10 Top Tips to BEAT THE HEAT

Ian has some solutions

Party Cruise II
We summarise our epic adventure!

Elham Qasimi
An exclusive interview with an inspirational adventurer

Cruise Listings
The biggest and coolest cruises are listed inside

Price: DHS 10

Discover more and visit us online: www.outdooruae.com Issue 7/2011 July

 2011
Explore the
possibilities
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 It’s just too hot!

“
In Print:

Managing Editor
Daniel Birkhofer

I hate
daniel@outdooruae.com

Editors
the heat and humidity at this time of the year! I can’t even get
Kim Perks
to my car without starting to sweat and then it takes an eternity for the AC
Marilena Cilta
to actually work. I just left the couch five minutes ago and could have di-
rectly plonked myself onto the next one. I spend my days more or less 24/7
in the AC-climate of my apartment, malls and my office. It’s only the small
Graphic & Design intervals in between where I am exposed to the unbearable heat. How can
James Russell people suffer going out in this heat by their own free will? Back home it
james@outdooruae.com was so much better.
For advertisement enquiries
contact:
I’m quite sure you will not find yourself relating to this out-cry because if so, it’s more than
Tel: 04-4472701
likely that OutdoorUAE is not your type of publication. I am 100% certain you will have heard
marketing@outdooruae.com
such a common rant or similar, from friends or colleges. I have never understood these people
who always have to complain about everything. The UAE has an expat population of about
Published by: 80% meaning most of us are not natives to this climate and we have come here and stayed from
Outdoor UAE FZE our own free will. If someone is starting to complain that everything is bad here, I tell them –
P.O. Box 215062 GO HOME! And don’t bother me with your negative attitude. I’ll admit that there are things I
Dubai, U.A.E. don’t like or totally agree with, but honestly, there are complaints abound in a lot of
Tel. 04-4472701 other places.
contact@outdooruae.com
www.outdooruae.com I agree that it is hot and humid and that you can call the hot summer months a bad time of the
year. I do sweat buckets, but I still spend a lot of my weekend time outdoors,
Distributor: because YOU STILL CAN.
Abu Dhabi Media Company
P.O. Box 40401, ABU DHABI
How? It is very simple. It is down to motivation and encouragement. There are only two op-
tions: stay inside and complain or go outdoors, even if you have to compromise a bit. The UAE
Printed at: is a place with a lot of benefits in comfort and service. You could spend all of your free time
Galadari Printing & Publishing LLC on the couch with affordable solutions and service providers who will deliver everything and
P.O. Box 11243 anything to your doorstep within minutes, and even clean up afterwards. I think it is a modern
Dubai, U.A.E. disease, called laziness. Why should I do something if someone else can do it for me? If you
fancy this kind of lifestyle you will never understand us outdoorsy people and the adventures
we have. You may never understand that the journey might be the goal. You will never chal-
© 2011 Outdoor UAE FZE lenge yourself. And you will never experience that cardinal feeling of reaching your limits or
Issue 7/2011- July even exceeding them.

No matter where in the world you are, or what weather you endure, you will find us outdoors.
Yes we will take the effort to adjust to the situation and get up with the sun, carry litres of water
and take the time to acclimatize just to be out.
The information contained is for gener-
al use only. While we have made every
attempt to ensure that the information
If you still have to ask WHY, then watch us! Shake your head, think we’re stupid, stay inside but
contained in this magazine has been don’t bother to asking the same question.
obtained from reliable sources, how-
ever the publisher is not responsible If you want to get some good tips how to adjust to the weather and go outdoors, check out tips
for any errors. All information in this
from our fellow outdoor lover Ian, on page 54.
magazine is provided “as is”, with no
guarantee of completeness, accuracy,
timeliness or of the results obtained Enjoy the Outdoors!
from the use of this information. In no
event will the publisher, its related af- Daniel.
filiates or anyone else be responsible
for any decision made or action taken
in reliance on the information in this PS: I’m not completely outdoor crazy, I love my couch and watching DVDs and going to the
magazine. cinema just as much as many people do. I won’t get up every day at 4 or 5am to spend hours
outdoors – I do it when I feel can do it. As most of us do. And don’t forget, you will always feel
All contents are under copyrights and
may not be reproduced in any kind
good for doing something challenging and productive.
without written permission.

© 2011 Outdoor UAE FZE

Reg. at Creative City Fujairah
P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.

3
Your Best Shots - 6
Some great shots of the month
Beat the Heat – 7
Pete beats the heat with climb at Jebel Qihwi
Event Review – Adventure HQ - 10
We join the grand opening of the new super-
store
Events Calendar -14
News – 16
Products – 18
Deep Water Soloing - 20
An introduction to a spectacular past-time
Adventure Chicks - 22
OutdoorUAE and Tori Paddle for the Planet
The Fishing Kit - 26
The Migration Begins
Well that’s swell – 28
Some surfing etiquette
Travel: Trek to OZ - 30
Simon and Megan go long haul

OutdoorUAE Cruise - 34
We summarise a fantastic 2nd cruise party!
Cruise listings – 36
ME 4x4 - 40
Part 5
Outdoor People - 52
We meet Lesley and Patrice, and
interview the inspiring Elham Qasimi

Tips + Tricks - 54
10 top tips to BEAT THE HEAT!
Oudoor Photography - 56
Point of Interest
Final Thought - 56
Plastic Not So Fantastic
Directory - 61

Pictured: Pete Aldwinckle

4
The OutdoorUAE Team

Daniel Birkhoffer Kim Perks

Founder and Editor in Chief Copywriter and Editor

Marilena Cilta James Russell

Management and Administration Graphics and Photography

Our Regular Experts and Contributors

Tori Leckie Ian Ganderton

Writer, runner, blogger, adventurer Kayaker, climber, mountainbiker and snowboarder.
and adidas athlete Enthusiastic jack of all trades, master of none.

Kit Belen Pete Aldwinckle

Our Fishing Pro Climber and all-round adventure seeker

Mike Nott John Basson

The 4x4 expert Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker

And introducing...
Couple this with my love for writing, health and fitness, and you have yourself
a columnist whose main aim each month will be to stoke your passions,
elevate your soul and enliven your body.

Interested yet?

If so, then welcome on this journey of discovering all the wild and wonder-
ful activities one can do in this unique part of the globe. Being based in
Dubai, we literally have the world at our fingertips thus, whether it be a short
weekend trip away or your next holiday, I want to show you all the amazing
activities available to you.

Remember, many a false

step was made by standing

Laura Snook
still and the experience of
discovery is always a
wonderful moment.

So, enjoy the monthly

In the days when ADHD was “undiagnosed”, it was read, relish in the delight
up to myself and, quite often my poor family, to think of of discovering each new
destination... and lastly be
ways to release my excessive hyper activity. prepared for happiness,
energy and a cheeky glint of
Subsequently, equipped with the rugged lands of Australia on my doorstep, my adventure to enliven
parents who loved the outdoors and my free spirit who just wanted to run and your body!
explore.... my passion to discover natures ‘playground’ was born!
Enjoy!
Whether I am climbing along jagged cliff tops, surfing within the company of
whales, cycling through mysterious forests, or practicing yoga as the sun rises Miles of smiles
over the Himalayas.... the pleasure of experiencing the wind in my hair, the sun
Laura x
on my back and the tingle of water on my skin is nothing but
blissfully fulfilling.

5
 What
to se 's there
e and
do?

[ski]
Ski Dubai Summer Camps
Ski: Offered from June 19th – July 24th, 2011, daily from Sunday to Thursday
Camp duration: 5 days Children ages: Between 3 – 13 years Timings: 9:30
am – 3:00 pm (till 3:30 p.m. for kids between 7 – 13 years old) Cost: AED 770

Snowboard: Offered from June 19th – July 24th, 2011, daily from Sunday
to Thursday Camp duration: 5 days Children ages: Between 8 – 13 years
Timings: 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Cost: AED 990

Ski Dubai, the region’s premier indoor skiing destination is all set to welcome
skiing and snowboarding enthusiast to its alpine slopes with its special 5 day
summer camps. From the 19th of June 2011, children will have the opportu-
nity to spend time with professional skiing and snowboarding instructors and
learn to navigate the pristine snow capped slopes of Ski Dubai.
www.skidxb.com

[dive]
Pavilion Dive Centre - Dive and Support Sipadan
11th -19th of August 2011 (taking bookings now)
Pavilion Dive Centre offers an ‘Adventure of a lifetime’ to get involved and give
back to Sipadan. For the past 6 years The Pavilion Dive Centre have been trav-
elling to Sipadan as apart of a social entrepreneurship initiative and bringing
back stories of amazing adventures.

Sipadan is located at the South Eastern Coast of Sabah, Malaysia and is judged
by many to be among the top 5 diving locations in the world. It’s famous with
swirling tornado formations of Barracuda, massive schools of Hump-head
Wrasse, Sharks, Turtles, Turtles and more Turtles and thousands of exotic spe-
cies of macro marine life.

Due to Islands location, the weather and diving conditions are near perfect all
year round so there is never a bad time to go. The trip lasts for 7 nights and 8
Days, and will take place from the 11th -19th of August 2011 (taking bookings
now). Join the facebook group to find out more. To check out Tawasal and
what they do click here: www.mytawasul.com

Pavilion will also be running a trip to Raja Ampat between the 5th and 14th of
November. We know this is almost 5 months away but they are taking books
now as places are quickly swept up as you have till mid July to confirm!

Known as the Four Kings, Raja Ampat archipelago is known as the most bio di- For more information please con-
verse location on the planet. Conducting a selection of PADI specialty courses, tact divecentre@jumeirah.com or
the trip will take you on a cruise on the Pearl of Papua in and around Raja ernst.vanderpoll@jumeirah.com or
Ampat, with only 14 spaces available so get in touch with them for this one in phil.oshea@jumeirah.com
a lifetime adventure!
Divecentre Tel: 04 406 8828

[cycle] [run] [skate]

Cycle, Run & Skate Safe
Every Wednesday from 6:00PM until 9:00PM (free)
Dubai Autodrome
The Dubai Autodrome opens for Cycling, Jogging, and Roller Blading on Club Circuit
under Flood Lights. In a safe controlled environment, the Dubai Autodrome offers
all the family the opportunity to stay fit and healthy without the risks of training on
public roads. All cyclists, roller bladers, skaters and others MUST wear a helmet. No
helmet required for runners.
www.dubaiautodrome.com

6
 [motor]
Bike/Car Track Days
All motorcycles must be of a road worthy manner, and will be safety
checked prior to participants being allowed on track. For a standard Track
Day/Evening, all riders must be in possession of a valid and current road or
competition licence.

Track Days/Evenings allow drivers to explore the performance of their cars

in a controlled and safe environment. It is an opportunity to drive on a race
track without the constraints, restrictions and invariable risks of a public
road. Safety cover on the track is run to strict international standards, with
marshal’s posts manned, and safety trucks, ambulance and paramedic
services available throughout the event.

For more information on when the Car and Bike Track Evenings are log onto
www.dubaiautodrome.com for more information and the calendar.

[motorcycle]
Autodrome Bike Nights Mini Review!

On Friday the 24th of June, Outdoor UAE ventured
down to the Autodrome to check out what all the
fuss was about on this hot sweaty Summer evening.
We thought to ourselves, race bikes in this heat…
can't be, the season for it must surely be over!? Lit-
tle did we know it turned out to be a very interesting
evening.
Looking at the crowd these track evenings bring in, it needs
to be noted that there is definitely is a growing community of
sport and super bike racers who meet maybe twice a month
when the Autodrome opens its club circuit for track evenings
(the calendar is listed on www.dubaiautodrome.com) Ages
and experiences range from beginners with standard bikes to
enthusiasts who modify their bikes to go racing and compete
with a team during the racing season. The prices for the track
day/evening depends on the Dubai Autodrome circuit con-
figurations being used on the day:
Club Circuit – AED 400 (evening)
Club & National Circuit – AED 650 (afternoon)
International Circuit – AED 750 (afternoon)
Grand Prix Circuit – AED 850 (afternoon)
Jim and Hennie from Liberty Kawasaki invited us down to
as some maybe practicing to get their technique right, or
others building endurance for the coming season. It's an
environment which you can easily sit down and take in
all that's going on around you, make use of the empty pit
wall as you look through the fencing to catch the bikers
speed past, or walk up to the bowl to watch them move
over onto their knee sliders..it's definitely entertaining and
open to anyone that is interested in the sport either as a
spectator or participant.
Facts:
• To be able to ride around the track on these nights
you need to make sure you have a motorbike or
competition license.
• The race season here in Dubai starts in October and
lasts till about April.
• All riders must have either one piece full leathers or
two pieced zipped together leathers.
If you have a race license but no bike and are keen to
get back into it, Liberty Kawasaki rent their bikes out @
around 1,500AED ( prices vary depending on the circuit)
If you want to improve your learning to the point where
you can go on track, look out for the Superbike School
coming to Dubai this year: www.superbikeschoolme.com

*Please send information about events to: events@outdooruae.com

meet some of the key figures in this adrenaline-fuelled sport
and get a feel for what these nights were all about before the
season kicks off. The evening had a very social atmosphere,
families and friends gather round talking, egging riders on
*You can find more events and detailed information online at www.outdoorUAE.com
*All images are either our own, sourced from event websites or supplied with permission
For more information get in touch with:
contact@outdooruae.com

7
 Nathan Root
POKHARA, NEPAL
Sunset, about 196kms
east of Kathmandu.

Simone Caprodossi
JUMAIRAH BEACH, DUBAI
‘Squirt’ enjoying the warm waters
of the Mina A’Salam.

Tazza
UMM AL QUWAIN
Abandoned fishing pier.

8
Beat
the
Heat
An ascent of Jebel Qihwi 24 June 2011
A frequent complaint made
by residents of the UAE is that it is too
hot to do anything outdoors during
the summer months. Relief from the
heat is sought overseas and in the
sanitised security of air-conditioned
malls. Despite the majority view
that that the summer is a write-
off for outdoor activities there are
small groups of people still getting
out there and doing stuff. Although
they are perceived as lunatics by the
voyeurs hiding in the malls, there
is a method in their madness: good
research and planning, appropriate
equipment, preparation and a can do,
will do attitude.
At the summit
A year ago I celebrated my birthday on
a remote island accessed by kayak; this
year I opted for a mountain peak. My very
sensible wife questioned the feasibility of
this endeavour at the height of summer and
possibly some compromising fitness issues.
However, birthday wishes were accepted
and our objective was set as Jebel Qihwi
and to summit on my birthday (24 June).
We left the car (parked at 40R 4121055
E2851676 and altitude 1004m) at just before
seven in the evening on the 23rd June. We
had stripped our equipment to the minimum
(see below) in order to be able move quickly
and maximise the fluids we carried. With
under an hour of daylight left we headed
up the track towards our first objective,
the hidden saddle at around 40R 421829
E2851229. The route was a rising traverse
on a reasonable track that was never steep
and easy to follow. The temperature was
significantly cooler than at sea level and
although our exertions worked up a healthy
sweat it was not uncomfortable. We crossed
the saddle and continued upwards in the
fading light.
The next leg of our journey was a traverse
round the eastern side of a mountain. Our
research showed that this could be poten-
tially problematic if we were at the wrong
height and so we were keen to find a track
before the light was completely gone. The
short climb up from the saddle brought us to
a shoulder where we could move round to
the East of the mountain to start the traverse.
As darkness enveloped us and the red glow
of light from Dibba rose out of the valleys
below us we identified a potential traverse
line and our target point at a saddle on the
at the foot of the ridge leading to the sum-
mit. Bizarrely, out of the gloom a stranger
appeared, greetings and salutations in vari-
ous languages exchanged, and Odd Person
on Mountain disappeared into the gloom.
By luck or judgement (more the former) we
Packing at overnight camp for early start
successfully completed the traverse by the
light of our head torches without incident
and then plodded via 40 R 421626 2849157
up the long ridge towards the summit. Just
under three hours after leaving the car we
found a flat area (approx 40 R 421070
2848343) short of the steep final ridge to the
summit rocks. Therma-rests out, with a feast
of dried fruit, we reclined to enjoy the won-
ders of a night sky undiminished by ambient
light from urban development. The silence
was deafening and almost roared in the still
darkness. So silent that even the quietest of
relaxed snoring from a person in deep sleep
could be extremely disturbing, apparently.
By first light we were packed and heading
up towards the summit. Behind us, the sun
was launching itself through a layer of thick
white cloud. As it burst through, any morn-
ing chill (a relative concept) was almost
immediately gone. There are two distinct
summits to Jebel Qihwi. Both are protected
by short walls of vertical rock above steep
slopes and have the appearance of well for-
tified medieval castles. The southern summit
is the higher of the two. We traversed below
Twin peaks - left is the true summit
the rocky ramparts of the northern summit
looking for a line of weakness on our objec-
tive; none was evident. After further explo-
ration we found a potential line of weakness
at the southern end of the mountain (above
the radio installation).
The ascent by our selected route to the
true summit of Jebel Qihwi (40 R 420841
2847401, 1789m) was more serious and
committing than we expected; the con-
sequences of a fall would have been very
serious and I would not recommend it to
people without rock climbing experience.
But it was worth it, (albeit providing an un-
fortunate catalyst for discussion on washing
up and dog walking responsibilities or lack
of interest in them;) panoramic views from a
litter free mountain top looking down on a
sea of cloud at a time when the majority of
people are still in bed..... priceless!
Conscious of the rising sun and the increas-
ing temperature, we did not linger too long.
Our descent and subsequent route back to
the vehicle was a reverse of our ascent with
a deviation for sweet tea at the invitation of
two shepherds living at the farm below the
potentially problematic traverse (Farm - 40 R
422191 2850489). One of our hosts, previ-
ously known as Odd Person on Mountain,
met us before the reverse of the traverse and
very kindly showed us the easiest path to
take. We managed to make two cups of tea
9
 of chickens set us on our
way again. We reached
the car park at eleven;
some 16 hours after leav-
ing it.
Did we beat the heat;
most definitely. For the
majority of the trip, whilst
occasionally warm and
sweat inducing, it was
never uncomfortable
or skin stripping hot. I
would certainly recom-
mend this summer trip
to moderately fit people
Early morning view looking north that are prepared to put
up with a little discomfort
and when required man
last a significant length of time; shade and up/suck it up (select as applicable). The true
a welcome cooling breeze made us linger summit of Qihwi should be avoided unless
longer than we should have. Eventually the you are prepared to risk life and limb with
guilt that we were disrupting our hosts’ busy the potential of ending up as a pile of sun
schedule of managing 30 penned goats, six bleached bones on a rocky hillside.
feral donkeys and an unspecified number
We took:
• Nine litres of water between two in
hydration bladders
• Thermarest and cotton sleeping bag
liner each
• Good quality head torches with fresh
batteries
• Mountain first aid kit
• Too much dried fruit (what was
remaining was left with tea providing
shepherds)
• GPS (Garmin Etrex Vista HCx complete
with user manual – unread)
• Coolmax clothing – very effective with
the breeze experienced on the ridges.
• Brimmed sunhats
• Buff headwear – great stand-in sunhat
for the idiot that left sunhat on backseat
of car in rush to depart.
• Approach shoes
We left behind:
• One sunhat – see above
• Atmospheric Data Centre that would
have provided objective evidence of
how we beat the heat.
Pete Aldwinkcle.

Turtle
Power! We witness the release of 101 rehabilitated
turtles back into the ocean
“Turtles and tortoises are frequently depicted in popular
culture as easygoing, patient, and wise creatures, snapping
turtles aside.”
Thankfully, there were no angry Snapping Turtles to be seen at the
Mina Al Salam, but there was a plethora of stunning little hawksbill
turtles, excited to be released into the wild oceans. We were at hand to
capture the great moments of an inspiring event on the morning of the
16th of June 2011.

In celebration of World Sea Turtle Day, the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation

Project (DTRP) today successfully returned 101 critically endangered
hawksbill turtles back to their natural habitat following several months
of rehabilitation at Burj Al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah.

101 children, including competition winners, pupils from a local

school and hotel guests, released the turtles from the beach of Madinat
Jumeirah back into the Arabian Gulf.

The DTRP is based at the Burj Al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah and run
in conjunction with Dubai’s Wildlife Protection Office. It has been
running since 2004 and has so far released over 500 rescued sea turtles
back into Dubai’s waters. This year alone, over 350 sick or injured sea
turtles have been treated by the DTRP’s team of marine biologists after
washing up on the region’s beaches.

The event, which attracted a large crowd with children’s activities and
a taste of Jumeirah hospitality, was designed to raise awareness of the
importance of the turtle rehabilitation programme, issues facing turtles,
their risk of extinction (with an 87% decline in the hawksbill turtle
population in the last three decades) and conservation of the marine
environment.

To see more pictures, log onto the OutdoorUAE Facebook page!

