In 2017, I received an unexpected yet thrilling call from the esteemed BBC presenter, Steve Backshall. He wished to collaborate with me on one of the twelve episodes of an innovative series entitled Expedition, which aimed to highlight twelve remarkable ‘firsts’ for British television. Steve had been referred to me by my good friend, Justin Halls, who had previously worked alongside him on a caving programme in Patagonia. Justin believed I was the ideal individual to guide them through the fascinating world of canyoning, particularly in exploring a newly discovered canyon in Oman that had yet to be traversed.
The thought of working alongside a television personality like Steve Backshall sparked a sense of pride and excitement within me. Shortly after our initial conversation, I had the opportunity to meet the programme's director, Susanna Handslip, who travelled to Oman to discuss the project in more detail. Our meeting proved fruitful, and I began the search for an intriguing new canyon to feature in the show. After thorough research, I decided upon a tributary of Wadi Hijri, which itself is a branch of Wadi Tanuf.
Preparation for the project took several months, and we planned for the crew's travel to Oman in August—a time notorious for temperatures often exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Regrettably, in the lead-up to the shoot, Susanna had to step back due to an unfortunate accident, and Rosie Gloyns graciously took over as the new director.
Our crew consisted of six dedicated members: Steve Backshall as our charismatic presenter, Rosie Gloyns directing, Aldo Kane serving as the health and safety officer, Parker Brown expertly handling the drone and sound, Graham MacFarlane as our cameraman, and Joseph supporting as the assistant producer. Our first expedition took us to Jabal Shams, where Steve decided to face Wadi Nakhr, famously known as Oman’s Grand Canyon, as a training exercise before we embarked on the new canyon exploration.
The descent from the abandoned village of Sab Bani Khamis to the village of Nakhr is an exhilarating journey featuring numerous abseils, including the notorious ‘Sheikh al Majaneen’ drop, which towers at an astonishing 385 metres. I had previously tackled this drop in 2010 with Mihai Catrinar, whom I affectionately call my “adopted son.” It’s likely one of the highest abseils on the planet, and we were the first and last individuals to make this impressive descent back in December 2010.
Aldo and Justin worked diligently throughout the day to establish new anchors for this monumental drop. On the day of the descent, only four of us—Steve, Aldo, Justin, and I—made the crossing of Wadi Nakhr, while the rest of the crew awaited our return at the canyon's exit.
Steve was the first to take the plunge. He encountered a few challenges managing his speed but ultimately reached the bottom safely. Aldo faced his own set of hurdles, progressing slowly on the rope, which took him over an hour to join Steve on the ground. By the time he arrived, he was utterly exhausted and dehydrated. I managed to execute my descent smoothly, while Justin brought up the rear.
By the time we regrouped at the base of the Sheikh al Majaneen drop, night had fallen. We set up camp beside a peaceful pond, ready to spend the evening under the star-studded sky. The following day, we packed up our camp and continued our journey through the canyon, tackling five more drops ranging from 20 to 80 metres in height.
By early afternoon, we reached the rest of the team. However, Justin and I needed to make a return trip to Jabal Shams to retrieve the rope we had fixed for the Sheikh al Majaneen drop.
To be continued...
Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of our canyoning adventure with Steve Backshall and the Expedition crew!
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