In 1971 Bahrain was the major Sea Port for the Gulf
Its Mina Sulman was a six berth Port able to handle ocean going ships
Cargoes came into Mina Sulman then shipped by dhow to other Gulf Ports
Dubai was its rival but lacked a deep water Port
Mine Sulman Bahrain
We'd lived in Bahrain for three very enjoyable years before deciding it was time to move - to Australia!
That move was interrupted when Gray Mackenzie and Co. offered me a position in Dubai at Port Rashid which had started construction. That offer was too good to turn down. I accepted.
But then nothing happened!
A year passed before Gray Mackenzie said we could move to Dubai. Delay was due to resistance in Sheikh Rashid's Majlis to Gray Mackenzie's appointment. Sheikh Rashid eventually overcame this resistance and appointed Gray Mackenzie and Co. to manage and operate Port Rashid..
Now Gulf Politics determined when and how we would move to Dubai.
Len Chapman
Bahrain was negotiating to join the proposed United Arab Emirates in 1970. Negotiations were not going well by the end of 1970. Bahrain decided in August 1971 not to join the UAE.
Those negotiations caused friction between the Gulf States
Gray Mackenzie had branches in all the Gulf States. They were sensitive to the political conditions in the Gulf.
For these reasons, Gray Mackenzie decided to seek Sheikh Isa bin Sulman Al Khalifa's approval to employ one of his staff - namely me!
Gray Mackenzie brought me the good news that Sheikh Isa agreed to Gray Macs employing me! But there were conditions.
I was not permitted to travel directly from Bahrain to Dubai nor was I permitted to do so immediately.
Gray Macs asked what I wanted to do. Answer was easy. I wanted to take the family to New Zealand for three months to visit ny In Laws. Gray Macs agreed.
My New Zealand "In Laws" had not met their grandchildren. Three months would let them get to know each other plus these was no better place to spend a holiday than New Zealand!
We flew back from New Zealand to Bahrain, rested for a day then boarded the daily Gulf Aviation flight to Dubai via Dammam, Doha and Abu Dhabi.
Our aircraft was a Fokker Friendship F27 that would fly on to Oman after Dubai before making the return trip.
We landed at Dubai Airport. Four passengers disembarked - my wife, our two chlidren and me!
We were met on the tarmac by my new Boss - Capt Arthur Jarman. He lead us to the wooden desk on the apron where a Customs Official and an Immigration Official were waiting. Customs Official waived our suitcases through while the Immigration Official quickly stamped our Passports
Within minutes we were in Capt Jarman's air conditioned Holden Kingsway car on our way to our new home.
Made in Australia
The drive from Dubai Airport to Al Fahidi Street was not impressive. There were no trees - just sand, sand and more sand. Buildings were unimpressive, roads almost non-existent. We had a glimpse of Dubai Creek as we crossed Al Maktoum Bridge but not enough to leave an impression.
Our new home was an apartment in recently built Al Owais Building on Al Fahidi Street. Apartment was roomy, well built and comfortably furnished. We were happy with our new home but my wife and I had the same thought; we had gone back in time after Bahrain. Maybe we had made a mistake!