10
Hold your breath and smile!
The Underwater Photography Group Meets once a month
at the Atlantis Dive Centre
Vladimir Radnic (a head instructor
at the Dive Centre and avid under-
water photographer) says, “Anybody
can join in the club, they just need
to show up in a dive center or at the
meeting, which is held once a month
(every first Tuesday of the month)!”
It’s a friendly atmosphere and everyone from
beginners to experienced photographers go
to show off their snaps. Vladimir is always
there to give helpful and handy advice on
how to take great pictures underwater.
Spotted there is also Burj Al Arab Aquarium’s
Operations Manager- Warren Baverstock
who has done some inspiring macro
photography and has recently won awards
alongside Adam Skrzypczyk for the Diving
Association’s Digital Online Underwater
Photography in Fish, Macro and Wide
Angle. Both Warren and Adam come to
Super Sports Series Prize Giving
Some of the top junior and senior
athletes in the UAE gathered for the
2nd annual Super Sports Events
Series Prize Giving Ceremony, which
was hosted by The Westin Mina
Seyahi, Dubai and organized by Super
Sports, on Friday the 10th of June.
Athletes who qualified for prizes due
to their respective rankings in either
the Zoggs Mina Mile Open Water
Swim Series swum at Le Meridien
Mina Seyahi, the Zoggs Aquathlon
Series which took place at Madinat
Jumeirah and the Super Run Series
run at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel,
were awarded some valuable prizes
and trophies from
associated sponsors.
“It was great season of races with many
previous athletes returning, but also many
new faces entering the events” commented
Warren van der Merwe, Event Organiser of
Super Sports. “ All races were well attended
with on average 200 participants per race.
What was exceptionally pleasing was to
see the number of families participating,
either as individuals or in relay teams. Our
events are designed for all ages and abilities
to participate, from 6 year olds to 70 year
old athletes. It’s all about participating and
promoting a healthy lifestyle on a social yet
competitive level. So we are really looking
forward to the 2011/12 season”.
Desire Coetzee, Brand Manager for Zoggs,
Name: Vladimir
Radnic
Subject: Sea Horse
Location: Atlantis
Dive Centre
Camera: Olympus
SP560 UZ
Lens: Focal Length
7mm
F-stop: f3.3
Shutter Speed:
1/100
Lighting: Strobe
INON Z240 Type IV
Best Diving spot/
site: The best spot on this side
of the coast I should say Zainab
ship wreck, on Oman side from
places I have visited Lima Rock
and Jazirat Musandam!
the meets and have been known to give
really good advice on your how to get the
perfect shot! From the latest meet in June
both Vladimir and Gordon sent in a couple
of their best shots and how they did them!
Check them out above!
who presented all with their prizes and
trophies, had the following to say “Zoggs as
a brand are delighted to be involved with all
these Super Sports organized events. Zoggs,
in the same way as the events, offers all ages
and levels swim wear and equipment for
recreational and competitive purposes. By
sponsoring these events we have been able
to expose our product to all in the com-
munity and in return have received valuable
support from all on the day at the events or
through our retail outlets. We will definitely
be continuing our Zoggs sponsorship for the
2011/12 season and will be expanding the
sponsorhip to include another of our brands,
Skins, for the running and triathlon races”.
Prize Giving
In the Super Run Series, it was Emma Phil-
lips (Abras AC) and Rawab El Habari (Jumei-
rah) who were crowned overall winners of
the 8km ladies and men’s races respectively,
while in the 4km race, the overall female
honours went to young 13 year old Carmen
Fourie (Abras AC) and on the mens side it
was Chris Williams (Fitness O2)
The Zoggs Aquathlon Series Super
Sprint category (2.5km run followed
by 400m) was dominated by juniors.
Twelve year-old Elizabeth Hancock
(Dubai Leander) topped the rank-
ings on the ladies side while eleven
year-old Harris M Carvel (Hamilton
Aquatics) did so for the men. In the
Sprint category (5km run followed by
800m swim), Julia Townsend (Dubai
Masters Swim Club) was awarded the
top ladies position with Tim Cambell
(Lend Lease) securing the men’s prize.
Name: Gordon T.
Smith
Subject: A Small
boxfish Ostracion
Meleagris.
Location: "Martini
Rock" Khorfakkan on
the east coast of UAE
Camera: Nikon
D300 in a Sea & Sea
housing
Lens: 60mm Nikkor
micro lens
F-stop: f18
Shutter Speed:
1/60 sec
Lighting: Double Sea & Sea YS110 Strobes
set at approximately half power
Best diving spot: In the UAE there is "Car
Cemetery" - Nudibranch Heaven, on average
you will spot 3-4 different species on one dive.
On record this year is seven different species.
Best diving site: In Oman there is "The
Aquarium" at the Damaniyat Islands off the
coast of Barka, north of Muscat. Lots of
marine life including larger creatures, excellent
corals, and plenty of small creatures for the
macro photographer.
If you want to know more about the Un-
derwater photography group or how to get
involved get in touch with us at :
contact@outdooruae.com, or alternatively
for a sneak preview - look out for Atlantis
Underwater Photography Club on Facebook!
Claire Nicholson and Nicholas Tipper (Tribe
Racing), in the ladies and mens categories
respectively, achieved top positions in the
Olympic distance (10km run followed by
1600m swim) of the Aquathlon.
Rosa Smith (Speedo) and Tommaso Manetti
(Speedo) were crowned champions in the
girls and boys 200m Zoggs Mina Mile Open
Water Swim Series respectively. Sarah de
Maaker (Active Sports) and Shresht Prakash
(Active Sports) won both the 400m and
800m events. Eighteen year-old Channa van
Englen (Dubai Masters Swim Club) secured
the ladies 1600m swim title while sixteen
year-old Chris Allan (Hamilton Aquatics) did
so in the men’s section.
The Super Sports 2011/12 season will kick
off in mid October 2011 and will include
3 ZOGGS Aquathlon races, 5 SKINS Super
Run Races, 2 ZOGGS Mina Mile Open
Water Swim races and 3 SKINS Triathlons.
All event details, dates and online entries
will soon be available on the Super Sports
website at www.supersportsdubai.com
11
Adventure HQ: More than
just a store
The 23rd of June saw the opening of Adventure HQ, the new
outdoor mega-store at Times Square Center, Dubai
Headquarters (HQ) denotes the
location where most, if not all, of the
important functions of an organiza-
tion or expedition are coordinated.
Generally the HQ is your base camp
with supplies, technical equipment
and the chance to rest and plan your
trip. The headquarters for your ad-
venture gear, whether it be for a little
weekend excursion or a big expedi-
tion, is now open in Dubai.
The name ‘Adventure HQ’ is wisely chosen
to represent the concept of the store.
Despites the Do-Buy mentality in retail,
customer service and added value is one of
the most important tasks for the Adventure
HQ team. “Adventure HQ is more than just
a store” sounds like a great marketing slogan
but going into detail and looking to the ‘ad-
venture while you shop’ concept - we agree.
Adventure HQ, the ultimate outdoor ad-
venture superstore located in Dubai’s Times
Square Center, officially opened its doors on
Thursday 23rd June. Elham Qasimi, the first
Arab woman to set foot on the North Pole
(read more on page 52), and Sam Whittam,
Founder and General Manager of Adventure
HQ, celebrated in true adventurous style by
holding a ‘rope cutting’ ceremony.
Sam Whittam, Founder and General Man-
ager of Adventure HQ said: “Adventure HQ
is the new headquarters for adventure gear
in the Middle East and we look forward to
welcoming our first adventurous custom-
12
ers. We are passionate about encouraging
participation in outdoor pursuits and have
over 7,000 products so there’s something for
everyone.”
Adventure HQ Brand Ambassador Elham
Qasimi added: “Adventure HQ is exactly
what the UAE needs in terms enabling
outdoor pursuits. The region has so many
adventurous activities on offer, and my goal
as Brand Ambassador for Adventure HQ is
to inspire and encourage residents and UAE
nationals to discover and enjoy the great
outdoors.”
To celebrate the launch, Adventure HQ
gave the first people through the doors an
Adventure HQ pack and for all who joined
(submission still open) ‘The Adventure Club’
they have the chance to win a share in over
100,000Dhs worth of Adventure HQ gear.
It’s free, so join in-store or online at www.
adventurehq.ae
The whole weekend was filled with fun and
entertainment and loads of prizes were up
for grabs for the customers and spectators
coming through the doors of Adventure HQ.
Everybody is and was welcomed to discover
Adventure HQ. The Drums of Dubai Drum-
mers were heard everywhere in Times
Square Center and African beats and grooves
attracted adventurous people into the store.
For those who did not dare to enter the
adventure zone, they still had the chance
to gather outside the store and on the first
level at the galleria to watch the action. The
Climbing Pinnacle and Cable Climb proved
to be the main attraction and especially for
the young ones, it was not to stop. The high
security and professional instructors even
convinced some brave parents to follow
their kids and enjoy the action.
Not just another retail store: Adventure
HQ is the ultimate destination for outdoor
adventure gear and equipment, catering
for a wide variety of pursuits including;
camping, kayaking, cycling, rock climbing,
diving, fishing, kite-surfing, falconry, hiking,
skiing, off-roading and plenty more. They
have equipment to suit beginners, weekend
enthusiasts, right through to accomplished
adventurers. The team of knowledgeable and
friendly ‘HQ crew’ will
be on hand to guide you
every step of the way.
There is also a range of
rental gear available for
the ‘Try Before You Buy’
experience; rent bikes,
tents and kayaks.
You can enjoy ‘In-store
adventure’ activities that
are guaranteed to get
the adrenaline pump-
ing, take the challenge
on the 30ft ‘Climbing
Pinnacle’ and the ‘Cable
Climb’ – an obstacle
course suspended from
the ceiling of the Times
Square Center. The store
also features the ‘Chill Chamber’, the cool-
est place in town, designed to test ski-wear
and acclimatize adventurers to extreme cold
conditions by reaching a frosty -25˚C. There
is even an in-store Bike Workshop where the
team of trained mechanics will keep your
wheels turning.

On Friday 24th June, City FM held the

first in-store adventure competition where
two groups were fighting for a prize of
10,000AED for the first group and 5,000AED
worth of products for the second group.
Both teams were guarenteed prizes but they
pushed as hard as they could regardless. The
challenge included a goal to reach the top
of the climbing pinnacle, to race the Cable
Climb, to cycle 5km and finally setup a tent.
To succeed the teams had to work together
because each task had to be fulfilled by each
member. The competition was accompanied
with cheering spectators and after two hours
of physical and psychological challenges,
fun and entertainment, Sid’s team (the red
team) were crowned the lucky winners.

In-store adventures will take place each

month with regular competitions and events.
On Saturday, 2nd July, the first ‘Speed
Climb’ competition will be held, where the
person from each age group to reach the top
of the ‘Climbing Pinnacle’ in the fastest time
will win Adventure HQ credit to spend in-
store. It’s free to enter. For more information,
check out Adventure HQ’s facebook page
www.facebook.com/adventurehqme

We are looking forward to more events, in-

store adventures and a wide product variety
in Adventure HQ. If you are not sure if it is
worth a stop to Times Square Center and
visit Adventure HQ – don’t think twice, go
there once and you will come again. The
indoor adventures, an in-store library to read
and chat with fellow adventures, loads of
products to rent and buy and much more -
Adventure HQ will be the new destination
for us Outdoor Lovers.

13
GoSkateDay 21st June 2011
At the height of summer many would think twice
about spending the day out in the blistering heat. These
guys didn’t have to think at all. Rage Skateshop had
brought together the eager and dedicated young skaters
of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, for a skateboarding tour of
Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
OutdoorUAE caught up with the 200+ group to get a glimpse
of the some of the greatest spots and skaters around. Despite
the heat, the energy and atmosphere was all there. As an avid
skateboarder myself back in the day, the nostalgia of collective
competition between friends, and just the whole togetherness of it
all, had made me wish I had my old board back.

A tour bus was booked for all the skaters, with a heavy task for
Alex (Rage Skateboader and ‘Marketing Guru’) as he had to organ-
ise and keep an eye on the horde. Once in Abu Dhabi, the skaters
were guided to some exceptional spots. Prizes were given out to
the ‘gnarliest’ tricks pulled on the day.

The event is global

and happens every
year. The whole event
was supported by Rage
and ran from 11am un-
til around 9pm. Skaters
of all ages and genders
are welcome and ability
is mixed, so you don’t
have to be the next
‘Andrew Reynolds’ to
join the show. The next
GoSkate day will be on
the 21st of June 2012!

Thanks go out to all the

skaters who participate in
the event every year and
Rage for the support.

www.rage-shop.com

14
Taking Action?
Tailor-made first aid courses for outdoor and adventurous people
The U.A.E. has a fairly good emer- the group through the
gency system and in the urban areas course step by step,
explaining important
the rescue services should be at the and vital functions of
scene within 15minutes. Unfortu- the human body and
nately sometimes it can take much the risks if they fail.
longer. Being outdoors and in remote Injury prevention (e.g.
locations the situation that you may safety equipment for
be in can get worse and you can motor bikers) and situa-
expect times of an hour or even more tion management at a scene was covered, as
well as the important part of Fist Aid.
until professional help will arrive.
Motor Bike & Moto-Cross Specialized
Course core:
• Managing an incident
• Assessing a casualty
• Severe bleeding
• Shock
• Heart attack
• Unconsciousness
• First casualty examination and recovery
position
• Cardio pulmonary resuscitation (adult)

Motor Bike & Moto-Cross Specialized

Course additional elements:
There are a lot of rumors to what is allowed
• Heat exhaustion and heat stroke
and what isn’t in case of an emergency.
• Head injuries
Most people are scared if they try to help
• Sprains & strains
or touch an injured person in case they will
• Fractures
directly be held responsible for anything
• Basics for spinal injuries
what will happen to this person, even death.
Unfortunately we couldn’t get a reliable an-
The participants did not only learn the the-
swer to this question. One thing you should
ory, they also had to play different scenarios
do every time is call the rescue services. If
and everyone had to train how to act. A very
you are not certified in first aid you should
important part in acting is to be confident on
avoid touching an injured person even if
what you do. This is also the reason why you
it sounds weird for some of us who have
should refresh your knowledge regularly.
grown up with varied values. If you have
a UAE accredited first aid certificate, you
All courses provided by Safety and Leisure
should not exceed your skills. It might be
Training Middle East is officially recognized
easy to wait for help and do nothing if there
in the U.A.E. and you will get a certificate
is a stranger in front of you… but what if, it
for your acquired skills. Don’t think of it
is your friend, your wife, your husband or
as a boring lecture, as you will join Heike
your child? In this case nobody will consider
together with a great group of people where
any possible consequences of his/her action
you can have a lot of fun and it makes a
in attempting to help. If you are in a remote
great educational weekend.
location I would even say in bad situations
you have only two choices: You let your
OutdoorUAE and Safety and Leisure Training
friend suffer or even die or you do your best
Middle East are planning further specialized
to comfort the subject and keep him/her
courses focused on outdoor activities. If you
alive until help arrives.
want to know more about it or join a course
contact:
We mentioned three good reasons why you
should know how to help. The decision to
www.sltme.com
take action will always be with you and we
Phone: +971 4 450 2418
will not decide if and when you should take
action. But if you decide to help, you should
know what to do.

On the 24th June, KTM together with Safety

and Leisure Training Middle East held a one
day first aid course focused on possible
accidents and incidents for motorbike and
motor cross drivers. Heike Glassner, the
course leader and an experienced and UAE
certified First Aid and Safety instructor took

