Wim Vranckz net clearing
that we expatriates are lucky to call home for just a few years . Oman is on the southeastern coast of the Arabian peninsula , sharing land borders with Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates and Yemen . It is relatively easy to get to from Europe and Asia .
Many BSAC members are in the UK , what ’ s different about being a BSAC club overseas ?
The BSAC philosophy and its safety values are very much present in our overseas branch . We probably differ in that we have 23 different nationalities among our members and on a dive boat will have divers from all over the world .
Oman is a Muslim country and as foreigners we must remain respectful of our host country ’ s beliefs and traditions . As a club , we adhere to the regulations of RAHRC and strictly follow their policies as set out by the Supreme Committee of
Oman . The dive club is the most active of the RAHRC sports sections , helping out whenever it can in wider club events and with environmental and safety issues .
We are all very aware how lucky we are to be based here in Oman with its fantastic diving . We also know that for most of us our time here is limited to a few years , so we don ’ t take anything for granted and seize the opportunity to dive as much as we can . We are lucky to have a great club room and access to the bar of the main club ; and we have recently gained access to a pool and a compressor room .
What are your local waters like ?
Diveable throughout the year with water temperatures ranging from 20 ° C to 31 ° C . When water temperatures are cool , we can find ourselves getting very hot and sweaty on the surface in a 7mm wetsuit but remain just comfortable in the water at depth .
Although diving is year-round , there are rougher periods in February , July and November when storms come in with monsoons ( generally the ones affecting India ). During this time , diving may be restricted as we can ’ t launch the boats on the ramp when the waves and wind come in from the north-west . Timing of dives also depends on having sufficient water to launch or recover the boats , so in the winter the tides can lead to some early or late starts . The wind often increases in the afternoon , so we prefer to be back by 2pm .
What ’ s it like underwater ?
Visibility can vary from day to day or even from dive to dive ; sometimes it ’ s very clear and sometimes we get what we call “ green pea soup ”. This is due to strong , cold water upwellings which generate the rapid development of large amounts of phytoplankton . This in turn sustains the diverse and abundant range of marine life that makes the diving here so special .
Fahal Island , just on our doorstep
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