OutdoorUAE The first Outdoor Magazine for the United Arab Emirates and the border of Oman
QT WildCat
We take a close look at the impressive QT WildCat
Underwater Photography
Gordon shares his experience in photographing slugs
Wadi Wurayah
An extraordinary hike – mountains, bush and water in the UAE
1284 km Off Road in 4 days John’s long distance adventure with his buddies
The Fishing Kit
THE MAN MAKES THE ANGLER, the equipment makes the experience either hassle free or a disaster.
Price: DHS 10 Discover more and visit us online: www.outdooruae.com
Issue 4/2011 April
Photo: JDPhotofairy
Explore the Possibilities
Ocean sports FZE +971 (0) 55 935 2735 enquiries@kitesurfsup.com kitesurfsup.com
Glide Series
Nalu Series
With the Naish Glide, you’ll never look at flatwater the same way again. For everything from recreational paddling and fitness training to competitive racing, the Glide range sets a new standard in SUP.
Longboard style SUP’s that are easy to ride and offer outstanding performance in a wide range of conditions.
Flatwater Touring and Racing
naishsup.com
Paddles
All-around longboard versatility
The Nalu series is the ideal choice for first time paddlers, flatwater cruisers, small wave surfers and high-performance wave riders.
8” 9.5”
9.5”
8”
Carbon Carbon Carbon Kevlar wood
17’0”
14’0” & 14’0” AsT
14’0” Javelin & 12’6” 14’0” Javelin Catalina AsT
12’0” AsT
11’6” & 11’6” AST
11’4” & 11’4” AST
10’6”
9’6”
9’0”
Adj.
alloy
7”
alana CArbon GlASS
7” 8” 9.5”
Carbon Glass
m
[OutdoorUAE]
Editorial Cover Photo Credit: Mike Nott In Print: Managing Editor Daniel Birkhofer daniel@outdooruae.com Editors Kim Perks Marilena Cilta Graphic & Design James Russell For advertisement enquiries contact: Tel: 04-4472701 marketing@outdooruae.com Published by: Outdoor UAE FZE P.O. Box 215062 Dubai, U.A.E. Tel. 04-4472701 contact@outdooruae.com www.outdooruae.com Distributor: Abu Dhabi Media Company P.O. Box 40401, ABU DHABI Printed at: Al Reyami Printing P.O. Box 103828 Dubai, U.A.E. © 2011 Outdoor UAE FZE Reg. at Creative City Fujairah P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E. Issue 4/2011 April
WHEN I LEFT ROMANIA, my homeland, I was wondering what I could possibly explore in the UAE except water-based activities. Once I arrived here, this country started to reveal itself step by step as a place that can offer anyone, irrespective of culture or colour, unforgettable outdoor experiences. The only thing required is the will to reach out and discover them. Leaving behind the noisy, busy streets of Dubai, I went for a hike to Wadi Wurayah last month for the first time since arriving in the UAE. At the wadi’s entrance there were lots of people who were enjoying their weekend picnic and others who were there just to explore the place. I couldn’t help but notice that there are still people who don’t understand the most basic rule when being outdoors: clean after you eat and then leave. But nature is kinder than humans and it has so many ways to reveal its beauty. Everything was left behind upon entering the wadi deeper and I was able to discover a new and unexpected experience. An astounding labyrinth of rock walls and hidden small valleys between them, isolated rivers that seemed to fight the rocks in order to make their way out, green flora that gives colour to the tall rocks’ brownish scenery. Sometimes on the paths fallen rocks were making the way harder to pass as if nature itself was stopping the “intruders”. In this place time and life’s perception seems to have a different flow. I think for me this was what Clint Moore was describing in his article as being “naturally connected”. Now, if my brief experience of hiking does not convince you to go outdoors and discover the unlimited opportunities that this country has to offer, then check this month’s articles about Off Road exhilarating experiences across the UAE! Mike Nott and his friends will share their own off road best locations and experiences. At last… for all OutdoorUAE readers… Be Prepared and Get Involved! Marilena.
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 obtained 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. All contents are under copyrights and may not be reproduced in any kind without written permission. © 2011 Outdoor UAE FZE
Reg. at Creative City Fujairah P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011
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Contents [OutdoorUAE]
8
Your Best Shots - 5 Some great shots of the month
Event Schedule - 6
An Unsubtle Statement – 8 PreRunner - We take a little ride.
1284 km Off Road in 4 days -10 Johns long distance adventure with his buddies
10
25
Musandam EDA/ Biosphere Expeditions – 12 Products - 14 Everest Base Camp Trek – 17 So, what do you want to do for your 50th?
Adventure Chicks – 18
Tori meets Anna for a tutorial in Versatile TRX training
Event Reviews 20
32
White Tigers in the UAE – 25 German Timing and Romanian Girls – 31 Location - 32 An Extraordinary Hike – mountains, bush ...
Off-Road People – 34 News – 38 The Fishing Kit -40 Spoil For Choice
ME4X4 - 42
15
Mike Nott brings you his serialization of the ultimate off-road guide. Part2.
36
40
QT WildCat -46
50
Blow Karts – 48 Trailer Tent – 49 Ahmed introduces himself and his unique camping invention
Photographing Slugs – 51 Outdoor Photography – 53 Resolution and Image Size
Tips & Tricks – 53 Overheating!
Results – 54
49 4
April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
Final Thought – 55 Directory - 56
Your Best Shots
Some of the best photographs taken by us and the readers over the past month
Jacqui Nightscales (left) ABU DHABI Canon EOS 450D 1/320Sec. F5.6 ISO 1600 EF75-300mm f/4-5.6
Eleanor Smith (left) FUJAIRAH
From the series Fishing UAE Nikon D80 18-135mm ISO 100 18mm
Abbas (right) Abu Dhabi ‘Liwa Dunes’ Canon 1Ds 35mm
Dana (top) Abu Dhabi
Car Museum - Mega Jeep, Gina & Ema Olympus 1030SW
Jeramy Hill (right) UAE ‘Shadow & Light’ Canon 5D ISO 160 50mm f1.8
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011
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[OutdoorUAE]
[jet]
UAE Jet-Ski Championship Race 3
[4x4]
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 1st -7th April “The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is a real test of a driver’s will to succeed. Simply finishing the entire rally is an achievement in itself, and anyone who does so deserves a lot of respect,” “The top racers, though, are in a different class, and are among the best in the world” Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The most notable enhancement will be an all-new, world-class bivouac desert base. The new venue, which will focus the eyes of the world on Al Gharbia, will offer a unique contrast between the harshness of endurance rallying and the supreme luxury of the adjacent Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort.
[Off-Road]
GPS Challenge
08:00 AM, 15th April This is a challenge to test your navigational skills using a GPS. There will be a START point and FINISH point with several waypoints in between, which must be reached, in order to find the next waypoint and on to the FINISH.... www.me4x4.com dmahadeva@yahoo.co.uk
www.abudhabidesertchallenge.ae
14th April The ADIMSC and DIMC cooperate to organize and host the UAE International Jet-Ski Championships. Since the launch of the championship it has grown in to a very strong and international competition with the participation of the regions and worlds best Jet Ski racers. The championship is run over 6 rounds, 3 in Abu Dhabi and 3 in Dubai. The Abu Dhabi rounds are organized by ADIMSC and the course is set near the shores of the Abu Dhabi Breakwater. This allows spectators to follow the thrilling races up close. www.adimsc.ae
[boat]
Dubai International Dragon Boat Show Festival 8th-9th April Festival City This is a community festival bringing together corporate, university and school community groups across theUAE. Dragon Boating is a thrilling water sport, full of adrenaline, stortsmanship, strategy and technique. It is also a sport that is all about positive team spirit, being healthy, making friends and having fun.
APRIL2011 www.dubaidragonboat.com
[SUP]
Yas Marina Stand Up Paddle Day every Wednesday until 27th April Yas Marina in association with UAESUP will be hosting Stand Up Paddle sessions every week, the next being Wednesday 16th March from 4pm until 9pm and then every Wednesday thereafter.
[row]
www.uaesup.com
www.dimc.ae
Maktoum Cup Traditional Rowing Race 8th April Dubai International Marine Sports Club
[drag]
Open Drag Racing Nights
[kart]
9th, 13th,20th, 27th April Yas Marina Circuit The Yas Drag Racing Centre is the home of drag in the Middle East! Open Drag Racing Nights provide access to the Middle East’s only approved National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag strip in a practice-testing format, which allows participants to unleash the power of their tuned cars and bikes in a safe and controlled environment. It’s the perfect place to have a good time and sharpen your drag skills. www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Rotax Max Challenge 8th -9th April, Round 11 and 12. Al Ain Raceway Drivers entered in the rotax max challenge compete for the opportunity to race at the RMC grand final. The championship winning driver from each class, Junior, Senior, Master and DD2 get a seat for the grand final held at a different international track each year. The basic intention of the RMC GRAND FINALS is to apply the Olympic spirit to an international semi-professional kart racing series. Every year competitors from more than 50 countries, from five continents can qualify for the annual GRAND FINALS of the Rotax MAX Challenge. www.kartingdubai.com
6
April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
[auto]
National Race Day
OutdoorUAE Party Cruise!
15th April Dubai Autodrome Club Circuit Time: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm National Race Day featuring UAE Sportbikes, UAE Touring Cars, Swift Cup and FG1000 www.dubaiautodrome.com
[moto]
Red Bull X-Fighters 15th April, 8 to 10PM Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai After nine years of continuous success, the Red Bull X-Fighters will land in Dubai, on its opening round for the new season. The event, which is expected to attract the attention of the entire world, is taking place under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. For more information on the event and ticket purchasing, kindly visit the Official Red Bull X-Fighters website. www.redbull.com
23rd April
[sail]
UAE Sailing Championship - Final Round
22th April Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club The UAE has a long heritate of sailing and is now rapidly developing modern sailing in the region. The UAE National Sailing Championships Series are hosted over 7 regattas in different locations across the UAE. Sailors of all nationalities participate in 8 different categories for youths and adults. The champion will be the sailor who can combine athleticism and tactical thinking to achieve the best results in the series. www.adimsc.ae
Five hours of fun, action and entertainment. We will depart from the creek at 2pm (boarding starts 1:30pm). The cruise will take us down the creek into the Arabic Gulf along the beach and around the world and back to the creek. We will anchor in a calm bay where you can try some of the latest water sports gear like stand-up-paddle (SUP) boards and kayaks… with professional guides. We will also have a little competition to find out who are our top SUP Gladiatress and SUP Gladiator. Everybody will have the chance to win some great prizes. During the whole cruise our DJ will ensure we’re in the right mood. Whether you come alone or with friends, we’ll ensure you have a great time. This will also give you the chance to meet fellow outdoor enthusiasts in our community, or to meet up later for other activities. After the competition we can all go for a swim, then sail into to sunset with an Arabic style BBQ on board.
Only 295 Dhs per person
Events Schedule [run]
Duathlon Series
22nd April Dubai Autodrome - Motor City A Duathlon is an athletic event that consists of a running leg, followed by a cycling leg and then another running leg in a format bearing some resemblance to a Triathlon. The International Triathlon Union governs the sport internationally. 050 6575021 www.supersportsdubai.com
[boat]
UIM PowerBoat Class 1 Championship 3 14-15 April Abu Dhabi A revision to the 2011 calendar sees the Emirate of Abu Dhabi hosting the Class 1 season-opener, 13-15 April. Abu Dhabi first hosted a round of the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship in 2009. Last year, Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Tayer and John Tomlinson took their first win together on home waters. www.class-1.com
[run]
MSF Vertical Marathon 2011
29th April, 8:00 AM Jumeirah Emirates Towers The Vertical Marathon is a stair climb up the 52 floors or 1334 steps of the Jumeirah Emirates Towers (Office Tower). This charity event would not be possible without our main sponsor Move One Relocations as well as our event support partners - Premier Timing, Puma, Swarovski and Acqua Panna. Event organized by Medicine Sans Frontieres 04-3458177 www.vm.msf-me.org
*All images sourced from event websites or supplied with permission *You can find more events and detailed information online at www.outdoorUAE.com *Please send information about events to: events@outdooruae.com
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011
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[OutdoorUAE]
8
March2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
an
unsubtle statement The epitomy of off-road is here. We take a little ride. By James Russell. Photos: Daniel Birkhofer & James Russell
Daniel and John
I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL - ONE OF MANY OF COURSE. But this one had a link in it. Many emails have links. This particular link was one to remember, because it took me to a website, showcasing off-road vehicles. Not just any offroad vehicles but the very special ‘Pre-Runner’ truck, from LRC Off-Road. I thought to myself, OK, looks pretty good. Let’s watch this video then. I gasped as quietly as I could in an office environment, because I just saw this huge truck launch itself over a canal. I then realised that I may be able to get a ride in one of these things. It was going to be a happy day. We had ventured out into Al Awir desert with John Lehmen from LRC, together with a few other 4x4 enthusiasts. John drove his large truck that was towing a trailer, with another large truck on it. Very different trucks I might add. This was the Pre-Runner truck on the trailer. It was taken on a trailer, because it wasn’t strictly road legal. I was going to find out why... Daniel and I had brought our camera gear, including a video camera, to capture this beast of an automobile in action. This thing was fast. Oh so very fast. From a distance, it covered its terrain with ease – dunes, hills and even the poor shrubs that would have regretted sprouting where they were. But the real experience was when we took a ride ourselves. We had to strap in (I was surprised there were no rollercoaster style bars inside) with ‘the real deal’ buckles. I thought to myself, “Will these belts be necessary?” My precognitive conscience
then replied, “Yes James, I think they will be. Just you wait.” With 650 horses powering a full 5000lbs of truck to only the rear wheels, I was intrigued to see how it would handle, and how fast it would really go once sitting inside. John and Daniel were at the front, with me riding ‘female dog’, in the tiny seat at the back. This was by no means a bad seat, because I could still see what coming towards me, together with what would fill my mouth (broken glass and red sand) if I wasn’t belted up. The engine was running and off we went. John seemed to handle this vehicle with expert precision, but it was this together with the performance of the all American made engineering of the Pre-Runner truck, that made a mark. Grip was astounding, speed and stability was even more profound, and the noise, oh yes the noise was quite delightful. And all of this was over dunes and obstacles that your typical ‘Land Cruiser’ would struggle with – whether it was on its wheels or not. The ride was over quickly, but I wanted more. I wanted air. I wanted to launch over canals. Unfortunately, there were no canals nearby. Maybe next time.
over shocks. Rear Suspension: 31inch travel, 4 link suspension, Fox 4.3inch by-pass and coil-over shocks. Engine: Aluminum EFI LS2 500 HP. Transmission: Rancho built TH-400 semi-automatic full reverse manual valve body. Fuel Cell: Harmon 61 gallon Steering: Fortin Tires: BFGoodrich Baja T/A KR 37inch Wheels: BTR 17×9 beadlooks Brakes: Pro Am 6piston, 13.5inch rotors Seats: Beard Nets and Belts: Mastercraft Lights: 2 xenon HD´d Communication: PCI Navigation: Lowrance HDS10m Body: Stock cab w/trailer products glass Options: Motor from 500 HP to 750 HP Steering: Pro Am Lights: Light bar, bumper light´s and cab light´s. Contact: info@lrcoffroad.com http://www.lrcoffroad.com James.
