The beach? October 18? In Abu Dhabi.

Probably not a good idea.

But we gave it try, anyway, and aside from the part where we ate dinner on the terrace, mildly sweating the entire time … it went quite well.

When we got to the UAE, I would have described October as a “shoulder” month — when the weather turns and it becomes almost mild.

That is not at all true. October, the whole of it, is going to be hot. And perhaps very hot. As you can see on the weather chart, the average high in October is 95, but it feels worse because of the humidity.

It is November that is the shoulder month (average high, 86) and, even then, drivers at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (which has been held throughout November) have been known to complain of the heat.

So, October 18 … we looked out the window at the apartment and it was quite clear, which is rare during the hot months, when a sort of sandy haze normally dirties the sky, and we could see the particular island which we most appreciate …

And at about 4 p.m. we decided to attempt it. And by “attempt it” I do mean to compare it, however distantly, to the mountain-climber usage of those words. “We attemped Kilimanjaro …”

Shorts, light materials, no direct sun planned.

And we found quite a crowd, over on Saadiyat Island. The pay-to-enter public beach, to the north of our hotel destination, was packed with people.

It struck me as a sort of “heading to the beach” notion in reverse of milder climes, where the first trip to the beach heralds pleasant warmth. Here, the “first trip to the beach” is a sort of speculative toe-dip into winter — when people here generally go to the beach, after six long months of summer.

And it was not bad. Not bad at all.

We did not go down to the sand. Instead, we headed directly to the rooftop bar at the nearby four-star hotel, still new and right on the sand of the Gulf. Much more appealing that what you might find on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, often crowded and often dirty.

A couch with rubbery pillows and a view of the water, and a mojito for one, a margarita for the other … and it was quite nice. Yes, on October 18.

We stayed there through sunset, which is just after 6, this time of year, and the bar built up a bit as the overwhelming Euro tourist crowd came up for their aperitifs.

At about 7, we went downstairs to the Beach House, a small restaurant and mostly a tapas place, which is just fine. We could have sat inside, and probably should have, but chose to be on the terrace. More in the hope of mild temperatures than the expectation of them.

And we experienced, for the 1,000th time, the strange phenomenon here of conditions actually heating up after sunset. The wind drops, and the humidity seems to rocket up, and a person finds himself dabbing at his forehead.

Some meatballs, some portobella mushrooms, a lentil and pumpkin salad, some cuttlefish deep fried, a big bottle of San Pellegrino …

And it was nice. Other than that we were more than a little sticky when it was over.

October 18, sitting outside. A miracle! Or near enough.