Masirah Island

{{See also|Geography of Oman}}

File:جزيرة مصيرة 2013-11-13 04-27.jpeg with the island in the background]]

{{Infobox lighthouse| qid = Q106438320}}

Located about {{convert|19|km|mile|abbr=on}} off the east side of Barr al Hikman, the island is generally hilly, especially on its east side. The hills along the east side of the island are separated from the island coast by a narrow sandy plain; they run nearly its entire length. A steep plateau stands in the middle of the range on the northeast side of the island. Along the west side of the island, there are a few low hills separated from the east range by an extensive sandy plain marked by several hillocks:[https://old.straipsniai.lt/en/Geography/page/7781 Geography of Masirah island] Retrieved 1 January 2023.

• Jabal Madrub, a {{convert|256|m|ft|abbr=on}} high mountain, stands about {{convert|13|km|mile|abbr=on}} south of the north end of the island.
• Ras Abu Rasas, the south extremity of Al Masirah, is low and rocky. Jabal Suwayr (Jabal al Hilm), a conspicuous conical hill, rises to a height of {{convert|153|m|ft|abbr=on}}, about {{convert|3|km|mile|abbr=on}} north-northeast of Ras Abu Rasas. It houses the Masirah lighthouse.[https://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/omn.htm Masirah lighthouse] Retrieved 1 January 2023.
• Ras Kaydah, a small and rocky headland, has a conspicuous, conical hill about {{convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on}} high nearby. There are small islets {{convert|600|m|ft|abbr=on}} east and {{convert|4|km|mile|abbr=on}} north of Ras Kayda.
• The coast between Ras Kaydah and Ras Zafaranat, about {{convert|27|km|mile|abbr=on}} to the northeast, is regular with a few small rounded projections and a low rocky beach. Haql (Hakkan), a small village in a grove of trees, lies close to the shore about eight km north of Ras Kaydah.
• Ras Zafaranat is rocky with hills rising abruptly. Between Ras Abu Rasas and Ras Kaydah, about {{convert|18|km|mile|abbr=on}} to the northeast, the coast is indented by small, sandy bays fringed by rocks.
• Ras al-Ya, about {{convert|3|km|mile|abbr=on}} northeast of Ras Zafaranat, is the east extremity of the island and consists of a prominent bluff rising to a ridge of hills which extend westward to the center of the island. A conspicuous peak, {{convert|99|m|ft|abbr=on}} high, stands about {{convert|3|km|mile|abbr=on}} west-northwest of Ras al-Ya.
• Jabal Madrub rises about {{convert|5|km|mile|abbr=on}} farther west-northwest.
• Ras al-Jazirah, about six km north-northwest of Ras al-Ya, is rocky and well-marked by a black patch on its south side. A sharp peak, rising to a height of {{convert|95|m|ft|abbr=on}}, stands about {{convert|3|km|mile|abbr=on}} west of this point.
• Jazirat Thukhayr, a sandy islet close north of Ras al-Jazirah, lies on a drying reef connected to the shore. Drying rocks extend up to {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}} off the eastern extremity of the islet.
• The coast between Ras al Jazirah and Ras Qudufah, the northeast extremity of the island, about {{convert|11|km|mile|abbr=on}} further north-northwest, is indented by a bay. Ras Qudufah, consisting of two rocky projections about {{convert|800|m|ft|abbr=on}} apart, rises to Jabal al-Jidufa, about {{convert|64|m|ft|abbr=on}} high, a short distance inland. A cairn stands on a hill close south of Jabal al-Jidufa, and a small monument stands close southwest of Ras Qudufah.

The rugged terrain of the island and surrounding rough coastline has led to the appearance of many wrecked dhows on the beaches of the island, most of them well preserved by the salt water and intense heat. On 21{{nbsp}}September 1835, the USS Peacock grounded on a coral reef.{{cite book |last= Ruschenberger |first= William Samuel Waithman |title= A Voyage Round the World: Including an Embassy to Muscat and Siam in 1835, 1836 and 1837 |url= https://archive.org/details/avoyageroundwor00ruscgoog |date= 2007-07-24 |orig-year= 1837 |publisher= Harper & brothers |oclc= 12492287 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/avoyageroundwor00ruscgoog/page/n57 54]–62 |chapter= Chapter VI: Voyage from Zanzibar to Muscat |access-date= 25 April 2012 }}

The ocean bottom environment surrounding Masirah is hostile as the majority of the area is covered in either sand or hard rock. There is a swift current flowing through the area with a very sharp halocline visible on the surface of the ocean. The water depth nearby is around 10 m and is not conducive to side-scan sonar searches due to the shallow water and choppy surface conditions. Despite the poor quality ocean bottom, the area is very productive with marine fisheries, and any hard objects (barrels, engines) are immediately colonised by local fauna.

