Oman 3165

Jonathan Turner runs an Oman based commercial diving company, Masirah International. Originally from Scotland, Jonathan is as passionate about Oman and its maritime environment as Mark. Jonathan describes some of the marine wildlife highlights Mark should expect to see, but also how he has observed the amount of marine change in the years he has been under the water in Oman.

Looking into the future of the shipping industry in Oman, Jonathan explains about a new green ship breaking facility that is being developed to reduce the impact of the global ship breaking industry.

Discover...

From the gardens of the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Al Bustan hotel in Muscat, Mark explores how Oman is not just creating a sustainable relationship with its seas but promoting a sustainable tourism industry that brings tourists to enjoy the coastal waters of Oman.

It’s part of a fully circular approach to sustainability and the Oman Vision 2040.

In the gardens, Talal Al Hashmi, Head of Operations and Acting General Manager of the Al Bustan Hotel introduces Mark to the hotel and its grounds. Ester Kamal, Marketing Director describes some of the traditional and emerging tourism markets an...

Through the different educational partners of the Oman 3165 Expedition, Mark has already spoken online to thousands of school children around the world. He has visited several schools in Oman, giving talks, showing the expedition kit to children and inspiring them about the possibilities for a more sustainable relationship with their oceans.

But getting the Oman 3165 message across to local school children is only possible because of the support and collaboration of the local teachers. So this podcast is all about some of the inspirational teachers in Oman who have embraced Mark and the expedition into their classrooms.<...

On Day 22 of the Oman 3165 Expedition Mark updates us from just east of Muscat. He has spent the last few days paddling past Oman’s capital, a long thin city, edged by the mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. The landscape has changed from the flat sandy beaches to the west of Muscat to now rocky sea caves and arches that Mark has been able to paddle into and explore.

Since the last podcast update the team have continued to receive great welcomes as they came ashore each afternoon. One of those was fr...

Salah Al Jabri is an ambassador for Oman Sail, he served 26 years in the Royal Navy of Oman and in 2010 captained the voyage of the restored Arabian dhow, Jewel of Muscat from Muscat to Singapore.

Salah is a man of the sea and is joining Mark for 4 days paddling on the Oman 3165 Expedition. At the end of day 2 they sit down together on dry land under a tree and talk about Salah’s life on the ocean. They discuss the challenges of leadership, seamanship and the weather that the Jewel of Muscat voyage presented to Salah. Both Ma...

On Day 16 of the Oman 3165 Expedition the team are having a rest day.

Whilst Nigel and Anna Maria are in schools talking to students about Oman 3165, Mark is out and about meeting people whose lives are intertwined with the ocean here in Oman. In this podcast he meets the remarkable Reem Askalan, who over a period of 5 years has explored every nook and cranny of Oman’s coastline documenting safe anchorages for intrepid sailors who want to explore the waters of Oman.

Reem’s book is due out early in 2026, so keep an eye out!

From the Tolkien like landscapes of Limah, Mark and Mohamed have continued south, paddling into sea caves and exploring beach landing sites. Both were struck by the simple structures used to store water for the local goats, but also the birdlife these watering holes attracted. A kingfisher joined them followed by a small flock of sand grouse.

After crossing the border out of Oman and into the UAE and back into Oman again, the landscape has changed into flat fertile coastal plains. The coastline is now sandy and smooth, heavily populated with strings of forts and mosques...

It’s the end of Day 4 of the Oman 3165 Expedition. Mark and Mohamed have landed at Limah for an overnight rest. The first few legs of the expedition have taken them north, rounding the northern most tip of Oman jutting out into the Srait of Hormuz before turning south again.

Because of the remoteness of this part of the expedition, the team have been paddling unsupported and landing on beaches for rest and shelter. They have been joined by turtles and sea snakes, watched ospreys soar and encountered typical warm Omani hospitality when they have crossed paths wi...

Welcome to the start of The Oman 3165 Expedition. The team are all in Al Khasab making final preparation for Mark and his kayak to hit the water in just under a day.

They have been afloat to test the cameras and microphones. They have packed and repacked the kayaks so Mark can be self-supported for the first few days of the expedition.

So here’s an opportunity to meet the expedition team, hear about their backgrounds, their roles, their love of the Omani coastline and what they are looking forward to over the course of th...

“Oman 3165 is going to be a huge opportunity for classrooms to really smash their walls and explore outside their school” 

 The Oman 3165 expedition is going to reach school children and university students around the world, helping them learn about our Ocean, our Opportunity and our Obligation. Young minds today are the ones who have the tools and knowledge to create a more sustainable relationship with our oceans.

Oman 3165 is collaborating with educational organisations and platforms around the world, using modern communications technology to connect young people directly to Mark for campfire conversations and bringing him into o...

Capturing acoustic surveys that transect the entire coast of Oman, never before gathered samples of eDNA suspended in the Omani water and geotagging marine plastic to feed into a global database of waste - The Oman 3165 expedition is more than just an expedition, it’s a 70 day floating field study that will support scientists and researchers around the globe.

In this podcast Dr Gill Braulik of St. Andrews University,  Paul Rose, Head of Expeditions National Geographic Pristine Seas and Katy Newnham, Director of Wasterbuster  all bring to life the science projects that Mark will be supporting from his kaya...

Mark Evans feels a deep-rooted sense of obligation to protect our shared oceans. His love is for the seas surrounding Oman and he sees this as an opportunity to inspire others, especially young people, to think about the importance of our ocean.

On the International Maritime Organisation’s World Maritime Day, at The Royal Geographical Society in London, the Oman 3165 expedition was launched. 

Hearing from expedition sponsors, Asyad Shipping, the time is now for Oman to become a global leader in marine stewardship, where sustainability is more than just compliance, it is an obligation. 

Join Ma...

Starting in November 2025, Oman 3165 is a seventy day journey by kayak along the coastline of Oman in celebration of World Maritime Day, capturing stories of innovation and biodiversity, celebrating Oman’s rich maritime heritage and using communication technology to inspire the next generation of ocean caretakers for a sustainable future.

Come and join adventurer and paddler Mark Evans for every paddle stroke and campfire conversation as he travels from Khasab in the north, near Iran, to Dhalkut in the south, on the border with Yemen.

Discover more about the expedition and track Mark at Oman 3165