A British explorer will go on a two-month kayaking expedition along the coast of Oman, to uncover the secrets of whale life along the fast-changing peninsula.
Mark Evans, a former geography schoolteacher who has lived in Oman for 22 years, will paddle all 3,165km of Oman’s coastline, sleeping in a tent outdoors, and getting up an hour before sunrise each day.
He will travel in a Greenland-style kayak – known for being slim, narrow and light with their decks low to the water – which has been custom-made for the expedition.
“I have no idea where I'll be sleeping every night. One day I might do 20 kilometres, my next day I might do 40,” he told The National at a launch event in London for the coming expedition, which he wants to use to raise awareness about marine conservation and heritage.
It completes something of a transition from land to sea for the man who, a decade ago, became the first in 85 years to make the 1,200-kilometre crossing of the Rub' Al-Khali or Empty Quarter Arabian Desert.
And although Arctic kayaks have little storage space, Evans will travel with his sleeping bag, his tent, a stove and his own food. A support car will follow him throughout the journey.
Evans regularly goes kayaking in Oman and in the western coast of Scotland, and says the “silent” and non-polluting nature of the vessel allows him to see more marine life.
“The sea life comes up. It comes up to you because it’s so curious. They're used to seeing boats with noisy engines and propellers,” he said.
“I have sea snakes swimming alongside and rubbing their noses and dolphins going alongside.”
The sea around Oman and the Gulf is known for its critically endangered humpback whale and dugong populations, as well as its diverse coral reefs.
Past urban and industrial development projects destroyed and endangered the region’s reefs and caused the sea mammal populations to dwindle, but conservation efforts are now gaining ground.
Mr Evans hopes the expedition will raise awareness about the impact growing cities are having on nearby sea life. This includes Duqm, a port city in Oman, undergoing rapid expansion that could impact the population of humpback whales there.
"There's fewer than a 100 of them left, they're genetically isolated and their song is totally different to other whales," he said.
“We’ve got to put words into action if we’re going to find a balance between industrial development and the environment,” he said. “We’ve got an opportunity to do it with these humpback whales in Oman and the growth of Duqm.”
Existing proposals to help protect the whales include reducing the speed of boats, and adjusting the angle at which boats enter the harbour so that they spend less time in the whale's path.
"This would be a great opportunity (for Oman) to demonstrate environmental leadership," he said.
During the expedition, Mr Evans will use hydrophones will record the sounds of humpback whales.
He will also take water samples to establish what marine life passes through Oman's shores.
Mr Evans is also concerned about the litter and plastics that are washed out to sea in growing numbers. “It’s the same impressions everywhere: Scotland, the Gulf. I’m concerned about the volumes of rubbish that you see,” he said.
The EDNA contained in the samples will be analysed by biotech company Wilderlab in New Zealand.
"It's never been done before in Oman," he said. Though obtaining the samples is a relatively simple process, the analysis itself is "very expensive". The analysis will also take into account water layers and tidal currents.
Mr Evans had previously undertaken an 80-day journey on camel and traditional boat from the Omani city of Salalah to the capital Muscat in 2011. He was awarded an MBE that year for his work promoting understanding between the UK and the Arab world.
Two years ago, he led an expedition in the footsteps of Harry St John Philby, who crossed the Arabian Peninsula on foot and camel in 1917. That trekked 1,300km across the vast deserts that separate Riyadh from the western Hijaz mountains and on to the Red Sea.
Earlier this year, he retraced the 1928 journey of British explorer Bertram Thomas in the Jewel of Arabia trekking expedition from Ras Al Hadd to Salalah.
He loves kayaking in the West of Scotland, but his favourite spot as an explorer is the Southern province of Dhofar. "That's where you find leopards. It is Africa in Arabia," he said.
He is looking forward to the “incredible sunrises” and hopes to be in the water at least one hour before sunrise every morning. “When the sky is going from red to golden and that sun comes up, it's just magic. It's such a privilege to be on the water,” he said.
The expedition is sponsored by Omani shipping company Asyal and is part of a national and global campaign to raise more awareness about marine conservation.
Local Omani schools, as well as schools in the UK, will be involved, with Omani pupils joining the expedition every week and taking part in workshops such as photography.
The British Exploring Society and the Scottish Marine Society will join Mr Evans' expedition by live link every week, and the Royal Geographical Society has created curriculum-linked lesson plans that will be downloadable online.
"We need to inspire the next generation of thinkers and planetary caretakers," Mr Evans said.
“It’s a symbolic way to show the importance of preserving oceans and the maritime environment,” said Asyal’s Vice President of Marine, Captain Khalil Al Hooti.
“We are trying to send a message to the world that we can reach one day to be carbon neutral, if we all collaborate, if we all work together, be responsible,” he said.
Capt Al Hooti said that although Oman’s waters were “rich” in sea mammals, there had been visible changes to weather patterns and a reduction of marine life globally.
“We can't stay business as usual; something has to happen, and states should come together. These things can’t be done in isolation, because it is international,” he said, highlighting the importance of the UN Paris Accord, which Oman is a signatory to.
Better technology was required to make the shipping industry more energy efficient, he said. “The technology has to reach a level where I can use renewable fuels. A ship cannot use it [yet] because it's not available. Fuel producers need to work with engine manufacturers and shipping companies,” he said.