Here are the full specs and contact info: Weight: 5000 lbs (2265 kl). Wheel Base: 128 inch (3.25 mt). Track Width: 92inch front, 92inch rear Front Suspension: 25inch travel, unequal length a-arm and j-arm, Fox bypass and coil-
OUTDOORUAE.COM March2011 9
[OutdoorUAE]
1,284km off-road in JOHN DOCUMENTS HIS LONG DISTANCE ADVENTURE WITH HIS BUDDIES
LLET ME NOT BORE YOU with the unimaginable effort and Red-Tape battle that preceded this trip and what I had to do to get these bikes legally into Oman for off-road use! Let’s just start with my good friend Phillip’s arrival from South Africa to join us on our adventure:
24 September
Philip arrived at Dubai airport at 8am. Still exhausted as he had no sleep during the flight, and worked a full day in Richards Bay on the 23rd . In a moment of weakness he instructed the taxi driver to take him to Abu Dhabi airport where I would collect him. Oops, sorry, not Abu Dhabi, AL AIN was what Philip meant to say. Where he got Abu Dhabi from only he will know, and this was his second visit. Well, that just added 500AED to the trip in taxi fare’s…
Breakfast before the trip
Day One (25 Sept)
4am Friday morning we left the villa in Al Ain and headed for the Mazyad border post. Getting through customs and immigration took about 1.5hrs, as everything had to be re-explained to the officials, but finally the bikes were off-loaded and a breakfast was enjoyed. According to Google pictures and the maps, the first 60 km to “Dank” was easy flat terrain and my planning was for this leg to be just over an hour. (All routes were GPS point to point. No roads were followed). Well the first 25km were like a dream come true. Awesome flat, and life was good. Our average speed was as planned and this was my lifelong dream come true. Then, after about 25km we started encounter-
ing rocks. Many, many rocks. It was like riding over an endless riverbed. We were shaking and taking tremendous physical punishment. The packs on our backs were checking in at about 20kg and this did not compliment the conditions. About an hour later we were still surrounded by rocks and life was not good. We also only covered about 20km in distance. The machines earned respect for their durability, but my GPS did not like this section and started working intermittently. Remember that this was Philip’s first time ever on a bike. He races quad bikes in South Africa, but had never before been on a bike for longer than 5 minutes. I did not want to look back and see how many times he dropped my 250 on the rocks. I would just stop every 5 minutes and wait till they caught up with me. (He never did drop it ….) Then more than an hour later we cleared the *%$#@ rocks and had open terrain all the way to Dank. Refuelled, ready and off to Ibri (65km). This was a good section and the riding was okay. We left Dank at about ten thirty and the temperature was already creeping into the high 30’s. It was still manageable as we had good speed. At Ibri we refuelled and also took on extra fuel as the next leg to Natih was across open desert and we did not want to take any chances. We would each fill either a 1.5l or 2.25l bottle of fuel and also extra water on the longer crossings. Distance from Ibri to Natih (via Harran) was 130km and the temperature by the time we left Ibri was 43º!!!! We were falling far behind schedule and hoping for some good flat terrain. We left Ibri by twelve thirty. The scenery was awesome and several photo stops were made. By now it was 45 ºc and these stops were very short. Literally “snap and go” to keep some air flowing over us. After about an hour and a half into this leg, Philip asked for a break. He was not accustomed to the heat and he was still in pain from the first leg’s rocky section. Louw seconded this suggestion and a half hour “cool down” stop was enjoyed. What worried me was the rate of Philip and Louw’s water consumption. Their 2.5l hydration packs were both empty
10 March2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
4
days
and the “spare” water was transferred to their packs. We were only about half way!!! I work outside every day and so am more accustomed to the high temperatures. About two thirds into the leg they ran out of water. We were near Harran and opted to stop at one of the ‘farms” for water. We were received with open arms by some very friendly Omani youngsters that just kept feeding Louw and Philip resting us with dates, water, coffee and whatever they had in on bags of camel poo… the villa. We filled all the water bottles and hydration packs, thanked our hosts and were off with a roar. By now we were very far behind schedule for the first day and it was getting late. At the fuel stop near Natih, Philip spotted a road sign indicating a guest house 25km out of town. As it was already three o’clock, continuing to the planned overnight stop would be difficult. A decision between an air-conditioned guest house versus our tents in the desert heat thus had to be made. It took about 10 milliseconds for all three of us to opt for the Aircon option. At the guest house Louw’s KTM was given an oil + filter change. The KTM now had a total of 550km on the clock. We enjoyed some sundowners by the pool, had supper, used three quarters of our Deep Heat supply and crashed before nine.
Friendly Omanis with dates
Day two (26 Sept)
By first light everybody in the guest house was awake. Special thanks for this goes to Louws 530’s performance AKRAPOVIC exhaust. Hopefully they will have forgotten about this by the next time we visit. My GPS now not responding to any inputs and I had to use Louw’s. His was only to be for emergencies and had no waypoints on it. This caused some more delay on a day that started 130km behind schedule. The terrain South to Al Ghabah was awesome and we averaged some good speed. We were now so far behind the planned trip that some serious re-planning had to be done. We also encountered our first taste of the soft summer sand. I was crossing a little hump but the sand was just too soft and I came to a very sudden and surprised stop! During the four summer months, Oman has what is called the “Khareef” winds. During these months the wind blows virtually every day and thus “shifts” the dunes. This, and the fact that there is no moisture in the sand, like in winter, makes the sand VERY SOFT. At Al Ghabah it was the 450’s turn for new oil and this was changed in a pleasant 42 º c in the shade!! The plan from here was to forget about our scenic route and go direct to Muhut. Only 127km and “according to Google Earth Photo’s” very flat! The first 60km were great and we made good speed. The terrain was fantastic and for many kilometres we were riding along a narrow stretch of trees and shrubs. I think there must be an underground river as the vegetation growth is only about 200m wide, in our direction. (South East.) Then came the first sign of dunes. One could see that this was where the real desert starts. To the south there were only dunes and to the north some vegetation was visible. The plan was to cross perpendicular as we could see there were only 5-6 sets of dunes to cross till the hard ground again. Before the third set was crossed both Louw and I had each cleared our bars
Both Louw and I cleared the bars with the bikes still standing. twice!!! The front wheel would just sink into the sand the bike stops dead!! Only Philip managed to still stay on. I have been riding almost every weekend for the last year in the UAE and never encountered anything like this. The sand was like powder!! This caused the 530 to be VERY thirsty and the two Hondas to run very hot. (KTM fitted with fan) Getting
your bike unstuck in this sand with the sun scorching down at 45ºc also made us consume a lot more water than planned. Philip was insistent that he cross the last 2-3 sets, but soon changed his mind when he too went flying over the bars. This was when things started to become uncomfortable. We stuck to the bottom of the dunes trying to find the “hard” sand and started to ride north. After more than 20 minutes of riding north we cleared the dunes. With 55Km to go the situation was as follows:
and visit Derik, a friend of mine who works on the island. Access to the island is by ferry and we were lucky to find the last one for the day about to cross when we arrived. The crossing takes about an hour and a half and there is no canteen or air-conditioned rest room like the European ferries. On the island we serviced the bikes and had supper. Philip decided try some of Derik’s “homemade” Chili Dish. At the time he commented on the great taste, helped himself to another serving and then was the first to go to bed.
Day 3 (27 Sept)
With Louw’s snoring sounding just like his AKRAPOVI, I only fell asleep at about 1am. By 3am I was awakened Philip and Louw’s water and spare water by Philip asking for some Imodium and was finished. something for stomach cramps. “Viva Le Chili”. By sunrise Philip was in no No mobile coverage. condition to ride a bike. He was pale and shaking after a night that may not More than 50km to the nearest dirt be repeated in print. “Viva Le Chili!!” road. The ferry was full when we arrived and at first they did not want us to board. 45ºC and no shade. If we missed this ferry it would mean a 2-3Hr delay. Luckily we found room for the bikes on board, and we were on our way. Philip literally passed out next to his bike and used his elbow guard as a pillow. “Viva Le Chili”. We decided to back-track our route back home as the terrain would be familiar. An undisclosed amount of black top riding also had to be done, “Viva Le Chili”, on the 3rd day. It was on this section of black top that First taste of soft sand we encountered our first puncture and this After about 10 km was repaired in 45ºC. we reached an area where, again, there No fun. We set up camp were just rocks. This time not round just past Natih in the desert and by now boulders like on day one, but very sharp Philip had regained some colour and almost Corral Reef like rocks. Every was feeling better. The camping was time my front wheel went over the good fun and being out in the open desrazor like edges, and hearing the glass like crackling of the rocks breaking, the thought going through my mind was not pleasant. If anything was to go wrong, even a puncture, we would be in very serious trouble. Luckily it was only about 2-3km till we were out in the open again. The last ”hazard” was a huge flat Subkha. In the lowest area one could see some water and I knew that crossing would be risky. I drove about 2km away from the wet area and started my crossing. (From the hill just before the pan we could not see the end of either side of this massive Subkha. Hence the crossing attempt.) I knew that these pans can be very soft and dangerous when wet. If we were to cross it, it would have to be at speed. I gave the 450 all she had, but the sand was soft below the dried crust and the bike could not get to 5th gear. It was between 4th and the rev limiter in 3rd. The KTM also made the 5-6km crossing but used about a litre of fuel that we did not have. How Philip got the 250 across I don’t know. (Well done Philip!!) From there it was okay till we saw the first signs of life on the horizon. That was when my 450 got to top speed. This was a situation that none of us ever want to be in again. The lessons learnt and experience gained that day cannot be bought. At Muhut it was decided not to enter into the Wahiba Sands as planned but rather to go across to Masirah Island KTM very-very low on fuel.
sert was great. Oman, off road paradise!!
Day 4 (28 Sept)
With Philip still having to go to Muscat for his flight to SA we were off at sunrise. We were pushing very hard to cover as much distance before the temperature got too high. By now most of the food and all the “non essentials” were out of our backpacks and the riding was easier. There were long sections where we drove parallel to the main road on some very good and flat terrain. This gave us a good average and it looked like we might make the border post by noon. With 100km to go my 450 got its second puncture. In no mood to fix it, it was decided that Philip would stay with the bike, I took the 250 and collected the pickup. Lucky for us this happened close to a fuel station and the bike was pushed into the shade. Louw and I left for the border, loaded the bikes, and transferred the trailer to his cruiser. I hopped in the pickup and drove to Philip. There we loaded the 450 and were off to Muscat. Obviously Philip’s adventure was not over as his flight to SA was late causing him to miss his connecting flight. In no mood to wait for the next morning he rented a vehicle and drove to Richards Bay (650km). Apparently he slept the whole of Wednesday…… In summary An “impossible” Red Tape battle was won and an unforgettable 1,300km adventure was “lived” by three friends. Remember: “You only live once; Go For Gold” and make life happen, don’t wait for others to make it happen. They won’t. Regarding tips for similar adventures: If you are in a desert, in summer, there are only two things that matter. The rest of the stuff in your backpack means NOTHING. Water for you and fuel for the bike!!! Safe Riding John Basson
OUTDOORUAE.COM March2011 11
[OutdoorUAE]
Musandam EDA/Biosphere Expeditions 2010 FOR THE SECOND TIME, BIOSPHERE EXPEDITION together with EDA organized another Reef Check expedition in the stunning Musandam Peninsula, Oman. Between the 8th and the 23rd of October 16 team members, divided in two weeks, were trained to do Reef Check surveys. Nationalities on board varied between people from Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, Australia, UK, Finland, Norway, Portugal and Oman. After three days of intensive Reef Check training, nine surveys were done per week, including areas on both sides of Musandam, the Arabian Gulf and in the Gulf of Oman. Almost all sites covered in the 2009 expedition were again surveyed this year, and data will be analysed carefully to see if there are any major changes since then. The Musandam Peninsula, also known as Ru’us al-Jibal, is an exclave of Oman separated by from Oman by the United Arab Emirates. It is situated on the Arabian Peninsula in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage that links the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Even though the Arabian Gulf’s corals are unique and seem to endure extremely harsh conditions when compared to corals in other parts of the world, scientists are increasingly concerned that any additional stress, imposed by global climate change or regional coastal development may accelerate coral die-off. Reefs in the Arabian Gulf have been devastated by major coral bleaching events (in 1990, 1996, 1998 and 2002), cyclone Gonu in 2007, and recently by extensive coastal developments along the Arabian Peninsula. The impact extends beyond the shoreline, since turbidity and suspended sediments are dispersed from the dredge or reclamation sites. In addition, coastal currents are diverted by coastal engineering, altering the movement of sediments causing them to accumulate. The coral reef losses from climate-related devastation and massive coastal development on the Arabian Peninsula have made this region amongst the most damaged in the world with the lowest predictions for recovery. According to recent estimates, 30% of the coral reefs are at a threatenedcritical stage and up to 65% of the coral reefs may have been lost already due to
12 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
natural causes (fluctuation of temperatures, diseases), and anthropogenic stresses (oil pollution, unmanaged coastal development, unregulated commercial and recreational fishing and diving). Nevertheless, knowing that many of the world's best reefs have a hard coral coverage of 32% according to Hodgson & Liebeler (2002), the 34% of hard coral coverage found by the Biosphere Expedition in 2009 is encouraging. On this expedition Biosphere Expeditions is working with the local community, Sultan Qaboos University, the Oman Ministry for Environment and Climate Affairs, the Oman Tourism Board, as well as the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN). Further support comes from a Six Senses (Zighy Bay) environmental grant, as well as from HSBC, Land Rover and Swarovski Optik. Comments written by team members on the last day of the expedition: “While Ken and Rita are removing maps, working plans and information sheets in the “training room” already, I have to realise it’s really OVER! Two weeks of training, survey and pleasure dives have flown by! After having joined the Reef Check expedition in Honduras in 2006, I must have been one of the first to register for this one. Another Reef Check, and even better, being on a boat all the time! And I really have to say that the expedition lived up all my expectations! It was great to meet people from many different countries and with completely different backgrounds and to see how we all formed a team working well together after only a couple of days. And it was worth joining two slots; the two or three days “in between” have been great and relaxing with time for reading, listening to music and, of course,
the pleasure dives with Georgie and Conny! Many thanks go to Rita, who was an excellent teacher, but also a person to have fun with and thank you for the lots of chocolate! Thanks to Ken, who was a perfect expedition leader and to the crew – I must have gained several pounds owing to the good food! And thanks to all the team members especially Georgie and Conny who I shared a great time with! See you on another expedition (hopefully!)” Karin Thiele “Well, I learned how to suspend myself above a coral reef, to distinguish between hard coral and soft coral, to count fish in crazy numbers and to play “s**thead”. What a week! Many thanks to all, especially to the ever patient Rita and committed enthusiastic Ken.” Jane Calderbank “My first Biosphere Expedition (but not my last!) and 4 years after last diving, I wasn’t sure how this would go – but no need to worry! Rita is an amazing teacher so even the intensive Reef Check training was fun and the dives were great – my confidence growing each time. I even managed to invert and glide gracefully down a coral wall. Unfortunately Ken didn’t get that on camera! What a great bunch of people and Rita & Ken have been awesome. Wonderful at running the expedition (and keeping us all in line!) and great fun to hang out with.” Helen Savill “As we were greeted by dolphins at my arrival – heading towards the Musandam islands with MS Sinbad, they are giving us a heartily farewell while heading back to Khasab. There is much left to say... I will miss quite a lot of things when I’m back
EDA
in my office on Monday: - No more fish counts; - No more substrate data taken with the plumb line; - No more pleasure dives with Georgie and Karin – will miss these two very much; - No more “s**thead” game in the evening; - No more sleeping on deck under the amazing stars in the night; - No more delicious Polly food; - No more helping hands of the always friendly crew; - No more underwater laughs with Rita and Ken; - ... It has been a perfect expedition, thanks go especially to Rita, Ken and the crew, who all together let it become a really smooth expedition. And of course thanks to all team members. See you hopefully on my next time.” Cornelia Beisel
Biosphere
EDA
EDA
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 13
[OutdoorUAE]
Products
[cycle]
Trek 4500 Mountain Bike
Price: 3,800 Dhs Available at: Go Sport: Ibn Battuta – 04 3685344 Mall of the Emirates - 04 3413251 Mirdif City Centre - 04 2843034 The success of this series says it all—it’s a true mountain bike that looks and acts the part, with disc brakes and 100mm suspension.
[dive]
Poseidon Discovery MkVI Rebreather Price: 27,000 Dhs SofnoDive scrubber cartridge: 350 Dhs Available at: The Unit can be bought from Al Boom Diving’s Main Dive Center on Al Wasl Rd, Jumeirah which is also from where R.A.I.D. Courses are conducted (REBREATHER ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL DIVERS). Contact Colin on 00971 (0)50 4534784/colin@alboomdiving.ae OR Francis on 00971 (0)50 8553207/ francis@alboomdiving.ae What makes this Rebreather special? It is the First Rebreather in the World to bring Rebreather diving to the Recreational Divers. Anyone from Open Water and above can learn to use this rebreather. Some of the advantages of diving with a Rebreather over a conventional Scuba System include: • No bubbles to frighten away sea life or get in the way of your photos and videos • No decompression • Up to 3 hours diving per dive • Dive in silence Each Refill Cartidge of SofnoDive 797 scrubber which removes Carbon Dioxide from exhaled air is 350 Dhs. www.poseidon.com/products/discovery-mkvi
14 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
[nav]
Garmin Oregon 550
Price: 1.835 Dhs Available at: AMIIT, Leisure Marine, Al Fajer Marine, Aqua Speed Boats, Luxury Sea Boats, Dubai Boats The navigator with the photographic memory! Oregon 550 combines rugged outdoor touchscreen navigation with a digital camera. It is perfect for all activities, in any climate, on any terrain, yet simple enough for beginners to master. Take Pictures and Save Locations Oregon 550’s 3.2 megapixel autofocus digital camera with 4x digital zoom automatically. geotags each photo with the location of where it was taken, allowing you to mark, remember and navigate back to that exact spot in the future. You can take and view pictures in landscape or portrait, and 850 MB of internal memory offers ample storage. Connect Oregon 550 via USB and log into my.Garmin.com to upload and store your photos at Picasa™, a popular online photo sharing community. www.garmin.com
[fashion]
BUFF
Price: n.a. Dhs Available at: Go Sport, Intersport, Ski Dubai, Ride What is BUFF® BUFF® is the leading brand and creator of the first seam-free multifunctional tubular wear. It is an extremely versatile garment that can be worn in a number of different ways while offering protection from the elements during a wide range of activities like hiking, running, skiing, cycling, motorcycling, quad biking etc. An excellent design also makes it ideal as casual wear accessory. Why use BUFF® BUFF® headwear helps its wearer stay comfortable, guarding against the sun, wind, cold or dust in rapidly changing conditions. Think of it as a versatile base layer for your head and neck. BUFF® provides the same performance benefits for your head and neck that technical fabrics used in the other outdoor clothing do for the rest of your body. And because it’s so small and light, it’s the ultimate throw-in-your-pocket garment for unexpected conditions. In addition, many designs and colors, it’s a great way to make a style statement. Made of high tech 100% polyester microfiber The Polygiene® technology makes the cloth more hygienic but with no foul odors. Thanks to the Coolmax® Extreme fabric, it blocks more than 95% ultraviolet radiation and helps a swifter evaporation of sweat. www.buffwear.com
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 15
[OutdoorUAE] [outdoor]
Products
Spork Price: 36 Dhs Pack of 4 Available at: Picnico The spoon-fork-knife combo brings a bit of civilization to the wild and a bit of the wild to civilization. Designed especially for Light My Fire by Scandinavian designer Joachim Nordwall. The Spork is perfect for your backpack, boat, picnic basket, lunchbox, purse or briefcase. www.lightmyfire.com
Join our cruise 23rd April, try Light-My-Fire products and get a free spork. See page: 24 [outdoor]
Swedish FireSteel 2.0® Price: 50 Dhs Available at: Picnico
Originally developed for the Swedish Department of Defense, our legendary Swedish FireSteel® is the original fire starter. Being the best, however, means always having to push the envelope. The result is a new generation with an improved striker that makes it even easier to build a fire in any weather, at any altitude. Our second generation Swedish FireSteel 2.0® also features a new design, a color matched lanyard and a built-in emergency whistle. The Swedish FireSteel’s dependability and intense, close to 3,000°C sparks, have long made it a favorite of survival experts, hunters, fishermen and campers. It has also found its way into cabins and backyards as a fool-proof way to light stoves and gas barbecues. www.lightmyfire.com
Come and visit the Atlantis Dive Centre… whether it is your first breath underwater or the start of your diving career!
