THE CONCRETE TRAWLER

The Mussandam peninsular, on the southern side of the straights of Hormuz, is impressive for its barrenness.

- HUGH PRYOR

The intimidating temperatures during the summer months seem to deny the possibility of life in the area.

JAGGED yellow cliffs and mountains, which climb directly from the sea to over six thousand feet, come out of some celestial crushing plant, a geological scrap heap of all the bits of rock He couldn't find a use for. The sea which surrounds the peninsular, on the other hand, is some of the richest in the world. The FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, had to admit after an intensive survey, that if fishing levels were maintained, they could see no limit to the harvest from the coastal waters of Oman. High sea temperatures encourage a cornucopia of abundant marine life where the extremes above the water surface challenge the very existence of life itself.

During the ongoing Iran/Iraq conflict, a lot of governments are interested in what is going on in the Gulf, because oil supplies to both Eastern and Western countries were threatened by the hostilities.

Many Very Large and even Ultra Large Crude Carriers have been destroyed or severely damaged and crew members killed or wounded, either caught in the crossfire or deliberately targeted.

The Gulf is not a holiday camp for shipping during. However during the many previous hostilities the oil prices made a gamble well worthwhile if it paid off. Salaries offered to those willing to try and get through with a load of oil out of the Gulf provided almost irresistible motivation to men willing to put their necks on the line for cash.

Interested governments invaded the area. Bahrain became a warren full of spooks, spies and “advisors”.