Camping on an island is not the same as camping on a beach. On an island the boat is your only way home, and a timing mistake stops being an inconvenience.
Before packing the tent and charcoal, confirm the island allows camping. Some Kuwaiti islands carry military or administrative restrictions that change over time. Failaka, Bubiyan, Kubbar and Umm Al-Maradim are not governed the same way.
Ask the relevant authorities well before your date. If you cannot get a clear answer, change the location. No night out is worth a violation.
Fix your return time before you leave, tied to tide and light, not mood. Ground that works at low water can be difficult at high water, especially on a shallow shelf or between rocks.
Plan to be back well before dark. Landing on an unfamiliar island at night is the fastest way to burn time and make bad calls. If you return with the tide, allow for current: it can lengthen the run or push you off line.
The B7R app gives you tide times for Shuwaikh and Shuaiba ports, plus sea state and weather, so you pick a landing window instead of guessing.
One person on land should know where you are going, who is with you, how many people, the boat type and registration, and your expected return. Agree a check-in time; if an hour passes with no word, they start asking.
A simple plan decides whether a search starts at a known point or from nothing.
Water and fuel need a real reserve, not an eyeball estimate. Carry more water than a full day needs, and spare fuel to get home with margin. On an island, reserve is not comfort. It is your exit plan.
Wind on an island changes after sunset, and can swing within a few hours. Do not leave the boat on a short line against rock, or sitting on an open beach taking the swell side-on.
If the anchor starts dragging or a line goes slack, move now. Do not review it at sunrise.
Heat and humidity drain you without warning. Take shade, drink before you feel thirsty, and avoid dark clothing. Insects are worse near sabkha and grass, so bring repellent and sleep away from standing water.
Coverage on some islands is weak or absent. If the phone drops, do not wander. Return to a point you know, get the phone as high as you safely can, and try a text instead of a call; it needs less signal. If the gap drags on, the person ashore should act at the agreed time.
Abandon the plan when:
Island camping is worth the effort when it is planned. Doubt is a reason to postpone, not a reason to push. Download the B7R app free on Google Play and check tide and sea state before every trip: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.q8dm.b7r