Here’s what’s new!
- Join our photography club, FREE to join with many trips planned for 2011. - Become an Atlantis Dive Centre Club Member with Exclusive Benefits - Complimentary access to the water park for all pleasure divers or students at the Atlantis Dive Centre Come and visit our stand for more information. AtlantisDiveCentre.com | Direct: (+9714) 426 3000 | Fax: (+9714) 426 3030 Atlantis Dive Centre | PO Box 78942 | Dubai | U.A.E
Everest Base Camp Trek
in aid of Cancer Research
“So, what do you want to do for your 50th?” THIS WAS THE QUESTION posed to me during the summer of 2010 here in the UAE. The first thought that came into my head was ‘Everest’ much to the dismay of my long suffering wife! Now much as I liked the idea of a summit attempt, standing on top of the world in a classic mountaineering pose, a touch of reality had to come into the equation. Having completed a number of high altitude treks and climbs previously, but taking a number of constraints into consideration, I decided upon a trek to Everest Base Camp (5,365m). While researching the various options I discovered that one particular trek departs from the standard trail to EBC, taking a longer, tougher route through a more remote region of the Sagarmatha National Park, which incorporates the Nepalese approach to Everest. This is the route via Gokyo Lakes and Cho Lo Pass, an 18 day trek through the Himalayas to Everest Base Camp, taking in Kala Pathar (5,645m) on the way – if the legs and lungs hold out! The trek involves spending 9 days above 4,000m, of which 5 days will be above 5,000m, so acclimatization is critical to avoid the onset of altitude sickness and the associated symptoms of headaches, dizziness, nausea, sleep deprivation and fatigue. After successfully completing a winter ascent of Jebel Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco with me in 2008, my 19 year old nephew was keen to join me on this trip to EBC, and so the planning began. Although not the best time to undertake the trek, I decided upon April 2011 as this would give me the cooler months in the UAE for training and coincide with Sean’s Easter break from University. We would fly from Sharjah to Kathmandu and then onto Lukla (2,800m and the start of the trek), where April temperatures typically range from a high of ~6 C degrees during the day, dropping to -12 C at night. The higher you climb, the colder it gets!
Both of us agreed that we wanted to take this opportunity to raise money for a charitable cause. There are a great number of very worthy charities that all merit support. However, one particular charitable cause has particular relevance to me as it strives to fight a devastating disease that has taken several family, friends and colleagues, and continues to affect people around the world. Consequently, I am hoping to raise 5,000 GBP for cancer research, in memory of Walter, Phil, Pauline and so many others. Through generous donations I have raised approximately 3,000 GBP to date but still have a tough challenge ahead to reach a goal that in some ways will be more satisfying than reaching EBC itself. Please visit my web page
www.justgiving.com/geoff-patch Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Donations are sent directly to the charity so it’s an efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity. Geoff.
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 17
[OutdoorUAE]
Adventure chicks
fitchicksandfastwomen.wordpress.com
TRX Tori meets Anna for a tutorial in versatile TRX training...
with Tori
giving me buns of steel. Today however, I worked my entire body just to get an idea of the sheer versatility of the thing.
There are quite a few places in Dubai that are doing TRX-training now… as I said, it’s the latest ‘must-have’… but I chose the lovely Anna Wallenten, a Personal Trainer, Group Ex instructor & Life Coach here. I’ve seen Anna in action with clients before and she’s motivating, inspiring and finds the perfect balance between pushing people to new limits yet retaining their confidence levels. Plus she’s a fellow Adventure Chick like me!
Swimmer’s pull: strong back exercise targets the latissimus dorsi and demands great core strength plus shoulder and elbow stability
So here’s what you need to know: What is TRX? The TRX Suspension is a simple light-weight harness made of nylon straps that can be suspended from any elevated fixture. It creates resistance from two sources always at your disposal - your own body weight and gravity.
Tori and Anna with the TRX
SO ADVENTURE CHICK CHECKED OUT the TRX scene this month and is now back at HQ to report. Not a far-flung adventure per se nor an adrenaline-inducing ride, rather the latest buzzword in fitness training and the rationale was this. TRX training can be done anytime, anywhere… that’s the beauty of it. So whether you want to take it to the desert or beach and attach the ropes to a tree or take it to a park and use a lamppost… or even in your back garden and secure to a door frame… wherever your adventures take you, near and far, TRX can be discreetly popped into your bag and used to strengthen your bod as and when you feel like it.
It’s been voted top fitness gadget by multiple fitness mags and endless athletes and celebs endorse it from super svelte hot chicks to hard-core macho males. What benefits does it bring? TRX stands for Total Body Resistance Exercise which says it all really. Every exercise is core-related and you can use it to strengthen and tone every muscle in your body, even your heart. Better still, it can easily be adapted to all abilities simply by adjusting your stance or positioning which will increase or decrease resistance.
Chest press: great for chest
And last but not least, it’s fun… really great fun. So… if you’re serious about improving whatever adventure sport you love yet you have no desire to get indoors and train in a sterile gym then TRX may just be your new best friend. It’s a relatively small outlay for years of endless training options, on hand, wherever you go. And just like riding a bike or ‘getting down to business’, once you’ve tried it once, it all just comes pretty naturally and you can just play around to your hearts content!
The other great thing is that it’s possibly the worlds most versatile training system. With hundreds, yes hundreds, of exercises you can work exactly on the body parts you need for your chosen passions. Love to rock-climb? Work on the muscles in your forearms, fingers, biceps and back.
Love, Tori x
Get high on hiking? Pick exercises that maximise your hamstrings, quads, calves and glutes.
PS. Please feel visit my blog at http://fitchicksandfastwomen.wordpress.com for more rambles on all things health, fitness and wellness-related
Get thrills from hitting the waves? Choose options that focus on your shoulders, triceps, abs and your obliques.
PPS. My email address is Victoria.leckie@gmail. com for thoughts, ideas, suggestions… or just to say hello!
Have a penchant for sailing? Concentrate on your core and back.
Suspended lunge: fantastic functional training targets single leg strength, improves speed, balance and injury prevention
You get the idea. As for me, as a runner and mountaineer, I have typically weak glutes so my emphasis should, going forward, be on
Abs workout
“T” deltoid fly: focusing on the posterior part of the deltoid
Power pull: unilateral back strength demands coupled with rotational strength and control
18 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
Need
to kn
ow!
Where: ANYWHERE! Who: Anna Wallenten / Urban Energy Call: 050 398 7521 Visit: www.urbanenergyfitness.com The TRX starter pack, which includes an introductory training session, exercise cards and a demo DVD can also be purchased from www.mefitpro.com and there are various group TRX classes around the city including The Aviation Club in Garhoud and Fitness Beat in Tecom.
Biceps workout
Atomic pushups: a strong chest workout with an added core challenge
Sprinter’s start: targets muscular endurance and power of the quadriceps
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 19
Event Review
[OutdoorUAE]
Abu Dhabi International Triathlon With a record 1,500 competitors from 51 countries in attendance for the 2011 event, Abu Dhabi International Triathlon rightly earned its place as one of the world's top emerging events this year.
FREDERIK VAN LIERDE (Belgium) and Julie
Dibbens(UK) claimed the Abu Dhabi’s International Triathlon prize worth US$250,000.
In the men's field, 32-year-old Van Lierde, who finished fifth in last year's Abu Dhabi event, snatched overall victory in the 223kms 'pure power' course with a combined time 6h:43:14 - a winning margin of just 18 seconds over compatriot Marino Vanhoenacker, who came second in 6h:43:31, followed by last year's runner-up Luxembourg's Dirk Bockel in 6h:43:42. "I kept pushing home and to cross that line was amazing. In the heat the 200kms cycle was the difference maker. Around the 160kms mark I struggled to keep liquid inside my body it was so tough but thankfully I pulled through. I'll definitely be back next year to try to make it three in a row." Frederik Van Lierde Having raced in above-average March tem-
20 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
peratures for the UAE capital, Dibens visibly struggled as she crossed the finishing line yet was soon back on her feet to explain the extraordinary effort needed to repeat her emphatic 2010 win. "It's awesome to win in Abu Dhabi again and I had to push myself like never before. I felt great all day and knew this was a race I could win. In the last 100 yards it was gruelling and I felt sick," said Dibens, "This is the best win of my career without question. I had a good feeling coming into the race because I had a good winter and am in top shape. I kept up the pace on the bike but didn't attempt to break away because I wanted to conserve my energy for a big run and that tactic worked. I had a lot in reserve and my plan worked out perfectly," said the Ironman France 2010 runner-up. Thousands of fans flocked to the Race Village at the Corniche Beach finishing line where they were entertained from morning well into the evening. In addition to supporting the elite athletes, fans dressed in national flags, put on colourful face paint and cheered home 1,500 amateurs and first time competitors. All Media sourced from: http://abudhabitriathlon.com
Emotional Victory For Japan’s Victoire Pisa in Dubai World Cup IT STARTED with a desert storm and it finished
with one. The sandy blast which blew over Meydan Racecourse before racing was soon to fade away, but the same will never be said of the memory of the 16th running of the Group One US$10 million Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline. Victoire Pisa won a race which culminated in a virtual stampede close home – sweat, whips and dirt flying everywhere - as the first five home could have been covered by a desert rug. The four year old won for trainer Katsuhiko Sumii, jockey Mirco Dimuro, but most of all for some sort of poetic justice. Japanese horses are not notable for their successful forays on foreign soil, but here, in the nation’s most devastating of times, came victory in the biggest one them all, the most valuable horse race in the world. There is no such animal as a deserved victory in sport, but racing does possess the pleasant habit of spewing out a result to please all including the vanquished. No-one was mad. For the second year running it was payback too for jockeyship of the utmost daring. The pace set by Transcend and Shinji Fujita (which would have its own reward in second place and a Japanese forecast) was slow enough to raise a titter. Stopwatches were almost put away to be replaced by the turning pages of a calendar. The only rider seemingly disturbed by this was Demuro who circled the entire field down the back straight and then invited one of his 13 rivals to do the same. That they could was testament to the Italian’s shrewdness and the unbound courage of the colt beneath him.
It was a beautiful victory and a beautiful story, appropriately enough emerging from a most gorgeous collection of horseflesh. Under the floodlights, the sky now clear after the grey pall that had formed earlier in the day melted away, the 14 runners simply mesmerized in their appearance. Cape Blanco, the Irish horse making his seasonal debut, looked as though he had not been brushed but polished; Richard’s Kid without quibble took the best-turned-out award and Buena Vista was as flashy physically as she was in livery, kitted out in canary headgear and matching reins. The prospect of the mare further establishing that Japan is also the land of the rising daughter looked most live, but the narrative was to prove that the most fancied of her land’s triple entry was to fare the worst. When the stalls opened there was no great rush to arms until Transcend almost apologetically found himself in front. After a brief masquerade of frontrunning the leader slowly applied the handbrake, causing choking in the field in behind. It was at this early point that the aspirations of the put-upon Fly Down virtually evaporated. There were ominous signs too for the favorite – Henry Cecil’s Twice Over – who had performed below par in this race 12 months ago. Once again, the imposing six year old came out slowly from a bad draw. Once again he was buffeted towards the outside. And, once again, these opening exertions sapped him to such an extent that the business end of the field simply ran away from him in the closing stages. Mirco Demuro did not leave his partnership to the vagaries of the behavior of those around him. He created his own destiny. Maybe destiny was on
his side anyway. “He hit his head at the stalls so he was slow to begin,” the jockey reported. “But maybe it was lucky because there was a slow pace on the backstretch so I could find a good position close to the leader. He didn’t use much energy to get there.” At around halfway came that first, last and decisive serious move of the race. Victoire Pisa took a lead everyone else seemed to consider poison to their prospects. When he entered the straight, Pisa looked as though he could be easily toppled and he might have been had he had to expand serious battery strength in reaching the front. But he had more to give. He had an afterburner. By the time the field of hares realized this particular tortoise was a rather speedy version of his breed the trap had been sprung. Transcend, who had performed a diluted version of the winner’s trick, managed to cling on to the runner-up spot. The immensely promising Monterosso finished best of those caught on the back foot to finish third for his Godolphin masters who had recorded a treble earlier in the evening. Cape Blanco showed he possessed more than handsome looks by grinding it out for fourth, while Gio Ponti flattered for a stride or two in the straight before fading into fifth. Twice Over was ninth. Up front – in the teeth of the storm – Victoire Pisa was nailing his place in history. “It was a really tight finish,” Demuro said. “We were hoping to do well, but to win was amazing.” So it was. It was a sweet 16th Dubai World Cup not only for horse, jockey and connections, but also for a nation and anyone who even resembles a romantic. www.dubairacingclub.com
Event Review
Dubai World Cup
Victoire Pisa and Marco Demuro heading home, just before the pair cross the finish line first Photo: Andrew Watkins
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 21
Event Review
[OutdoorUAE]
YAS FESTIVAL
DRAG RACING D Photos and Article by James Russell
rag racing is widely known as quite literally, a ‘straight forward’ motor sport. It involves the most powerful (and probably the loudest) cars in competition, racing each other over a stretch of tarmac, usually around 400 metres in length. Speeds of over 500km/h can be reached in some cases. The fastest a dragster that has completed this distance, was in 3.58 seconds, by driver Sammy Miller in his Vanishing Point rocket car.
The Yas Marina has its own dedicated drag strip, perfect for the hosting of the 2nd Yas Drag Racing Festival, held on the weekend of the 4th of March 2011. I decided to cover this event, mainly because I had never seen real dragsters perform. Many people had told me that it is quite the spectacle, if you had not previously witnessed the raw power of 8,000 horses. So as usual, I was intensely excited, and hoping to be suitably impressed. I was very impressed. I had begun shooting from the side barriers from a distance, whilst watching the racers roar past. I wasn’t completely satisfied with my shots so I decided to get in a little closer – behind one of the R3’s or Pro Mod Class car. Almost forgetting to put my earplugs in, I had managed to witness the full blast of power from one of these monstrous machines. It literally felt as if I was metres away from a grenade explosion – my body had convulsed with the force and energy that came out of the rear of the dragster, which was something I was not expecting. Once it had taken off I was left there with a rather large smile on my face. There were 7 classes of race involved, including the impressive drag bikes (Super Street Bikes). Go to the results section to view the full list of qualifying results (page 54). Hot Rod Fuller set a new UAE record hitting a speed of 507.81km/h, breaking the 500km/h barrier for the first time. He achieved 1,000 feet (302 metres) in 3.901 seconds. The turnout was impressive, and the atmosphere even better. Amongst all the drag racing, Juliana Down performed some great live music, along with some extreme skipping and fire dancing, provided by the respective entertainers for the event. James
22 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
So loud!
Jason Plato
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 23
Gladiator
JOIN US
on our
Gladiator
PARTY CRUISE Sat. 23rd April 2011, 2pm 5hours fun cruise with music try Stand-Up-Paddle try Sea Kayaks & Spring-Floats Gladiator-Competition great prizes to win onboard Arabic Style onboard BBQ free ‘Spork’ with every ticket Only 295 Dhs per person This is an exclusive OutdoorUAE offer and tickets are limited
Date: Saturday 23rd of April 2011 Boarding: 1:30pm Departure: 2pm from Dubai Creek next to rulers court Price: 295AED per person all inclusive Ticket includes: BBQ (Arabic style with chicken skewer), Soft drinks (alcoholic drinks not included), Live DJ, Raffle prizes and competition, Try out water sports equipment, Meeting fellow outdoor lovers and a lot of fun! Available on board: changing rooms, fresh water showers, towels, toilets, alcoholic drinks and everything else you will need. Estimated return is 7pm to Dubai Creek.