15

Desert Ranch at Al
Sahra Desert Resort in
DUBAILAND® Proves
Key Attraction for
Families
Tourists and Residents Alike can
Visit Destination to Indulge in Host
of Family-Friendly Activities.
Dubai-UAE: 23 June, 2011 –
DUBAILAND®, the landmark lei-
sure, tourism and entertainment
destination and a member of Dubai
Properties Group (DPG), today an-
nounced its newest attraction – the
Desert Ranch, a unique eco-tourism
concept set in the heart of the Al
Sahra Desert Resort off the Jebel Ali
Lahbab Road.
Comprising 2.4 kilometres of natural
desert and home to many protected
species of desert flora and fauna
including the endangered Arabian
Fox, the project is part of the Jebel
Ali International Hotels and pro-
vides an ideal setting for a relaxing,
fun and educational activity for fam-
ilies, schools and the youth, as well
as for corporate activities.
The Desert Ranch provides a pleth-
ora of fun activities ranging from
campfire Fridays, family picnics,
educational field trips, horse leasing
and riding, children’s’ clubs, ranch
tours, Bedouin farms, camel cud-
dling, team building as well as cor-
porate and executive coaching and
development.
At the Desert Ranch, all ranch activ-
ities are designed to symbolise the
ethos of Dubai’s heritage, promote
the culture of the Arabian world and
offer an opportunity for everyone to
experience the desert environment
in a safe and natural way.
16
As a monthly feature, the ranch team
invites guests to join a traditional
camp fire evening. The gathering
enjoys storytelling and guitar sing-
a-long, which bring back the ‘good
old fashioned family fun’. Guests
are welcome to bring their stories
and song requests as well as a ‘braai
pack’ and let the ranch team assist
them to cook campfire style.
For those new to horse riding, les-
sons are available either individu-
ally or in a group, covering all the
basics including the behaviour and
psychology of horses. Offering a
different experience, desert riding
involves a sunrise or sunset journey
into the sands with stunning views of
the Dubai skyline.
Other family activities include the
popular ‘camel cuddling’, an edu-
cational and fascinating encounter
with some of Dubai’s most cuddly
camels. Participants get to meet the
flock, par-
ticipate in
feeding and
washing the
camels, as
well as learn-
ing how to ask
the camels
to lie down. This exercise is aimed
at familiarising guests with camels,
their behaviour, needs and historic
importance in the UAE. Addition-
ally, families can indulge in camel-
milk tasting, a truly unique finale to
this one-of-a-kind experience.
DUBAILAND®, has been designed
to elevate the position of Dubai as
an international hub for tourism
and provides a diverse range of
live and open attractions that of-
fer tremendous value for money.
The Desert Ranch is a testament to
DUBAILAND®’s continued and ac-
tive contribution towards Dubai’s
vibrant leisure and entertainment
scene.
Dubai International
Boat Show Recognised
As Region’s Leading
Consumer Event
Top Industry Accolade for the Mid-
dle East’s Most Successful Leisure
Marine Expo.
Dubai International Boat Show, the
region’s largest and longest running
leisure marine event, was named
Middle East Consumer Event of the
Year by a distinguished panel of key
industry professionals at the Mid-
dle East Events Awards in Dubai last
night (Wednesday). As one of the top
five international boat shows in the
world, the 2011 edition generated
an estimated AED1 billion worth of
business for the boating and leisure
marine community and has success-
fully acted as the lynchpin of global
marine investment into the region
for 19 years.
The top accolade reflects the con-
stant drive not only for business
excellence, but also for the consist-
ently high calibre of exhibitors and
visitors which make the show an es-
sential date in the marine calendar.
Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai
World Trade Centre, organiser of
Circuit DiGiorno Top Fuel Dragster
Dubai International Boat Show said:
had a somewhat bumpy ride this
past weekend in The Ford NHRA
“It is a great honour to receive this
Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol,
award and for the show to be rec-
Tennesse. Qualifying 15th, Fuller
ognised as the region’s premier con-
found himself up against current Top
sumer event. The volume of business
Fuel Champion Larry Dixon, losing
conducted at this year’s show and
in the first round of eliminations.
the quality of exhibitors has been
exceptional.
“After our awesome performances in
the test prior to the race, we were
“Dubai International Boat Show is
super confident coming to Bris-
an excellent barometer of the re-
tol,” said Fuller, a seven-time Top
newed confidence in the Middle
Fuel winner. “But, the reality is, we
East leisure marine sector and the
weren’t able to deliver when it mat-
global demand for expansion into
tered. There’s huge potential in this
the market. Year after year, we set
car and the team. We just need to
new standards set and achieve new
unlock it.”
goals, and for the 20th anniversary
edition in 2012, we are looking for-
A difficult Friday saw Hot Rod post
ward to the most impressive event in
a best run of 4.040 seconds and
the show’s history.”
280.31mph (451.12 kph), placing
him 13th.
“Our short times were
the fastest of the ses-
sion,” said Fuller. So,
we knew the car was
fast; it just had to be
tamed. On the second
run, the car lost fire in
one of the cylinders
and I had to back off
the power.”
Saturday’s third run saw
a car malfunction leav-
ing it to a nail biting
More than 26,000 visitors attended
fourth run before Rod qualified his
the five day show at the Dubai Inter-
Yas Marina Circuit top fuel dragster
national Marine Club
for Sunday’s finals.
in March this year, which welcomed
more members of the Superyacht
“I’ve qualified in every race that I’ve
Builders Association (SYBAss) than
competed since 1996,” said Abu
ever before in its history and fea-
tured the inaugural Supercar Prom-
Dhabi’s Fuller, “that’s the longest
enade.
streak in the NHRA. Trust me, the
pressure was really on.”
Heavy rain and storms delayed Sun-
With more than 750 international
day’s elimination rounds by 4 hours.
companies and brands taking part
Against Dixon, Fuller had the start
and a record 41 regional and global
line advantage with a reaction time
launches, this year’s event once
of .046 secs to Dixon’s .063 secs.
again highlighted the unrivalled in-
But, the Yas Marina Circuit Dragster
fluence of the Dubai International
smoked the tires, sending the Qatari
Boat Show to the Middle East leisure
Al Anabi Team on to round two.
marine industry.
“My start was awesome,” said Full-
In a night that recognised the event
er, “I also banked the fastest sector
industry’s most prominent and illus-
time of the first round. However,
trious organisations and exhibitions,
we had decided to go with an ag-
the Middle East Events Awards also
gressive set-up and sometimes that
named Dubai World Trade Centre as
backfires. Larry went on to win the
Best Purpose-Built Events Venue for
entire round. To lose to the eventual
the second year running.
winner lessens the pain, but only a
little. Going into Chicago I feel very
Hot Rod Fuller Endures confident. I know that we have the
Challenging Baptism To horsepower, and the tune-up, to win
2011 Nhra Full Throttle races.”
Top Fuel Season Bristol was the first of 10 races in
which Hot Rod Fuller and the Yas
BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 22, 2011) – Marina Circuit GiGiorno Top Fuel
Hot Rod Fuller and his Yas Marina Team will participate in the 2011
NHRA Drag Racing Series tour. The
next round is the O’Reilly Auto Parts
Route 66 NHRA Nationals, July 7th-
10th, in Chicago.
2XU: Official Compres-
sion Partner of Iron-
man!
2XU Signs high performance Iron-
man partnership with the World Tri-
athlon Corporation.
Leading high performance sports ap-
parel brand, 2XU, has forged forth
in elite sporting circles once more,
this time signing a two-year agree-
ment as the exclusive Official Com-
pression Partner of World Triathlon
Corporation’s (WTC) global Ironman
Series. 2XU will now operate as the
preferred supplier of compression
apparel at Ironman and Ironman
70.3 events
As the existing official supplier of
Compression to Triathlon Australia,
Triathlon New Zealand, internation-
al triathlon powerhouse teamTBB,
United Healthcare Pro Cycling
Team and the Official Compression
Partner of the Australian Institute of
Sport (AIS) amongst many others,
formal alliance with the acclaimed
Ironman brand marks a logical next
step for 2XU.
“We are excited to partner with
2XU, a leader in the industry,” said
Mike Pine, Chief Sales Officer, WTC.
“The quality and technology of the
2XU product will support our par-
ticipants in their pursuit of peak per-
formance.”
Following extensive testing by inde-
pendent sports institutes, 2XU Com-
pression has been found to provide
an array of physiological benefits
to the wearer including improved
circulation and heightened agility
through reduced muscle fatigue and
damage.
“2XU has invested significant re-
sources toward developing and
leading the global understanding
of high performance compression
products,” said 2XU Director of
Sales and Marketing, Aidan Clarke.
“In understanding the undeniable
and proven gains for endurance ath-
letes, it’s only logical for us to unite
with the Ironman brand that is so
synonymous with incredible feats of
human endurance.”
With a relentless commitment to en-
gineering world-class garments from
fabrics delivering tangible benefits to
the wearer, 2XU sets the benchmark
in high performance compression.
Ongoing testing, research and con-
sultation with professional sporting
bodies of such caliber as WTC are
integral to the brand’s winning for-
mula.
2011 Khareef Festival
in Oman to draw
international visitors
to wealth of family-
centered activities
Ministry of Tourism expects 5 per
cent increase in tourist arrivals dur-
ing this year’s festival.
The Sultanate of Oman’s Ministry
of Tourism has announced that this
year’s popular Khareef Festival, one
of the top touristic events of the
city of Salalah in Oman’s Dhofar
Province, will commence on July 1,
2011 and run for 30 days. The fes-
tival draws visitors from neighbor-
ing Arab countries and around the
world to the Dhofar governorate’s
cool ‘khareef’ or monsoon months
which last from June to September.
The ministry expects a 5 per cent
increase in tourist arrivals to Oman
during this year’s Khareef Festival.
Salalah is often referred to as the
‘Perfume Capital of Arabia’ due to
the abundance of frankincense trees
in the area. During the ‘khareef’
season the accompanying rain and
fog transform the city into a fragrant
green paradise. This year’s mix of
games, rides, concerts, and food
displays is once again expected to
attract huge local, regional and in-
ternational audiences. The festival
normally starts in June but has been
moved to July in 2011 to accommo-
date the Holy Month of Ramadan.
“Salalah’s Khareef Festival is one of
Oman’s longest-running promotion-
al platforms and a vital component
in our plans to grow the tourism sec-
tor’s GDP contributions to at least 3
per cent. So far we have witnessed a
strong influx of tourists to the coun-
try, particularly to Salalah, so we are
confident of achieving record num-
bers this year with the diverse lineup
of family-friendly events,” said Sa-
lem Al Mamari, Director General
of Tourism Promotions, Sultanate of
Oman’s Ministry of Tourism.
The Khareef Festival
is one of many local
events celebrating the
historical, cultural and
environmental beauty
of Oman. The Global
Peace Index published
just recently by the Insti-
tute for Economics and
Peace ranks the Sultan-
ate fourth most peaceful
in the Arab region, mak-
ing it a perfect leisure
and lifestyle destination.
Azamara’s Ex-
tended Voyages
Offer Travelers
More Captivat-
ing Destina-
tions, More
Overnights And
Late Stays And
More Value
Guests Enjoy Savings
binations that repeat no more than
up to $400 per Voyage
one port and delve deeper, explore
when Combining Multiple Voyages
more and discover a region’s hid-
To Create Grand Adventures
den gems. Throughout, guests can
Dubai, June 7, 2011 – Azamara Club fully enjoy Azamara’s extraordinary
Cruises – one of the global brands service, amazing fine dining and dis-
of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. - is tinctive collection of boutique wines
known for offering up-market travel- for an unforgettable adventure.”
ers more time in port to explore des-
tinations and delivering extraordi- Guests with ample time will want
nary service and culturally enriching to book Azamara Journey’s com-
experiences. For travelers with even prehensive 77-night voyage from
more time, Azamara Club Cruises’ Stockholm, Sweden, to Civitavec-
Extended Voyages helps fulfill their chia (Rome), Italy, departing June
27, 2012, and featuring 25 overnight
wanderlust.
stays, with four being two consecu-
Up-market travelers may tive nights, where guests may expe-
rience the nightlife of Copenhagen,
seamlessly join two,
three, four or more con- Amsterdam, Paris and Seville, Spain.
This Extended Voyage features a
secutive voyages into
unique Jazz in the Norwegian Fjords
one incredible regionally
itinerary, which highlights the North
immersive experience.
Seas Jazz Festival, one of the world’s
With Azamara Quest or
premiere musical festivals.
Azamara Journey sailing
in the Far East, the Medi-
For those keen on exploring the Far
terranean and Northern
Europe, or South Ameri- East, they may prefer Azamara Jour-
ney’s Piraeus (Athens), Greece to
ca, travelers simply need
Hong Kong, China voyage departing
to pick a season before
Oct. 26, 2012. This 72-night voy-
embarking on a voyage
age, combines six voyages – Egypt
of a lifetime, ranging from
& Suez Canal; Luxor, Petra, Sinai &
11 - to 78-nights without
Eilat; Luxor Petra & Sinai; The Spice
repeated ports of call.
Coast & Ceylon; Burma & Andaman
Sea Islands; Vietnam & Thailand,
In addition, guests book-
ing consecutive voyages Christmas and New Year – for an in
depth exploration of the region, plus
will receive $300 (1,102
an incredible opportunity to spend
AED) per voyage, per
Christmas and New Year’s Eve in
stateroom for voyages
Hong Kong through a Land Discov-
of eight days or less and
eries excursion.
$400 (1,469 AED) savings
per voyage, per stateroom
Also in the region, Azamara Quest
for voyages of nine days
departs February 29, 2012, on a
or more for even greater value on an
78-night voyage, sailing from Sin-
immersive adventure. Savings dou-
gapore to Piraeus (Athens), Greece.
ble on voyages sailing Oct. 1 – Dec.
This port collector’s dream, com-
31, 2011, if booking between June
bines six voyages – Trade Routes to
1- July 31.
the Orient; Japan & Taiwan; Manila,
Sabah, Borneo, Komodo & Bali;
“Azamara Club Cruises is throwing
Spice Route; Petra, Sinai & Luxor;
open the doors to the world and in-
Egypt & Suez Canal ¬– for an unfor-
viting travelers with wanderlust to
gettable experience.
step in,” said Edie Bornstein, vice
president of Sales and Marketing,
www.royalcaribbean-arabia.com
Azamara Club Cruises. “Travelers
www.AzamaraClubCruises.com
can choose among 114 possible
www.CruisingPower.com
Azamara Extended Voyages com-
17
 pro ducts available in the UAE
Some of the best outdoor
[bbq]
Severin Barbeque Grill (PG8522)
Price: 220-325AED

Severin’s barbecue grill and stand powers for up

to 20 people and is great for balconies and small
areas. Built with superior German quality, a tradi-
tion of Severin, the grills comes with removable
water tray for easier cleaning and is equipped with
micro-safety switch.

This 2300 Watts appliance is also fitted with

chromium-plated detachable grill wire and heating
element and cleaning friendly removable water tray
which helps to control steam and odour.

[camp]
MSRFlex3 System
Price: 735AED
Available at: Adventure HQ in Times Square Center

High-capacity, hard-anodized aluminum pots with both

coated and nonstick surfaces open up your options for
cooking while mugs and plates for three add comprehen-
sive cook and eat utility.

cascadedesigns.com/en/msr

[kayak]
MALIBU KAYAK Pro 2 Tandem
Price: 5950AED
Available at: Go Sport in Ibn Battuta Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Mirdif
City Centre

A brilliant, highly versatile product that will keep a hot drink hot for up
to 4 hours or cool for 12 hours! Designed to be the same size as a large
cup of tea, this product finds itself used everywhere from the arctic to
the golf course. Also great for high mountains when things cool down
so quickly! Watertight, so can be put into a pack or rucksack.

[travel/camp]
Lifeventure - Thermal Mug (330ml)
Price: 85AED
Available at: Go Sport in Dubai Mall, Ibn Batutta Mall, Mall of the
Emirates and Mirdif City Centre, Adventure Head Quarter in Times
Square Center

A brilliant, highly versatile product that will keep a hot drink hot for up
to 4 hours or cool for 12 hours! Designed to be the same size as a large
cup of tea, this product finds itself used everywhere from the arctic to
the golf course. Also great for high mountains when things cool down
so quickly! Watertight, so can be put into a pack or rucksack.

18
 [camp]
Lifeventure Compression Sack in 5L, 10L and 15L
Price: 5L - 95AED, 10L - 125AED and 15L - 125AED
Available at: Adventure HQ in Times Square Center, Go Sport in Mall of
the Emirates, Dubai Mall, Ibn Batutta Mall and Murdif City Centre)

Simple, lightweight and very tough sacks are designed to store and com-
press soft items such as fleece, sleeping bag, clothing etc, making much
more space for other non-compressible kit in your luggage or rucksack.

[surf]
BEAN Surf Board
Price: 2200AED (get 110DHS off if you order this board from Surf
Dubai) Call: +971 50 5043020
Available at: Surf Dubai, Jumairah

This board is a high performance small wave hybrid surfboard. Appropri-

ately named, the BEAN has a fuller nose template providing a platform
for efficient start-up acceleration and paddling, while the relaxed entry
rocker maintains speed and glide over flatter sections. A shallow single-
to-double concave with vee running out through the tail delivers response
and bite where it’s needed, while also promoting smooth rail-to-rail tran-
sitions. The perfectly balanced tail rocker and performance rails complete
the design and allow the Bean to be surfed tight in the pocket.

[helmet]
AGV Racing Helmet XXL
Price: 1750AED
Available at: Liberty Kawasaki Showroom

AGV Stealth SV Motorcycle Helmets are probably the most aesthetically

pleasing of all the current models. The very deep chin bar of the Stealth
gives it an agressive look that makes this model stand out a mile. It has
two shell sizes made from ACF 2 providing an impact resistant, elastic
and lightweight shell. This all new shell has been re-enforced with car-
bon fibre to allow for the addition of an internal drop down sun visor
that is easily moved up and down by an external lever.

19
DWS
DEEP
WATER
SOLOING
By Toby Foord-Kelcey

Pictured: Matt Pfeifer

20
My arms were getting tired. The
footholds were poor. Raise my right
foot to a small ledge by my right ear
then somehow get stood up on it?
That seemed to be the only way to
progress. That or fall an uncertain dis-
tance into the Indian Ocean. I gazed
down at the dappled light playing
off the water and tried to estimate
my height. Ten metres? The sun was
low in the sky. At the limit of my vi-
sion was the dhow, now anchored half
a kilometre or so from the cliffs. Ten
minutes earlier I’d been there relax-
ing with a cold can and reflecting on a
long day when Mike and Seb had sped
over in the tender boat, yelling “Toby,
you have to do this route… it’s so
good”. They’d dropped me off at the
base from which quite tough climbing,
dispatched clumsily, had led to my
current impasse.
Deep water soloing (DWS) is a strange but
addictive game. First popularised in Britain in
the 1990s, it relies on the safety net of the sea
to strip rock climbing back to its raw essence:
you, the rock, nothing else. Though theoreti-
cally fairly safe, in practice it can be frighten-
ing. The primitive area of our brains that han-
dles height and danger is not easily switched
off. And the consequences of entering water
at speed are unpredictable. A controlled
jump from 15m can be painless, whilst an
awkward fall from half as high can bruise
and strain muscles, even temporarily empty
a lung. Climbing a tall route at your physi-
cal limit in this style requires strong mental
control. The reward is giant doses of adrena-
lin and excitement. Picture a babbling fool
with bulging eyes and a manic grin; that’s a
climber who’s just completed their first DWS.
Musandam’s east coast is a perfect venue,
with endless expanses of steep climbable
rock, a warm friendly sea and numerous
boats in Dibba port available for hire. UAE
climbers first began exploring the potential
in 2006. Last year I posted some Musandam
DWS photos on a UK website and quickly re-
ceived an interested enquiry from an anony-
mous climber. It turned out to be Seb Grieve,
the star of the best-selling “Hard Grit”; an
iconic climbing film. Over the last decade he
and his friends have devoted themselves to
climbing in exotic locations and were now
intrigued by the idea of DWS in Oman. I had
responded enthusiastically with tales of the
virgin cliffs and nearby wonders; for exam-
ple, the boat-sized whale shark we’d
seen (once).
Thus I had found myself this April boarding a
dhow with Seb and four other British climb-
ing legends – Tim Emmett, Neil Gresham,
Grant Farquhar, Mike Robertson - and a tal-
ented Canadian climber, Read Macadam,
who lives in Muscat. One day into a six day
expedition and they’d already doubled the
number of routes established on the coast. As
a climber of no great ability or fame I was
thrilled to be climbing with this strong team;
on the other hand, I was painfully aware I
wasn’t adding much beyond my local knowl-
edge. My desire to display some climbing
competence was overwhelming.
“Pinch the arête” someone shouted up be-
low. Really? The route follows the right side
of what climbers call an “arête”, a feature
like the outside vertical edge of a house. I
“Musandam’s east coast is a perfect venue, with
endless expanses of steep climbable rock...”
shifted my weight so I was in balance with
just a right hand hold and gingerly explored
the edge with my left hand as high as I could
reach. Unhelpfully it slanted leftwards away
from me, preventing the classic “layback”
move that solves many climbing problems.
However in one place the edge constricted
for a few centimeters into a shape like a
kitchen hourglass. A tenuous grip was pos-
Pictured: (from left - Mike Robertson, The Boatman, Read
Macadam, Tim Emmett, Seb Grieve, Islam, Grant Farquhar,
Neil Gresham
Pictured: Matt Pfeifer
sible with fingers on the left side positioned
for a rightwards pull and thumb pushing up-
wards to create a stabilizing effect. A rational
analysis of the vector forces wouldn’t suggest
much hope, but, if you have climbed for long
enough, sometimes intuition kicks in and you
try things that make little immediate sense.
I placed my left foot high on a tiny notch on
the arête and gently stepped up. The hour-
glass miraculously started working like a real
hold and I could bring my right foot up by
my right hand. I began easing up in turn on
that side whilst reaching to a distant hori-
zontal slot. A moment of doubt then, done,
I’d latched the slot. A few more metres on
perfect holds led to the top. Some polite ap-
plause drifted up. I felt I had passed a test, if
only in my own mind.
Five days later we stepped reluctantly off the
dhow back in Dibba with broad smiles and
unanimous agreement that it had been an
extraordinary trip. We had travelled nearly
300km exploring almost every indentation of
the coast, added over sixty new routes and –
thanks to Read, Neil and Tim – extended the
difficulty range for Musandam DWS by six
grades. Tim had also pushed his limits in an-
other dimension; free diving to nearly 30m.
Most importantly we’d lucked out with every
other aspect of the Musandam experience:
cool night breezes, zero swell, mesmerising
phosphorescence and appearances from al-
most all the notable sea life. We’d checked
off dolphins, reef sharks, octopus, cuttlefish,
sea snakes, a flying ray and a metre-width
turtle. Not, though, the whale shark, I was re-
minded back in the port. Maybe they’ll come
back for that!
Toby.
Toby Foord-Kelcey is the author of “UAE
Rock Climbing”, the first printed guidebook
to UAE and Musandam climbing. More de-
tails can be found at www.redarmadapub-
lishing.com
21
 Adventure
Chicks
Adventure Chick gets
wet for a cause! Box Out
This month, Adventure Chick My paddle du jour
checked out Paddle for the Planet, on the 5th of June
was a play on a
an awesome initiative started here in surf-ski. Not tried
Dubai that has fast built a worldwide it? Surf-skis are long
following. Here’s what you narrow ‘sit in’ boats
need to know: with a paddle for
propulsion. To keep
• On the 4th of June, here in Dubai, hundreds steady, they rely on great balance,
of paddlers of all ages and ability, united which means you get a fantastic workout
at Jumeirah Beach Hotel’s North Beach… for your entire mid section never mind the
Support and action is needed and so
kayakers, SUP’ers, surf-skiers, dragon boaters terrific toning for your arms. For this same if you love the ocean and find your-
… I even caught sight of a swimmer with
paddles on his hands!
reason, if ever wanting to admire some self taking it for granted, register on
rock-hard six-packs of the bronzed male the website and get involved.
• They then paddled around the Burj Al Arab variety, just hang out near one of the surf-ski
to Pierchic and back hot spots!
Your ocean.
• Dubai-based singer and keen diver, Fatinizia, You can vary the intensity from a play in the Your playground.
showed her support by performing her song
Today; a song she wrote especially for the
water to hardcore competition level so it’s Save it!
ideal for all abilities and skill levels. When
cause
you begin, be prepared to get wet – they are
• The idea is to gather a host of global ambas- very tippy; just as well then that our waters
sadors and respected watermen who are are so warm.
witnessing first-hand the decline of the
ocean, our ‘playground’, to create a global I paddled first in a Fenn XT which is ideal
movement to raise environmental awareness for beginners as they’re wider, heavier
and give something back to our oceans and more stable. An injection of surf-ski
confidence found me upgrading to an Epic
• Every year, paddlers in countries from all
four corners will
which required huge concentration just to
at the same time, remain wobble-free.
on their own Much lighter, much
patch of water, faster and much
unite and paddle more slim-line, these
for the cause. The skis are designed for
event coincides the more advanced
with World Envi- paddler … unless
ronment Day
of course, you are
• Seven tenths happy to spend a lot
of the earth is of time upside down!
covered by water
and the oceans When you take to
belong to each the waters on a surf-
and every one of ski you fast realise
us; we all have a why the sport has
right to assume
that the oceans
so many followers;
are managed for it’s fun and a great
the benefit of us all and in turn our children physical workout, it’s
and grandchildren a fantastic antidote to land-based activities
that focus more on your lower body and less
• The first project that funds raised will be put on your core and upper body strength.
towards is the Daram Marine Reserve in the
Raja Ampat Islands, in a far-flung corner of And, needless to say, whilst we are spoilt
Indonesia. These magnificent islands should
and have been home to the most bio-diverse
with miles of glorious coastline, crystal clear
tropical marine life on the planet … but waters and uninterrupted views of the city
without support from the likes of Paddle for skyscrapers in one direction and the endless
the Planet, the entire area is in imminent ocean to the other, it’s an injustice not to
danger of being decimated by reef bombing, embrace it.
illegal fishing and more

• You can read all about it on the website … Tori.

unfortunately though, just reading about it
isn’t enough
Photos: OutdoorUAE

22
 PADDLE
FOR THE
PLANET
www.paddle
fortheplane
t.org

BE PART O
F IT

23
Surfari Ian Ganderton takes a rather unconventional Omani safari
I’ve been a kayaker for as long as
I can remember and as a kayaker,
surf has always been one of my
playgrounds. Nothing feels quite the
same as being picked up by a wave
and thrust forward. Whatever craft
you’re using the feelings generated at
the point where the oceans meet the
land are addictive.
Because I’m a kayaker it’s been difficult to
make the transition from sitting to standing.
When I’m sitting in a kayak or on a surf ski
I know I’ll get the gratification of catching
waves. Starting to stand up will put me right
back at the start of the learning curve and
with that comes the feeling of being a bit
rubbish.
However, surfers who stand up can surf
much steeper and faster waves as well as
being able to carve top and bottom turns
again and again. I’ve decided that the time
has come and here is the place to make the
transition. The UAE has some good waves.
I can see whether or not there is surf from
my bedroom window and I have a reason-
able and deserted long board beach break
that is on the way into work for me.
What I’ve needed was a few days at a surf-
ing spot with good reliable waves where I
could kick start the whole process. I’d been
talking to Carl of Surf Shop Dubai, down
near Mall of the Emirates, about the right
board for me to start on when I picked up
24
on a post from Carl on the shops’ Facebook
group. It was about a series of Surfaris to
Joe’s Point, Oman, running through the sum-
mer. Carl was promising a range of great
waves suitable for all levels, from beginner
to expert, at a great beach with excellent
cool weather. Sounded perfect; “count me break which can be ridden for what seems
in” I messaged him. like miles, often hooking up with the small-
er inside point breaks until your legs can’t
The plan was four days long, Wednesday to take any more. The inside breaks were
Saturday and Carl provided all the transport, excellent for beginners like me and anyone
camping kit, food and boards along with his fancying some fun on a long board or stand
extensive surf expertise. This wasn’t going up paddle board (SUP). Further down the
to be a five star holiday with the occasional beach were some great beach breaks that
surf lesson thrown in. This was a surf trip worked well for the short boards.
where the focus was on surfing as much as
possible. The camping plan was just the The weather was amaz-
way I like it; we stay in an awesome location ing. While everyone
with just the bare necessities. Carl’s been we knew back in the
running a few of these trips now and his UAE was sweating in
new trailer is fully kitted out with everything the 45°+ temperatures
needed to keep surfers happy when they’re and raging humidity
at the beach for a few days. we were lounging in
perfect sub 30 degree
We left Dubai very early on Wednesday sunshine. The best
morning. The eight hour drive went very months in the area
smoothly with just brief stops at the border are June to September
and then at MacDonalds for breakfast. We when the Khareef
were at the beach by lunchtime. There we (returning monsoon)
met the guys who had left earlier with the sends good swells
trailer. It wasn’t long at all before camp was marching up the
set, boards had been extracted from bags coast, cooling the
and we were heading down to the surf. temperature at the
coast to an aver-
Joe’s Point, Asyllah, has something for every- age of 28 degrees
one. The outside is a long right hand point making it a great
 Immediately we all fell into
the pattern. Up early to catch
the morning surf then back to
camp for breakfast and a doze.
Back out surfing before lunch,
lunch then a post lunch nap, a
mid afternoon session before
a rest then finishing off with a
sunset session. It would then
be back to the camp for dinner
cooked over an open fire by
Carl. Honestly could our days
be any more perfect?!?!?