During summer there is normally a constant strong wind which is ideal for kite and windsurfers. Big waves are a result of the wind on the sea side and is so also attractive for wave surfers. Kite and windsurfers can pick spots around the island according to their skill and what conditions they prefer.[https://www.kiteboarding-oman.com/en/kiteboarding-masirah-island/ Masira Island: best place to kite surf in summer] Retrieved 1 January 2023. On 5–6 June 2007, 7000 people on the island were forced to temporarily leave their homes due to the high storm waves produced by the powerful Cyclone Gonu, the strongest to hit the Persian Gulf region in 60 years.

The island is an important hatching ground for loggerhead sea turtles, similar in importance to the beaches at Ras al Hadd and nearby Ras al-Jinz as a hatching ground for green sea turtles.Oman: a MEED practical guide John Whelan - 1984 "Five species occur: the loggerhead, green, hawksbill, Olive Ridley and leather-back turtles. Of these, two species commonly breed in Oman — the loggerhead in Masirah, and the green turtle on the beaches of Ras al-Hadd." A critically-endangered local population of humpback whales also migrate in the waters surrounding the island and Masirah gulf.{{cite web |title=MECA Open Data |url=https://www.meca.gov.om/ar/module.php?module=pages-showpage&CatID=63&ID=183 |website=Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs |access-date=1 January 2018 |archive-date=30 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730110928/https://www.meca.gov.om/ar/module.php?module=pages-showpage&CatID=63&ID=183 |url-status=dead }}{{citation |author=Minton G. |year=2017 |url=https://arabianseawhalenetwork.org/2017/09/15/paper-published-on-humpback-whales-in-the-persian-gulf/ |title=Pre-print manuscript published on humpback whales in the Persian Gulf |publisher=Arabian Sea Whale Network |access-date=September 21, 2017}}. The island has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports many species of waders and seabirds, as well as Egyptian vultures.{{cite web |url= https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/8231 |title= Masirah Island|author= |date=2024|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 2024-09-07}}

Saiq has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) with hot summers and warm winters. Precipitation is low, and falls mainly from February to April as well as in the brief monsoon season from June to August.

{{Weather box

|location = Masirah Island (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1980–2023)

