surfing

RoboRanks: Somali Mosque; 2007

ARABIAN SEA 
Storm cells rip through the Arabian Sea around MAY through to JULY and deliver good swell right along the coast of Somalia. It is worth bearing in mind that there are fewer than 3 surfers living in Somalia so it's one of those places that you dont mind surfing with someone else for a change. The predominat flow of SW swell across the Indian Ocean tends to miss Yemen with Sri Lanka really being the cut off point for reliable swell activity originating in the Southern Hemisphere.

Wandering swell systems can and do manage to get bent back to the coastline here however offering you another source of swell generating activity. Go forth and explore but check the appropriate travel advisories before you do, unfortunately not everyone is into surfing here. Many sources consider Somalia to be one of the most dangerous place in the world for tourists to visit at the moment.

RED SEA 
The Red Sea is the occasional victim of severe inland dust and sand storms that will occasionally sit in position drilling away over the water to either the North or South of the Sea. If this happens long enough then windswell will bounce either up or down the Red sea lighting up what are the most northern Tropical reefs in the world. The salinity in the Red sea is in some cases double that of normal sea water. An interesting phenomena that means you can get away with about 2 feet less surfboard and still maintain the same level of buoyancy.

what to pack

Rich Niewiroski Jr.: 62 mm ultra-violet, fluorescent, and polarizing lens filters. Camera used was a Canon 400D; April 9, 2007

Trainers, loose clothing - everything for the hot weather. Definitely take along some bug repellent spray, good sunscreen and sunglasses!

Take your camera and make sure you have enough space on the card or plenty of films with you (though they are easy to buy). Better take your medicines with you (esp. anti histamine tablets), as the brands can be unfamiliar and cost more.

All of your needs are available locally, so pack less, though it is all a matter of personal preference.