For more details visit: www.outdooruae.com or call us 04 4472701 Tickets are available at: Leisure Marine Beach Hut, Jumeirah Beach Walk, Picnico, Jumeirah Beach Road
or buy your ticket online with PayPal on www.outdooruae.com
Organized by:
Sponsored by:
White Tigers on Public Display for the First Time in the UAE
1998-2002 at least 51 tigers per year were killed, with 76% for purposes of illegal trade and 15% as a result of human-tiger conflict.
Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort Opens New Animal Exhibit
Siberian Tiger, also known as the Amur or Manchurian tiger: Endangered. The northern-most subspecies is confined to the Amur-Ussuri region of Primorsky Krai and Khabarovsk Krai in far eastern Siberia, where it is now protected. The last two censuses (1996 and 2005) found 450–500 Amur tigers within their single, and more or less continuous, range making it one of the largest undivided tiger populations in the world.
AL AIN WILDLIFE PARK & RESORT (AWPR) inaugurated its new White tiger exhibit during an Official Opening Ceremony, which was attended by members of the ruling families of Abu Dhabi Emirate and Dubai Emirate, AWPR Board Members and Senior Management Team as well as other Senior Officials and Government representatives. As part of the Ceremony, the Senior Management of AWPR extended its sincere thanks and gratitude to Shaikha Latifa Bint Rashid Bin Khalifa bin Saeed Al Maktoum for her generous donation of the two white tigers, the almost two-year old siblings (a female and a male) that were named Sugar and Spice by Shaikha Latifa when they were three-months old cubs. White tigers are a colour morph of the tiger, caused by the recessive gene ‘chinchilla albinistic’. Contrary to popular belief, they are not albinos. White tigers are distinct because of their white coat and blue eyes. Records of the White tiger date back to the early 19th century. Farshid Mehrdadfar, Manager of the Animal Collection department at AWPR said; “For the first time, White tigers will be on public display in the UAE and we are excited that the debut happens at our zoo, which has one of the largest collections of Big Cats worldwide. Our Animal Collection team worked very closely with the team of Shaikha Latifa Bint Rashid Bin Khalifa Bin Saeed Al Maktoum to make the relocation of these two precious White tigers from Dubai to Al Ain as smooth as possible. The two tigers spent some time in quarantine before moving into their new habitat today. It’s great to see them being out exploring their new home, and I am sure that this new exhibit will add value to the visitor experience.” Dr. Michael Maunder, Chief of Conservation at AWPR, added; “White tigers only exist in zoos and animal collections and their popularity makes them ideal ambassadors for the tiger. Wild tigers are in urgent need for protection, preservation and conservation. Out of the nine known subspecies, three are extinct with the remaining six being either endangered or critically endangered. The display of these White tigers will promote increased public awareness about the desperate situation of tigers in the wild.” The existing subspecies vary in their body size, coat colour and distinct markings.
Bengal Tiger: Endangered. The most abundant subspecies of tiger, found primarily in India and Bangladesh. It lives in varied habitats (grasslands, subtropical and tropical rainforests, scrub forests, wet and dry deciduous forests, and mangroves). While conservationists already believed the population to be below 2,000, the most recent audit by the Indian Government’s National Tiger Conservation Authority has estimated the number at just 1,411 wild tigers, a drop of 60% in the past decade. Since 1972, there has been a massive wildlife conservation project, known as Project Tiger, to protect the Bengal tiger. Despite increased efforts by Indian officials, poaching remains rampant. Indochinese Tiger, also called Corbett’s tiger: Endangered. Found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam. Their preferred habitat is forests in mountainous or hilly regions. Estimates of the Indochinese tiger population vary between 1,200 and 1,800. All existing populations are at extreme risk from poaching, prey depletion as a result of poaching of primary prey species such as deer and wild pigs, habitat fragmentation and inbreeding. In Vietnam, almost three-quarters of the tigers killed were for the illegal trade in traditional medicine. Malayan Tiger: Endangered. Exclusively found in the southern part of the Malay Peninsula, was not considered a subspecies in its own right until 2004. Recent counts showed there are 600–800 tigers in the wild, making it the third largest tiger population, behind the Bengal tiger and the Indochinese tiger.
South China Tiger, also known as the Amoy or Xiamen tiger: the most critically endangered subspecies of tiger and listed as one of the 10 most endangered animals in the world. From 1983 to 2007, no South China tigers were sighted. In 1977, the Chinese government passed a law banning the killing of wild tigers, but this may have been too late to save the subspecies, since it is possibly already extinct in the wild. There are currently 59 known captive South China tigers, all within China, but these are known to be descended from only six animals. Currently, there are breeding efforts to reintroduce these tigers to the wild Extinct subspecies: Bali Tiger, hunted to extinction. The last Balinese tiger is thought to have been killed at Sumbar Kima, West Bali on 27 September 1937. No Balinese tiger was ever held in captivity. Javan Tiger, was limited to the Indonesian island of Java. It now seems likely that this subspecies became extinct in the 1980s, as a result of hunting and habitat destruction. The last confirmed specimen was sighted in 1979, but there were a few reported sightings during the 1990s. Caspian Tiger, also known as the Persian tiger or Turanian tiger, was the western-most population of Siberian tiger, found in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, the Caucasus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan until it apparently became extinct in the late 1950s, though there have been several alleged more recent sightings of the tiger. Though originally thought to have been a distinct subspecies, genetic research in 2009 suggests that the animal was largely identical to the Siberian tiger.
Sumatran Tiger: Critically endangered. Found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The wild population is estimated at between 400 and 500, seen chiefly in the island’s national parks. Recent genetic testing has revealed the presence of unique genetic markers, indicating that it may develop into a separate species if it does not go extinct. This has led to suggestions that Sumatran tigers should have greater priority for conservation than any other subspecies. Habitat destruction and fragmentation is the main threat to existing tiger population and also illegal hunting. From
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 25
Event Review
[OutdoorUAE]
FIA GT1
World Championship Round 1 kicks off in Abu Dhabi
26 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
THE GT1 CHAMPIONSHIP involves the racing of some of the top performing road legal production cars that most would be familiar with. This includes the Aston Martin DB9, Corvette Z06, Ford GT, Lamborghini Murcielago R-SV and the Nissan GT-R. Obviously these cars are then tuned and modified to race grade. The opening of the GT1 season fortunately began here in the UAE. Round one of ten took place at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, and I was there to witness the night race competition. Last year’s champions Andrea Bertolini and Michael Bartels who race for Vitaphone Racing, were not on the rosters for this season (neither was the Vitaphone Racing Team – due to some rules) but there were some new teams and faces to compete for the 2011 crown. This included a new Belgian Ford GT team and the All-Inkl.com Munnich Motorsport team racing the Lam-
bourghini Murcielagos. The event itself began with a supporting 1 hour endurance race that was won by Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum Al Maktoum and Saeed Al Mehairi in The Yas Aston Martin GT4 for the final round of the Cytech UAE GT Championship. The feature presentation, in this case the Round 1 of the GT1 World Championship was underway, with the growling of the engines encased by the beautiful Yas architecture. As I had only really seen the production counterparts of these racers on the streets of Dubai, it was interesting to see the Grand Touring versions out in pure competition. They were as beautiful as I’d hoped they’d be and were equally as impressive performance wise. I was lucky to get very close to the track and just feet away from the cars in some corners. The Nissan GT-Rs were probably the best looking cars on the track in my opinion, but that was probably down
to the cool liveries that they were sporting. The Nissan itself was carrying a 5.6 litre engine with a max. 600hp, with just over 650Nm of torque. These specs were pretty similar across all the other brands of cars, (apart from the huge 7.0 litre displacement of the Corvette) with regulations and modifications made to balance all the racers for a fair fight. Soon enough the race was over, with C.Piccione and S.Dusseldorp for the Hexis AMR(FRA) Aston Martin DB9 team taking the overall victory. They were closely followed by P.Dumbreck/R. Westbrook of JR Motorsports(GBR) Nissan GT-R, and in third, M.Winkelhock/M. Basseng for the All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport Lamborghini Murcielago 670 R-S team. James.
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 27
Event Review
[OutdoorUAE]
Dubai International Boat Show Worldwide sales expected to reach AED 1 billion - over AED 500 Million Onsite Sales in Series of Landmark Firsts DUBAI INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW rounded off a week of records with exhibitors’ sales expected to reach AED 1 billion as a direct result of the show. Exhibitors and visitors from across five contents hailed the event as one of the most successful and impressive shows in recent years. With more than 750 international companies and brands taking part, Dubai International Boat Show attracted more than 26,000 visitors and recorded around AED 500 million worth of onsite sales, with exhibitors expecting around the same value to come, making the show the most effective springboard for many companies looking to expand into the region and beyond.
the event said: “This event not only confirms that the leisure marine industry has a strong and a healthy future in the Middle East, it also illustrates the show’s fundamental importance as a business channel to the rest of the world. For nearly two decades the Dubai International Boat Show has driven the industry to push new boundaries, both financially and geographically and this year’s edition has reinforced its position as one of the five top boat shows in the world as a sales and business platform.”
ART Marine, one of the boat show’s largest exhibitors reported record-breaking sales totaling AED 240 million during the show, with more to come as a result of their participation. “The Dubai International Boat Show has been a leading networking platform and a premier showcase event for the leisure marine industry in the Middle East,” said Constantinos Constantinou, CEO, ART Marine. “These are strong results and the quality products represented by ART Marine, along with our reputation for providing the ultimate in customer service, have once again shown our unrivalled commitment to our clients.”
Gulf Craft, who have been participating in Dubai International Boat Show since its first edition in 1992 introduced four world launches and recorded sales at this year’s show of AED 70 million. Mohammed Hussain Alshaali, Chairman, Gulf Craft commented: “The Dubai International Boat Show has cemented its position as a prominent show in the international boating calendar. Gulf Craft continues to consider the event as one of its most important marketing platforms of the year, launching four new designs to the world in 2011. It is the ideal opportunity for prospective owners to gain first-hand experience of the quality, craftsmanship, and value for money that have made Gulf Craft a major player in the international market for luxury yachts and leisure craft.”
Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of
One of the show’s many spectacular highlights was the record
28 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
“One of the show’s many spectacular highlights was the record sale of a 40 metre Sunseeker superyacht, which was bought for AED 100 million.”
sale of a 40 metre Sunseeker superyacht, which was bought for AED 100 million. Arif Oomer, Director, Sunseeker Middle East said: “This show is indisputably the Middle East’s flagship event for the marine industry, and for exhibitors there is no better business platform. The calibre and quality of the visitors to this event is consistently exceptionally high and the international contingent this year is more impressive than ever.” The show set off at a lightning pace, when a AED 1.4 million fishing cruiser on display at Al Dhaen’s stand was sold less than an hour after the show’s opening ceremony. Abdulla Alfahal, Director Administration of Al Dhaen Group from Bahrain, said: “This has been a wonderful show for us and the sales results are fantastic. The Dubai Boat Show is known not just through the Middle East, but internationally and it is the ultimate event to conduct business. I leave this show with five out of seven boats sold onsite and I expect many more orders to follow. We are the proof that this show is essential for all marine businesses in the global as well as regional market.” One of the deals to be signed after attending the show includes an order from the Government of Sudan for 45 boats worth AED 18.5 million. Many new international exhibitors at the show confirmed it as one of the most impressive events on the international marine calendar. “I would without question put this event on a par with Monaco and it could certainly teach Fort Lauderdale a few lessons about putting on a truly international boat show,” said Howard Rogers, Director of Marketing at UMT Marine, a marine technology and innovation company based in Florida, which was making its debut this year. “We have visited boats shows all over the world for the last 15 years and Dubai has been an exceptional experience, particularly in spending time with some of the largest superyacht companies and the business that leads to. It is a superb trade generator for worldwide marine businesses.” More than 425 breathtaking yachts and boats on water and dry land, and dedicated supplies and luxury services areas attracted a host of leading international exhibitors. Bangladesh, Belgium, Czech Republic, Monaco, Oman, Singapore, Sri Lanka and the Ukraine all joined the show’s growing list of global participants. Mary-Anne Edwards, CEO, Australian International Marine
Export Group, the globally recognised brand for the Australian marine industry, said: “Interest in the Australian Pavilion was high with all exhibitors either making sales or some excellent leads and contacts. In fact, it was felt the business done at the show was for some at least double previous years. The Dubai International Boat Show is a vital platform for the Australian exhibitors, it attracts businesses from all over the world, including those from key growth markets such as India and Russia, and the response they have received from this event is excellent on all business levels.” The event attracted visitors and boating professionals from across the world, from enthusiasts to fanatics. “I have visited boat shows in Europe and the US, and Dubai is certainly one of the best for browsing as well as buying. The international brands ensure that everything is here from the huge superyachts to diving kits, and the whole ambience makes for an outstanding event,” said Sean Bayliss from the United States.
Dubai International Boat Show, we completely sold out and are still taking orders for more. To sell three times as many products as we did at two of the other most famous shows in the world is a testament to the success of the show and the target audience it attracts.” The 19th edition of Dubai International Boat Show welcomed more members of the world’s most prestigious superyacht builders association (SYBAss) than ever before in its history. Eleven of the most illustrious names gathered together for the first time in Dubai. “The Dubai International Boat Show is a vital platform for some of the most impressive and best known superyacht builders and a natural choice for the highest calibre companies,” said Michael Breman, Sales Director, Lürssen Yachts, and President of SYBAss. “And this event is by far the best in the Middle East to both illustrate and increase Lürssen’s international success,” The Supercar Promenade made its first appearance alongside the
show, with some of the motoring world’s most elite luxury brands wowing the crowds. One of the stars of the show, a Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed was sold for just under AED1 million. George Duncan, General Manager, Prestige Cars, said: “This was an extremely successful show for Bentley Emirates. The sale of the model we had on display is fantastic, and the visibility and the opportunity for us to showcase our prestige brand have been equally valuable. The Supercar Promenade is an excellent feature to run alongside the boat show, and the exposure to a truly international audience from the Middle East, Europe and the Americas is a great marketing tool for us to show what makes Bentley such a highly desirable product.” Next year sees the 20th anniversary of the Dubai International Boat Show, with more international exhibitors and visitors expected than ever before. Orient Planet Photos: James Russell
The prestige of the show was again highlighted with a record number of global premieres and regional launches. Eleven boats and other marine products were unveiled for the first time anywhere in the world and thirty were put on sale for the first time in the Middle East. Chris Tanner, Director of Wave Craft, a marine performance company from Hampshire in the UK, said: “It was an absolutely fantastic show for us. We took part in the Southampton boat show last year and the Florida Boat Show just before we came to Dubai and sold around a third of our stock at each event. At the
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 29
[OutdoorUAE]
Event Review
Abu Dhabi Kitesurfing Races February 25th, 2011 – Abu Dhabi Corniche, Public Beach
THE ABU DHABI KITESURFING RACE was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club and was organized by the Abu Dhabi Sailing & Yacht Club in conjunction with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the Abu Dhabi Municipality and the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club. The races were planned to be held on the waters of the Abu Dhabi Corniche. On the day of the event, there was unfortunately no wind, so the actual kite surfing race had to be cancelled. Instead of the kite surfing race the organizers held a Stand-Up-Paddle competition (SUP). Results can be found in the Results section.
Super Sports Run Series
THE POWELL FAMILY of Dubai powered their way to the finish line in Race 3 of the Super Run Series organized by Super Sports Events at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel this past weekend. Over 200 enthusiastic runners of all ages and abilities braved the cold and windy conditions they encountered while running past the Burj Al Arab, Madinat Jumeirah and Al Qasr resorts race course.
Debbie Powell crossed the finish line as the 2nd overall female and 1st in her age group category for the 8km run in a time of 37 minutes and 7 seconds while injury recovering husband Nick finished the 4km in 24th place overall (22.41) and 7th in his age group. The Powell siblings - Max (8 years) was the 6th overall male finisher (15:46) in the 4km and 1st boy home in the 12 & under age group. His sister Elisha Powell (9 years) was the 4th female overall (19:09) and 2nd girl back in the 12 & under girls 4km race. The whole family represents the ABRaS Running Club in Dubai where fellow ABRaS runners were also able to pick up some silverware on the day.