|metric first = Y

|single line = Y

|Jan record high C = 32.4

|Feb record high C = 35.7

|Mar record high C = 40.6

|Apr record high C = 42.7

|May record high C = 45.0

|Jun record high C = 47.2

|Jul record high C = 41.6

|Aug record high C = 41.4

|Sep record high C = 39.5

|Oct record high C = 41.5

|Nov record high C = 37.0

|Dec record high C = 32.2

|Jan high C = 26.6

|Feb high C = 27.7

|Mar high C = 30.4

|Apr high C = 34.1

|May high C = 36.0

|Jun high C = 34.9

|Jul high C = 32.1

|Aug high C = 31.1

|Sep high C = 31.5

|Oct high C = 32.6

|Nov high C = 30.3

|Dec high C = 27.8

|Jan mean C = 23.0

|Feb mean C = 23.6

|Mar mean C = 26.1

|Apr mean C = 29.7

|May mean C = 31.6

|Jun mean C = 30.8

|Jul mean C = 28.3

|Aug mean C = 27.5

|Sep mean C = 27.8

|Oct mean C = 28.3

|Nov mean C = 26.8

|Dec mean C = 24.3

|Jan low C = 19.2

|Feb low C = 19.6

|Mar low C = 21.6

|Apr low C = 24.9

|May low C = 27.0

|Jun low C = 26.5

|Jul low C = 24.4

|Aug low C = 23.6

|Sep low C = 24.0

|Oct low C = 24.0

|Nov low C = 23.2

|Dec low C = 21.0

|Jan record low C = 8.9

|Feb record low C = 11.2

|Mar record low C = 13.4

|Apr record low C = 16.3

|May record low C = 19.6

|Jun record low C = 21.6

|Jul record low C = 19.2

|Aug record low C = 19.0

|Sep record low C = 19.5

|Oct record low C = 18.5

|Nov record low C = 15.4

|Dec record low C = 9.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 7.5

|Feb precipitation mm = 16.3

|Mar precipitation mm = 12.5

|Apr precipitation mm = 10.2

|May precipitation mm = 1.5

|Jun precipitation mm = 21.1

|Jul precipitation mm = 11.6

|Aug precipitation mm = 9.9

|Sep precipitation mm = 0.4

|Oct precipitation mm = 0.0

|Nov precipitation mm = 1.2

|Dec precipitation mm = 6.9

|Jan humidity = 68

|Feb humidity = 70

|Mar humidity = 71

|Apr humidity = 67

|May humidity = 69

|Jun humidity = 73

|Jul humidity = 78

|Aug humidity = 79

|Sep humidity = 78

|Oct humidity = 71

|Nov humidity = 69

|Dec humidity = 67

|Jan sun = 287.2

|Feb sun = 259.1

|Mar sun = 297.3

|Apr sun = 311.2

|May sun = 346.6

|Jun sun = 268.6

|Jul sun = 238.1

|Aug sun = 248.0

|Sep sun = 283.6

|Oct sun = 317.9

|Nov sun = 299.5

|Dec sun = 288.9

|source 1 =NOAA (precipitation, humidity and sun 1980-1990) {{Cite FTP |url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/OM/41288.TXT |server = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title = Masirah Climate Normals 1980-1990 |access-date = January 15, 2013}}

|source 2 = Starlings Roost Weather{{cite web |url=http://starlingsroost.ddns.net/weather/worldclimate/graphs.php?climate=9120&code=MU000041288

|title= MASIRAH, MU Climate: 1991–2020

|publisher=Starlings Roost Weather

|access-date= 25 December 2024}}

}}

Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age archaeological sites are dotted over the island, with one study finding shell middens dating to 6000BC, stone axes from 3000BC and fish line sinkers from 4000BCCharpentier, Vincent, et al. “Conquering New Territories: When the First Black Boats Sailed to Masirah Island.” Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, vol. 43, 2013, pp. 85–98, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43782870. The Magan Civilization was present, with archaeological records from 2000-2700BC, Indus region pottery shards, and local copper mining in small quantities around 1500BC.

The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a periplus dated to between AD 40 and 70 describes Masirah island, then called Isle of Serapis:[https://timesofoman.com/article/2070071/oman/tourism/this-island-in-oman-has-a-interesting-history-and-beautiful-views History of Masirah Island] Retrieved 1 January 2023.

{{blockquote|After sailing along it over open water for about 2000 stades from the Isles of Zenobios, you come to the Isle of Sarapis, as it is called, about 120 stades offshore. It is some 200 stades wide and 600 long and is populated by three villages and by holy men of the Ichthyophagi. They use the Arabic tongue and wear loincloths of palm leaves. The island has good supplies of fine-quality tortoise shell.|Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, §33{{sfnp|Schoff|1912|loc=§13}}}}

There was occupation by the Portuguese navy in the sixteenth century. The modern history of the island is little researched, but it is known that the fishermen were accomplished sailors, constructed their own boats, and trade with the mainland was well advanced.Blue, Lucy, et al. “Maritime Footprints: Examining the Maritime Cultural Landscape of Masirah Island, Oman, Past and Present.” Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, vol. 44, 2014, pp. 53–68, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43782902. In the 1950s the sheikh lived on the East coast at Ra's al Ya.de Gaury, Gerald. “A Note on Masira Island.” The Geographical Journal, vol. 123, no. 4, 1957, pp. 499–502, https://doi.org/10.2307/1790352.

File:Seaplane Fuel store 1984.jpg

The British established a military presence on Masirah in the 1930s. A small stone building, a fuel store for land based aircraft flying between Aden and Muscat, stood at the midpoint of the island on the west side, and had a stone above the door inscribed "RAF 1936".[https://raf-masirah.weebly.com/ British military presence on Masirah Island] Retrieved 1 January 2023.

A dispute between British forces and the local inhabitants took place in 1942, led by one of two local sheikhs, who were eventually forced to flee the island.Top Secret Cabinet Office Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air and Secretary of State for India (CP 45 3) of 29 May 1945. The National Archives, Kew.

