Field Trip to Wadi Aboul 19 September 2003



Field Trip to Wadi Aboul 19 September 2003

More than 20 members participated in Friday's trip to Wadi Aboul, one stop on what is known as Debbie's Tour, named for Debbie Handley, one of the chapter's lifetime members. The Tour includes stops at Wadi Aboul, the oasis at Mahdah, and the Al Ain camel souq.

The gates to the wadi were closed when the group arrived Friday morning, so the contingent hiked in to the mudbrick fort, passing one of the few areas still under cultivation in the wadi. In the first fields, the group observed various citrus plants (lemon, lime, orange) along with fodder crops and pomegranate bushes under the canopy of date palms.

There were many minnows in the shallow wadi pools that dotted the wash area between the fort and the village. A shell and fly collected await identification. The group also noticed several toads of the species Bufo arabicus.

The Maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris) seemed to have survived the hot summer and was lining a part of old falaj near the fort. The lizard spotted by Geoff and Brigitte was the Jayakar's Oman lizard (Lacerta jayakari).

Water was still flowing in the afflaj on the western side of the wadi; however, there was no evidence of water in the system on the opposite side of the wadi. Farming at Aboul has suffered considerably in recent years owing to the reduction in water flow. There is still some farming beyond the fort.

There was a good crop of maturing sour oranges in the small garden immediately below the fort.

The mudbrick fort, with its distinctive two towers, does not appear to have suffered much damage as a result of the rains earlier this year. The ceilings are still intact and the stairways to the upper floors solid. There were several fan-footed geckos on the ceilings and a solitary bat (common name: mouse-tailed bat; Latin: Rhinopoma muscatellum) flew from room to room ahead of the photographers.

From Aboul, the group moved on to the oasis at Mahdah to see the solar clock. The oasis is in poor condition, perhaps the result of reduced water flows, infestation, low revenue for the dates produced, or a combination of the above. On the perimeter of the oasis, work is continuing to rebuild the mudbrick fort.

A few vehicles reached the camel souq, still a challenge to reach owing to the new border fence and the construction at the Hili/Qattara entrance to Buraimi. A highlight at the souq was a close inspection of a huge black (Saudi) male camel, said by one of the workers to be about 10 years old and available for Dh50,000

/aboul001.jpg
Aboul village in the distance,
a stop to check plants and,
in the pools, life in the
wash area of the wadi
Photo by Brien

aboul002.jpg
Blossoms on one of the
pomegranate bushes in the
adjoining field
Photo by Brien

aboul003.jpg
The waxy 'shell' of a
blossom on a
pomegranate bush
Photo by Brien

aboul004.jpg
The weir and, to the right,
the submerged form
designed to divert water
to the falaj outfall
Photo by Brien

aboul005.jpg
A view downstream, the weir
in the distance
Photo by Brien

aboul006.JPG
A view downstream, the weir
in the distance
Photo by Brien

aboul007.jpg
A view upstream; note the
'salt' deposits in the
shallow pools
Photo by Brien

aboul008.jpg
The group with the small
garden of date palms,
pomegranate bushes and
citrus (orange, lemon, lime)
to the left
Photo by Brien

aboul009.jpg
The upper falaj system,
the water channel cutting
across a shallow reservoir
Photo by Brien

aboul010.jpg
The narrow channel (dirham
coin in foreground) of the
upper falaj system
Photo by Brien

aboul011.jpg
The fort at Aboul, from the
small garden at the base
of the outcrop
Photo by Brien

aboul012.jpg
The fort at Aboul
Photo by Brien

aboul013.jpg
The sour oranges, popular
with the group's marmalade
producers, were in abundance
Photo by Brien

aboul014.jpg
The sour oranges are still
several weeks away from
perfect ripeness
Photo by Brien

aboul015.jpg
The view from the parapet
of the fort at Aboul, members
scampering over the
rocks below
Photo by Brien

aboul016.jpg
A bat posed patiently in one
of the rooms of the fort, as
did several fan-footed geckos
Photo by Brien

aboul017.jpg
The door to the fort, taken
from inside
Photo by Geoff

aboul018.jpg
A blue-headed lizard
(Lacerta jayakari)
enjoying the afternoon
sunlight
Photo by Geoff

aboul019.jpg
A fan-footed gecko resting
patiently on one of the
old timbers

aboul020.jpg
The straight-line solar clock
in the Mahdah Oasis

aboul022.jpg
A typical selection of pottery
found at Aboul, some glazed,
all Islamic

aboul023.jpg
Opposite sides of the
same pot sherds

aboul024.jpg
A gecko almost hidden among
the graffiti scratched into
the wall inside the fort



 


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