By the dawn of Day 3 my

shoulders and core muscles
were screaming and I’ll admit I had a steady day. I was beginning to get to grips with both the
long board and the SUP and it was great to be feeling the new skill acquisition starting to take
shape. When learning a new skill there is no good substitute for time spent ‘doing’ and this trip
was the perfect kick start I’d been hoping for.

The last day, Day 4, came around all too quickly. After the ‘normal’ dawn session and breakfast,
camp was packed up then there was time for the last blast before lunch. Our vehicle left around
lunch time and we were back in Dubai for around 7 after a pretty non stressful drive back (good
navigation Linda!!).

Big thanks to Carl and his team. I had a great weekend and I’ll be back.

If you’re interested in joining one of the Surfaris you can contact Carl on info@surfadven-
turesuae.com or by searching on Facebook for Surf Shop Dubai and Surf Adventures UAE for
their groups. As well as the Oman trips there are also trips leaving for Sri Lanka and the Mal-
dives.

summer escape. The water temperature is

generally very comfortable and warm but a
short wetsuit is sometimes needed.

The perfect temperatures, good swells and

reliable winds make the whole section
of coast popular for those in the know
within the regions’ surfing, kite surfing and
windsurfing communities. However it
seems those in the know are pretty limited
as breaks were relatively deserted while we
were there.

On the Thursday evening our numbers

swelled to their maximum at 13. We were
a fantastically international group - Carl
and Mike (South African), Riley (Australian),
Linda (Slovakian), Piedro (Italian), Jerome
(Swiss), Roger (Lebanese), Joy (Taiwanese),
Jeppe and Sten (Danish), Andryas and Smile
(Indonesian) and myself (British). We were
all united by a common bond: the desire to
surf.

25
Plastic Summer
One by one the people in the
office leave for the summer and as
usual, this is also the time when
the seas and beaches are devoid of
boats, jet skis, beach junkies and
anglers. Quite a lot of people stay
indoors because they say they can’t
stand the heat. Most anglers call it
quits by the time temperature hits
the 40s. Often it’s because their
catch rates drop, mistaking move-
ment of fish to deeper water as a
sign that there won’t be anything
left to catch.
Fish are migratory, they move because of
their temperature range/preference, breed-
ing patterns and the movement of their
food source. What a lot of people don’t
realize is that when one species moves out,
another moves in.
A little adjustment to your fishing is all it
takes to enjoy the sport year round.
Last year, we had fun with tuna and dorado
(dolphinfish) in Fujairah, grunter (nagroor)
in some parts of Dubai and Abu Dhabi,
barracuda, sharks, spangled emperor snap-
pers (sherri), queenfish, bartial flathead,
gilthead sea bream, black sea bream and
the ever present orange spot grouper (ham-
our) in the middle of the summer – with
not another boat or kayak in sight!
In Fujairah, the temperature drops as soon
as you go off shore. We went far out for
the dorado and tuna but to our surprise the
temperature out in the open was not nearly
as warm as it was on land. We enjoyed the
weather so much that we stayed out for the
whole day!
So just how do you beat the heat? First,
you get out of the house!
26
The Migration Begins
Keeping Your Cool
As with any fishing trip, always watch the
weather. There are a lot of resources on
the Internet that tell you days in advance
what the temperature is going to be like.
water because we lose a lot more water in
So check the weather before you go on a the heat.
trip. The best times often coincide with the
time that fish bite the most, early morning
Let's go Fishing!
and late afternoon. We usually go really
What I often use in the summer are soft
early since sunrise in the summer months
plastics – for the simple reason that it takes
are as early as 5:00am anyway. The next
less energy to make them work. In the
best option if you are allergic to sunlight
heat of summer, I want to exert less effort
is the early evening. This would give you
in making a lure move. The Soft Plastic
more time and the afternoon session can
Baits fit the bill.
spill over to be a night fishing trip.
Soft Plastic baits come in different shapes,
There is a lot of outdoor clothing avail-
weights, colours and sizes. In fact, these
able to the angler these days – Columbia
Sportswear have clothes
specifically for fishing
that are made of light-
weight material which
are very breathable with
vented backs! Choose
bright colours to reflect
the sunlight.
Buffs are useful in cover-
ing your face so you don’t
get hit by direct sunlight.
You don’t even notice
it’s there. I never leave
without one with me.
From crabs to worms to fish, softbaits are made to suit any situation and fish
Drinking a lot of water is
very important. More of-
ten than not, having a headache while on
are the lures which have the most variety.
a fishing trip during the summer is a sign of
The most important thing about them of
dehydration. We forget that we need more
course is that in the right hands, they work

Team Soolyman - working magic in the summer with soft plastics
magic. Before taking up fly fishing, I would
use up 10 kilos of these things. I used to
buy in bulk and have them imported and
summer is usually the time I stock up on
them.
You can use any hook to rig these lures,
however as you progress you will find that
some hook types are more efficient. Lead
head jigs are used when you either want to
cast far or work your lures deeper. In Fu-
jairah, I used a 4oz. (115 gramme) jig-head
dressed with a paddle tail soft plastic to
catch tuna and dorado. In Abu Dhabi and
Dubai, I used a 3/4oz (22 gramme) jig-head
to cast from the beach to catch flathead –
both were equally effective for what I was
using them.
Another common method is to use a type
of fishing hook called a “worm” hook.
“Worm” hooks have a 90º kink in the shank
of the hook designed to hold the soft plastic
bait in place so the fish can’t pull it off.
Using a worm hook is the best type of pres-
entation when you are dealing with shallow
water. Grubs, worms, shrimp and crab
imitations shine with this type of hook.
Making soft baits work is almost too easy.
Cast as far as you can and retrieve it slowly
Just learn to keep track of the weather and
you shouldn’t stay indoors in the summer
Even the same softbait will have different
variations, even just the flecks in them!
I take a big selection of soft plastics and
with a few pauses on the retrieve as well as fish profiles such as these are a mainstay
some sudden stops and jerks. This causes
it to swim, free fall and dart, simulating an
injured fish.
Another presentation is what’s called a
slow crawl. You do exactly how it’s written;
you cast out and slowly crawl it along the
bottom. This method works well for bottom
feeding fish.
Soft plastics work, even in the evening. Fish
not only use their eyesight to locate food. Soft plastics come in different shapes
and sizes, like this mini lobster
Their lateral line is an organ that runs from
the base of their gill plate down to the tail
and they can feel the vibration made by
the lure and locate it even in the darkest of
nights.
One of the mainstays of my fishing is a soft
bait called a jerkshad. This type of soft bait
is one of my favourites and it has caught
me a lot of fish, from inshore to offshore.
It almost outshines any other type of lure I
have in my tackle box. It is a very versatile Soft plastics require the use of special
bait which can be rigged on an ordinary hooks, suck as these jigheads
hook, a jighead, a worm hook or almost any
other hook manufactured today. I have used
it to catch groupers, snappers, bream and reason why we have to stay at home and
barracuda in shore, dorado, queenfish and watch other people catch fish on YouTube.
tuna off shore. There’s fish out there to catch and they are
waiting for you. You just have to pick the
These versatile lures are right time, a few bottles of water, the right
available locally and all clothing and the right baits which will give
you have to do is walk into you a chance at some of the best fishing you
the fishing shops we have would get all year. Do me a favour, when
in Sheik Zayed Road and you see someone on a kayak busy catching
ask them where the wall of fish, go up to him and say “hi”. Chances are
their soft plastic selection – it will be me.
is, the hooks to use them
with and how to use them. Until the next tide change, Kit.
The bonus? They are prob-
ably some of the cheapest
lures out there; they sell
for an average of 20AED to
30AED per packet.
One last cast
Even when the tempera-
tures rise there really is no Queenfish are willing biters year round
27
 Surfing Etiquette is the most important thing to
learn before you set foot in the surf. These rules

t ha t ’ s are not so much “rules” as they are a proper code of

Well swell
conduct designed to keep everyone in the water safe
and happy. New surfers should memorize these
rules, and even veterans should take a refresher
course now and then.

e,
Between the 10th - 16th of Jun
a cyclone was set to hit jus t of the
coast of Oman. Seeing the vari- fer
ous Facebook updates from sur al
friends and checking out the locn
weather forecast, not to mentio
a quick call to Surf Dubai (to seeit
if there was a swell and where
would hit), I was up for heading
down to the local public beach
(Sunset beach Beach next to The ld
Rule #1: Right of Way The surfer closes
has the right of way. This means if you’ret to the peak of the wave
Burj Al Arab) and seeing if I cou a surfer on your left is also paddling for paddling for a right, and
it, you must yield to him
catch a few wa ves . or her.
Rule #2: Don’t Drop In This is related
Unaware to me, the surf seas
on actually ably the most important part of surfing to Rule #1. This is prob-
etiquette. Dropping in
nd this time of year
does pick up arou means that
hitting the
due to the monsoon weather someone with
best beaches the right of
tip of the Arabian Gulf. The way is either
poin ts off the coast-
to catch the waves are about to take off on a wave or is alread
re ther e aren ’t any islands being and you also take off on the same wavey riding a wave,
line whe or her. in front of him
swell- JBR
built as this blocks out the
good options.
beach and Sunset beach are Rule #3: Paddling Rules:
ays gua rant eed that the beaches Some common sense surfing etiquette
It’s not alw ple don’t seem to realize are important.rules that peo-
ll whe n this type of straight through the heart of the lineup Don’t paddle
will get a good swe are surfing. Paddle out through the chann where people
ther hits as it can som etim es miss Sometimes at spread out beach breaks el where the waves aren’t breaking and people aren’t surfing.
wea this is hard, but usually there is a less crowd
irah, parts
Dubai completely and hit Fuja through. ed area to paddle
in Oman so
of the East Coast or just stay When paddling back out, do NOT paddl
before head- of someone riding a wave unless you’re e in front
it’s good to do your research
take time to get to. in front of him. You must paddle behin well, well
ing to places which who are up and riding and take the whited those
or duckdive. You’ll appreciate this the water hit
pretty certain next time
Daniel from Surf Dubai was you’re up on a wave.
el any more
that I wouldn’t need to trav Rule #4: Don’t Ditch Your Board
ch that they
than 15 minutes to the bea This is important, especially when it gets
board to catch Always try to maintain control and conta crowded.
are based on, to hire out a your board. Surfboards are large, heavy ct with
So I hea ded dow n late on
som e wav es. If you let your board go flying around, , and hard.
rno on (it’s muc h cooler it is going to eventually clock someone
a Saturday afte in the head.
early bird
at this time - or if you are an
Rule #5: Don’t Snake
with a little “Snaking” is when a surfer paddles aroun
they are open from 6am) and for a wave. He is effectively making a big d another surfer in order position himself to get the right of way
a bigg er boa rd was “S” around a fellow surfer
encouragement that
er, I hea ded dow n to the beach to see Rule #6: Beginners: don’t paddle out
to
bett This is kind of open to interpretation, but the middle of a packed lineup.
waves.
if I could at least surf a few dling out into the middle of a pack of exper it still stands: if you’re a beginner you should
ienced veterans. Try to go out to a less try to avoid pad-
break. You’ll know you’re in the wrong crowded beginner
spot if you get the stink-eye!
it was clear
As I swam out on the board Rule #7: Don’t be a wave hog.
inne r the waves were
to see that for a beg Just because you can catch all the waves
to throw me arou nd and bite ers, kayakers, or stand up paddlers. Sincedoesn’t mean you should. This generally applies to longboard-
eno ugh ing to catch them all, leaving nothing for it’s easier to catch waves on these watercraft, it becomes tempt-
t the break-
back! As soon as you get pas shortboarders on the inside. Give a wave,
get a wave.
t and left and
water you look to your righ For more rules check out:
other surfers. www.surfinghandbook.com*
suddenly there are loads of *All rules and illustrations are in reference
ng I thou ght to myself, to the Surfing Etiquette Article sourced
A little overcrowdi book.com written by Haley Gordon from www.surfinghand-
as I quic kly foun d out there are cer-
and
’ve got to be Overall, the experience is a must for anyon
tain surfing etiquettes that you out and a bit of fun. I caught a few waves e who is confident out on the water and up for a great work
aware of as a beginner. evening for 4 days straight and have the and so did a lot of people over the weekend, I was there every
sunburn, bruises and rashes to prove it!
uette For any new experience that you’ve never
Check out the following Etiq to go, how to start it and I can imagine done before, sometimes it can be a
for some people this maybe what stopslittle intimidating on where
and Rul es: The great thing about the guys at Surf Duba them
i is that no matter what skill level you aretrying new things.
helpful and encouraging, so we would they are always
awesome surf house where you can hang defini tely recom mend headi ng down there.
out afterwards and grab a shower. It’s wellThey also have an
worth a visit.
Looking to check out the surf in Oman
If your also looking to get out of Duba ?
Both Surf Shop Dubai and The Surf Shop i for the summer, also check out some
of the ‘Surfaris’ going on -
novice and skilled so get involved! do them and are open to families, indivi
duals, young and old,
Surf Dubai- www.surfingdubai.com
The Surf Shop Dubai- www.surfshopdub
ai.com
28
Quad
Life
I have been involved in extreme
sports since landing in Dubai over
5 years ago and from the age of 12
was given my first Quad bike. It was
an 110cc (Chinese type) and that
gave me the bug to get more involved
with the sport. As I got older I became
more experienced. My bike profile
also changed. I moved from the
110cc to a blaster, then a ban-
shee and eventually to a 450cc.
I wanted to learn every aspect of
riding and whenever I could I would
speak with other riders trying to get
their experiences. It was also a good
way to interact with other cultures. I
am now lucky enough to have many
friends from different countries.
At the age of sixteen I applied for an FIM
license so that I could race quad bikes and
compete with other riders. I enjoy riding in
the desert and will go out with my brother
and dad at every opportunity, but racing was
always my goal. I got my license and
applied to race in the senior category This was my first race and
for quad bike racing at Dubai DMX. As I was very nervous at the starting line.
I was only sixteen they thought I may The flag went up and we were off. Well
have been too young to ride but I asked for they were, I was bringing up the rear. After satis-
a trial and they agreed. I turned up early a couple of laps I quickly settled into the faction
at the track and completed five laps of the rhythm of the track and really began to that I was also the
track trying to impress the track officials. It enjoy the race. It was very exciting and the youngest competitor ever to do so.
must have worked as they agreed I was good adrenalin was pumping which seemed to
enough to ride Pro Quad. give me more confidence in my ability I am looking forward to the next season
to compete against the other riders. I was which starts in September. I will continue
At the first race meeting I was welcomed actually doing what I had always wanted to to ride until I go to University next year to
warmly by the other quad bike racers and it do, Race! As the race progressed I was able study Motor Sport Technology. I am currently
was clear that they had a lot of experience to move through the field and eventually looking for a sponsor so if
in the sport. Some had already competed finishing in 2nd place. This was much better anyone is out there and
in the Desert Challenge and already had than my expectations. Infact it was better interested I would love to
a couple of race seasons under their belt. than most people’s expectations. The other hear from you.
The bikes they were riding were testament quad bikers were fantastic and congratulated
to that and I was going to find it hard to me on the race. The great thing about racing Alex
compete against that experience. I was the at the DMX is the camaraderie of the track. MacFarlane
rookie riding a 450 Yamaha but more or less I got lots of advice following the race and
straight of the production line. Neverthe- how I could improve came from all quarters.
less I was determined to give it my all and I was well and truly hooked on the sport!
compete to the best of my ability.
As the season progressed I became more
experienced and my bike began to look and
feel like a proper race bike. I was really hun-
gry to learn more and would continually ask
questions from the other riders how I could
improve the bike and improve technically
as a rider. It all paid off. By midway through
the championship I was sitting in 1st place.
However the competition was extremely
fierce and again I had to make some fur-
ther improvements both to my bike and
my riding technique. With some good
fortune and determination I finished the
competition in first place with the added

29
 R E
T OZ K to
by Simon and Megan

We didn’t plan to visit the UAE, it wasn’t in our route and to be honest we knew
very little about the place save stories about cars of failed bankers abandoned at
airports, the world’s tallest building, and sand, but due to floods, a fire and help-
ful friends we ended up in Dubai, and it turned out to be a highlight of our trip.
Our plan was to
drive from our lit-
tle semi detached
rented house in
North London
to Australia, an
idea, like all good
ideas, that was
conjured up on
a napkin whilst
out getting a Thai
takeaway. Most
of you by now
will have realized that the UAE is not really
on the way to Australia from Europe so let
me try and explain: about two years ago
my girlfriend, Megan expressed an interest
to ‘go down under’ as she put it, and after
realising that this was not indeed code for
‘undercover to fight crime’, we started to get
very excited about the prospect of driving to
Australia. I think it is fair to say I got more
excited because this meant that I finally had
an excuse to buy a Land Rover and kit it out
for an expedition, something I have wanted
to do since the age of ten!
After trawling Ebay for months, and even
getting side tracked into buying a 1989
MK 2 Golf GTI, something I think we’ve all
done, I found my ideal car. It was a 1996
Land Rover Defender with only 230,000
miles on the clock! In Land Rover terms
that’s not even broken in. We spent the next
year fitting it out and going on trial trips
to France and Spain. During this time we
replaced a lot of the moving oily bits as they
broke; my first gearbox was spread on the
autoroute just outside of Calais and there
were dark days just before we left when
turbos and fuel pumps were replaced. Get-
ting the car ready is only 50% of the battle,
the rest is all the paper work that goes along
with it. The main bit of paper is the Carnet
Du Passage, which is basically a passport for
the car and allows the owner to drive the car
into different countries. It’s not cheap, in the
UK it was about $5000 and that along with
all the improvements and repairs to the car
the brought the bill final to around $40,000
before we had even traveled one mile. It’s
not a cheap way to travel.
We left our jobs in July last year and set off
in August, traveling through
France, Italy, Greece, Turkey
and Iran. The first bit through
Europe was fairly straight
forward, the Land Rover
is fitted with a roof tent, a
must for any respectable
overlander, so we simply
camped our way to Asia.
Once in Turkey the camp-
sites became a little more
spread out and we spent a
few nights setting up camp
in car parks. By this time the
weather had also started to
turn cold and although the
little tag on our sleeping bags read ‘–5 to
+5’ we both started to get very cold, so the
warmth of hotels during the last week in
Turkey was very welcome.
Iran is where our plans started to change.
Iran is a very interesting country and we
could write a book on our experiences there
but needless to say, we left Iran some-
time ago and not a day goes by without a
sentence starting with ‘you know when we
were in Iran?’, or another favorite ‘ Do you
remember in Iran…..?’ Unfortunately half
way through Iran we started to have car
trouble. It started in Turkey to be fair, with
small electrical problems but by the time
we had reach Shiraz half the electrics were
not working, which meant the radio was not
working, which in turn meant that we had
to talk to each other! This had to be fixed.
There was oil leaking out of the turbo, the
car’s immobilizer was playing up, there
were exhaust pipe problems and we had no
temperature gauge. The electrics were the
worst, as we had a small fire under the car

