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The Farasan Islands Have an Interesting Geological Past. They Are Low Lying and Their Surface Is Composed of Fossilised Corals Forming Low Hills

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The Farasan Islands Have an Interesting Geological Past. They Are Low Lying and Their Surface Is Composed of Fossilised Corals Forming Low Hills l~e Written and photographed by Dr Khushal Habibi The Farasan islands have an interesting geological past. They are low lying and their surface is composed of fossilised corals forming low hills. The vegetation of the islands mainly consists of xerophytic scrub, herbs and perennial grasses. Perhaps the most attractive feature of the flora are the mangrove stands which grow along the bays of the larger islands. This nature reserve is the only one of its kind in the Kingdom where a large variety of shore birds, terrestrial mammals, sea turtles, multicoloured fish, the manatee, dolphins, sharks, crabs, colourful coral reefs, the rare aloe, sea weeds and mangroves can befound together. This plethora of plant and animal life provides a setting of enchanting beauty and a wildlife treasure which is not matched elsewhere in the Middle East. AHL dctober 97 II ~ gaze at the waves and the endless body of water. Occasionally they are surprised by the appearance of a school of dolphins which emerge on the surface of the water, swim along the ferry for a while and then disappear into the depths of the deep blue sea. Such sightings always stir interest among the passengers as they scurry to the deck to observe these superb swimmers cutting through the water with total confidence. Riding the ferry one wonders how the Red Sea was formed. This body of water, with depths reaching 2335 m (7590 feet) near Sheibara on the north Arabian coast, is full of mysteries. It takes its name from the extensive red coral reef beds which spread along the steep shorelines. During the winter months strong southerly winds raise the level of water in the north of the sea T he ferry from the ancient port of Jizan to while in summer it is a metre lower than the Farasan Kebir is a daily event which winter level as a result of strong northerly winds. takes place without much fanfare. The Red Sea trough was formed by movements Traders load their pickups and trucks into the of the earth's crust and the crushing of faults hulk of the ship as it sails westward each against one another in successive phases from morning. The merchandise varies. There are Eocene times. Modifications are still taking vegetables, fruits, various sundries, goats, place in the trough as a result of the eastward sheep, chicken and from time to time drift of the Arabian Peninsula from the African household appliances and furniture, headed land mass. During the Miocene the sea had no toward the islands which are inhabited by outlet to the Indian ocean and when cut off from about five thousand people of different ethnic the Mediterranean by an uplifting of the land groups. Some are permanent settlers - between Syria and the Libyan desert, the water fishermen who have been working on the body became an inland sea. Later movements islands for hundreds of years, others are led to the formation of the deep central trough government employees while a few are and probably opened the outlet to the Gulf of people who have come from far away lands to Aden. work in the Kingdom. They are teachers, Two thirds along the journey a few points of doctors, nurses, technicians and handymen interest appear. These are merely small coral who come to run the institutes and islands, inhabited by shore birds and seagulls. machinery, which makes human life on the Farasanaloe One or two have a few fishermen huts too. They islands functional, such as the desalination are makeshift structures made of wooden plant, the hospital, schools and the port. planks, which are washed by the sea to the shores, and tin The three hour trip is a sombre affair for most of the roofs. The islands themselves are pale brown in colour with passengers. The traders who take little interest in the little or no vegetation. Their surface is uneven and sharp. A mundane journey spread their blankets and sleep the entire closer look at the rocks suggest that their building block is a length of the trip amidst the noise of the other passengers. conglomerate of corals and seashells. Over the aeons the The more enthusiastic Farasanis gather in groups to play dead corals became fossilised as a result of tremendous cards while sipping hot tea. Still others, mostly first timers, pressure and chemical reactions at the bottom of the sea AHLAN W ASAHLAN -October 97 II and were cemented together into a A majority of the people are thick crust of calcified material. fishermen who fish in the shallow Such binding took place millions of waters of the