Castles made of sand

After about forty-five minutes’ walking in a southerly direction along the beach from Essaouira, you’ll see the ruins of an old building on your right. Known today as the ‘Petit Fort Portugaise’, or little Portuguese Fort, its original name was ‘Borj El Oued’. Thought to have been a fort in Phoenician times, and rebuilt as a lighthouse in Sultan Mohammed Ben Abdallah’s times, at low tide you can walk to this old ruin. At high tide it is completely surrounded by water, and you’ll have to swim to get to it.

Almost directly opposite the ruin, on your left is a river. The Ksob river, or ‘Oued Ksob’. Unless it’s running you’ll probably not know that there is a river here. But on 13 January 1856 this tiny stream was in flood and caused the collapse of the Portuguese fort. Hard to imagine this, when you look at the tiny trickle making its way to the ocean at low tide.

If you walk across the dunes to your left, you’ll see a few shallow pools stretching back and beyond the bridge next to the little village of Diabat. Seagulls love them. Keep walking, keeping to the right of the river and you’ll soon see another ruin on your right. You’ve reached the Dar Sultan.

Also known as the ‘White House’ (Soltane or Maison Blanche), Dar Es-sultan, ‘Palace Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah’, and a host of other similar names, the fort was given as a present to the Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah (1757–1790) by a rich local trader named Hobane. Later it became the home of the Khalifa Moulay Abderrahmane. When he was king from 1822–1859, it served as a residence for visiting dignitaries.

Legend has it that these ruins inspired Jimi Hendrix to compose ‘Castles made of sand‘. Another legend, far more believable when you read the chorus, ‘And so, castles made of sand/Fall in the sea, eventually’, is that the Fort Petit Portugaise was the inspiration for Castles made of sand. Another legend has it that Hendrix wanted to buy the village of Diabat. The local governor refused so Jimi bought the palace instead for his hippie friends. Yet another legend has it that Jimi shared a room with Timothy Leary in nearby Essaouira.

Sadly none of it’s true. Jimi did visit Essaouira in 1969. For two or three days. Sometime before he headed off to play at Woodstock. Castles made of sand however was written in 1967. One of the tracks on Jimi’s second album ‘Axis: bold as love’, my first Jimi Hendrix album, which also contained the super popular ‘Little wing‘. I soon enough acquired the other album as well. As for buying Diabat or the palace. Neither happened. The palace was reclaimed by the sand well before Hendrix’s visit in 1969. And he probably never visited Diabat. And what about sharing a room with Timothy Leary? Did not happen.

And yet, Hendrix and Essaouira seem to be inextricably intertwined. His legend keeps growing. Jimi had lunch here one restaurant claims. Even though the restaurant only came into existence after Jimi had already departed this world. Another sign on a wall says Jimi was here in ’63. Six years before his visit. Jimi walked here. Jimi this…, Jimi that… So if you go to Essaouira, be prepared to hear some stories about Jimi Hendrix and what he got up to in Essaouira. And oh yes, you may also hear that his spirit has been seen in Marrakech and Agadir, and…

Personally, I’d recommend you give a gentle smile and say ‘wow!’, then move on. Go and buy a scarf. Or indulge in a visit to a herb and spice dealer. Or do what Barbara and I did. Go for a walk along the beach to the ruins. Feel the sand beneath your feet. Between your toes. The wind blowing through your hair. Feel the sun on your face. Watch the seagulls at low tide enjoying the rich pickings of the retreating sea. Take pleasure in the squeals of children playing in the surf. Walk or wade out to the old fort at low tide. Then continue to the Dar Sultan and imagine how this may have looked in its prime. With glass windows and mirrors installed by Dutch craftsmen.

Walk back to Essaouira afterward for a refreshing drink at one of the beach cafés, or a rooftop café in the Medina. Or continue your walk all the way to Sidi Kaouki, about 22km away, and have a well-deserved drink at one of the beach cafés (our favourite was the café above the Sidi Kaouki Surf Station). From Sidi Kaouki there’s a regular bus service back to Essaouira. Shared taxis may also be available. Both leave from the car park/bus stop area. Buses appear to run every two hours with the last one back to Essaouira at about 4.30-something pm.

Castle made of sand – The Jimi Hendrix Experience