30

and there was now just a mass of molten
wire. We had tried to get things fixed in
Iran, but as Land Rovers are not sold in the
country and a duel battery system was not
really understood our excursions to garages
were fruitless. Coupled with the fact that
we could not even get a visa to pass into
Pakistan due to the flooding at the time
this meant that we had no choice but to
turn south to Bandar Abbas and catch the
ferry to Sharjah. The ferry alone was a bit
of a shock, not exactly 5 star cruising, and
instead of the 8 hours it was meant to take I
think it took around 14 in all, but we made
it and after a couple of hours dealing with
the customs formalities we out and driving
down the Sheikh Zayed highway. We were
both overjoyed at the sight of Subway and
McDonalds, something we had missed in
the last six weeks or so. I don’t even eat
McDonalds but I think my first meal in
Dubai was a McChicken sandwich. Megan
had some family friends that had very kindly
offered to put us up for our time in the UAE
and as we drove from Sharjah to Dubai
Marina where their flat was our jaws started
to drop lower and lower as increasingly tall
buildings came into view and the number
of Bentleys spotted reached double figures.
To call it a culture shock from Iran was an
understatement!
It was great having a base in Dubai and we
our fingers. We cannot thank Gareth and
Jason and all the guys at the a2b garage
(www.a2b-garage.com) enough for all their
help and advice, it’s not an exaggeration to
say that without them our trip would have
finished in Dubai.
During the rest of our short time with a
working car in the UAE we made sure to
visit some of the sites outside of Dubai; we
particularly enjoyed Al Ain, we snorkelled
off Snoopy Island, and we hopped across
the border to Oman for more snorkeling. We
also naturally spent a lot of time in shopping
malls and at the beach! It was good to relax
and have time to plan the Asia part of
our trip.
So with the car fixed we made arrangements
for getting it shipped to Malaysia, which
turned out to be incredibly cheap. I think a
40 foot container only cost us around $200,
which as shipping goes was damn cheap. In
comparison the ferry from Iran will set you
set about trying to get the car fixed, but not back around $1000 after all the port fees
before we had a go in the desert of course! and paperwork (I think you pay extra for the
Our hosts suggested a jaunt in the desert cockroaches). >>
just outside Dubai and not really having
done any ‘proper’ off roading since the UK
we jumped at the chance. We met up with
some other work colleges of our friends and
proceeded into the sand, where we man-
aged to cover about 30 meters before getting
stuck! We could still see the road!?! It was
all a little embarrassing to say the very least.
The Land Rover you see is very heavy, and
as I had not had any sand driving experience
before I slowed down too much and lost
all my momentum, which meant we sank
axle deep in soft sand. It took us two hours
of digging, swearing, towing and help from
a local Emirate to free the car! Once free
though I kept my foot down all the way to
the BBQ site, and despite the screams from
the passenger seat I kept the speed up all the
way back to the road in the dark on the way
back too!
We stopped on the way back to inflate the
tyres and it was here that we had a stroke
of luck: whilst in the queue to pay for petrol
we met a really nice guy called Gareth, and
it turned out that Gareth had a garage which
dealt with Land Rovers. He gave us his card
and offered to help us fix our many, many
issues! The next day we arrived on his door-
step, handed him the car keys and crossed
31
We enjoyed the UAE and all the different
landscapes and places to visit, so much
so that we intend to return very soon. The
weather, culture and sheer open space is
such a contrast from the UK, and although
we have spent nearly a year traveling, passed
through many different countries, and met
many different people will still view our time
in the UAE as a highlight. Currently we are
in Australia and have around two months to
go until we have to go back to the UK and
earn more money to continue our travels.
We are already looking at a stop over in
Dubai on the way home…

2011 Models just arrived !

NEW 2011 MODEL JET SKI 800 SX-R

MOD 30,000 AED
EL

NEWDEL
MO
2011 MODEL JET SKI ULTRA 300X
58,000AED

www.libertykawasaki.com IAL
SPECER SPE
OFF
ABU DHABI 02 508 4500
AL AIN 03 722 2926 OFF CIAL
DUBAI 04 341 9341 ER
SHARJAH 06 533 1777 2009 MODEL JET SKI ULTRA 260X
RAS AL KHAIMAH 07 235 6100 45,000AED (LIMITED NUMBERS)

32
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Option 1: Please fill in this form and mail it together with a cheque with an amount of 100 or 50AED, written to OutdoorUAE FZE or a 100 or 50AED
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33
 I
Part y C r uise
I
When we go
boat – it felt rit off the first OutdoorUAE p
and with that ght to say ‘we have to do tharty cruise
checked with everyone agreed. We immedis again’,
date - it turnedClaude and Gilles for the nexiately
started the pre out to be the 3rd of June, t available
cruise number parations for the OutdoorU and so we
2… AE party
As Outdoor
enthusiasts w
extremely ho e kn
t outside espe ow that by June it can al
we were rig cially during ready get
ht, it wasn’t a 2pm depa
the only days hot it was sc rture…and
we had had or ching! It was
thermometer during the la also one of
had crossed st few month
the 40°C mar s where the
k.
Our departi
ng harbor th
Dubai Off-Sh is time was
ore Sailing C in Jumeirah
leaving from lub. On the next to the
the creek was first Outdoor
tle and bust great, easy ac UAE Cruise,
le around ke cess and with
leave the cree eping you en the hus-
k however, it te rta ined. As soon
Rashid and quickly wea as you
Maritime City rs off as you
takes almos , which is st pass Port
t an hour to ill under cons
small island reach the ba truction. It
close to Jum y we normal
eirah Beach ly anchor at
Park (our de -a
So the decisi stination).
on was mad
and reach th e to leave di
e island with rectly from Ju
evening alon in 30 minut meirah
g Jumeirah Be es and then
World. The ach, Burj Al cruise in the
itinerary was Arab, the Pa
the Outdoor perfect for ou lm and the
UAE team th r guests and
heavy lifting at had to su it was only
of the Kayaks ffer in the he
equipment w , SUP, Goody at due to the
hich had to -Bags and al
our floating be carried to l the other
island for th th
50 guests on e next 5-6 ho e berth of ‘ON VERRA’,
board, DJ Ed ur s. At 2:30pm w
equipment an Wulf, the O ith about
d the crew of utdoorUAE
the catamar team, our
an were read
Whilst everyb y to leave.
ody was tryin
ter and catc g to cool do
hing shade it wn by drinki
was hard to ng cold wa-
do so as it w
as 40°C and

34
 with no wind,
it was hot. As
soon as we set
sail however,
the airflow of
the moving
boat cooled
us down and
within min-
utes it started
to feel like a
real cruise
was about
to begin. It
didn’t take
much longer
until the
tunes of DJ
Ed Wulf
filled our
ears and
animated our feet and more and more
people started to get up and move with
the grooves as the deck was quickly filled.
Claude and Gilles circled the island first
before we anchored in the bay. After
having a refreshing breeze run across the
boat, there was only one better thing to do
on this day – dive into the blue water of
the Arabian Gulf. As soon as Claude the
Captain gave the command that it was safe
to jump into the water- the OutdoorUAE
crowd were jumping off the boat like
crazy, before we even started unloading
all our leisure sports stuff, almost every-
body was in
the water!
This time the
cruise was
supported
by BEACH
HUT, located
on Jumeirah
Beach Resi-
dence. They
supplied ‘HO-
BIE’ Kayaks and
Spring-Floats – perfect for hot weather,
as they are almost like floating loungers
when opened. There is not much else to
do than throw them in the water and lay
or sit on them- half your body is still in
the water what provides the perfect cool-
ing effect. LOO BEACH provided us two
Gondolas, which are similar to Kayaks but
they have a window on the bottom so you
can explore underwater life and you can
also use them as SUPs. OCEAN SPORTS
supplied the NAISH SUPs again which are
available at Picnico Jumeirah Beach Rd or
The Surf Shop in Al Barsha. GU – Energy
Gel, LightMyFire – Outdoor Prod-
ucts and Piper – the relaxation drink
in addition to Adventure HQ – the
newly opened adventure superstore
who supplied goody-bags for every-
one who came on the cruise.
All these give-aways are a fundamen-
tal part of the cruise and offer extra
value to the experience, as you are
able to try all these products without
any added costs. The ticket price of the
Cruise was only a mere 250AED, which
also included food and beverages through-
out the day.
Everybody had an amazing time trying
out all the sports equipment, some just
chilled in the spring floats or the dingys,
others had a dive competition jumping off
the side of the boat, with all this action
the few people who didn’t want to dive in
the water had enough entertainment on
board. Everyone was getting involved in
some way shape or form.
The OutdoorUAE team were busy ensur-
ing that everybody had fun and gave in-
structions to those wanted to try the SUPs
or Kayaks. There is one thing that you may
not know about ‘ON VERRA’
even if you had already
checked out their website.
Claude- the French captain
and owner of the catamaran
is a very passionate cook,
so everyone who is look-
ing to join the cruise after
the summer will have the
pleasure of trying some
‘Exquisite French Cuisine’.
The smell of food lured
the first people back
on board and it didn’t
take much longer until
everyone was enjoying
the different dishes. After
two hours of water, fun
and action
everybody was starving but
also happy that it was the per-
fect timing for dinner. It might
have been the only quiet half
an hour of the whole cruise.
While everybody was eating,
we set sail again into the
sunset. DJ Ed Wulf turned
up the music again and
the crowd gathered on the
foredeck of the catamaran.
To get everybody pumping and in dance
mode again after the amazing dinner, we
started a competition to give out 3 Prizes.
To be able to give everybody the chance
to win one of the prizes we decided to
do a dance competition – women verses
men. It was the ‘Shakira version of musical
statues’, where every one had to shake
their asses like Shakira and every time the
music stopped they had to freeze. People
who didn’t move enough were out, in ad-
dition to those who couldn’t keep still after
the music paused! In
the
end we had a ‘dancing king’
and ‘two dancing queens’ who won the
prizes!! Hips certainly don’t lie!
By around 7pm the beats were pump-
ing and everybody was on deck, the sun
was just about to set when we
reached Burj Al Arab,
(this was the scheduled
time to be back in the
harbor) all of the guests
however agreed that the
party needed to go on! So
we extended it for an hour
and were rewarded with
a HOT surprise. In front of
the prestigious skyline of
Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the
360° club and Burj Al Arab,
Tara heated up the crowd
with her amazing on deck
fire show. The beats and
artistic fire show attracted
not only the attention of
our guests but other yachts
and boats that were cruising alongside
‘ON VERRA’ to catch some of the fun and
entertainment on board. (We were cross-
ing our fingers in hope that no one would
think the boat was on fire!) This was the
perfect highlight of an amazing cruise
with amazing people. Our guests on board
have been the most important ingredients
for such a fun day and the whole Out-
doorUAE team says: Thank you all!
In the end we reached the harbor at
around 8pm after 6hrs fun and party cruis-
ing. The cherry on the top of the day was
all the goody bags, which were handed
over to everyone leaving the boat. Every-
one had a great time and promised us to
come back for Cruise No 3, which we will
organize after the summer.
Special Thanks to our supporters for this
great event:
Beach Hut, Adventure HQ, Naish, Loo
Beach, GU, LY Catamaran
35
 Part
5

MIKE NOTT BRINGS YOU HIS SERIALISATION

OF THE ULTIMATE OFF-ROAD GUIDE
Part 5: SOLO OR GROUP
Solo off-road driving, particularly in the dunes, in remote areas in this
region is possibly one of the most foolhardy and dangerous activities
you can undertake, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. If you
do decide to drive solo off-road, all the aspects of mental and physi-
cal resilience and technical knowledge and experience, that have been
described in earlier articles, are required. You have to be prepared to
cope with the worst possible eventualities, alone. If you have not been
in such a situation in kinder terrains and climates, it is suggested that
you do not attempt to try it for the first time in this region. If you do go
alone, it is imperative that you leave your route, itinerary and contact
details with someone who will be prepared to instigate a rescue if re-
quired. You should also take comprehensive self-recovery equipment Group driving

and effective means of communication. Having said all that, solo ex-
cursions can be immensely satisfying and enhance your self-reliance
and confidence.
ity of him making mistakes through fatigue and stress.
The leader should remember to consider the capabilities of all in the
group and not plough on regardless and ignore the plight of those be-
hind him. The leader should force himself to give the group breaks, for
their comfort and enjoyment of the excursion. Communication on the
move is extremely useful. Use of walkie-talkies is suggested (in accord-
ance with local regulations). They can be used to warn of hazards en-
route, indicate flora and fauna and generally keep the group informed
as to what is going on.

Convoy Discipline Convoy discipline is also a key ingredient to a

successful group excursion. The distance between vehicles must take
account of the terrain and the speed over ground. This distance judge-
ment comes with experience. In difficult terrain there should be a suf-
ficient gap between the leader and second vehicle to allow the leader
Solo driving
to find a good route before committing the rest of the group to a par-

Group Driving within an experienced group is the safest way to enjoy

the routes in this guidebook. It is likely that an experienced group will
be able to extricate itself from the worst possible situations. However,
in contrast to going solo, on a group excursion there is a need to un-
derstand team/group dynamics and to know the qualities of each group
member, particularly if it is a long or technically demanding route. It is
not in the scope of this guidebook to go into the detail of group dynam-
ics (a whole volume in itself) but there are some key considerations
when driving in a group.

The organiser of the excursion should appoint themselves as the ‘lead-

er’ and appoint a convoy ‘sweep’ to follow at the rear of the convoy
(communication between the leader’s and sweep’s vehicles by radios
or mobile phone is desirable). The leader should brief the whole group
face to face at the start of each day. The leader must give the group as
much detail as possible regarding the route, the day’s schedule and
the likely actions to be taken in the case of specific eventualities. If the
drive is very long and technical, the leader should consider swapping
the lead with another experienced driver in order to avoid the possibil- Convoy & Flags

36
ticular line. Speeds will be slow but the second vehicle needs to keep • Replace the following: Oil Filter, Starter Motor, Fuel Pump, Fuel
its distance in order to allow the lead vehicle room for manoeuvre. Filter & Alternator.
Communication is important in these situations. • Bleed the following: Brake, Clutch and Other Hydraulic Systems.

The mantra for convoy discipline is: ‘follow the vehicle in front but you
are responsible for the vehicle behind’. If the vehicle behind you drops
back, then you need to slow down and let it close up again. The use of
tall flag poles fitted to the rear of vehicles is a great aid to group driving
through short, choppy dunes. It allows the following vehicle to see the
movement and position of the vehicle when the vehicle itself is hidden
from view by the dunes. It can prevent you colliding with the vehicle in
front when crossing crests or descending small slip faces.
MAINTENANCE AND PREPERATION
Equipment There is a fine line to be drawn between taking too little
and taking too much equipment. The lists that follow are not exhaustive
or prescriptive and deal only with vehicle equipment. The lists are based
on the author’s and others’ experiences of driving in the region and hav-
ing to deal with mishaps, breakdowns and stucks. They are suggestions
and are not intended to be followed slavishly. Indeed, it is an indication
of your experience, self-confidence and resourcefulness to know what,
and what not, to take, depending on the length, remoteness and severity
of the route you decide to undertake.
Minimum Recovery/Safety Equipment:

8
1
4
6
2

3
7 5
Do you know how to maintain and service this?

1. Recovery Strap (rated to a suggested minimum of 8,000 kg).

2. Shackles x 2 (soft or hard and rated to a suggested minimum of
3.25 tonnes).
3. Large, Lightweight Shovel.
4. Work Gloves.
5. Jacking Board.
6. Car Jack and Wheel Removal Tool/s.
7. Tyre Pressure Gauge & Deflator.
8. Fire Extinguisher.

Vehicle Tools:

Makeshift workshop

It is another truism that your vehicle needs to be well maintained before

going off-road. But, in addition to knowing your vehicle is well main-
tained, you must know how to maintain it yourself. If you have to rely
solely on the vehicle dealerships or independent garages to keep your
vehicle maintained, then you do not possess sufficient technical experi-
ence to undertake many of the routes in the guidebook. It is imperative
that you can maintain and service your vehicle yourself. As a guideline,
you should be able to do the following jobs on your vehicle:

• Oil Changes in the following: Engine, Gearbox, Transfer Case and

Differentials.
• Drain and Re-fill the Cooling System.
• Change Main Radiator Hoses.
• Change the V Belts/Fan Belts. • Tyre Valve Release Tool.
• Check and Change Electric Fuses. • Socket Set.
• Refill Power Steering System. • Alan Key / Torx Set (Male/Female: depending on your vehicle).
• Change Power Steering Hoses. • General Tool Box (spanners, screwdrivers, pliers, hacksaw, circuit
• Replace Spark Plugs. tester, mole grips etc..).
• Change Wheels, including using a jack in sand or on uneven • Special to Vehicle Tools (e.g. wheel bearing socket, oil filter re-
ground. mover, brake tools).
• Plug a Punctured Tyre. • Multi-meter.
• Re-fit a Tyre Off the Rim • 2 x Tyre Levers.
• Jump Start from Another Vehicle. • Bead Breaker.

37
• Lubricant for helping get tyres on/off the rims.
Vehicle Spares:
• Torque Wrench.

General Recovery/Safety Equipment:

• Tow Strap (rated to minimum of 3,500 kg). • Tyre Valves.

• Jump Leads. • Tyre Valve Dust Caps.
• Air Compressor. • Fuses.
• High Lift Jack, Wheel Adaptor and Base. • V/Fan Belt/s.
• Sand Ladders (Sand Shoe, Waffle, Maxitrak). • V/Fan Belt Idler Pulley (if fitted).
• Tyre Repair Kit, including plugs and side wall patches. • Vehicle Specific Spares (know your vehicle).
• Funnel. • Starter Motor (for automatic transmission vehicles if going on re-
• Fuel Can/s (20 litres) with Spare Lid Seals (number dependent on mote trips).
vehicle fuel range and trip distance). • Relay Modules.
• Water Can/s (5 litres per day per person). • Oil Filter.
• Flag and Pole (to keep vehicle positions in view in the dunes). • Fuel Filter.
• Walkie-Talkie/s with spare batteries (if legally entitled). • Main Radiator Hoses.
• Global Positioning System (GPS). • Power Steering Hoses.
• Crow Bar. • High Tension Leads.
• Windscreen Hammer/Seat Belt Cutter. • Fuel Pump.
• Long Rope (not for recovery). • Fuel Lines.
• Inverter (DC to AC). • Spark Plugs.
• Head Torch (with spare batteries). • Air Breather lines.
• 4lb Hammer. • Fluids/Lubricants: Engine Oil, Brake Fluid, Gear Oil (Differential
• Electrical Tags . and Transfer Case), Coolant, Automatic Transmission Fluid, Power
• Electric Wire. Steering Fluid.
• Binding Wire. • Bulbs (Headlight, Brake, Rear, Indicator, etc..).
• Wire Cutters/Bolt Croppers. • Small & Large Cable Ties.
• Wood blocks of 4”x4” wood (for placing under jacks, hammering, • Jubilee Clips.
vehicle chocks). • Electric/Duct tape.
• Bungee/Elastic Cords. • Spare Wheel & Tyre (2, if going to remote areas).
• Ratchet Straps. • Spare Inner Tubes + Patches.
• Small Axe. • Spare Wheel Nuts.

Accidents do happen!

38
 Cruise
Listings
We’ve managed to put together a list of some of the greatest cruise boats that you can
book right now. So go and catch some cool sea breezes!

Luxury Yacht Cruising

Azimut 62
Berth Location: Pavillion Sports Centre Marina: Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Max. Passengers: 13 in the Day, 6 in the Night
Pricing: Minimum 2 Hour Rental, 3,200AED per hour
Description: Azimut 62ft motor yachts are the ultimate in luxury. Includes large lounge area,
satellite television and  plasma screens in every cabin, fully fitted gourmet kitchen
Owning company/Managed by: Art Marine
Phone: +9714 3481281 or 050 459 8690

Lady Bella
Berth Location: U01 Marina: Dubai Marina Yacth Club
Size: 85 ft Crew: 1 Captian and 2 Crew Max. Passengers: 25 Guests Boat Specs: Duretti
yacht, 3 Master Bedrooms, Fully equipped kitchen, Flybridge with Jacuzzi
Pricing: 2,500AED per hour
Description: Includes Captain and fuel, soft drinks, water, juices, fruits, chocolates
Owning company: Summertime Marine Sports LLC
Phone: +9714 2573084

On Verre 6
Location: Bur Dubai Creek Marina: Creek Marine- In front of British Embassy
82 guests, 280m2, 82ft, Motor Yacht
Length: 23,75 meters
Breadth: 11,4 meters
Depth: 1,80 meters
Price per hour: Open cruise for 30 pax, Party with DJ- 5 hours : 250 AED P/Adult
3 hours of cruise: 180AED/adult and 100 AED/child, 4 hours of cruise: 210 AED/
adult and 130 AED/child, 5 hours of cruise: 250 AED/adult and 150AED/child

Located in the creek, on Bur Dubai historical quarter (in front of Al Bastakiya)
“On verra 6”, our 82 feet aluminium sailing catamaran, is designed and built by
its owner Mr Claude Kermoal, renowned French boat builder in his country and
West Indies. LYCatamaran caters for parties with Dj’s, BBQ, cocktails, relaxing
cruises, birthdays, wedding celebration, corporate events and more....” On verra
6”, the Captain and crew will customise a perfect cruise to suit your needs. An air
conditioned lounge, a sundeck, a shady cockpit and a bar where our bartender
serves cocktails and refreshments.

