Crab-Hunting Safari

When my husband announced that we were going crab hunting as a treat for my birthday weekend away from the city, I had my reservations.  First off, the destination was Umm Al Quwain which is not an emirate that my fellow expatriates have ever mentioned as a tourist hot spot. 

There is not much to make of the emirate itself; an hour out of Dubai you find yourself in a dusty and sleepy fishing town.  However, a real treat awaits at ‘The Flamingo Resort’…

The resort itself is rather twee with rosy flamingo memorabilia coating every available wall.  But as you pass through to observe the view, you are in for the threat of an entirely tranquil mangrove lake with quietly lapping waters, clear and fish-filled, not to mention the beautiful pink of the flamingos stalking their way in search of fodder.

We passed a pleasant day fishing off the peer and driving to the other side of this thin strip of land that makes up Umm Al Quain where the roaring waves of the Gulf smash across a rocky wall of protection.  

But the main attraction of this otherwise rather un-notable spot was our curiosity over the crab hunting safari.  We purchased our ticket which included:  a pre-hunt snack, crab hunting boots, the experience itself and a buffet meal and awaited the cover of darkness.  We were be-life-jacketed and issued with what was termed “hunting footwear” but what turned out to be a rather hole-filled and tattered fake converse trainers!  The damage already endured by this footwear was reassurance enough that we should not be donning our own gear for the mission.  

It was a beautiful night with a full moon hanging over the lake.  We were ushered to a shallow boat and slowly motored to the centre.  Fish, attracted by the glow of our guiding light, leapt several feet into the air and their flight often nearly landed them in our vessel.  

After ten minutes of travel, our guide turned off the engine and we floated in the silence of the night.  He was casting his eyes around the water feverishly, but when we too looked into the watery depths, we could make out nothing.  The silent minutes passed and we began to question just how entertaining this experience would prove.  

Without warning, our guide blurted out that we should jump overboard.  Our group was a dozen strong and not one member of our company stirred at his command:  the black and choppy water looked cold and uninviting and despite the life-jackets, immeasurably deep.  My husband and another guest finally took the plunge and we all laughed at our stupidity: the water rose only to the thigh!

Once surrounded by the surprisingly warm and shallow mangrove we were handed a trident – I mean, a proper weapon akin to something from ‘The Little Mermaid’.  Next we were armed with a bright light attached to an extendable wire and heavy battery in the boat.  With a cry of ‘Yallah’ from our guide our mission began.  I could feel the gentle nibble of small fish on my calves that were attracted to our light.  Then there came into view the more sinister needle fish with their barbed noses.  I was felt suddenly somewhat grateful of my crumbling converse as sharp coral lined the bed of the lake.

I heard a jubilant cry from a fellow hunter who withdraw their trident from the waters with a wriggling crab on its prongs.  A keen animal lover, I could not bear to look at the creatures legs cycling round in desperation.  However, some strange sense of purpose made me turn back hurriedly to my own light and harpoon, determined to do the same damage:  despite my affiliation the animal kingdom, I also love crab meat!

After some time I sighted my victim; your light catches a blue-tinted crab with his front claws outstretched in protection or attack.  You only have a moment to wrestle with your conscience or he will scuttle away to safety.  With resolve I plunged my weapon down into the sand and felt the crushing of shell on metal.  I could not call it a pleasant experience but there was certainly something morbidly satisfying about the bulls-eye.  After one crustacean kill, the others came easily and I soon had a fine haul when combined with my husband’s catch.  

Heaving ourselves, drenched and heavy, back into the boat was certainly entertaining but we made it back to a shower and dry clothes.  The buffet spread was divine, but obviously the highlight was our catch:  crab soup to start followed by crab roast in a light and delicious masala.

We spent the next day on a boat in the mangroves spotting sea turtles (the salt water makes it a prime environment for them), flamingos by the flock, coral reefs and fish galore.  Despite my reservations, it was a perfect birthday weekend; rich in nature and red in tooth and crab claw!