During WW II, The British paid the Sultan of Muscat a stipend of £18,000 per annum for affording British forces 'necessary facilities', which included Masirah. A Cabinet Office memorandum of 1945 recommended the acquisition of Masirah on a 99-year lease, US interests in the island notwithstanding (During World War II the United States also had a base on the island.). The Sultan was to be offered an annual payment of £3,750 with an initial premium of £7,500. The base continued to expand into the 1970s, supporting British and Oman forces fighting insurgents during the Dhofar Rebellion and providing transit facilities for long-distance RAF flights.

The British military presence at RAF Masirah extended until 31 March 1977, when Sultan of Oman's Air Force (now the Royal Air Force of Oman) took over the base, which became first SOAF Masirah and then RAFO Masirah. In the 1970s, the base included a HF communications hub and a rear link to SAS units and british Royal Engineer Units based in Oman in support of the actions against rebels in the south of the country (RAF Salalah). United States' units used Masirah Island as a staging base in Operation Eagle Claw, the unsuccessful 1980 attempt to free US hostages then held in Iran. The island was subsequently used as a staging area for operations into Afghanistan in 2001.

{{As of | 2009}}, the American private military contractor DynCorp had a contract to staff and serve a US military storage-depot at this base.[https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/masirah.htm US private military contractor on Masirah Island] Retrieved 1 January 2023.

In 1966 Masirah took on a new role, it became the base for the British Middle East Relay Station. This was built by the British Diplomatic Wireless Service to be a relay station for the World Service of the BBC. The station had been previously based in Somalia and Perim called the East Africa Relay Station. These stations were both closed as the politics of the region changed. The station was badly damaged by a Hurricane in 1976 but was rebuilt and handed over to the BBC in 1985.Norman McLeod Spalding DWS Engineer 1926-2022.

Historically, the island had copper ore mining dating back to the Bronze Age.{{cite book|last=Prothero|first=G.W.|title=Arabia|year=1920|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|location=London|page=98|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11767/view/1/98/}} The fishing industry, building on a long tradition, is centered on the north coast, and includes a fish processing plant.Moza A. Al-Busaidi, David J. Jukes, Shekar Bose Seafood safety and quality: An analysis of the supply chain in the Sultanate of Oman, Food Control 59 (Jan 2016): 651–662.

File:Masirah Island Ferry 1.jpg

Masirah Island opened for tourism in the 1990s.{{citation |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/sep/04/masirah-island-oman-middle-east |work=The Guardian |title=Oman's Desert Island |date=September 4, 2010 |access-date=17 October 2021}} One can still only get to the island by ferry, managed by the National Ferry Company, which runs six times a day between Shannah to Masirah.[https://mwasalat.om/ National Ferry Company of Oman] Retrieved 1 January 2023.

There are hotels and a kitesurfing camp. For kitesurfers, Masirah is an attractive spot in summer because of the monsoon winds which blow steadily at over {{convert|20|kn}}.{{citation |url=https://www.surfertoday.com/travel/riding-the-desert-winds-of-the-masirah-island |publisher=Surfer Today |title=Riding the desert winds of the Masirah Island |newspaper=Surfertoday |access-date=17 October 2021}}. Rental cars are available on the island.

{{Portal|Oman|Engineering}}

• Duqm
• List of lighthouses in Oman{{Cite rowlett|omn|accessdate=2016-10-13}}
• Socotra, another hilly/mountainous island off the coast of the Horn of Africa

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{citation |editor-last=Schoff |editor-first=Wilfred Harvey |editor-link=Wilfred Harvey Schoff |title=The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea: Travel and Trade in the Indian Ocean by a Merchant of the First Century |url=http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/periplus/periplus.html |year=1912 |publisher=Longmans, Green, & Co.|location=New York|isbn=978-81-215-0699-1}}.

{{refend}}

{{Wikivoyage|Masirah Island}}

• [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/masirah.htm A military history]
• [http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/websites/pollux/pollux.nss.nima.mil/NAV_PUBS/SD/pub172/172sec09.pdf Sailing Directions (with geographical information)]

{{Ash Sharqiyah South Governorate}}

{{Authority control | additional=Q106438320}}

Category:Islands of Oman

Category:Important Bird Areas of Indian Ocean islands

Category:Important Bird Areas of Oman

Category:Ash Sharqiyah South Governorate

Category:Lighthouses in Oman