Luxury Yachting Catamaran

http://www.lycatamaran.com/
marialycatamaran@gmail.com
050 58 69 746 or 056 65 06 683

Ocean Voyager 64
Berth Location: Dubai International Marine Club Marina (Le Meridien Mina Seyahi)
Size: 64 feet Crew: 4 Max. Passengers : 40 pax
Pricing: 3300AED per hour / 650AED per person for sharing
Description: Party venue you may well have been dreaming of. This Catamaran is a vast,
floating pleasure zone, there is also a BBQ on board the vessel and perfect for multiple
leisure activities.
Owning company: SEA HUNTERS Passenger Yachts & Boats Rental LLC
Phone: 800 8001 OR +97142951011

39
 EL Mundo
Berth Location / Marina: Berth # C 36 / Dubai International Marine Club
Size: 60 ft. Luxury Sailing Catamaran Crew: 4 Max Passengers: 50
Pricing: Individual & exclusive rates available.
Description: Corporate Functions, Tailored Cruises & Fun In the Sun Cruises
Owning company: JPS Passenger Yachts & Boats Rental LLC
Phone: 050 551 7406

M/Y Claudia
Berth Location / Marina: RAK City Hilton Marina
Size: 13.6 m x 4.2 m Day Cruises: 8 Guests + Crew, Night Cruises: 2 Guests + Crew
Pricing: 1,000AED per hour
Description: M/Y Claudia is a U.S. built hard-top cruiser, with luxurious cherry
wood interior. Both cabins with ensuite bathroom. It has 960 hp
Owning company: RAK MARINE LLC
Phone: +971 50 491 2696, +971 72066410.

Fishing Cruises
Al Boom
Berth Location / Marina: Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort Fujairah
Max Passengers: 4
Pricing: Minimum 2 Hours @ 300AED
Description: Boat cruises, snorkeling trips and handline fishing trips from Al Boom
Diving at Le Meridien Al Aqah.
Owning company: Al Boom Diving
Phone: 04-342-2993

Sea Spirit 34’

Berth Location / Marina: Al Hamra Marina, Al Hamra
Crew: 2 Max Passengers: 6
Pricing: Minimum 2 Hours @ 1,380 per hour
Description: Fishing Cruises and Charters
Owning company/ Managed by: Al Hamra Marina
Phone: 00971-7-2434540

Abomrikha
Berth Location / Marina: Fujairah International Marine Club
Size: 37 Ft Max. Passengers: 10 Pax Engine: 2/ 200 HP
Pricing: 3hours minimum @ 250AED p/h ( Maximum of 6 pax drinks and fishing
equiptment included)
Description: This boat is used for fishing, snorkelling and diving trips
Owning company: Barracuda Diving Centre

Phone: 09 2225580, 055 5670043

Sea Master 37
Location: Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi
Max. Passengers: 6 Pax + 1 Captain
Pricing: 1,600AED for 2 hours and 2,900AED for 4 hours
Description: Offshore where the cool waters are and the schools of fish swim this boat
is great for deep water fishing
Owning company/ Managed by: Belevari Marine

Phone: +971 2 6594 144

40
 Pelican 32
Location/ Marina: Dubai International Marine Club (Le Meridien Mina Seyahi)
Size: 32ft Max. Passengers: 8 Pax
Pricing: 1,400AED per hour
Description: Luxury fishing boat with Gas Grill onboard designed to meet the needs
of all those Who-Love-Fishing!
Owning company/ Managed by: SEA HUNTERS Passenger Yachts & Boats Rental LLC

Phone: Toll Free 800 8001 or +9714 2951011

WalkAround
Marina: 5 Location: Fujairah International Marine Club
Size: 31ft Max. Passengers: 8 Pax
Pricing: 450AED per hour/ pp
Description: Price includes water, softdrinks and fishing rods and materials provided.
Owning company/ Managed by: Fujairah International Marine Club.
Phone: +9719 222 1166

The Party Boat

Location: Umm Al Quwain Marine Club
Crew: Captain, Assistant Captain, plus waiters depending on size of party
Max Passengers: 80 passengers
Pricing: Dh75 per person, minimum rental price Dh1500. On-board catering
optional. Cruise: up to 4 hours.
Description: Escape the city for a day of fun aboard the Party Boat on the UAQ
Creek, feel free to use the kayaks, waterslide when your partying hard!
Phone: +9716 766 6644

Sara
Berth Location: Bur Dubai Creek
Size: 38ft Max. Passengers 9
Pricing: 350AED / Person
Description: Offer fishing and cruises along the beautiful coast line of Dubai
while you will enjoy the view of places like The world Island, Atlantis The Palm,
Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeira and much more.
Owning company: Happy Days LLC
Phone: +971 55 896 1276 or +971 50 3960202

Day/Dinner Cruises
Bateaux Dubai
Berth Location: Dubai Creek , Oppostie the British Embassy
Size: 56m long and 13m wide Max Passengers: 200 guests for sit-down dinners
300 guests for standing cocktails or receptions
Pricing: AED 333 per head with one drink- Offer Valid till August 31st 2011
Description: Beautifully designed Dinner Boat for that special cruising occasion
Owning company/ Managed by Jebel Ali International Hotels
Phone: +9714 3994994

Luluwa Dhow
Berth Location / Marina: The Club, Abu Dhabi
Size: 13.6 m x 4.2 m Max Passengers: Up to 30 Passengers for private cruises
Pricing: Rates apply for members and Guests of The Club
Description: The Club, Abu Dhabi’s private members’ club, invites its Members and
their Guests on board the traditional Dhow ‘Luluwa’ every weekend for a sunset
cruise along the coastline.
Owning company: The Club Abu Dhabi
Phone: +9712 673 1111

41
 Speed Boat Cruises
Al Ghawas
Berth Location / Marina: Dibba Musandam Port, Oman
Size: 35 Ft Crew: 1-2 Max. Passengers: 15
Pricing: 300 AED pp
Description: 2010 purpose built diving speedboat with twin 200’s and is used for
speedboating, diving and fishing cruises
Owning company: Sheesa Beach Dive Centre

Phone: 050 3336046, +968 26836551

The Yellow Boats

Location: Dubai Marina Walk Opposite Spinneys, Intercontinental Hotel Marina
Abu Dhabi Crew: 2 Max. Passengers: 12
Pricing: Starting from 80AED
Description: Top of the line RIBs with 500hp from twin Yamaha Engines. With a number
of trips to choose from, there is is guaranteed to be one for any taste. Be it sightseeing or
adrenaline rides
Owning Company: The Yellow Boats LLC

Phone: 800 8044

Velocity
Location: Umm Al Quwain and Dubai
Size: 18 ft Max. Passengers: 3 Including driver
Description: N.Z built, the design is a hybrid copy of America’s Outlaw Eagles racing
marathon jetboat, top speed of 115km per hour, it’s a breathtaking and adrenaline
fuelled experience, to be spotted around the coasts of Umm Al Quwain and Dubai- for
more information about the experience get in touch with Outdoor UAE
(contact@outdooruae.com)

Owning company: The Boat House LLC

Sea Breeze 33
Berth Location: Dubai International Marine Club
Size: 33 feet Crew: 2 Max. Passengers 6
Pricing: 700AED PER HOUR
Description: Speed Boat made for cruising & fishing, zip around the coastline
to your hearts content in the custom made speed boat, cruising up to 45 knots
and an impressive Volve 2x260 HP engine.
Owning company: SEA HUNTERS Passenger Yachts & Boats

Phone: 800 8001 OR +97142951011

Dhow Cruises
Barracuda 3
Berth Location / Marina: Fujairah International Marine Club
Size: 37ft Max. Passengers: 10-30 pax Specs: Engine 1 360 HP
Pricing: Prices starting from a minimum of 4 hours, 150AED per person
Description: Double decker dhow 1 room with AC, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen, TV,
stereo, fridge,microwave oven and other equipments for cooking.
Owning company: Barracuda Diving Center
Phone: +9719 2225580

Menden
Berth Location / Marina: Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi
Crew: 4 and 1 Captain Max. Passengers: 50
Pricing: 4 hours Cruise 11,500 AED 6 hour cruise 15,500 AED
Description: Refitted less than 6 months ago she boasts an upper deck with
modern furniture, sun loungers, DJ area, huge BBQ station, and plenty of seating
Owning company: Belevari Marine
Phone: 050 908 7208

42
 Adahri
Berth Location: Marina Banda Rhowda, Muscat, Oman
Size: 65ft Crew: 3 depending on pax Max. Passengers: 60
Pricing: 15/ RO to 35/RO day trips and over nights 85 p/p
Description: Traditional Omani open Dhow : A traditional type of dhow called
Al Boum, the style onboard is, of course, traditional Omani with carpet, majilis
seating, with on board local cuisine. Think Pirates of the Caribbean across
scenic Muscat with friends.
Owning company: Muscat Diving and Adventure Centre
Phone + Web: +968 24485663

Al Montaser
Berth Location / Marina: Dibba Musandam Port, Oman
Size: 75ft Max. Crew: 3 - 4 Max Passengers: Day 35/Overnight 15
Pricing: From 4,500 AED
Description: Private charter, Musandam day cruises & overnight charters fully
catered from 1 - 7 nights, inclusive of snorkeling, hand-line fishing & kayaking. 
Diving is an extra. stereo, fridge,microwave oven and cooking equipments
Owning company: Sheesha Beach Dhow Cruises
Phone: 050 3336046, +968 26836551

Rustar
Berth Location / Marina: Dubai Deira Creek
Size: Length 50.1m Height 6.3m Passengers: 400 + Crew
Pricing: Regular Adult/Child: 250/200AED
Description: With 3 decks, this mammoth dhow has space for the DJ,
dancefloors and fine dining this is the biggest Dhow Cruise in the World
Information supplied by: One World Travel and Toursim
Phone: +971 4 2209393

Saluja
Berth Location: Dubai Deira Creek
Crew: 10 Max. Passengers: 120 / 140
Pricing: Regular Adult/Child: AED 165 / 145 (Promotional Price Adult/Child:
AED 99 / 99)
Description: Have a dinning buffet and cruise along Dubai Deira Creek on a
genuine 2-deck wooden boat.
Owning company: One World Travel and Toursim
Phone: +971 4 2209393

Adventure Cruising
Hobie 16
Location: Al Bahia Private Beach Abu Dhabi
Size: 16ft sailing catamaran Max. Passengers: 2
Pricing: AED 300 per hour per boat.
Description: Explore the waters north of Yas Island with this low environmental
impact sailing boat with an experienced Noukhada Helm.

Owning company: Noukhada Adventure Company

Phone: 02 650 3600

Get your boat listed with us. Just contact us on

04-4502419 or e-mail: contact@outdooruae.com
The information contained is for general use only. While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been obtained from reliable sources,
however the publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in this magazine is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results ob-
tained from the use of this information. In no event will the publisher, its related affiliates or anyone else be responsible for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information
in this magazine.

43
The
One
Lure
What is ‘The One’ thing a lure
needs to be special?

After reading Kit’s recent article on
being a “Lure-Aholic” I could not help
but think about the many times I have
been asked certain questions regard-
ing lures: “What is the best lure to
catch (such and such) a fish with?”
or “What lure works the best in that
area?” So what do you answer?
What does this “One” lure look like?
What is it that “The One” lure should
have? A Specific color maybe? Or is
it a specific action? What about size?
Does it really matter?
into a shoe shop for the ladies. You know
you don’t need another pair but there is an
empty spot that needs filling. Take care now!
I have many times seen Lures catching a lot
more fishermen than actual fish. Beware
everything that shines is not always gold.
Select wisely!
Colors
A few years ago I was preparing to go on a
Fly Fishing trip to Inhaca Island of Mo-
zambique. I was getting some information
on flies to use and was told by one of the
outfitters “That if it is not Chartreuse it has
no use!” Thus recommending that I should
only fish with Chartreuse and white flies. A
few seasons later preparing for a trip to the
Seychelles I was told that White and Tan flies
should be the only flies I take, it also came
with an “I guarantee you.”
that there exists just such a lure?
Take a recent trip to the Musandam North-
ern Oman. We came across a school of
feeding Queenfish. I tried my luck with a
deadly small Yozuri stick bait that I landed
a 30kg GT on a few weeks before. I worked
with short jerks on the rod that make the
lure move for side to side. Irresistible! But
not this time.
I changed to a popper and worked it back
to the boat creating lots of splashes another
guaranteed fail-safe action. But still had
no luck.
Werner my fishing partner was into his
second fish and had, had numerous missed
strikes. He was fishing a plain white, very
un-assuming looking, needle nose plug.

A friend of mine who Fly Fishes for billfish

Well the lure manufacturing companies, for
one, would hate to know what exactly “The
One” magic lure is; after all they manufac-
ture lures to make profit. According to the
advertisements you see, every lure available
on the market is suppose to be “The One.”
Though choice there must be millions of
fishing lures on the market. Walking into a
fishing shop for us guys must be like walking
off the Kenya coast, said “You can bring any
color fly to Kenya, as long as it is Pink!”
Is this a personal preference or actual fact?
That only certain colors work in certain
areas? Fishing for Dorado’s (mahi-mahi or
Dolphin fish) I think you should never be
without a pink lure. They seem to love the
color, however a few seasons ago I used
a blue and green Yozuri Hydro pencil and
out fished all the pink lures put together. I
landed my best fish of Inhaca with a blue
and white fly, in the Seychelles I landed vari-
ous Gt’s on Chartreuse and blue and white
flies. So now what? There is however more
to a lure than just the right color.
Action
What other characteristics should “The One”
lure we are all looking for have? Could it be

44
There was no special way of working the
lure or making it pop, or dance or walk the
dog. Just a simple cast and fast retrieve. I
changed to one and was into a fish imme-
diately. We landed a lot of fish between the
two of us and Allan or fishing partner for the
day. We even managed a triple hookup all
using the same needle nose plug ending up
with three different species of fish.
So was the lack of action of the needle nose
plug “The One” thing that made it stand out?

Another example of the importance of

movement was when we where fishing in
the Musandam on a slack tide throwing drop
shots (soft plastic) close to the rocks. Nick
and I where using identical outfits, Shimano
Aero cast rods and Shimano reels, same
make and color of braid line and even using
the same 5 inch Riptide Jerk Shad. However
he was getting a lot more hookups than me.
I was a bit bemused at my skills or the lack
thereof. I could not work out why until Nick
showed me the Nitro Jig head he was us-
ing. It looked totally different from the one
I used and caused his bait to behave a lot
more erratic on the retrieve. I “begged” for
a sample and low and behold the strike rate
improved. Could this be “The One thing”?

Does size matter?

Fact or fiction: Big lures catch big fish. I
too believed this but was politely told by a
friend of mine; “Never forget that elephants
sometimes eat peanuts”. This is especially
true when you fish for tuna.

I have many times been in a situation where

huge schools of tuna bust schools of tiny
sprats or anchovies. It is so frustrating to
make cast after cast to these busting fish
without them even taking a second look at
your lure. Fresh water fly fishermen refer
to this as “matching the hatch”, basically
matching the fly you use to the insect life in
the water. Be that, caddis flies, crass hop-
pers, beetles, larva, flying ants or
small baitfish.

This is an important part of lure fishing. Pay

attention to what color and size the bait are;
look at their the movement in the water and
try and find the lure that match this. When
it comes to “The One” thing that makes for
a great lure this is a must, in a case like this
“size does matter”!

So fellow Lure-Aholics and guys looking for

that “One” special lure; it is a myth there
exists no such “One” lure to catch all fish.
Each situation you will be faced with as
angler may call for a different size, color or
action of lure. What works today might not
work tomorrow. The most exciting part is
to find all this out by trying over and over.
Mistakes are limited by experience but expe-
rience only comes from making mistakes.

Now go to the shop and spend that hard-

earned cash on some new flashy looking
lures, I know there is an empty spot in your
tackle box!

AJ Pretorious.

45
FunRide
I suppose competition is a good
thing? After all it is the continuous
strive to improve and perform better
that makes certain nationalities
world leaders and excel amongst
less competitive nations.
The absence of formal competition in my
sport is, however, something that I have
enjoyed over the last three years. It has
been more of a hobby than a competitive
sport. It is also safer and more enjoyable
for the newcomers when they accompany
us on rides. The occasional testosterone
overloaded rider that has to prove himself,
quickly realizes that he is the only fan ap-
plauding him for crossing the line first.
Little was I to know the effect of a state-
ment I made in a previous article where I
mentioned how well Tiennie and his son
Craig rode their 700 Raptors. Comments
like, “Oooh reeeeaaally?” and “they can
only ride on flat terrain,” “it’s only because
46
they know the area” and who knows what
else was made by fellow Boers in the UAE.
This was when I came up with the idea
of some healthy competition between the
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain Riders. It
had to be fair and cover all the bases so no
excuses could be used after the ride. I was
very cautious of using the word competi-
tion in my invitation and had to make
sure that everyone understood it was an
adventure and not a competition. This was
only due to possible legal implications if
someone got hurt during the “event”.
Neutral ground with mixed terrain had to
be selected. Knowing some good areas
around Al Ain that had not been ridden by
The team!
any of us for more than a year, the plan-
ning started. I sent a draft invitation to get
an idea of what the other riders thought
of the plan. I immediately realized that
this had been an outstanding requirement
for some time. Everyone was keen on
some healthy competition or adventure as
I called it. Many a witty e-mail was sent
to and from the “Clans”, all indicating
the good camaraderie and “need” for this
event.
To eliminate the logistics of refuelling,
a 50km circular route was plotted (on
Google) crossing some high, medium and
small dunes. Louis, a trusted friend and
I, took a drive out to the waypoints about
a week prior to the race and placed some
numbered cards at each turning point (one
card per team). On arrival, each team was
to take a number and continue. Exact
GPS plots plus photos of navigation points
like a tree, rock or fence were taken for
easy recognition of where the cards were.
These co-ordinates were then sent via
Ettiene’s 2 Polaris quads used for ‘Recovery’ standby
e-mail a couple of days prior to the event
so that participants could programme their
GPS’s and study the route if they wanted to.

As the event took place only two weeks after

I had sent the initial invitation out, I was not
expecting more than about 15 Riders. The
response was, however, overwhelming and
27 riders participated including 20 Boers!!!
The start was from our usual picnic area in
Al Ain and by 8h30 all the riders had arrived
and surprisingly nobody was late!!

I wanted to really make a fun day of the

event and with the help of Louis, Mike and
Charles we really showed them how to do
it. Braais (bbq’s), shade, music and a very
full cooler box!! On arrival everybody had
a level of excitement in their voices. There
are no events like this in the UAE. Here
we have only two events. The Abu Dhabi
Desert Classic, for champion level riders,
and the UAE Desert Baja which was a more
“social” event and catered for non-Profes- already completed our second fun ride.
sionals. The Baja as I understand had sadly There is a definite need for this type of social
been cancelled and even before the start of interaction in the sport and we, the Al Ain
this event riders commented that this should team, will attempt to take this event to the
become an annual or bi-annual event. next level this winter. Keep reading your
OUTDOOR UAE for details of this upcom-
We divided the group into 5 teams and tried ing event.
to balance the experience level of riders
between the teams. Just before the start the Go For Gold and Ride Safe,
rules, and the fact that it was an adventure
Good turn-up for the Fun Ride!
and not a race, was explained and then John Basson.
the fun started!!!

We set off at two minute intervals

with the faster teams in the front. The
“adventure” was completed with only
three incidents: one rider came off his
bike only 500m from the start. No
injuries, other than a slightly dented
ego, made him opt to wait and join
the sweepers at the back. The second Hubby & wife team
was slightly more serious; as Driekus
Top Adventurers: Craig,
Tiennie, Pierre, Louw, Johan,
crossed a ledge in an old quarry area
Oliver & Mark! his front wheel buried itself in soft
sand and he hit the ground very
hard. The third was a rider that
ran out of fuel. The route was
only 50km and he should have
made it. Their team, however,
missed the third turning point and
had to return to collect the card.
This added about 15km to their
ride. They were originally part
of the same team as Driekus but
after Driekus fell they split. This
was no problem but they had
no phone with them and could
The briefing not let anyone know of their pre-
dicament!!! We only found them
three hours later when we sent Some Dubai riders
out four different search parties………..

All in all a great event and outdoor

adventure which was enjoyed by
everyone. The mutual request from
all the riders was for at least one more
event before the summer. I am very
pleased and proud of the Al Ain team
for the effort they put in that made this
1st Rally such a huge success!! Prior Special thanks to Mike, for being standby
A spectacular start! to the printing of this article we had Paramedic, Marshal and Braai Koning!