30 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
and
Timing
I have never been in the military but I like to plan my trips like a military operation. Everything is properly stored, sorted in boxes so packing the car is more or less just a choice or the right boxes. The day before, I always check the equipment to find new out if anything is missing, which gives me a good reason to get more gear. The passion my girlfriend has for shoes and handbags, is equal to my passion for gadgets and outdoor equipment. So I’m prepared for unexpected outdoor eventualities, as my girlfriend is for fashion ones. We no longer try and justify our expenditure on fashion or gadgets as we know we will each find some kind of justification for each purchase. :-D With the supplies and equipment prepared a day before the trip, there are no worries on my side. However, I had some doubts. Having been to Wadi Wuraya the week before, but not reached as far as we wanted, we decided an early start would be required. With having only Friday as a day off, we decided to leave on Thursday evening straight after work and camp on the beach in Fujeirah so that we could make an early start hiking in the wadi. Sounds perfect! However, there was one variable in my calculation of the schedule, which concerned me. The volunteers and friends for this trip were two of my friends Dana, Ema and my girlfriend Gina: a formidable force of 3 Romanian women. Being friends for a couple of years, I knew their character and temper… fiery! I was worried we would leave late, arrive even later at the beach, and then have to set up camp and organise the food. I added an
hour’s contingency into our schedule. With the drive expected to take 2 hours, I added another half an hour extra, so I thought in the worst case, I would arrive at the beach at 10:30pm and be in my camping chair with my steak ready to eat by 11pm at the latest. I would love to be one of those people who are laid back and do not go crazy about delays. After a hard working day without dinner, waiting to light the BBQ does nothing to improve my mood. We left at 8pm, with the first stop after only 5 minutes to do some last minute shopping. Already behind schedule, but looking forward to reaching the beach, the girls’ mood improved with every passing kilometre. By the time we reached the beach, my stomach was complaining loudly of being empty, and my steak was still far away. To be a nice host and driver I suggested the girls choose a camping spot which they would be sure to remember. However, by now it was after 10pm and we couldn’t find a good camping spot so drove down the whole coastline along the east coast. After almost reaching Dibba coming from Fujairah, I decided to take over and head to the spot I knew, between the Le Meridien Hotel and Sandy Beach Resort. Finally at 11.30pm we arrived at the beach. The music was on high volume, the girls even louder and empty cans clinking behind my seat. I was too impatient by this point to stop the car and explore the beach, so drove straight onto the beach and got stuck straightaway. I was boiling mad and unable to talk to anybody (apart from shouting). I was regretting the whole trip. The sand was very soft, the car fully loaded, the tyres not deflated and I was stuck on flat terrain. While I was deflating the tyres, the girls
Girls
were unloading the car. It took another half an hour to get the car out of the sand and choose a spot – Midnight! By the time both tents were put up and my steak cooked it was after 1am. The previous hour had not been very relaxing - setting up the tents on a windy night – my evening workout was chasing one tent down the beach and fishing it out of the sea. Once I was finally settled in my camping chair, all the hassle and aggravation of earlier now seemed very funny. We were sitting around the tent joking and enjoying our midnight feast. Waking up the next morning and opening the tent as the sun rose over the sea, more than made up for everything and I would and will do the same thing again. So the day for the hike started… Daniel.
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 31
Location
[OutdoorUAE]
Location
An extraordinary hike – mountains, bush and water in the UAE I was surprised by the beauty of the area around Wadi Wuraya. The first spot we reached was the famous Wuraya Waterfall which is unfortunately completely overcrowded at weekends and messed up with stupid graffiti and rubbish all over the place. I will never understand how you can have a picnic and leave all your rubbish behind – it is so sad, that there are so many ignorant people with NO respect at all for the environment. The great thing about Wadi Wuraya is that you are not dependent on a 4x4 to reach the waterfall or start the hike. Coming from either Dibba or Fujairah side, enter the mountains at GPS N25°24.743 E056°20.923 where there
is a sign to the wadi. Follow the road for about 10km, taking either of the two diversions as they lead both back to the same road. You will reach a big signpost after driving down into the wadi (GPS N25°23.713 E056°17.002). You can park your car here and walk along the wadi for about 3km to the waterfall (GPS N25°23.005 E056°15.742). It’s not a massive waterfall but you can’t miss it. You can do the same route with a 4x4; the track is not very challenging but very shaky. From the waterfall it is possible to continue by car about 3km further down the wadi (GPS N25°23.216 E056°15.890). From here you need to continue by foot. An alternative to the waterfall is to continue along the paved road for another 2km (GPS N25°23.887 E056°16.235). You can park the car here and climb down the wadi to the waterfall. You should be prepared for the fact that there is no proper track and the ground is slippery with gravel and loose rocks. If you are not confident going by
foot, it is better to take the longer but safer route through the wadi. The week before we had hiked to the end of the wadi (GPS N25°23.216 E056°15.890). It’s an easy hike, with some tricky parts and you are guaranteed to get wet shoes or feet. This time we decided to hike the wadi above the Wuraya Waterfall. Looking along the wadi you will see that it’s completely green, covered in high grass and bamboo. You don’t need directions as you can’t get lost in the wadi itself. There are only a very few opportunities to exit the Wadi into some dry wadi streams coming from higher grounds. This hike will give you a feeling of being somewhere in the jungle but certainly not in the UAE from the very beginning. Almost the whole way there are small streams of water which can extend into small lakes. The vegetation is very dense in some parts which makes it hard to pass. The easiest way is to go through the water or try to climb around on one side. Sometimes your only option is to make your way straight through. The experience of the hike the week before was different; the vegetation was not so dense, so we had all decided to wear short trousers for this hike. Big mistake! Bamboo leaves and the type of grass bushes with long strong leaves cut our skin. You may not see an actual cut, but you will feel it. Driven by a force to explore and experience - our adventure continued, not knowing where we would end up we continued our hike. The off-road explorer mentions this hike and says that you might reach another waterfall. This was one motivation to continue. After 2hrs hiking we were not very inclined to fight our way back the way we had come, so there was only one way - forward. I was leading and trying to make as good a path as possible for the ladies. I heard a lot of swearing in Romanian. When we reached the biggest natural lake I have ever seen in the UAE we decided to take a break, regain some strength and take a short rest. We discussed our options – continuing, turning around or looking for alternatives. On my GPS I could see that we were more or less 600m away from the other wadi we had been to the previous week, which is a very easy hike. However, there was a huge mountain line separating us from the other side. I decided to check if we could risk climbing to the other side of the mountain. I went up the rocks out of the wadi which was easy enough,
32 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
but I know the risk of loose rocks and with the story of last month’s mountain rescue fresh in my mind, I also know how difficult it might be to get out of here even with minor injuries. I therefore decided to skip this idea and told the girls to move on for maybe one more kilometre. From up on the mountain I could see a bigger diversion of the wadi and was hoping that this might be the access to the other side and a comfortable hike back to the car. Fighting the vegetation for 3hrs left its marks, especially the legs of the girls which were full of cuts – mine as well but it was not showing on my hairy legs. So we fought the last kilometre through the bamboo bush and reached the diversion. To our surprise this was a spot also mentioned in the guide book (GPS N25°23.534 E056°15.602 / 253m). The rocks and the noise of gushing water tickled our interest and we decided to go few more metres into the cracks filled with water. Immediately we found ourselves in deep water and had to lift our backpacks over our heads to keep them dry. The so called waterfall was a small fast steam coming down a natural rocky slide. I was driven to see what was behind and climbed up. I succeeded on the third attempt. The rocks were smooth with few hand holds. Above the rocks the wadi continued as we had seen hours before. We decided to call it a day and head back. We went out of the rocks, completely wet but happy to have made it so far and to have reached such a beautiful place – no rubbish and no graffiti on the rocks and lovely water filled pools. We didn’t rest long and started to ascend the smaller wadi stream heading to the other side. To keep safe in the wadi be very cautious in the mountains as everything seems to look the same. With the help of the GPS we continued. The track was rocky but easy until we reached a small dried out waterfall which was also easy to hike around. After maybe 45 minutes we reached a high mountain plateau (GPS N25°23.273 E056°15.733 / 322m) and were able to look down to the other wadi. To
be honest, I didn’t recognize anything. From the top you’re not really able to look into the wadis because they are too deep and too narrow. The sides of the wadi are about 30-40m high. The GPS showed only 300m distance to the spot we were aiming for. Ahead was a tricky and risky entrance into the rocky valley leading down to the lower plateau and hopefully to the wadi. The fist metres concerned me a lot. We had to pass a steep fall of maybe 20 metres along loose rocks. I wished I’d had a rope with me to at least secure the girls… if you read the article from the beginning you can guess - next time there will be one more item in my equipment box. :-D I suggested taking the safe route but could not convince Ema and Gina to go back. They climbed the rock alone quite easily and I followed with Dana to give her some support as she is very afraid of heights. We all made the tricky passage without any trouble and quickly reached the lower plateau (GPS N25°23.210 E056°15.806 /264m). All of us were delighted to reach here, especially Dana who faced her fears and succeeded. Relieved to be on the plateau on top of the wadi I knew we were close but still not safe. This was our first time using this route, so there was still the risk of getting stuck and not being able to descend down the last 40 metres into the wadi. A good rule if you have no track to follow is to follow the water, or at least the dried out streams which will always lead you downwards. The only thing, you might get stuck at a drop (dry waterfall) which is not passable (with proper gear you could do an abseil). We were fortunate this day and could climb down easily into the wadis (GPS N25°23.271 E056°15.947 210m). It took us another 20 minutes to reach the car.
If you do this hike along the wadi, I strongly recommend that you wear long trousers. I wouldn’t suggest crossing to the other side of the wadi as we did unless you have proper mountain experience and equipment. Bear in mind that any kind of rescue in this terrain is a challenge and rescuers will take hours to get you out. Daniel
The total hike is about 10km and took us 6 hours – based on the vegetation and the terrain you make slow progress.
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 33
People
[OutdoorUAE]
e l p o e P d a o Off R e in the UAE
f-road drivers that resid
dedicated of We get to know some
Mike
of your car and enough real tools to fix it if it breaks down! What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time? Join a club and go on a ‘newbie’ drive. There are several good clubs in the UAE and all will take the first timer under their wing. Or, if you have a good friend who is an accomplished off-roader, go with them. First-timers should never go alone, it’s just asking for trouble and usually ends in disaster. What is your favorite spot/location? (Alternative: What was the best tour you ever did?) The best trip I’ve done so far was a 1,400km trip, completely off-road from just south of Jebel Hafeet, to the Yemen border on the Arabian Sea coast. We followed the Oman/UAE border, the Oman/ Saudi border and then the Oman/Yemen border. It meant traversing the Omani part of the Empty Quarter as well as the Dhofar mountains. A truly exceptional trip.
Name of the car owner(s): Mike Nott Occupation: Advisor Location/Emirate: Dubai How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here? I’ve been living in the UAE for 8 and a half years, since August 2002. I was offered the job as the head of an advisory and training team from the UK, and jumped at the chance to come here. Did you ever own a 4x4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience? My previous career, in the British Army, gave me the chance to drive off-road in many countries and in all terrains, from jungle to desert but, until I came to the UAE, I’d never owned a 4x4. How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go? It depends on the time of year. Last month, February, I did three off road trips; 2 to the Oman and 1 to the Liwa. On average, I try and do at least 10 trips a year. Most of my trips are done with members of ME4x4 but occasionally I’ll do a solo trip or one with friends from outside the club. What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road? A well maintained vehicle! In addition to that you need to take enough food and water to keep you alive. You also need a personal toolbox that contains self-reliance, selfconfidence, resourcefulness, a through knowledge
34 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
What car do you drive? I drive two Mercedes G Class; a 1999 G500 (296hp, 5 litre), which has done a huge amount off-road and now has 390,000km on the clock, and also a 2005 G55k (476hp, 5.5 litre) which has also done its fair share in the dunes and mountains. I’ve also taken the trouble to do all the maintenance and servicing myself, which has paid dividends when something has gone wrong whilst out in the
dunes or mountains. Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road? Did you make any modifications (if yes, which ones and why): The G Class is a purposely designed cross country vehicle. It’s incredibly rugged and quite over engineered, which makes it very robust. It benefits from 3 mechanical differential locks, one on each axle and one on the transfer case; it’s pretty much un-stoppable. It’s been my policy to make absolutely no modifications at all. The engineers at Mercedes designed the car for optimal performance based on the design as it is, without modification. By modifying it, I’d end up compromising one of the car’s capabilities. I have put on some AT tyres, to provide better grip on mountain trails and to help resist punctures, but that’s it. What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why? I’d love a Pinzgauer or a Unimog. Both of these would be pretty unstoppable in any off-road terrain and either could be converted into a ‘kombi’ for some truly long, off-road expeditions.
Name of the car owner(s): Devanand Mahadeva (Dev) Occupation: Director, Lasting Legacy (Estate/ Inheritance Planning Consultants) Location/Emirate: Dubai, UAE How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here? Ten Years. Came in Feb 2001. Moved to the UAE from the Maldives to enjoy the cars here. Nationality: Sri Lankan Did you ever own a 4x4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience? None. Have been into expedition riding most of the time, before coming here. How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go? Go every weekend. Mostly with the fellow ME 4x4 Club Members. What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road? All the recovery
Dev
gears. ( Snatch Ropes, Tow Ropes, Shackles, Sand Ladders, Spade, Air Jack, Jacking Board, Air Compressor, Tyre Pressure gauge, Tyre repair kit, Deflators, Gloves, Essential Tools, Essential Lubricants, Spare Coolant, Fuses and Tool Kit. Apart from this, we carry enough Water and food. What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time? Always go out with experienced/responsible people in off-road driving and not with the self proclaimed novices. What is your favorite spot/location? (Alternative: What was the best tour you ever did?) Obviously it is the Rub-al-Khali. The best Desert Tour was from Al Hamra to Aradah, south of Abudhabi. The best Wadi tour was from Al Ain(UAE) to Sohar(Oman) via the Dank area south of Mazayed Border in Oman. What car do you drive? Mitsubishi L200 Sportero Model 2010;
D/Cab GLS, 4WD, 3500cc, SOHC 24 VALVE V6 MPI Petrol, Manual Gear with Easy Select 4WD system Max. Output: 194hp/4750rpm, Max. Torque: 32.2kg-m/3500rpm, Fuel tank capacity : 75 litres. Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road? Did you make any modifications (if yes, which ones and why): It has a high torque engine with a light body to take you anywhere in the sand and the mountain slopes. Mitsubishi makes one of the best 4x4 systems in the world. Being a pickup, I have a good amount of space to carry all the gear for the more challenging off-road trips/expeditions. No modifications done other than a thicker Bash Plate for the front underbody. What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why? The earlier versions of Jeep Wranglers (the YJ / TJ versions) due to the simple build and easy maintenance. Also they can be easily modified in various ways. Only downside is the lack of space to carry all the gear.
Nick Name of the car owner(s): Nick
both regulars in the desert. I think these are two of the most capable vehicles ever made for off-road driving however they could not be more different to drive.
How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here? I have been living in the UAE since 2005, having been working in and around the Gulf since 2001. I am from England and certainly appreciate the dryer and warmer climate. Did you ever own a 4x4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience? I used to race on two wheels in both Motor X and Enduro in the UK but I did not buy my first 4x4 until I moved to Dubai. How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go? As often as possible! Weekends, evenings and in the summer early, in the morning, I tend to be out as often as I can, especially as a busy work schedule often means I miss out on weekend trips. Friends, relatives, office visitors, all give good excuses to get out and about. What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road? Apart from the basic recovery gear that the club stipulates and everyone should carry as a minimum, I also carry a small tool kit with spanners and sockets that fit the vehicle as opposed to the complete set, in order to keep the weight down, along with a selection of hoses and belts. Most importantly, always lots of water and some sort of food, if a car breaks down and recovery is needed, overheating is a real danger and cars warm up very quickly. Finally the jetboil, tea bags and milk are always there just in case!
What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time? Find a club to go with, do not try going alone. Also spend some time browsing the forums on a good club website as there will be lots of useful advice and experiences related so you can chose what you want to do. Finally make sure you know how to recover your car, you have your recovery kit and know how to attach it to your vehicle before you need to do it for real. What is your favorite spot/location? (Alternative: What was the best tour you ever did?) I am a big fan of the border area near Shwaib as it offers a great variety of terrain and some nice quiet spots for picnics and camping too. For a longer trip the dunes south west of Al Ain in Oman offer some of the most stunning terrain I have seen but definitely to be visited over a couple of days. What car do you drive? I am lucky enough to have a choice, a 2004 Jeep Wrangler 4.0L manual and a 2004 Land Rover Discovery II automatic, are
Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road? Did you make any modifications (if yes, which ones and why): The Jeep is a very easy car to drive off road, a short wheel base, lightweight and with good power, it also has the benefit of being strong enough not to break for learning in. The simple mechanics allow the driver to really feel what is going on and learn to “feel� driving on sand. On the other hand, the Discovery is a very smooth car to drive in the desert, much less aggressive but still incredibly capable. The Discovery is in original form including standard tires and although I originally thought about making changes, I have been so impressed with the performance, it will stay as is. What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why? I guess for me it is a combination of performance, comfort and price and increasingly manufacturers are making it harder to drive a car from the forecourt to the desert without major modifications, the need to remove plastics, fit new bumpers etc. The one new vehicle that has impressed me is the Ford F150 Raptor, a vehicle that completed the Dakar Rally recently in nearly stock form, great to see a manufacturer being able to market a desert ready truck.