bays with baited years ago, resulting in the hooks tied to a nylon string. This formation of the islands which gear is not effective in a came to be known as Jaza'ir commercial catch hence the Farasan, or the Farasan islands. fishermen have to spend long The name comes from fares, which hours in the sea. Some of them in Arabic means a kind of date. continue to fish even when the The Farasan islands have an sea is stormy. Unable to return home they spend the night on one interesting geological past. They are low lying and their surface is of the many uninhabited islands in composed of fossilised corals their clumsy shacks. When their formtng low hills. The islands are storage boxes are filled with the full of faults with irregular gullies catch they immediately head for and cliffs up to ten metres high in Jizan to sell the fish. Day or night some places. It is believed that they transport the gutted fish to Miocene salt deposits of the sea the buyers. There is probably a bed pushed up the overlying good reason for their haste. Their sedimentary rocks and produced boats lack refrigeration facilities an uplifted dome area upon which coral reefs A school of dolphins thus they have to get the fish to the market while it developed. Further uplifting of the sea floor raised is still fresh. the coral reefs above sea level resulting in the Agriculture is practised in small sized plots in formation of the islands. The rock surfaces are the wadibeds by some of the inhabitants but due extremely rough and as a consequence the islands to the low rainfall crops do not grow in any have little soil cover but for small portions of the abundance and the majority of the foodstuffs are wadibeds. On Zefaf island, extensive uplifting has imported from the mainland. Most of the old farms resulted in the formation of a 86 metres (280 feet) were built in wadibeds where soils have high dome known as Jabal Zefaf. High coral reefs accumulated over the centuries as a result of the form steep sea cliffs along the shoreline of the omnipresent blowing of the wind. These plots have islands. Sand banks occur where the reefs are to be protected from the livestock and feral absent and salt flats extend from the shoreline to donkeys that graze freely on the islands. The the coral hills. farmers efficiently utilise coral rocks for this Precipitation in the area is low and hence the purpose. Each farm has a one metre high wall islands lack any streams or other water bodies. made of the rocks which come in different shapes Sporadic rainfall does occur which creates and sizes. Because of this the walls are usually intermittent runners toward the sea. These runners irregular. Despite their shape they are functional are densely vegetated near the shoreline. The and keep the marauding goats out of the corn climate is humid and hot throughout the year, fields. though the sea breeze ameliorates the extensive Life on the islands is changing with increasing humidity and temperature during the winter human settlements. Most of the people make a months. The high subterranean water table within subsistence living from fishing and small scale the islands enables the shrubs to stay green farming. Because of transportation costs the price throughout the year. of food commodities, fuel and everything else that The vegetation of the islands is mainly is needed for daily survival are higher. Unable to composed of xerophytic scrub, herbs and perennial afford natural gas as an energy source the grasses. Perhaps the most attractive feature of villagers resort to cutting deadwood which grows the flora are the mangrove stands which grow in the runners. One day as I was on the outlook for along the bays of the larger islands. These gazelles I heard something rustling in the thickets Short lived displayof annual flowers -Zefaf stands produce a picturesque blend of the deep of a runner which I happened to be investigating. I blue sea supinely mingling with the green observed the area for some time but nothing mangroves. Lack of soil cover in seemed to stir. Then I saw a man insular areas has resulted in with a load of wood come out of generally sparse vegetation. the thicket. He started going Where soil has accumulated, in toward his village which was about depressions among the coral two kilometres away. What rocks, certain grasses and sedges surprised me most was that he grow. The deeper wadibeds, was barefoot and was walking on support a substantial number of the razor sharp coral rocks without bushes and trees. Forbs and hindrance. The sharp rocks ruin weeds respond to the sporadic shoes in a matter of weeks. I rainfall which turns parts of the assumed that his feet were so islands to deceptively lush-Iooking adapted to this hostile patches that disappear within a environment that he did not even few weeks.
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