47
Standing Up
for the Jet Ski
After 37 years it seems that the
Kawasaki standup Jet Ski might be
confined to the history books... The
legendary craft that has been devel-
oped from the 400cc Jet Ski in 1973
has come a long way, but maybe
finally succumbing to final deadline
on its old-school, two-stroke engine.
So where is the good news? That doesn’t
mean if you buy a craft now, you won’t
be able to ride it. On the contrary, current
machines will be grandfathered in.
If you needed any more incentive to buy one
of the most fun, athletic rides on the water,
consider this. Kawasaki is sending out the
current 800 SX-R in style, the new color and
graphic schemes are a flashy, tribal-inspired
model…Moreover the Kawasaki is still one
of the best Stand up Jet Skis on the water to
date although in recent years it has had stiff
competition mostly from Yamaha.
Having ridden stand up Jet Skis most of my
life I have seen both sides of the coin, in
my teens I was loyal to Kawasaki having
had a 440cc, 550cc & 650cc, stand up skis
not to mention the race skis I had when I
used to race semi-professionally. In the new
millennium the old Kawasaki dealership in
the UAE lacked incentive to sell much of
anything except spare parts. This is when I
jumped to Yamaha and have owned several
Yamaha Superjets over the last 10 years…
Now with Liberty Kawasaki taking over as
the new dealer we see a fresh lease of life in
the Kawasaki’s brand in the UAE.
Suddenly the one who I had once been loyal
to was back! So it was time to reacquaint
myself and see what had happened to Kawa-
saki during my affair with Yamaha.
The look is younger and bolder, with green
48
and black and white, these prime
colors on a black hull, It looks hot
and fresh and a break away from
the old reds and blues. Kawasaki’s
nod to the craft’s significance is
subtle. A small badge on the handle
pole reads “Tribute to 37 Years of
Jet Skis.”
Below the flashy looks, however,
remains the tried-and-true Kawasaki
hull. Several years back Kawasaki
tweaked the design and created a
unique mix; the craft became more
aggressive in turns for experienced
pilots, and yet at the same time
easier and more stable for begin-
ners to learn on.
Much of the change came from
hull-sides that flared outward
toward the bow, and
slimmed slightly
aft. The change was
akin to bolting on up against the established competition in
aftermarket sponsons that had the UAE? Well pretty damn good. It may be
become popular at the time, in the minority out here but this Ski has got
giving the boat more wetted style and to top it off it feels more focused
surface where it counts and in the corners than my old Super-jet, this
positioning the bow higher Ski really does hook up in the corners when
in the water. Stability also carving, it oozes enthusiasm. As far as power
improved, but turning really goes it’s pretty much the same, and there are
advanced. The 800 SX-R can also all the usual aftermarket parts out there
lock into a slalom course and to boost the power, should you want it.
carve it up with the preci-
sion of a chef at a Japanese For those of you who like to do your tail
steak house. At the same stands and tricks, it is harder to slide than a
time it porpoises less under Superjet, but if you’re at an advanced stage
acceleration and handles more solidly in where you can do the tricks you won’t have
a problem getting your head around getting
rough water.
the Kawasaki into a slide!
The engine that’s in part causing the Jet Ski’s
Am I convinced? Yes, I would go back to
demise is still pretty darn good. A 781cc
twin-cylinder, two-stroke, it pushes the boat Kawasaki…I just hope that this is not the last
chapter for the Kawasaki Stand up Jet Ski!
to around 48 mph for those that have the
skill to hold on, and features enough low-
end punch to leap the boat out of the hole Ryan Trutch.
and accelerate strong. It’s
also reliable and simple
to maintain; many own-
ers can forget trying to
work on or troubleshoot
today’s more complex
four-stroke engines. A
two-stroke, however,
is much more simple
for those with a little
mechanical knowledge.
Basic daily maintenance
is aided by a convenient
freshwater flush fitting.
Verdict Hennie (Liberty Kawasaki’s after sales manager)
gives Ryan some technical advice
So how does this stack
 Don’t Tell My Father...
Ten years ago one
piece of advice my
father gave me after
my brother crashed his
KTM 125 into a truck,
whilst illegally crossing a fly
over in Dubai was- ‘Darling if I ever
see you ride a bike or a quad again
your grounded’. Luckily my brother
survived, but seeing the amount of
physiotherapy he had to go through
and the state of his leg and arm in
plaster and the embedded metal
plates, I decided to take my dad’s
advice quite seriously.
Only until now did I decide to go against
my father’s wishes and get on a quad again,
I understand how dangerous it can be, but
under supervision and instruction out in the
desert and not on a road, I thought I should
give it another go. (I just needed to remem-
ber not to mention it to him!)
On a mission to find out the best place to
go and who to call- a friend of mine who
is an avid motocross junkie passed on a
lead to me- Emirates Bike Tours. Although
EBT is a new company the owner James
West has been doing bike tours in the UAE
for 5 years, so his knowledge of the UAE
desert is excellent. Based in Al Awir just by
the sports stadium, they operate during the
week but are mostly busy on the weekends.
Run by James, James Edmeades and Stuart
Billington they have a collective experience
of 2 and 4 Wheels, Moto-x, Rally, Endur-
ance, Superbikes, Road bikes and much
more! And after meeting them all I felt I was
in safe hands. The only problem I could see
was that I would never be able to get up in
the morning…
“Getting up at 4.30 am to be on site by
5.00 am for the summer months, I thought
to myself you’ve got to either have some-
thing wrong with you, or you just love what
you do!? I was hoping for the latter after
the adventure!”
Having minimal experi-
ence on a bike – I’m talking
maybe 2/3 trips to the
desert 10 years ago with
my family the guys thought
it would be best to try it all
again on a Quad just for
safe measure. They were
actually a little nervous to
even take me out to begin
with, as Stuart explained-
they don’t cater for many
beginners but rather people
who have had some time
on a bike or quad and
want to take it onto the
next level. They run ½ day
and full day bike and quad
rentals, also specialising in tours around
the deserts and mountains of the UAE, in
addition to provide storage and service, but
this is mainly for accomplished and experi-
enced riders. However saying that they also
do 1-2-1 guidance sessions for those less
experienced like myself, so there are certain
boxes you need to tick before diving head
first into the sand!
Having run through the basics again, all
supplied protective gear in place (after
contemplating if the goggles go on the
inside or outside of the helmet- don’t worry
was quick to figure that one out) I got on the
450 Kawasaki Quad and started her up with first into the sand. My legs decided to stop
a lovely little electric button. I thought to working …I was so tense throughout the
myself- this is much easier than I remember whole experience it overworked my quads
from kick starting a bike! Little did I realise so I couldn’t walk properly for a few days!
pulling away, not so easy. After stalling a few
times, I managed to get the hang of it again “Apart from the muscles tensing up the
and with James Edmeades leading the tour whole experience was fantastic, driving
my friend Tom at the back we set off into fast, getting hot, feeling uninhibited, you
the desert. can escape out in the desert, push yourself
up and down these dunes with adrenaline
At first I was going way too slow I thought pumping through you and all before work
I’ve got to push a bit faster if I’m going to starts at 9 am!”
represent any form of adventure chick and
after a while I was actually keeping up with The experience is a must for those looking
the pace (or the pace they had made for to get back into it, and if you fancy yourself
me lets not tell a bit of an
half truths here). adventure chick
We came off there are a few
the track, which girls that go out
runs parallel to during the week
the fence next to and weekends.
the highway and I even spotted
started climbing Vicky White from
up and down Channel 4 when
dunes. It was I was there!
quite unreal as
you’ve got to Just remember
keep up the if you are inter-
power when hit- ested in making
ting the bottom of the dune and hope to god this activity your new pre work hobby as
you don’t bail out midway and fall off or get Stuart from EBT’s advises; This hobby is for
too much air at the top if your not ready for sure dangerous, and riding in the desert you
it which happened to me a few times. don’t go over the same track twice, the ter-
rain changes constantly, and don’t forget the
We were only out for about an hour and a desert will always bite back!
half and by 7.30 am you could already start
to feel the heat, we had to stop a few times If you want to find out more about this
as I found myself a little experience make sure you get in touch with
unfit and using muscles Outdoor UAE to find out more about
I never knew I had. The Emirates Bike Tours.
guys left me to recover as
they had a bit of fun on the And what ever you do- just remember, don’t
dunes, and after drinking tell my father!
some water and panting
heavily, I got back into it. Desert Cat. x
We headed into a flat area
and had an encounter with
a wild gazelle and rode
alongside it for a while. By
this point we were pretty far
out in the desert and after
another stop, James could
see heading back was a
safe option as I tried to step
of the quad and fell face
49
 PEOPLE
sley Jones
Name: Le
(surf ski)
Paddling
Activity:
ty: British
Nationali .E. and w
hy did
u b e e n in the U.A for 4 ½ years.
have yo Duba i
How long re? I have been in nth secon
d-
u c o m e he ll y o n a 3 – 6 mo
yo itia
ith work in le I stayed longer.
I came w a n y peop
e m
ment. Lik passion
really my
ss io n ? R unning is v it y.
What’s yo
ur pa ional acti
reat addit
ling is a g

Lesley
u t p a d d dling –
b With pad
u ri te sp ot/route? e Pa lm is one of
ur favo hi to th at to get
What’s yo om the Mina Seya g re
ll y. Fr in n e r it is just ays
an y re a As a b e g if some d
nt routes. n the water – even
my freque u t o th a n st ay ing
e to be o the water
the chanc lling into
e n d m o re time fa
I sp
it. ut
on top of Just get o
d o u r re aders? – & K ayak
n i
d o yo u recomme it h D u b ai Surf Sk
Wha t check w ns.
y it. Also ing sessio
there & tr fo r e v e nts & train
KC )
Club (DS arly - it’s
Get out e
w it h th e heat? ts o f water.
o w d o yo u cope
e ff o rt . P lus take lo
H the
ell worth
always w

50
 SSE
e De WERGIFO
Name : Patric
elgian
Nationality : B
Age : 33
ce 2005
In Dubai : Sin s
Telecom Sale d getting
Occupation : ying Rugby an

PEOPLE
y, D iv in g , P la
tograph
Hobbies : Pho
dle of nowhere
lost in the mid

When I first saw this car on Dubizzle 5 years ago (the Land Rover, pictured
below), I immediately thought I would one day drive it back to Belgium. That
was even before I started to hear about off-road driving, and falling in love with
the desert and other empty and remote places. It is a 1989 Land Rover De-
fender 110, ex-UAE Army vehicle. Everybody likes this car. Even in Dubai where
nobody has friends on the road, people of all nationalities wave at me. Some
people even went as far as tailgating me in Oman, just to stop me and talk about
the car!
The issue is that you don’t often get an occasion I was planning to go the long. However, as
to do such a trip. Although some people man- preparation took longer than expected, I will
age to reach Northern Europe in 12 days, my take “only” one month for the upward journey
aim was not really to get there, but rather to get to avoid the peak of summer in the Middle East.
lost in the middle of nowhere on the way. As I Then I will spend 2 weeks in Belgium and take
hadn’t been working since Christmas, I decided 10 weeks to come back.
it was now or never. After exceeding my budget
big time with my preparation delays, I will be Why come back? Firstly, it’s because I don’t
soon ready to go. plan to leave Dubai anytime soon to return to
paying taxes under the rain clouds. Secondly,
The initial plan was to go through Saudi, Jordan because there is no way my car would pass
and Syria (with a stop in Lebanon). However, registration anywhere in Europe. And thirdly, it
the current situation in Syria made me recon- is cheaper to drive back rather than shipping the
sider this option. It would not be a problem to car and flying back home. make me change my mind. Yes, I can be very
cross Syria, however, it wouldn’t really suit my irrational sometimes.
way of travelling, turning every rock upside I’m doing this trip for ‘me, myself and I’. I’m
down in the country and going everywhere with not supporting any charity as I didn’t want any Google Earth is my best friend at the moment.
a big camera. sponsoring and other related obligations… I don’t care about the general itinerary. I will
just time for me to discover other cultures and use maps and my sight. But reaching the con-
So the journey will start with a boat trip to travel slowly through remote places. I would fluence points can be a bit tricky and requires
Bandar-Abbas. Itinerary will be Iran – Naxevan like to take as few roads and as many tracks as some good research. If you enter the wrong
(not sure about the spelling, small enclave of possible. As if I needed an excuse to go off the valley, you can cover dozens of kilometres and
Azerbaijan between Armenia and Iran) - back beaten path, I will use the Degree Confluence never get close to the point…
to Iran – Iraqi Kurdistan - Turkey… and then Project (http://confluence.org/) as a thread for
I will see. The only place I decided I’d like to this trip. The goal of the project is to visit each So the car is nearly ready, almost all the equip-
visit in Europe is Vaduz in Liechtenstein. I don’t of the latitude and longitude integer degree ment purchased, just admin stuff to clear (CPD,
know why, maybe just to tick it off my list. intersections in the world (e.g. E43 N42), and visas) in the next few weeks and I hope to be
to take pictures at each ready to hit the road by mid-July… and prove
location. The pictures, and wrong all the ‘friends’ that predicted I wouldn’t
stories about the visits, will even reach Sharjah to get the boat. For the first
then be posted on their time since I purchased the car, I managed to
website. There are dozens do 1,500km without breaking down. That is a
of points not yet visited in pretty good sign for the trip! And yes break-
Iran and about 10 of them in downs will happen. Just an occasion to use the
Eastern Turkey. tonne of spare parts I’ll be taking with me and
to meet more friendly people. Under social
So now the car is in the pressure, I eventually decided to write a blog.
workshop for the final So you will be able to follow my trip, but it is
preparations (winch, tent, not ready yet. In the meantime, you can contact
awning, electricity jobs, me on slowlanetonowhere@gmail.com. If you
water tank …). Don’t tell have an idea about how to use Google Earth
me about the paradox of offline, please let me know!
putting so much equipment
on a 20,000 AED car which I will keep you posted,
is all open with no AC - I
know already. You will not Patrice.

51

PEOPLE
In April 2010, Elham Qasimi
(brand ambassador of Adventure HQ)
successfully trekked an unsupported
expedition to the Geographic North
Pole. During her often arduous but
mostly inspiring three-week journey,
Elham skied cross-country to the
North Pole starting at 89 degrees
latitude. As a result of her success
she became the first Arab woman
to set foot on the North Pole and the
first UAE national to undertake an
unsupported expedition to the North
Pole. We present an exclusive inter-
view of one of the most inspirational
women of the world today.
Would you say, the north pole was your biggest
achievement so far? Not only as a personal one
also as an Emirati women? Yes it was, but it
was not necessarily the step onto the pole
itself that embodies this achievement much
as it is the most visible aspect of it all. It is
the journey to actually have the courage
and the resilience to get there, and in my
view the most difficult depth of courage to
draw upon is the courage to surrender. I
52
Elham
Qasimi
profound amount of silence, newly created
mental space, and solitude surfaced old
ghosts. You would think the extreme physi-
cal conditions your body is put through
would be the hardest part, and it was
indeed physically grueling. However it is
when your mental composure deteriorates
that you actually risk failure. That day I
learned in order to move forward there
were things I had to leave behind. Realising
I would not make it if I didn’t purge myself
had to draw upon this a lot in the months
of such old fears, doubts, and so on, I had
leading up to the expedition. I chose the
no choice but to try much as it felt like a
journey for the fun of it but also as a cata-
step in the dark.
lyst to really do some ‘housekeeping’ of
It was a very personal experience, but
my life and where I dedicated my energy
I remember looking behind me as I skied
as I felt there was leakage of my energy so
and almost seeing little old beaten suit-
to speak. I had no idea when I set out how
cases falling off the load on my shoulders.
tough the task of organizing and cleaning
up my life to square up to the challenge
I remember feeling lighter as I skied on.
would be. In the end it was a gift.
And shockingly thinking those old stories
and experiences I held onto made me who
I will never forget how tough it was,
I was and underpinned my success. I let go
especially each time I meet a charged
and realized success was my own blood
Emirati woman at a public event, or moti-
sweat and toil, it always had been all my
vational talk, and see that mix of questions
life, and I simply undermined and held my-
and fire in their look, wanting to pursue
their own unbeaten road but struggling to
self back by believing otherwise. It’s easy to
understand how to cut through the many
say that now with the benefit of hindsight,
layers. It is why I will never tire of engag-
but it was a very scary shot in the dark
almost like stripping back your sense of
ing with them, with young people, and
identitiy and questioning whether it really
with people of other backgrounds alike.
is what you think it is. It turned out to be
the best thing that ever has happened to
What was the motivation for this expedition?
me, a gift. All growth and progress comes
And what did it mean to you to succeed? I
through pain.
think I answered this in the previous ques-
tion, but will elaborate further.
We are sure, this was not your last adventure.
Are you planning further expeditions? Can you
Did you ever want to give up? What was the
tell us something about them? Any reminder
hardest part (day) from the first day until
or pictures of the north pole, and I im-
your success? There was a day perhaps
mediately have a deep pull to do it all over
three days into the expedition when the
again. And then there is the other par tof
me that never wants to feel that cold again!
Suffice to say despite the conflicting
desires the spirit of advaneture is rooted
firmly in my soul. I can’t discuss the actual

expedition until I am done researching
and planning it. What I can tell you is
it is taking longer to prepare/announce
because it is, as you may expect, slightly
more ambitious than the last expedition
The north pole is most probably the complete
opposite in climate to the UAE. Do you have
any favorite sports and activities in the UAE?
I have been away from the UAE for 7 years
and have only just moved back to the UAE
this year. I am so excited about exploring
the outdoors and activities available to us
practically year round, something I never
had while living in Europe no matter how
funt he outdoors are there!
I’m taking this as an opportunity to take
cycling more seriously, it’s a great way
to keep fit, and one that suits me as I get
injured shins fairly quickly when I run too
much.
I’m also very curious about open water
kayaking, but that’s something I’ve never
done before!
What is your favorite spot worldwide and in
the UAE? Why? World wide: I haven’t seen
enough of the world to really make that
call yet, but of the places I have seen, The
Serengeti ranks pretty high.
UAE- I love Ras Al Khaimah, its natural
terrain has so much to offer. It would
probably be a tie with Liwa however. The
dunes there are stunning and the local
community were truly the nicest most wel-
coming people I have ever met. I was very
much tempted to move there and open a
little corner shop and live peacefully and
quietly if I could sit still long enough!
Extreme sports, adventures and the outdoors
are dominated by men, do you think, that
women in general and especially Emi-
rati women fit into this world? Any such
boundaries can only be creating by an
indivdual and imposed upon herself. For
example, why would the number of men
vs women who have participated in an
extreme sport before me matter unless I
was subconsciously deselecting myself
from participating on that basis?
There is absolutely no reason why be-
ing the first women or Emirati woman to
do something be a factor to stand in your
way unless you allow it. All that matters is
that it is important and enjoyable to you,
and that you are genuine in your effort
to achieve your dreams. You do however
have to take full ownership of the out-
come, can’t wait for change to be handed
to you.
What would you tell people (women) to
motivate them to go outdoors and live their
adventures? You only know your limits
when you risk going too far. I found mine
where no where near where I thought they
were, and I certainly haven’t found my
limit yet.
Nothing in the world beats persistence.
With persistence and the motivation to
do things for the right reason, the goal is
yours.
Is there anything else you want to add?
Something that helped find the courage to
let me my more adventurous side emerge
was surrounding myself with other people
with similar ambitions/interests over a
number of years. I think we should be
more organized around this effort in the
UAE to create a bit of inertia. We need
that inertia for systemic change of habits
and norms around extreme and outdoor
sports. And in the end, lets not forget its
healthy and innocent fun!
53
10 Top Tips to
Stay Adventurous and Active through this Summer
Summer in the Gulf Gulf is weirdly
similar to winter in the UK. Here
instead of the cold and rain keeping
you inside it’s the heat and humid-
ity. But just as the UK has plenty
of adventurous games to be played
during the winter it’s the same here
in summer. There is a knack to it and
in this article I hope to help through
passing on 10 top tips to you all.
Top Tip #1 – Stay acclimatized
Do your best to avoid air conditioning so
you don’t lose your acclimatization to the
heat. It takes about 2 weeks for a per-
son’s body to go through the physiological
changes needed to cope with the regions’
heat in the first place. Preserve this by regu-
larly spending time outside and not keeping
your air-con turned up to the max. I have
mine set around the 26 to 27 mark so that
the jump to the temperature outside isn’t so
harsh (saves cash too!).
Top Tip #2 – Make the effort
I do find it harder to motivate myself to get
out in the summer but have always found
it worth the effort. Remembering this is
important and helps make getting out of the
door that bit easier.
Top Tip #3 – Stay safe
Do make plans with safety in mind. The
big danger in the summer is hyperthermia
(getting yourself unhealthily too hot and not
54
being able to cool down) or dehydration.
If you’re not used to managing yourself in
the heat don’t stray too far from ways of
being able to cool your core temperature
down if you do cook up. Sources of air
conditioning like vehicles are a useful safety
net as are bodies of water like pools and the
sea. Make sure you have access to plenty of
drinking water and drink little and often.
Top Tip #4 – Front load your hydration
While it’s obvious that keeping properly hy-
drated is crucial, what is less obvious is that
thirst is an actual sign of dehydration.
If you wait till you’re thirsty it’s a bit too late.
In the summer I make a point of drinking a
litre of water as soon as I get up as this kick
starts my hydration and it’s then just a case
of ensuring I keep topped up. Making sure
I have plenty of water available is important
and I’m a big fan of bladder systems like
Platypus in backpacks to enable me to drink
little and often when I’m on the go rather
than stopping and fishing around in the bot-
tom of a pack for a water bottle.
Top Tip #5 – Pick the right games
to play
Some outdoor activities lend themselves
more to the summer than others. Wa-
tersports obviously fit into this category.
Kayaking, scuba diving, surfing and stand
up paddle boarding (SUP) are all brilliant
all year round activities as just being by the
water is cooler plus a quick dip has always
been one of the best ways to cool off. Cy-
cling generates its own breeze so is also a
great year round activity. Just be careful to
pace yourself to keep your body temperature
from going through the roof. Heading to
the hills is a great way to beat the heat. An
effect known as the lapse rate means that
for every 100m you go up a hill you’ll lose
about 1 degree Centigrade of temperature.
This means that at 1000m above sea level it
will be about 10 degrees cooler than down
at sea level. Typically it’s also breezier which
makes it feel cooler. Be careful though,
referring back to top tip #3 and staying safe,
it’s very easy to get much more remote and
far from help in the hills so plan carefully.
Top Tip #6 – Choose your time
As it cools off at night it makes sense to
make the most of this time. Most adventur-
ous games can be played at night so making
a plan to either start or finish in the dark is
often worthwhile. Sea kayaking with the
phosphorescence coming off your paddles
is really something else. The regions’ moun-
tain bikers can be found most evenings of
the week out at Shawka doing laps of the
single track they’ve been developing out
there. You’ll find the regular Dubai Road-
sters crowd leaving the Lime Tree Café for an
80km to 120km road bike ride an hour or so
before dawn on a Friday morning.
Top Tip #7 – Wear the right clothing
The right clothing will protect your skin from
the sun and help you manage the sweat that
will be generated therefore helping to keep
you as comfortable as possible. Go Sports,
Intersports and the newly opened Adventure
HQ all now sell ranges of technical clothing
that will do the job brilliantly. Buff multi
functional head wear can help protect the
whole of your head as well as the back of
your neck while also wicking away sweat. I
find them brilliant either soaked in cold wa-
ter and placed around my neck to keep cool
or under a cycling helmet to prevent sweat
running into my eyes while still protecting
the back of my neck from the sun.
Top Tip #8 – Freeze your water
Good quality water bottles like the Triton
Flasks from Lifesystems or the Platypus blad-
der systems can all be filled then put in the
freezer over night. Use them the next day
and you’ll have a constant source of crisp
cold water for hours.
Top Tip #9 – Use isotonic drink
supplements
Sweating doesn’t just dehydrate you, you
also lose lots of important salts through
your skin. Isotonic drinks will replace these
keeping a spring in your step and mak-
ing you feel much more able to cope with
the heat. I often find mixing them at half
strength makes them much more palatable
in the heat ensuring I stay hydrated.
Top Tip #10 – Travel
Many people run away from the brutal heat
of summer on the Arabian Peninsular which
doesn’t make much sense given that it’s high
season, busy and expensive everywhere.
However last weekend I discovered there
were other options much closer to home.
The Gulf itself is a closed shallow sea guard-
ed by the Straits of Hormuz and as a result
tends to get quite warm during the summer.
The east coast always has slightly lower tem-
peratures than the west as it is next to more
open ocean. The further down this coast the
cooler the average temperatures tend to be.
Once you get about a 3 hour drive beyond
Muscat, even in the height of summer, the
temperatures get down to below 30 degrees
on average. Exploring this area is definitely
worthwhile for any adventure seeker based
in the Gulf. It took us about 8 hours to drive
door to surf beach making it a very viable
and cool weekend away.
Ian Ganderton.
 Centered Third Golden Ratio