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People
[OutdoorUAE]
Steve Name of the car owner(s): Stephen Richardson Occupation: Osteopath Location/Emirate: Dubai How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here? 4 Years from the UK. Job opportunity brought me here Did you ever own a 4x4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience? Had a MK II Land Rover…… Father taught me to drive off road from an early age How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go? Try to get out one or two times a week with friends or ME 4x4 What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road? The list can be endless but basic requirements should be: Proper recovery points
on your vehicle. Tow rated shackles 3.75 tonnes and above which fit your recovery points. A recovery rope. A jacking board to disperse the weight of your wheel jack on soft terrain. Proper wheel changing tools. A shovel. A tire compressor for re-inflation/tire pop outs. Basic medical kit and enough food and water for yourself and your occupants for the duration of your drive. What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time? Never go out by yourself. A minimum of 2 cars. Take your time. Listen to the advice of others who have more experience. If your unsure of something stop and assesses the situation. Do not be pressurised into following a route or doing an obstacle you are not happy about. Most importantly…..enjoy yourself ! What is your favorite spot/location? (Alternative: What was the best tour you ever did?) Oman – Starfish Dunes
What car do you drive? Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited 2009. 205 BHP 3.8 V6 Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road? Did you make any modifications (if yes, which ones and why): Jeeps can get up and go from the box. They have got the history and the ability to go and do most terrain and then get you back again. Mods: BF Goodrich AT tires. Front and rear off road bumpers (fitted by Jeep). Superchips Flashpaq. AFE Mach Force exhaust. What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why? Land Rover Defender or Mercedes G Wagon. Their longevity speaks for itself. Though I am now sorely tempted by a Ford Raptor SV F150
Gordon Name of the car owner(s): Gordon T. Smith Occupation: Area Manager for a US Pharmaceutical Company Location/Emirate: Dubai How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here? 13 years, coming to UAE after 11 years living and working in Saudi Arabia Did you ever own a 4x4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience? Yes and Yes How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go? Varies depending on the time of the year, but usually a couple of times per month with friends or ME4x4
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What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road? Minimum is a shovel, rated tow strap, rated shackles, gloves, jacking board, tyre pressure gauge as well as proper tools for changing a wheel and a good spare wheel as well as another vehicle! What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time? Take things slowly and never rush anything. What is your favorite spot/location? (Alternative: What was the best tour you ever did?) Liwa is good, but the best trips I have done have been down into the Empty Quarter of Oman, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
What car do you drive? 2001 Land Rover Discovery SII, 4L V8 Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road? Did you make any modifications (if yes, which ones and why): Land Rovers are easy to modify, mine has 2” lift, central diff lock as well as air lockers on both front and rear axles, raised air intake to reduce dust to the air box, 9,000lb winch on the front bumper. What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why? Land Rover Defender, works straight out of the box and plenty of accessories available to modify for long distance trips.
Name of the car owner(s): Siddharth Patel Occupation: Timber Merchant Location/Emirate: Dubai How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here? Have been here in UAE since 2004, and came from the UK, previously lived in Oman, so the deserts and wadis is what I grew up around. Did you ever own a 4x4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience? No, never owned a 4x4, but been out in the wadis with my parents, and school friends in Oman/UAE. Me4x4 introduced and made me comfortable with driving over the dunes. How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go? Try to go once a month, with me4x4.com club or family/friends.
Name of the car owner(s): Ged & Lesley Langosz Occupation: Senior Project Manager Location/Emirate: Jebel Ali. Dubai How long have you been living in the UAE and when (from where & why) did you come here? We’re initially from the UK but have spent the last 30 years leading a rather nomadic life in the Gulf Region, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and have now been resident in the UAE for over twenty years. Did you ever own a 4x4 before you came to the UAE or had any off-road driving experience? Yes, a Land Rover Discovery in Saudi Arabia which we shipped to Dubai and still proudly sits outside our villa with our 2 Defenders and Range Rover. How often do you go off-road and with whom do you go? We go off-road almost every weekend either with our local ME4x4 club or with friends. The problem is that the off-roading season coincides with the sailing season and we also like to sail our 30ft Beneteau. Dubai is such a wonderful, exciting place there’s almost too much to do, friends to see and not enough time for playing! Perhaps we should have a shorter working week? What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road? Common Sense, Friends, GPS, Maps and telephone, Food & Water and Recovery equipment. What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time? Enrol in the 1 day Emirates Desert Driving Course to learn the basics then join the ME4x4 club where you will meet the friendliest bunch of people ever and participate in fantastic off-road trips. ME4x4 are extremely, safety conscious and only allow off-roaders to drive within the club graded limits. Once you have proved your driving ability you can be upgraded to the next club level and get to participate with even more exciting off-road trips.
What do you think is essential to take with you when you go off-road? A good attitude, water, mandatory recovery equipment (check me4x4.com website for list) and another 2 vehicles. Nice to have are a GPS, and an air compressor. What advice would you give to a person who is going off road first time? Respect the terrain, and it will respect you. There is no prize for conquering the biggest dune. What is your favorite spot/location? (Alternative: What was the best tour you ever did?) Al Hayer area for day trips around Dubai, and Liwa is breathtaking scenery and thrilling to drive in. Oman has beautiful wadis and mountains, which are enjoyed by passengers of your vehicle as well. What car do you drive? 2007 2-door Toyota Prado, 4.0, 240hp.
Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road? Did you make any modifications (if yes, which ones and why): It is reliable, light and powerful, and therefore anyone can drive it well in the dunes. I have installed a 40mm suspension lift and a bash plate to protect the front. What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why? In my opinion there is no ultimate off-road car, each to his/ her own. A good off-road vehicle has a proper 4x4 system, with low ratio transfer box, and ample ground clearance. I prefer Toyota and Nissan, purely due to their build quality, and cheaper maintenance costs, one thing to know is that off-roading is harsh on your vehicle and a well built and serviced vehicle will get you to where you want to go, and back. Photos: Arnaud Buisson
Siddharth
whilst in the Gulf Region. Liwa, for the sheer beauty and remoteness. Oman for the stunning mountain scenery. and Saudi Arabia for the Rub Al Khali and the Hijaz Railway absolutely amazing to see the trains derailed by “Lawrence of Arabia” still lying in tact in the sand after all these years. The most heartfelt moments are when you meet locals in the most remote places, whilst struggling to communicate you cannot escape the warmest, sincere welcome ever shown. The kindness just radiates from their eyes, it’s like they’ve found kindred spirits. This warm hospitability has been displayed to us in all Gulf countries throughout our nomadic travels of the Middle East. We consider ourselves very lucky. What car(s) do you drive? Land Rovers 1)
2007 Defender TD5 110 Station Wagon (LWB), 2.5 Turbo Diesel 122BHP
2)
1997 Special Edition Defender 90 (SWB) V8 Petrol 188BHP
3)
2006 Range Rover 4.6 HSE
4)
1997 Discovery 3.9 Mk 1. 180BHP
Being Land Rover fanatics we are desperately trying to justify owning four 4WD when there are just the two of us. We’re still trying to convince ourselves that guests and relatives always need a vehicle when visiting, and then there’s always a friendly club member that we can offer to help out from time to time when their vehicle is getting some TLC after a spot of off-roading!! Why do you think your car is good for driving off-road? Did you make any modifications (if yes, which ones and why): Because it’s a LAND ROVER!! I’m unable to discuss modifications as my husband is still suffering from wallet ache!! What do you think is the ultimate off-road car (apart from your own of course) and why? It just has to be Bowler Wild Cat. Look it up.
Ged & Lesley
What is your favourite spot/location? (Alternative: What was the best tour you ever did?) Oh dear, hard question! We have had such amazing trips
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[OutdoorUAE]
News
News
UIM XCAT MIDDLE EAST SERIES – 4th & FINAL HEAT
Ghanem in Ginetta take Cytech UAE GTC title
After presenting the best lap time in this mornings pole position of the UIM XCat Middle East Series Fazza’s Arif Al Zafain and Nadir Bin Hendi stormed through the finish line in to a convincing win ahead of Rashid Al Marri and Salem Fadhel Al Hamli in Extreme Marine. Abu Dhabi Racing Team with Ahmed Ali Jaber Al Hamli and Rashid Jaber Al Hamli came third. Fazza led the fleet from the start averaging 142 kph around the 11-lap course and finished 50 seconds in front of Extreme Marine in the fleet of 18 extreme catamarans. Two boats failed to finish and Skydive Dubai didn’t start due to engine problems. Extreme Marine, however took the overall Middle East title honours from Fazza, as their second place today and Fazzas failure to finish in the last heat boosted Extreme Marines lead putting Fazza in second and Spirit of Abu Dhabi third overall places. ‘We feel like this should have been our series,’ said Fazza’s Arif Al Zafain, ‘we won three out of the 4 heats and it was only bad luck in the last heat in Abu Dhabi where we didn’t finish that has let us down. We are happy with todays win but disappointed as we felt that we really deserved to win the overall series this time. We missed out last year and we’ve missed out again this year. But this will make us improve and more determined in next season and not just to be the XCat champions but also champions in Class 1.’ Extreme Marine have now won the Middle East title twice; ‘we had a very bad start in the race today and had a lot of ground to make up to catch Fazza, but we held our place and the result was good,’ said Rashid Al Marri. ‘We managed one lap in pole position earlier this morning as we developed engine troubles and spent the time between the races doing repairs. We are really happy to to be the Middle East Champions again this year and I want to thank everyone who supports us.’ ‘We came 5th in the race today and I didn’t know if we would keep our third place overall,’ said Rashid Al Tayer from Spirit of Abu Dhabi. ‘Our boat didn’t run well in the race today, but I’m very happy the we came 3rd overall.’ The calendar for the new season is still to be announced but will include 6 heats held between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah. Prizes were presented by the organisers at Dubai International Marine Club and race officials. Photographs by DIMC
Joe Ghanem has won the 2010/11 UAE GT Drivers Championship (Class GTC) in a GulfSport Racing prepared Ginetta G50 HC. During the eight round mini-endurance series that took place at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and the Dubai Autodrome, 20 year old Ghanem notched up four second places and a win to take an unassailable championship lead by round seven. The car ran faultlessly all season against serious competition including two factory Maserati GranTurismo Trofeos, a KTM X-Bow GT4, Porsche 996, Lotus 2-Eleven GT4, two Aston Martin GT4s, a Seat Supercopra, and another Ginetta G50HC. Team GulfSport principal Barry Hope commented, “This was a very satisfying win for GulfSport and Ginetta. Joe is a very talented young single seater driver who wanted to test himself in competitive GT racing. It was interesting that H.E. Sheikh Faisal Al Qassemi showed total confidence in Joe at the outset and arranged a number of sponsors including Al Buhaira National Insurance, Orient Travel, G4S, Citymax Hotels and London Dairy all of whom were delighted to be part of the action and to win the Championship”.
YAS RACERS GET PODIUM PLACES ON TWO WHEELS AND FOUR Abu Dhabi, 14 March 2011 – Yas Marina Circuit racers took to the podium with a series of strong performances on two wheels and four at Dubai Autodrome on Friday. The Yas Aston Martin GT4 driven by Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum Al Maktoum and Saeed Al Mehairi took third place in the Cytech GT Championship one-hour endurance race, while Yas Motorcycle Racing’s Mahmoud Tannir was second in both rounds of the UAE Sportbike Championship. Tannir’s team mate Alan Boyter finished third in race one and fourth in race two. Sheikh Hasher, who was taking part in his first race for the Yas team, commented: “I am thrilled with our success over the weekend and very happy to be a part of the Yas Racing Team. I will continue to give my all to the team and show that Emirati drivers are some of the best.” Co-driver Saeed Al Mehairi was delighted with the addition of Sheikh Hasher to the team. “The key to our success was team harmony,” he said. “We will continue to work hard with the whole team to strengthen our morale, with the aim of achieving an even better result in the next race at Yas Marina Circuit.” The team will now compete in the final round of the series as part of the FIA GT1 World Championship weekend at Yas Marina Circuit on 25-26 March. Tannir’s performance on his Yas Motorcycle Racing Triumph Daytona 675 was his sixth successive second-place finish, and Boyter’s result was his fifth successive third place. Both riders will be competing in the supporting race at the opening round of the MotoGP season in Qatar this weekend.
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ABRaS Hatta Fort Hotel CrossCountry The third edition of the ABRaS Hatta Fort Hotel Cross-Country race took place on 11 March around the scenic grounds of the hotel. There were 3 separate races for women, men and juniors. The adults races consisted of 8.6 km, as 3 large loops around the perimeter of the hotel grounds, taking in a very steep and rocky climb and some wonderful peacock displays. The junior 3.1 km race was 2 smaller loops that took them over a less rocky, but still steep climb. Well done to all those that made it up the hills! Julie Rayfield was the winner of the Women’s race in a time of 42:32, closely followed by Kerry Ross who finished in 42:52. In the men’s race, Matt Ross ran away from the rest of the field to finish in 39:08. The junior race was won by Mathew Lamb in 14:38, with Leszek Troc in second (15:35) and just behind was 7 year old Cooper Ross in 15:45. Leading the girls home was Alanna Rayfield in a time of 17:38. After all that hard work brunch and awards were enjoyed by the pool. Many thanks to the Hatta Fort Hotel for hosting the event and to race organiser Lesley Jones.
World famous stunt rider ‘Humberto Ribeiro’ showcased a daredevil stunt show at ‘Big Boys Toys’ in March During the last month exhibition, Big Boys Toys, the famous Portuguese stunts rider Humberto Ribeiro performed. Born in 1989, he is no stranger to championships and recently delivered a breath taking performance at World Championship Freestyle. One of the best stunt drivers in the world, the precision and skill in doing his signature dare devil stunt is impeccable. Riding without hands, standing up, passing between close obstacles, riding on single wheel, noise and smoke he’s done it all. The audience from children to grown up bike enthusiasts was amazed.
3rd Ultimate X-Training Challenge Concludes with Selection of ‘Fittest’ Athletes in Dubai Fitness First, the world’s number one health and fitness club chain and part of the Landmark Group in the MENA region, has announced the winners of the third annual Ultimate X-Training Challenge that saw more than 47 professionals and amateurs competing in a grueling course of 12 gym exercises to vie for the title of ‘fittest’ athlete in Dubai. The event also attracted 19 teams in the ‘fun’ Team Relay event, taking the total number of competitors to an impressive 123. Elly Rivett took the first place in the ‘Professional’ category for women while Richard Baker emerged triumphant among men. In the second place, Adrian Berry and Aniza Van Der Wath were declared winners in the men and women categories respectively. In the amateur category, Waddah Lahem took first place for men, while Hayley Fisher won in the women’s category. The ‘Green Machine’ team took first place in the Team Relay category. Dubai’s record breaking 3-Pole adventurer Adrian Hayes and Angelica Horvatic won the third place in the ‘Professional’ category for men and women respectively. The Ultimate X-Training Challenge 2011 was held at the Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai. Supported by Gillette, the day-long event tested the physical and mental fortitude of the competitors. The Ultimate X-Training Challenge also raised nearly AED15,150 in aid of ‘All as One’, the charity organization that Fitness First has supported for over five years. ‘All as One’ is dedicated to providing the orphaned and destitute children of Sierra Leone with a loving home, education, medical care and a chance for a better future.
