the rocky ground at the
- antenna on the Momi Plateau Dragon Blood
- Trees (Dracaena cinnabari) grow .....
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- 149
..... and between rock boulders
- bloom delicate flowers in niches
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- 150
A lonely goat is watching
- strangers like us
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- We pass a forest of really impressive flowering desert roses and afterwards scattered
bizarre white rock formations. Shortly before reaching the village of Momi, we branch off
to the left to a bad highland track supposedly leading to the antenna. On the alpine
territory sheep, goats and even cows are grazing. Donkeys with their offspring
still wobbly on their feet are standing motionless watching us. Now and then we
encounter a solitary shepherd.
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- 151
Lovely Sunset behind high mountain peaks from the antenna on the Momi Plateau
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- 152
A new impressive day dawns
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- Soon the track becomes steeper, stonier and more washed out a very difficult
terrain to navigate begins and often we think that the track does not continue and Ahmed
has lost his way there is nowhere a sign of an antenna. But suddenly around the
next hill, we see it! The mountain panorama and the view down to the valleys with its
scattered villages and the distant sea coast are superb. We wander through the coral rocks
and discover again and again delicate flowers sprouting in tiny protected niches
blue, yellow and white ones.
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- 154
The team is pitching our tent in a
- protected corner at the antenna
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- 155
.. it is almost full moon
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- 156
..... a filling breakfast after
- a relaxing and cold night
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- Calls suddenly interrupt the stillness a shepherd is looking for his goats to
lead them to the kraal. Then the fire ball of the sun disappears behind the mountain
peaks. It is our last sunset in Socotras nature. The moon shines brightly from the
sky it is almost full moon and the stars sparkle brilliantly above our
heads, when we finally seek refuge in our tent from the strong blowing wind. We feel just
happy and in the wonderful calmness we soon fall asleep.
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- 157
The antenna where we spent
- an unforgettable day in the nature
- and the chilliest night in the tent
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- 158
View to the West towards
- the Haggier (Haggeher) -mountaines
- from the antenna
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- 159
From the antenna, Emil takes
- a picture from the mountains
- near Homil in the North
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- 10th Day: February 18th, 2011:
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- The sunbeams are warming us up next morning at breakfast. It was our coldest night on
Socotra. The very idea saddens us that tomorrow our ten days tour in this nature paradise
will be over. But it is still today and in the afternoon we get a small add-on a so
called farewell tour to see the narrow Ayhaft valley close to Hadibo.
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- 160
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- 162
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- From the antenna there is a beautiful view of the Western valley with scattered hamlets
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- Ahmed is driving the LandCruiser on a track that resembles more a stony riverbed than a
gravel road, giving us once more a good shaking. Strange trees rise towards a blue sky on
the hill slopes again it is nature pure. When we finally arrive at the end of the
picturesque valley embedded into an impressive mountain scenery, the feeling is awesome
over again.
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- 163
A shed of a shepherd made from
- natural stones and grazing sheep on the
- tableland of the Momi Plateau
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- 164
Bare tableland on the Momi Plateau
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Nomads come galloping
- with their donkeys to say hello
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- At 4pm we are back in the Taj Socotra Hotel. We shower, pack, view photos and inform
ourselves in the internet about the newest development of the Yemeni uprising, which were
so far restricted only to Sanaa and Aden. Our biggest concern is that the airports
might suddenly close down.
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- 166
Serene landscape with the imposing
- jagged mountain backdrop at the
- Northern coastal road, East of Hadibo
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- 167
West of Hadibo starts the
- narrow Ayhaft Valley surrounded
- by towering mountains
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- 168
Leafless trees rise like
- skeleton towards the sky
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- 11th Day: February 19th, 2011: Departure Day
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- It is 6am. We are ready to be picked up by Ahmed to bring us to the airport. Where is
he? Half an hour later the LandCruiser shows up and soon afterwards we arrive at the small
airport where 10 days ago we landed full of expectations. Was it worth the US$ 1150
which we now hand over to Ahmed? It definitely was worth it! With a strong handshake, we
say good-bye to our driver the guide had to sleep late; the boss of the
organization, Meetaq, is anyway again in Qalansiya with a new tour group. We have been
together for ten unforgettable days. Not everything went always smooth, but it was always
him who was eager to make it work.
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- 169
The rocky track to the Ayhaft
- Valley has given us a good shaking
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- 170
All kind of trees and bushes grow
- on the stony slopes of the Ayhaft Valley
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- 171
The tiny village of Ayhaft is
- surrounded by bizarre mountain scenery
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- When the plane of Felix Airways takes off and flies along the coast, the captain is
speaking. He points out to the sites we are passing over. We hardly left them and are
already dreaming of them again of the Detwah lagoon, the Shouab sandy beach and all
the other wonderful spots of this unique island one of the last nature jewels of
the world? How much longer yet?
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- 172
Leaving Socotra, far below us we see
- the serene Detwah lagoon. At the upper side
- lies the campsite and just behind Qalansiya
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- 173
The Western cliffs and the
- above laying sandy beach of
- Shouab are well visible
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- 174
A last glimpse of beautiful
- Yemen when we make a
- stopover at Mukhalla
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More websites
from Yemen, where we visited in February 2011 the Island of Socotra: (without
our vehicle)
- Yemen car trip (from Oman to Saudi Arabia) - with
our car from May 16th to June 15th, 1996
- Part 1: Socotra Island trip in Yemen
(East)
Hadibo - Dihamri - Arher Beach
- Part 2: Socotra Island trip in Yemen
(South) Homhil - Aomak Beach - Wadi Daerhu - Dicksam Plateau
- Part 4: United Arab Emirates Sharjah - Dubai
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