Point of Interest (Motive)

In the past articles we focused

only on technical aspects of digital
photography, which is most time logic
and absolute. But the essential part of 1/3 1/3 1/3 a b
each and every photo is not based on about 61,8% about 38,2%

technical things, knowing the tech- Golden Ratio Φ = a:b = (a+b):a

niques and rules and understanding
them is still important as you must be
able to master your tools, but without
a sense for a photo all technical
place you point of interest
on point C. (check online
for golden ratio, it would be
too long to explain here)
www.kleine-fotoschule.de/
>
The point of interest is chosen
by the golden ratio to highlight
the main motive the paddler
in front the background is off
focus (blurred)

knowledge would be useless. Every bildgestaltung/goldener-

month we get amazing photos with schnitt.html
>
>
the simplest tools – why? Because Rule of Thirds: A little bit
the choice of the point of interest and easier to apply is the rule
the motive is simply amazing. of thirds, where you simply
put your point of intrest off-
Some people are born with a sense for aes- center, on a line two thirds
thetic photos and will always catch the right on one side and one third
balance and placement of their subjects. on the other.
We could write a book about this topic and
there are books written about it. What we Horizon: You can apply
want to do in this article give you some little the golden ration or the
hints if you have the feeling of struggling rule of thirds to place the

with your choice of ‘the point of interest’
and your scene. There are some basic rules
you can follow for the beginning, which will
help you.
Snap Shots: A snap shot does not fall un-
der this topic and is as the name describes
– a quick shot out of an impulse to catch a
situation without considering much the crea-
tive aspect of a photograph. Even though
snap shot result sometimes in amazing
photo, this however is more based on luck
and coincidence than control and creativity.
To take a good photograph think first and
then press the shutter button. If you don’t
think about what you want from the picture
you will not succeed. (Or sometimes just be
lucky)
Point of Interest: Choose one point of
interest and try to create your scene around
it. Keep in mind that sometime less is more.
Centered: The easiest rule is to keep your
point of interest in the center of your picture.
horizon in your scene. You
should always try to keep
the horizon horizontal and not droping in
one direction.
Image detail: Choose the part of the scene
you want to include around your point of
interest. This includes for example if the im-
age format: landscape or portrait as well as
how far you want to zoom in or get close to
your point of interest.
Perspective: The perspective is one very
important part of the atmosphere in the
photograph. Think about the perspective –
there is more than just your usual perspec-
tive while standing. Lying on the ground or
taking a photo from above can change the
appearance of a subject dramatically. Also
The point of interest is
centered in these pictures, to
compare the chosen image
>
the choice of focal length will have a big in-
fluence on your perspective and the atmos-
phere. Extreme and dramatic perspective
might also result in bent lines or distortions,
which could be a desired effect.
Focus: First define your fore and back-
ground, and then put the focus on the right
spot. With the sharpness in the picture
(depth of field / f-stop) you can manipulate
your photograph and drive the viewer of
your image directly to your point of interest.
Keeping parts of an image vanished will
also influence a lot of the atmosphere of an
image. In other situations you might desire
sharpness throughout the whole photo to
catch each and every detail.
Light: Light is the mastering force for pho-
tography. Photography is all about capturing
light. Therefore it is no surprise that light is
one key element in your scene. This is also a
huge topic which we try to put in a very few
sentences.

Golden Ratio: A centered point of interest

is often considered as boring. One of the
most important rules in photography is the
golden ratio. Using the golden ration to ar-
range your scene, you have to do some math
or you try to follow the graphic below to
detail the left one is in land-
scape format and the other
Analyze the light situation: What and
one in portrait format. The where is the light source or sources? Can
face of the person is lit by the you influence the light situation? We will
evening sun, the back of the focus here only on available light like the
dune is already in shade.
sun what applies to the outdoors. The sun
is a single light source but might be (and in
general is) bounced back by other objects
and surfaces which generates and ambient
light. You need to analyze is the angle of
the sun and the shadows and be aware that
the best light is usually in the morning and
the evening hours after sunrise and before
sunset – the so call golden hour (twilight).

Rules are there to be broken, creativity has

no borders so what is mentioned above are
hints but are not absolute rules. Feel free to
experiment and enjoy taking photos.

Don’t forget to send us your best shots!

contact@outdooruae.com

56
Location, location!
On our travels up and down the UAE coastline in car, kayaks and Jet boats alike,
Outdoor UAE stumbles across all sorts of hidden gems. We stay true to the fact that
all natural environments should remain natural, and if you were to go visit any of
our locations remember to respect the area and it’s habitat.

When on the Jetboat experience mentioned below in Umm Al Quain we noticed

some abandoned fishing peirs on our travels, small communities of fishermen
live on these islands and look after the areas, maintaining the balance of life on
the Natural Reserve. The Mangrove area of Sinayah Island is mostly popular for
kayakers, or any watercraft with shallow hulls as the low tides can fall down to your
ankles in the blink of an eye.

On these islands you can see flocks of Great Cormorants, groups of turtles and
gazelle. We were lucky enough to spot some gazelle, and adventure onto a small
abandonded fishing peir, and on the way back down the coast line taking in the
industrious fishing community breaking for lunch in the midday sun. All in all a
little adventure in itself....

The area is : N25° 38’39.2”, E055°41”41.0”

This is known as Sinayah Island Natural Reserve- Umm Al Quwain Mangroves.

Where no one can hear you scream!

Gus from the The Boat House invited Outdoor UAE to have a spin in one of the smallest and
fastest little jet boats around. As Gus mentions, ‘This is the first performance Jet boat of its kind
in the UAE and the Gulf’.

N.Z built, the design is a hybrid copy of America’s Outlaw Eagles racing marathon boats, which
are designed for white water and shallow water boat racing. With an aggressive performance
these boats call out for adrenaline junkies and are ‘the ultimate toy’ for speedboat enthusiasts.

Whipping up and down the Umm Al Quwain coastline (the ideal place to have an experience)
the boat can comes within cm’s of the mangroves as it weaves it’s way in and out of the lagoons.
ers a
cky read ense to Breathtaking and adrenaline-fuelled the experience also has a calming effect on you as the boat
o ff e ri n g two lu d it ’s lic
r UAE is ’ an e-
Outdoo ‘Velocity AE’s fac gracefully skims across the ankle deep shallows.
to e x p erience o n O u tdoor U ners to
chance m e m b e r w . W in
come a to the dra .
thrill! Be to be entered in nth It’s aerodynamic hull and simple yet vivid splash graphics pictured to the left somewhat don’t
ge f the mo
book pa ced at the end o do the boat justice. Don’t be fooled by it’s toy like appearance, it’s jet engine gives it a license
u n
be anno to become one of the most rapid and boisterous pieces of kit there is out there on the water, and
coupled with heightened wind noise it becomes a place where no one can hear you scream….

SPECS:
Name: Velocity
Length: 18 Feet
Hand built chevy 600HP+ Performance Engine
Top Speed: 62 Knots ( 115kph)
Runs in as little as 15 cm of water.

TIPS:
Bring Sunglasses with you, you can’t keep your eyes open otherwise!

If you want to find out more about the Jet Boat and where you can spot it over the next few
months, get in touch with Outdoor UAE!
Email: contact@outdooruae.com

57
 Final Thought

plastic
not so
fantastic
Our passion is the great outdoors.
We love to discover new places, but
unfortunately we have encountered
all too often the destructive effects of
plastic pollution in the most remote
corners of the globe. Our mission is
to raise awareness about plastic pol-
lution from the United Arab Emirates
to the rest of the world. Thus came
the idea to combine the two – a
great journey with a great cause. The
PlasticNotSoFantastic (PNSF) Expedi-
tion was born.
We both grew up with a strong environ-
mental conscience, particularly in all things
relating to plastic. David, through his father’s
work as a veterinarian, became aware of the
destructive and often fatal effects of plastic
pollution in the animal kingdom at an early
age. Theresa’s love of the beach and sea was
all too often marred by irresponsible beach
goers leaving their waste behind, and the be alive when it’s delivered to them there is erable progress to be made both in the UAE
increasing quantity of plastic based debris a chance to try and flush the plastic out, but and across the globe. The world’s largest
being washed onto the beaches, a significant this is very rarely successful. concentration of floating plastic waste has
amount of which was clearly from sources accumulated in the North Pacific, between
outside of the UAE. However, in the end, you know that even if Hawaii and the west coast of the United
you save one animal, there will be hundreds States, and is estimated to be twice the size
David and his father work at the Central where you won’t succeed. Like with an ill- of Texas. A second, equally large, polluted
Veterinary Research Laboratory here in ness, treating the symptoms doesn’t provide area has now been confirmed to exist in the
Dubai. David’s father first coined the term a cure. The only way to provide a cure is to North Atlantic Ocean. The vastness of the
“Fatal Pollution” based on the fact that one prevent the animals eating plastic in the first oceans makes it difficult to ascertain the
of the most common causes of death in ani- place, which means that us humans have to extent of current levels of plastic pollution,
mals which come to them for post mortem stop creating so much waste and dumping coupled with the fact that over time plastic
analysis is as a result of plastic ingestion. it in the oceans, deserts, mountains and breaks down into small particles barely
The animals are unable to expel the plastic, beaches just because we are too lazy to take visible to the naked eye. Fish feed on this
which forms a calciferous mass in their it home or dispose of it responsibly. “plastic plankton” and we feed on the fish,
stomachs, weighing up to 58 kilograms, and end up ingesting the toxic cocktail.
and they eventually die a slow and painful Hence, we spend our weekends collecting
death. If the animal is lucky enough still to rubbish on the beach, in the desert and in It’s therefore clear to us that an awareness
the mountains. We spent part of our hon- campaign which focuses on reducing the
eymoon cleaning up a wonderful plateau consumption of single use plastics is es-
in Oman, which was a favourite picnic spot sential to target the source of the problem,
for Omani’s until the government closed the which is a lack of understanding and envi-
road to the site because the rubbish problem ronmental consciousness.
was getting unmanageable.
The PNSF Expedition is not only dedicated
We do believe that attitudes to waste crea- to promoting awareness of the consequenc-
tion and management are slowly changing es of plastic pollution, but we also intend to
in the UAE, nevertheless, the UAE remains seek viable alternatives to single use plastics,
one of the highest per capita producers of and to transfer new technologies, communi-
waste in the world, and there is still consid- ty schemes and methods of reducing plastic

58
consumption to our stakeholders here in
the UAE.

We are working hard to make sure that a

broad range of stakeholders will benefit
from the PNSF Expedition, and naturally,
the general public is one of our stakehold-
ers and we intend to convey information to
them, through pictures, videos and blogs on
our Facebook, Twitter, Issuu and You Tube
pages.

Environmental agencies, NGOs and aca-

demic institutions are some of our other
stakeholders. They will receive data and
non-copyrighted material, which they will
be free to use for any purpose they wish
(projects, studies, campaigns, literature,
school visits, advertisements, web content,
etc.). Through us (and our truck) they will
be able to reach some extremely remote
communities which they would either never
reach, or it would cost the NGO a signifi-
cant amount of their precious capital, to
achieve aims which we can do on a
funded basis.
Our sponsor companies are also our
stakeholders. Their customers and staff will
become more aware of the problem of plas-
tic pollution, which in turn should have an
impact on their consumer decisions.
The PNSF Expedition is endorsed and
supported by the US based NGO Plastic
Pollution Coalition, as well the Emirates
Marine Environmental Group and Emirates
Environmental Group. Together with these
organizations and future endorses and spon-
sors, we intend to provide information, data,
case studies and constructive encourage-
ment to both corporations and individuals
by raising awareness of the consequence
of the irresponsible consumption of single
use plastics and show that our consumption
in the UAE has not only regional, but also
global implications.
We believe that individuals will make the
difference. If everybody does their bit, a lot
can be achieved. Our ACT NOW
tips include:
• Take your own carrier bags when
you go shopping. Buy a couple of re-
usable cotton or jute bags and keep
them with you.
• Buy a re-usable water bottle and keep
filling it up, instead of buying plastic
water bottles.
• The same goes for your home – use a
filter and water jug instead of plastic
water bottles.
• Try to reduce your consumption of
pre-packaged food – start meals from
scratch or buy / ask for less packaging
at the supermarket.
• Do not leave your rubbish at your
camp site or when you stop for a
break.
• Recycle – there are plenty of collec-
tion points in the UAE for recyclable
waste.
• Confront plastic polluters and make
your voice heard.

EXPLORE ENCOUNTER INVESTIGATE –LEARN ACT!

59

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ist Club Area, +97126440300
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InterContinental Abu Dhabi,
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Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports
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Equipment
Picnico, +9713941653
Tour Operators
Arabia Outdoors, Dubai,
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www.arabiaoutdoors.com
Absolute Adventure, Dubai,
+97143459900,
www.adventure.ae
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www.sheesabeach.com
Caving
Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre,
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www.holiday-in-oman.com
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Equipment
Global Climbing, +97172353910,
www.globalclimbing.com
Services
Dorell Sports Management, Dubai
World Trade Centre, +97143065061,
www.climbingdubai.com
E-Sports Dubai, Dubai,
www.e-sportsdubai.com
The Club, Abu Dhabi, +97126731111,
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Cycling
Equipment
Cycle Sports, Dubai, Al Barsha1,
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Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha1,
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Ride Bike Shop, Dubai Mall, Festival
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www.wbs.ae
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Tri Club, www.abudhabi-
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Diving
Equipment
Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi,
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www.gulfmarinesports.com
Premiers for Equipment, Abu Dhabi,
Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, +97126665226,
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Diving Centers
7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan,
+97192387400,
www.7seasdivers.com
Al Boom Diving, Dubai, Al Wasl Rd,
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www.divemahara.com
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www.xclusiveyachts.com
Motorsports
Al Forsan Resort, Abu Dhabi,
General Sports Equip- +97125568555, www.alforsan.com
ment Megastores Dubai Autodrome, Dubai,
Adventure HQ – opening soon, Dubai www.dubaiautodrome.com
Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Emirates Motorplex, Umm Al Qu-
Rd, www.adventurehq.ae wain, +97167681717
Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdiff City Centre, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, www.
+97142839392 yasmarinacircuit.com
Go Sport, IBN Battuta Mall: 04-368
5344, Mall of the Emirates: 04-341 Off-Road
3251, Mirdif City Centre: 04-2843034
InterSport, Dubai, Times Square
Centre & Dubai Festival City,
+97142066587, www.intersport.ae
Sun and Sand, Most Shopping
Centres
General Sports Equip-
ment Distributors ADVERTISE HERE
Flip Flop Arabia, flipme@flipflopara-
bia.com, www.flipfloparabia.com
Global Climbing, +97172353910,
40mmx70mm
www.globalclimbing.com
Ocean Sports FZE, +971559352735,
www.kitesurfsup.com
700AED/Month
Sakeen General Trading,
+97147094224, www.sakeen.ae Call: 04-4472701
Horse Riding
Equipment
Emirta, Dubai, Sheik Zayed Rd,
+9714 3437475,
kawasaki@liberty.ae
www.emirtahorse.com
61
Manufacturer
LRC Off Road Engineering, Dubai,
+971553198526, www.lrcoffroad.com
Repair and services
Off Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+97143392449,
www.offroad-zone.com
Equipment
AEV, Dubai & Abu Dhabi,
+97143307152, www.aev.ae
Icon Auto, Dubai, +97143382744,
www.icon-auto.com
Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai, Um
AL Ramoul, +971509029800,
www.wildx.ae
Yellow Hat, Dubai, Times Square
Centre & Festival City, +97143418592,
www.yellowhat.ae
ADVERTISE HERE
40mmx100mm
1200AED/Month
Call: 04-4472701
Tour Operator
Desert Road Tours, Dubai,
+97142959429,
www.desertroadtours.com
Off Road Adventures LLC, Dubai,
+971506289667,
www.arabiantours.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club,
www.ad4x4.com
Filipino Off- Road Club,
www.forac.ae
ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com
Running
Clubs
ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org
Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi,
www.abudhabitriclub.org
Mirdiff Milers, Dubai,
www.mirdifmilers.com
Stand up Paddling, Kite
& Surfing, Wakeboarding
Equipment
Leisure Marine Beach Hut, Dubai,
The Walk JBR, +97144243191
Pearl Water Crafts, Dubai Marina
Yacht Club, +971553749398,
www.pearl-watercrafts.com
62
Surf Dubai, Dubai, Umm Suqeim,
+971505043020,
www.surfingdubai.com
Surf Shop Dubai, Dubai, Al Raha
Bldg, Al Barsha 1, +97143990989,
www.surfshopdubai.com
UAE Kite Surfing, +971505626383,
www.ad-kitesurfing.net
Distributor ADVERTISE HERE
Ocean Sports FZE, +971559352735,
www.kitesurfsup.com
Operator
83mmx70mm
Al Forsan Resort, Abu Dhabi,
+97125568555, www.alforsan.com
Dubai Kite Surf School, Dubai, Umm
1200AED/Month
Suqeim Beach, +971 504965107,
www.dubaikitesurfschool.com
Kite Fly, Dubai, +971502547440,
Call: 04-4472701
www.kitesurf.ae
Kite4fun, Abu Dhabi,
+971508133134, www.kite4fun.net
Nautica1992, Dubai,
+971504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Sky &Sea Adventures, Dubai, Sadiyaat Beach Club, Abu Dhabi,
Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, Saadiyat Island, +97125578000,
+97143999005, www.sbgolfclub.ae
www.watersportsdubai.com Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club,
Surf Adventures UAE, Dubai, Al Sharjah, +97143999005,
Barsha1, +97143990989, www.golfandshootingshj.com
www.surfadventuresuae.com SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of The Emir-
Surf School Dubai, Umm Suqeim
& Al Barsha, Dubai, +97143990989,
ates, +97144094000,
www.skidxb.com
www.surfschooluae.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle
Spacewalk Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi,
+97124463653, www.spacewalk.ae
www.uaesup.com
Water Parks
Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm
Jumeirah, +97144260000,
NEED MORE
www.atlantisthepalm.ae
Dreamland Aqua Park, Umm Al Qu- EXPOSURE?
waim, Emirates Road, +97167681888,
www.dreamlanduae.com Advertise with us or get
Wild Wadi, Dubai, +97143484444, into our directory for free.
www.wildwadi.com Just send an e-mail to
Other leisure activities contact@outdooruae.com
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi,
+ 97125588990, or call: 04 44 72 701
www.adgolfclub.com
Dolphin Bay Atlantis, Dubai,
+97144260000,
www.atlantisthepalm.ae
Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek
Park Gate No. 1, +9713369773,
www.dubaidolphinarium.ae
Ifly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdiff City Centre,
+97142316292,
www.iflyme.com
hotcoldrental.com
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Email: divecentre@jumeirah.com WEB WWW.HOTCOLDRENTAL.COM 25.1174 NORTH 55.2147 EAST
Tel: +971 4 406 8828 SKYPE HOTCOLDRENTAL AL QUOZ 20C STREET, DUBAI
Web: www.thepaviliondivecentre.com
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