The symbolic action of turning lights out for an hour in an expression of concern for the environment was officially observed in thousands of communities across 134 countries and territories on all continents. The UAE, including its iconic landmarks and public figures, joined hundreds of millions across the world to celebrate action for the planet. Burj Kalifa tower in Dubai - at 828 metres the world’s tallest building - led a list of many of the world’s tallest buildings going dark for Earth Hour when it turned off about half a million lightbulbs. Six of the world’s 10 tallest buildings had registered their participation before the event - Taipei 101 in Taiwan, at 508 metres the world’s second tallest building, the Shanghai World Financial Centre (3rd at 492 metres), the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia (5th and 6th at 492 metres) and the Chicago, US, Willis Tower (8th at 442 metres). Making an Empire Statement for the environment for the 3rd time is the world’s most famous tall building - holder of the title for 40 years (1931-1971), New York’s 381 meter tall Empire State Building now still ranks 17th. Burj Kalifa also leads an impressive roll call of buildings going dark in the United Arab Emirates, from the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque, Emirates Palace and bridges and beaches of Abu Dhabi to many of the landmarks of Dubai including city symbol the Burj al Arab. Earth Hour in the United Arab Emirates is also going well beyond the hour, in Dubai under the patronage of Crown Prince His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. An unusual initiative is solar powered Earth Hour recycling bins on public streets. The record number of United Arab Emirates participants in Earth Hour are also innovating beyond the hour, sharing pictures of themselves with their commitments for continuing environmental action. Elsewhere in the Gulf, Kuwait celebrated its national day and Earth Hour by flicking the switch on the Twin Towers that are the country’s most noted landmark. At the Jeddah Hilton, Saudi Arabia, the Gullf Environmental Forum (GEF) has partnered with Trees for the Future to plant 50 trees in Haiti for every speaker at its event. “We are seeing a boom in participation in many of the world’s emerging economies this year, an encouraging sign as these countries begin to take an increasingly prominent place on the world stage,” said WWF International Director General Jim Leape. www.uae.panda.org
Abu Dhabi Yacht Show 2011
Abu Dhabi’s juniors gets points at Production Car World Rally Championship in Portugal
Major players in the global yacht-building, brokerage and charter market rallying to the third edition of the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show (ADYS), say the Gulf’s long-term potential makes a presence in this market non-negotiable. The UAE capital has staked its claim on the title of regional yachting hub. With strong investment into leisure boating, marina infrastructure, the support and service industry and all-round destination development with projects such as Saadiyat Island and Yas Island (currently hosting ADYS at its flagship Yas Island Marina), major global yacht brands and shipyards know that a firstmover advantage in this market holds the potential to reap long-term benefits. Exhibitors at this year’s show unanimously say that the market demands a presence from the biggest players in the industry. “Edmiston is one of the world’s leading yachting companies. With an international presence, the company services clients all over the world. With specialist expertise at the top end of the yachting sector, the Middle East has always represented an important market for Edmiston both in terms of sales and purchase, as well as yacht charter and management,” said Jamie Edmiston, Director, Edmiston & Co. www.abudhabiyachtshow.com
Team Abu Dhabi’s Majed Al Shamsi and Bader Al Jabri have promised to keep delivering on the international stage following their respectable eighth and ninth place finishes in Rally Portugal – the second round of the seven-event 2011 FIA Production Car World Rally Championship (PWRC). As well as marking the first time that two Emiratis have recorded drivers’ points in a PWRC fixture, the early season coup demonstrates the fledgling Team Abu Dhabi pair’s progress in their maiden season in the prominent World Rally Championship (WRC) feeder series. “I’m quite surprised at how quickly we have gotten to grips in our new surroundings,” said Al Jabri. “Although we drove here last year in another series, the PWRC is a completely different environment and everything has gone up a notch - the cars are faster, the drivers more skilled, it’s a lot more pressure.” “I just hope that we can match the expectations that people have for us,” added Al Jabri. “It’s a huge responsibility to carry Abu Dhabi’s name and represent our people in the sport’s largest arena.” Source: Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
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News
AED15,150 Donated to Charity Organisation ‘All as One’
Earth Hour across UAE
[OutdoorUAE]
the fishing Kit by Kit Belen
Spoilt For Choice THE MAN MAKES THE ANGLER, the equipment makes the experience either hassle free or a disaster. Saltwater, you’ve gotta love it! Even whilst almost soaking wet, I was casting frantically. The casts were far and straight, much to the amazement of everyone looking on. After a few sweeps of the rod, a fish was hooked. It was my 20th or so barracuda for the morning, I honestly don’t remember but people around me were whispering loud enough for me to hear that they were counting. Other anglers around me stared blankly as I released the fish, seemingly anesthetized by what has transpired during the morning. Some screamed at me for “wasting” food, while others just smiled and called me stupid. After the morning mayhem, I was walking home when one of the guys I’d met at the jetty asked me what exactly I was doing to catch all those fish. My reply was simple: A balanced outfit and the skill to cast straight and far. One look at his reel and I saw that it wasn’t balanced, he was using a 12lb (6kg) rod and reel, and his line was 50lb(25kg) mono filament. If the line is thicker than it should be, it makes greater drag while casting and the distance is cut short. Something this simple is often overlooked, the last person everyone blames for these things are themselves. The list is endless; there are those that break rods, break reels, break lines, you name it; the reason exists. Reasons however, are different from excuses. Those that truly know how to fish attribute a lot more to human error than to equipment failure. Fishing isn’t complicated, people make it. It is
Richie with a nice grunter
40 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
Samat - with a nice selection of gear available to anglers
as easy or as hard as you want it to be. Now, more than ever the anglers are spoiled. There are so many rods and reels to choose from - more types of fishing line and even more kinds and colours of lures. Even fishing hooks can fill up a thick catalogue...we are so spoiled that we are in no position to complain. Everything in fishing is geared towards fooling fish, which is odd since they mostly always win. Even with all the technology backing us humans, there is always the one that got away, in most cases there are a lot that get away! Spools of reels have either close to zero friction with magnetic cast control systems, spinning reels that have long cast spools; such simple machines with more bearings than a skateboard. Anglers are not only spending lots of money on these, but are also getting more confused about what to buy. We always play favourites - two years ago, my favourite thing to do was soft plastics fishing. I had tons of these soft bodied lures and I caught fish, lots of them. Even in places where people don’t catch a lot, I would fool fish just because the lures looked alive, swum like they were alive and most importantly, they felt like the real thing when the fish bit them. This is nothing new, there are rods, reels, lines and other gear made for this type of fishing. Lately my favourite has been fly fishing. After only two years of fly fishing, I have amassed almost a dozen fly rods and reels I have caught fish with all of them, except for the one that I bought for offshore fishing. Again, it was a lot of juggling over which lines to buy, which reel...even more complicated than your spinning rod and reel setup. The thing about it is that honing your fly casting is even more difficult than learning how to drive. The first thing to figure out when buying your equipment is your preferences. When I shop
Accessorize, even if it looks weird
for a rod, I know exactly what I want. If I was shopping for a rod I want to use for soft plastics for example, I like long stiff rods with a soft tip. Most of the rods you see are 6 foot 6 inches long (201 cm). I like rods in the 7 foot (213cm) or 8 foot (243cm) range. This automatically discounts most of the rods available in the shop as this is not a common length. Longer
Flyfishing - it’s an art
The owner of this eye got fooled by a fly
rods mean I can cast further as the soft tip gives me some sensitivity and cushioning when the fish lunges while close to the shore or boat. While these are largely personal preferences, it perfectly fits my fishing style. There are no right or wrong ways, just the wrong combination for one’s own personal fishing style. With the technology of fishing gear improving each year, the price tags keep on going up as well, but even with that people are still continuing to buy them. Even if the way the equipment is used does not match up to the gear.
tip the size of a toothpick. While this is nothing new for anglers who have been fishing in different parts of the world, anglers who aren’t too familiar will think that it’s not the way to go around here. It’s all about the preferences. Dreamin’ of reels screamin’, Kit.
If you can’t buy it, have it custom made
The most expensive doesn’t always mean the thing is right for your style of fishing or the place you fish in. The gear used for fishing in Musandam for example, is not really the same to use for shore fishing around Dubai. A trip last month proved that the best rod and reel combo for the day was one that cost me 200AED. It caught about 5 nice fish for a friend and another 7 for me. I’m pretty sure that considering the time we spent fishing, we landed more fish that morning than anyone within a similar timespan. It’s not that we were fishing the right way (that helps a lot too) but because we were not missing the strikes that we ought to have when fishing with heavier gear. Now that we have professional sport fishing shops in Dubai, we have a resource to buy the rods and reels that will maximize our enjoyment of our sport. It doesn’t have to be the ones from the top shelf, just the right ones for the size of the fish we’re catching. I know that it will come as a shock to a lot of people that the gear to use for shallow water fishing around the UAE will have a rod with a
Kelvin hooking up with something off the beach
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 41
[OutdoorUAE]
Part 2
MIKE NOTT BRINGS YOU HIS SERIALISATION OF THE ULTIMATE OFF-ROAD GUIDE
Part 2: OFF ROAD DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE Your vehicle is the key to your survival. It is your primary means of transportation through the harsh terrain and climate, and needs to be treated with respect and care. Your aim, whilst driving any of the routes in the guidebook, must be to put your vehicle under as little strain as possible. To do otherwise, is to increase the possibility of severe problems that will affect you, the group you are with and, ultimately, the success of your trip. What now follows are some considerations, techniques and tips that, if adhered to, will contribute to the success of your off-road driving adventures.
Mountain and Wadi Driving Driving in mountains or wadis usually means following a track, no matter how indistinct it may be. Rarely do we leave tracks, due to the unforgiving nature of the terrain and the damage it can inflict on our vehicles. You may find yourself venturing off tracks in wadi beds, where you encounter deep gravel, or if you cross gravel plains where the surface is more benign. Whilst driving in these types of terrain you should be aware of the following techniques and tips: Tyres It is not advisable to use a pure sand tyre for driving in the mountains; they have very weak side walls and offer little traction. Similarly, you need to take particular care if you use standard road tyres. The rock in mountainous regions and some wadis is sharp and the less frequently used tracks are strewn with shards of it. Punctures are very likely, even with standard road tyres. The recommended choice of tyre would be a more robust tyre, such as an All Terrain (AT) or Mud Terrain (MT) tyre; good quality tyres give peace of mind. You should consider deflating from normal road pressures in order to decrease the likelihood of punctures and to gain better traction, particularly on steep ascents and descents – a pressure between 20 -25 psi ( 1.38 – 1.72 Bar) is suggested but you may need to go lower to maintain traction.
AT Tyre 1
AT Tyre 2
AT Tyre 3
MT Tyre 1
MT Tyre 2
MT Tyre 3
DRIVING It is assumed that the user of the guidebook has reached a high level of off-road driving competence and has a couple of seasons of off-road driving experience in this region. The intention here is not to describe in detail how to drive off-road but merely to act as an aide-memoire for certain techniques and eventualities. If you do decide to undertake some of the routes in the guidebook but think that you require more experience of some of the driving techniques mentioned, then it is suggested that you gain this experience in more benign, less remote areas and preferably with a club or group who know what they’re doing. Before outlining some of the tips and techniques it is worth reminding ourselves of a pertinent truism: ‘time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted’. If you’re not sure of the viability of the route ahead, and before committing yourself, your vehicle and any followers, get out of your vehicle and go and inspect the way ahead on foot.
42 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
Steep Ascents and Descents Before ascending or descending steep tracks you should engage low ratio, select 4x4, as well as engage your front hubs if in non permanent 4x4 vehicles, and use traction aids such as hill descent/traction control or differential locks (centre and rear as a minimum) if fitted. On a steep descent or ascent you should be in 1st or 2nd gear (depending on the severity of the slope and your gear ratios) and use your engine to brake your descent and NOT the foot brake. Try and maintain a steady, controlled speed in both ascent and descent. You should aim to ascend without allowing
Loose Gravel Driving over loose gravel surfaces or on severe corrugations on the top of a hard track requires care and awareness. Loose gravel can act like ball bearings on the track surface and you can loose control of your vehicle suddenly and with no warning. You should slow down, consider engaging 4x4 or your centre differential lock and take care not to make sudden turns or manoeuvres. Deep gravel beds in wadis can be as difficult to drive through as soft sand. You may need to deflate your tyres more and consider engaging 4x4 or your differential locks, if fitted.
Fording You need to know the fording depth capability of your vehicle. If you need to ford a stream or wadi pool you should not drive blindly into it. Get out of your car, walk into the water and check the depth and the quality of the underwater surface. Do this for the whole length of the route through the water. Only when you’re happy that your vehicle can negotiate the crossing should you get back in and drive it. Once you have completed the crossing you need to test your brakes because they are likely to have reduced braking ability whilst still wet. If so, gently apply your brakes several times to dry them out.
the wheels to slip. Slipping tyres means you’re losing traction.
Boulders If potentially tyre damaging, chassis scraping, sump wrecking boulders are on your intended line and you can’t avoid them, then you should consider getting out of the vehicle and moving them. Heavy, larger boulders may require some effort but if it prevents potential catastrophic damage to your vehicle, you should make the effort. If you cannot move them you should consider building up a form of ramp over them to prevent chassis/ differential/axle/sump damage. Use of waffle boards makes this significantly easier. If you have no choice but to go over a large boulder or obstacle that may cause vehicle damage, ensure you drive over it with your wheels. It is better to damage a side sill or the under floor of your vehicle rather than to try and straddle a boulder under the centre of your vehicle, which may cause major damage to your differentials, engine sump or gearbox and could leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere.
Flooded Wadis Attempting to cross a flooded wadi with fast flowing water can be extremely dangerous and should not be attempted unless you’re faced with an emergency. The water levels usually rise rapidly but can also fall rapidly. Waiting for the water to drop to a safe level to allow a less fraught crossing is by far the best course of action; even if it means waiting for several hours or even a day. It is better to be safe than sorry. If you have no other options and need to cross, consider joining multiple recovery straps together. Attach them to the vehicle doing the crossing and to another vehicle on the safe bank. That way, if the crossing goes wrong, you can immediately initiate the recovery with the waiting vehicle. It also offers the same security for the next vehicle in line for the crossing. The main problem faced with fast flowing deep water is that your vehicle may start to float and be washed downstream or off the crossing. Petrol vehicles may also suffer ignition problems in deep water; diesel vehicles are much better in these situations.
Deep Mud Deep mud is not often encountered in the region but can be treacherous due to the, normally, fine nature of the constituent particles. Driving in mud can be similar to driving
Trenches and Gulleys Crossing a trench/gully ‘straighton’ is not recommended. Engage 4x4, traction aids or differential locks and aim to cross it at an angle so that each tyre in turn goes into and out of the trench. If you have waffle boards these can be used to bridge small trenches/gulleys or be combined to ease the entry and exit angles on larger deeper trenches/ gulleys. OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 43
[OutdoorUAE] in soft sand; to successfully get through a section of deep mud you need to rely on two things: traction and momentum. Firstly, you need to assess the situation. If a mud section looks difficult it is easier to prepare for it before entering the mud rather than performing a recovery whilst stuck in the middle of it. The more aggressive tyres such as MT or AT, will make a huge difference to your traction compared to standard road or sand tyres. To aid traction, consider deflating your tyres to increase their footprint but not by too much if there are rocks present because this will increase the chances of suffering side wall cuts. Engage all available traction aids such as 4x4/differential locks/ traction control. Maintaining momentum is critical, so choose a gear which is going to offer good power without the need to change down in the middle of the mud section. Approach the mud at a speed of between 10 - 20kmh and try to maintain this speed through the mud, depending on the conditions.
Photo Credits: Colin Campbell, David Townshend, Albert Mahesh and author’s own.
44 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
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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 note.* Please make sure if you mail, use recorded delivery (recipient signature required). As soon as we have received the payment and your subscription form, you will get a notification by email. If you don’t get a notification within 1 week please contact us directly. Option 2: Visit us at any of the events we are attending and fill in a form with us and pay. Check our newsletter or www.outdooruae.com to see which events we are attending. Option 3: Online, via PayPal. Conditions: 1. All requirements mentioned above and below (*) must be met for a subscription 2. Subscriptions are only possible with valid P.O. Boxes within the UAE 3. If the subscription is canceled the retail price plus the mailing cost will be charged but the remaining amount will be refunded. OutdoorUAE FZE P.O. Box 215062 Dubai, UAE Phone: 04 4472701 Contact@outdooruae.com
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[OutdoorUAE]
T A C D L I qt W
We take a close look at the impressive QT WildCat - a racing grade 4x4 with a point to prove
46 March2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
THE QT WILDCAT was featured at this year’s BigBoysToys event held in Abu Dhabi during March. As a robust and powerful performance 4x4, it has already made its mark here in the UAE, with two of these monsters already sold. The QT Wildcat 500DKR represents the pinnacle of the Wildcat Range. It is equipped for the toughest terrain that rally raid events, such as the Dakar, can throw at it. At its heart is the 4.0 litre Jaguar V8 specially developed for Qt which with its variable valve timing gives an impressive 283bhp. Qt has also developed a diesel powered version using the 3.0 litre “Discovery 4” engines achieving 245 bhp. For a number of years it has been the car of choice for many privateer teams, where it has proved its ability to punch well above its weight with its rugged reliability and stunning performance. The results speak for themselves with positions as high as 12th and 13th in the Dakar Rally and a clean sweep of 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Pharaon’s Rally. Qt have invested hundreds of hours in development to produce the ultimate Wildcat for the discerning competitor. In tests with three times Dakar Winner, Pierre Lartigue, he states “It is like the car is on rails”!! The Wildcat 500DKR is centred around a high strength steel space frame chassis giving an extremely rigid safety cell to protect the occupants. This coupled with the all new suspension turrets is capable of carrying a wide range of spring and damper options. These provide unrivalled tuning options and excellent reliability. The entire frame is cloaked in a stylish lightweight composite body shell. In the drivers compartment further enhancements have been made to advance the driving experience with key warning functions duplicated for the co-pilot. The drive train has been strengthened to allow for the uprated power units with a number of different gearboxes and ratios to suit needs. Qt has further developed the axles with new high strength half shafts and an increased range of differentials. Easy recovery is essential in the desert and the 500DKR is equipped with a high powered on board jacking system enabling the car to lift itself up with minimum effort. The car is also equipped with lightweight sand ladders stowed in the rear body.
BODY Hydraulic Hi Lift Jack 2 x Door pockets Cab Air Vent Cab Air Vent Filter s Carbon Fibre Effect Detailing Air Conditioning Alpine stereo with Bluetooth, USB an d iPod connection Reversing Camera Billet Alloy Switc h Gear Remote Boot Relea se Rear Storage Box Colour Coded Lea ther Trim Package Wildcat Graphics SUSPENSION 4 Nitrogen Gas Ch
arged Dampers
ENGINE Commercial Engin e Intake Filter Rover V8 4.6 Litre raid engine FUEL 100ltr Fuel Cell
TRANSMISSION Standard Gearbox Transfer box 1.66:1 Ratio (Petrol) Standard front dri ve shafts and CV joints Standard rear drive shafts Heavy Duty 4 Pin Diff rear All Terrain Tyres Compomotive Wh eels - Set of 5 BRAKES Standard Brakes ENGINE OPTIONS Petrol Engine: Rover 4.0 ltr - 26 5bhp, 262ftlb. Rover 4.6 ltr - 28 2bhp, 289ftlb. Rover 4.8 ltr - 30 4bhp, 294ftlb. Jaguar 4.0 ltr - 28 3bhp, 292ftlb. Jaguar 4.4 ltr - 39 3bhp, 335ftlb. Diesel Engine: TDV6 3.0 ltr - 24 5b
ELECTRICS Qt Wildcat dash
hp, 449ftlb.
sales@qtservices.c
o.uk
STEERING Heavy Duty Track Ro
d and Drag link
www.qtwildcat.co .uk www.qtservices.co .uk
OUTDOORUAE.COM March2011 47
[OutdoorUAE]
Blow Karts
WE LOVE NEW ACTIVITIES and we love it if they are ecofriendly. So we were happy to get an invitation to try blokarting. A blokart is in a few words a small kart which is powered by a sail, comparable to a windsurf board on wheels. Depending on wind and conditions there are different specification available but the main differences will be the size of the sail (measured by its surface) and the wheels. Depending on the wind you will use smaller or bigger sales. Depending on the terrain, you will choose different tyres. I was excited to try one of these little wind powered vehicles and go on an eco-ride. Blokarts are dependent on the wind – no wind, no fun - so we postponed the trail twice until we had good conditions. The introduction by Dylan was quick and easy and I did not have to wait long to hop into the small kart. A helmet and some gloves are essential: the kart can easily flip so you should protect your head and while manoeuvring the kart with a rope, the gloves will protect your hands. Dylan gave some brief instructions on what to do… the major rule was ‘let go of the rope, let go of the rope, let go of the rope’. To understand this simple rule you need to know that the kart has only a simple steering system and the speed is fully controlled by the rope which you have to keep in your hand. To catch speed you need to steer parallel to the wind direction and pull in the rope, so the sail turns into the wind (the surface of the sail faces the wind). It is easy to get basic manoeuvring skills within the first few minutes and enjoy driving around. You will also recognize that the kart catches speed quickly and moves sideways onto two wheels if there is strong wind or you take turns which are too tight. Blokarting is for sure a great sport for this region which will develop quickly. Dreamdays.ae is offering blokart lesson at 125AED for 20minutes. At the moment the location behind the tennis academy at Meydan in Dubai is good for training purposes but gets boring as soon as you’ve figured out how to drive the kart. If you go in a group, some races or competitions will be more fun than making the rounds alone as I did. Dylan told me that there will be some changes in the near future to make the parking a bit more attractive. I’m sure there are plenty of places in the desert or along beaches in the western region to drive the blokarts. If you are interested in getting your own blokart in the UAE you can contact Dylan 055-1633453
Trailer Tent Ahmed introduces himself and his unique camping invention
Name: Ahmed Al-Assar Nationality: UAE Job: Co-Pilot at Emirates Airlines Passion: Off-Roading and Camping “in style” My job demands a lot of attention which causes a lot of constant stress, and the only way to release this stress is by going camping deep in the desert where you can’t see or hear a single plane in the sky. The only problem with camping is the time you need to load the camping gear in your car, and then unload the gear when you get to the site. Then again when you are done you have to load it back to your car and finally unload them back at home and clean your car!! So I thought of getting a small caravan, but I couldn’t find one which could handle the dunes of the UAE. Thus, I decided to make my own camping trailer which meets my needs and is easy to handle through the dunes of the UAE. I started my internet search a year ago and came across many trailer models. I studied the design of each one and companied many different designs into this project. A Compact 4x4 off-road Tent camping Trailer, with kitchen and toilet. It seemed impossible but with careful planning and collecting feedback from friends the dream was reality. I planned
by Ahmed Al-Assar everything and it was suppose to be ready in 4 months, but it took me a year of obstacles and challenges to complete the project. Finally it is here and I feel great every time I look at it. The trailer box is 180cm by 220cm, which has a folded tent in top of it, when it is open it be expanded to 4m by 6m. After you open the tent you’ll find a nice bed can accommodate 2 adults. Then you can draw out the kitchen drawer which consists of a gas burner and a sink. The trailer has a 150l fresh water tank with a self priming pressure pump. At the front there is a small box where you will find a small electrical toilet, which can be accessed easily from the front of the trailer. Putting up the tent doesn’t take more than 15 minutes and it takes two adults to do so. Since I love the quietness of nature, the whole system operates on a 110 amp dry battery, powered with 80w solar panel power which can keep it running for 28 hours with a single charge. No more noisy, smelly gas or diesel generators for me. When I made this camping trailer it was mainly for me and my family. However; from the tremendous feedback from friends and other campers every time they see the project, I am thinking about turning this project into a business. Usually campers come and take a look then ask “where from? How much? Will you sell? Do you rent?” I have rented it out to families who went to Oman for a week at a time. The trailer tent has 2 extension rooms that can be added if needed and can accommodate up to three families. If shared the cost will be almost nothing. As I said currently I have plans to convert this project into a business for rent and sale, but don’t know how and where to start yet. We know it’s too late to roll this project out this season, but for sure you will see more of those UAE made trailers on the street next season. Regards, Ahmed.
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 49
[OutdoorUAE]
Photographing
Slugs Gordon exposes the colourful world of the sea slug
About the author: Gordon has been living and working in the Middle East since 1986. Born in Canada, Gordon was brought up in Scotland, UK. He has dived extensively in the Red Sea whilst living in Saudi Arabia as well as Scotland, South Africa, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Maldives, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines. Further Reading: Sea Slugs of the Red Sea by Nathalie Yonow, ISSN 978-954-642-327-6 Nudibranchs Encyclopaedia by Neville Coleman ISBN 978-0-94732541-1 Nudibranch Behaviour by David W. Behrens ISBN 1-878348-41-8
Risbecia Pulchella
50 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
Most newly qualified divers start diving with a view to seeing large creatures such as turtles and sharks, but they will soon be disappointed as large creatures are generally few and far between. There are many smaller creatures around which are easier to find, some of which are extremely delightful to photograph. Mention to somebody in the UK that you like to photograph slugs and you may be rewarded by some unusual responses, as their first impression is of the long black creatures leaving slime trails over paving stones or eating vegetables in the back garden. Mention to a Frenchman that you like slugs and he will perhaps give you his favourite recipe for cooking them. However mention slugs to a diver and you will have a totally different response.
and those found in the Gulf of Oman and Red Sea where the purple line joining the rings around the rhinophores and gills does not exist. Up to 5cm in length, the Chromodoris annulata is often seen moving along waving the front of the mantle. Risbecia pulchella (main image) Another common nudibranch found primarily off the east coast, generally in pairs with one following closely behind the first. Note the similarity in colours between this species and C. annulata: all that is missing are the rings. This particular slug can grow to 10cm in length, and is fairly common off the east coast of UAE and around the Damaniyat islands and off the coast of Oman. More usually it is between 6-7cm in length. Dermatobranchus sp. (Spot Edged Dermatobranchus)
Chromodoris obsolete 4-5cm in length, it is usually found in shallow water reefs, endemic to the Red Sea around the Arabian Peninsula to the Persian Gulf. Ceratosoma trilobatum A monster in comparison to the others at 17cm, this particular example is one of two found on one dive at the Damaniyat Islands, Oman. It is often found exposed on coral reefs, hard sea beds, and soft sediment. The extended lobes contain concentrations of defensive glands, and often parts of these are missing. The photographs taken for this article have been shot using various Nikon cameras with Nikkor micro lenses, generally the 60mm micro lens. I currently use a Nikon D300 in a Sea & Sea housing
Hypselodoris dollfusi
Chromodoris annulata
For me sea slugs provide some of the most colourful and diverse subjects to photograph and the waters around the UAE contain some really fantastic opportunities despite the low visibility at times. Sea slugs, more commonly called nudibranchs (which is Latin for “Naked Gills”), are underwater snails without shells, collectively known as opisthobranch molluscs. The “nudibranchs” in particular are a subclass of gastropods (literally a stomach on a foot) which can vary in length from almost a meter (Californian Sea Hare) down to a few millimetres. Finding them can sometimes be a bit of a challenge; however, as many are so colourful, they usually stand out quite well. Knowing what they eat also helps, especially for finding the less colourful specimens, as most creatures of the sea are always looking for food. Noting these points turns the average diver into an amateur marine biologist, which can be helpful to the many professionals who actually study these creatures. Food sources are varied including anemones, algae, ascidians, bacteria, hydroids, and tunicates. However the easiest to find are usually those whose diet is sponge or hydroids, which are commonly found not just on reefs but also on wrecks. The diet of these creatures can also change depending on various factors such as age, geography and depth. Generally we are looking for small creatures of an average size between two and six centimetres and living at depths from two metres downwards. For this reason I prefer to photograph them with a micro lens suitable for 1:1 reproduction and really take “life size” photographs. Some of the most common slugs found around the UAE and Oman coastline include the following: Chromodoris annulata Commonly known as the “spectacle” or “fried egg” nudibranch, I have observed this species on the wrecks in the Persian Gulf; however there is some variation between the Persian Gulf species
Hypselodoris infucata
Frequently seen in groups eating Dendronephthya soft corals, this species also demonstrates the trailing behaviour as usually found with Risbecia. These can be found off the east coast of UAE, sometimes in fairly shallow (5m) water. 3-4cm in length. Hypselodoris nigrostriata 4cm feeds on sponges. This species is restricted to the Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea, and the western Indian Ocean. It is covered in large yellow pustules and criss-crossed with deep violet lines. Hypselodoris dollfusi 5cm. An unusual species in that it was described in 1933 and disappeared till recently. It is now found occurring in the Gulf of Eilat, the Gulf of Suez, and the Gulf of Oman.
with double Sea & Sea 110 strobes. Lenses used for micro photography are Tokina ATX 35mm DX lens, 60mm, 85mm and 105mm Nikkor micro lenses depending on diving and visibility conditions.
Dermatobranchus Sp.
Hypselodoris infucata 3.5-4cm. Ubiquitous species found through-out the Indo-West Pacific, which has migrated from the Red Sea to establish itself in the warmer waters of the Mediterranean. Hypselodoris capensis Another sponge eater, about 2.5 to 3 cm in length. Found from South Africa up to the Gulf of Oman
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 51
Outdoor Photography
[OutdoorUAE]
Resolution
and Image Size
RESOLUTION AND IMAGES SIZE is a confusing topic which is ignored by so many hobby photographers but it is one of the most essential and important things for digital photography. For us at OutdoorUAE it is also our daily business to get photos in the right specification to be used for printing in the magazine. If you speak about the size of a digital image, you are usually not referring to the file size (the storage space required on the hard drive, memory card or DVD) which is given in MB (Mega Byte). The size of a digital image is defined by its pixel dimension ‘length by height’ which is called resolution and given as the sum of pixel. For example you are using a 10 Mega Pixel camera, your images have a resolution of 10.000.000 pixel (mega = million), the standard format of a camera is a multiple of 4:3, so the pixel dimension are about:
Usually the monitor resolution in total is far below print resolution. A standard resolution (SXGA) is e.g. 1,280x1024pixel (1.3 Mega Pixel). Even the latest monitors (QSXGA) have a max screen resolution of 2,560x2048pixel (5.2 Mega Pixel). Don’t get confused by the names and numbers - even the latest monitor has to size your picture down to 50% to show it on you monitor. So the common thing to do is to rescale photos to fit your monitor resolution or websites to a much smaller size. This will look great on the screen but if you want to go for a high-quality print it will be disappointing. HINT: always keep a copy of your images in the highest resolution (the initial file taken from the camera or memory card). Once a picture is sized down and save, you can’t recover the lost image information any more.
3650pixel x 2740pixel = 10.001.000 Pixel = 10 Mega Pixel
It is very easy to calculate the size for a nice print out of your images size. You simply need to divide the width and length of the pixel dimensions by 300 for inches. One inch is 2,54cm so for cm you need to divide by (300:2,54=) 118. To come back to the 10MP image:
To also get an understanding of how this image size can be transferred to web or a printout, there are two important things to know. The standards for monitors as well as printouts are defined by their resolution per inch because the physical dimensions vary too much. Therefore the following applies:
Monitor (Web) Resolution: 72ppi (Pixel Per Inch) Resolution for Print: 300ppi (industry standard for high-quality print). One more thing which causes confusion: as soon as a pixel is printed it is not called a pixel any more it is called a dot – although dots and pixel are more or less the same. You will find that print specifications are given in dpi (dots per inch) instead of ppi (pixel per inch).
52 March2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
3650x2740pixel (:300) = 12,16inch x 9.13inch 3650x2740pixel (:118) = 30,94cm x 23,23cm So a 10MP image will be good for a A4 print out. Of course you can print your picture in any size, but you will recognize that you lose quality the more you increase the print size. If you stick for your prints to 300dpi you will get the best results. In the next issue we will take a look at file types, because this also influences an images quality and the file size (the storage space in MB).
File Size = MB Image Size = Pixel Dimensions
Tips & Tricks
Overheating! A CAR THAT’S OVERHEATING can ruin any off-road and road trip. Especially in summer engines are challenged by the local conditions and climate. You should regularly service your car to avoid unpleasant surprises and minimise the chances of getting stuck. Causes of overheating: in general your car should not overheat, if it is in good condition and made for this region (Gulf-Specs). - The most common reason is simply a lack of sufficient cooling liquid (water) or some trouble with the circulation of the cooling liquid. - The radiator fan is not working. - In the worst case you are running low on engine oil and the engine is not properly lubricated. This will cause the engine to overheat and very quickly cause fatal damage to the engine. Whenever the control lamp for oil is indicating low oil you should stop immediately, if you don’t want to destroy your engine. What to do when your car is overheating: if you see the temperature gauge is edging up to hot or red, there are some simple things you could try: - Switch off the AC – the compressor for the AC is taking power from the engine. By switching the AC off, you reduce the pressure on your engine (BTW fuel consumption is lower with AC off) - If this does not help, switch on the heating system –
this will take some heat out of the engine. Even if this is the last thing you might think of in summer after switching off the AC, it might help enough to keep the car running until the next garage. - If you go off-road and you are near a road, a higher speed might help – more air will circulate through the engine and the radiator which helps the cooling. - Try to maintain low RPM of the engine What to do when your car overheats (temperature reads red or, even worse, steam is coming out from under the hood): - If you need to stop because the radiator is boiling and steam is coming out of the engine, switch off the engine but let the radiator fan run. Open the hood, but be careful to avoid the steam so as not to get burned. - Wait until the engine has cooled down before you try to open the radiator. If you can’t turn the cap to open the radiator, it might be an indicator that there is still too much pressure, i.e. oiling cooling liquid, so don’t force it open, just wait a bit longer. When you can open the radiators safely refill the cooling liquid. Usually clear and clean water will do (don’t use sparking water). - If you are handy and have some tools with you it might also be a good idea to remove the radiator
grill if possible. Without the plastic cover in front of the radiator, you will ensure a better airflow. This is especially helpful if the fan is not working. - Check for leaks in the cooling system, there might be a broken or loose hose. Duct tape and cable straps might be the problem solver in this case. - Also check that a belt of the water pump of the radiator hasn’t spilt off or snapped. If you find out what has caused the car to overheat, try to reach a garage to fix it properly. If it’s only a small thing, you might be able to continue your journey without any trouble and the problem won’t appear again. It’s best to have the car checked properly at a garage and ensure a safe ride the next time. - Check for leaks in the cooling system, there might be a broken or loose hose. Duct tape and cable strap might be the problem solver in this case. - Check as well it might be that a belt of the water pump of the radiator spilt off or snapped. If you find any good indication why the car overheated try to fix it and try to reach a garage to fix it properly. If it was only small thing like you might be able to continue without any troubles and the issue will not appear again. To be sure better let it check in a garage and have a save ride for the next time.
How to determine the direction with a watch NOWADAYS, with Compass and GPS we don’t give much attention to older knowledge and navigation. However, sometimes, especially in emergencies you might have to depend on alternative methods. Let’s say your GPS is out off batteries and you are not sure of the directions or you are simply curious like me to see if this method is working and how accurate it is. The steps described here are for the northern hemisphere which is the half of the world’s surface north of the equator where the UAE is located (for the southern hemisphere the indication will be the opposite). Note the closer you get to the equator the more inaccurate the method gets. You need a watch with handles, or a good imagination to visualise some handles on your digital watch. Hold your watch horizontally with the hour hand facing towards the sun. Note the direction that lies exactly midway between the hour hand and the numeral twelve on your watch. This will be south on a north/ south line. If the sun, using this method, suddenly appears to the north, you have either done something wrong, or you are on the other side of the globe (Southern hemisphere). Remember that the sun rises in the east and is at its highest point at around noon in south and will set in the west.
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 53
Results
Results
[OutdoorUAE]
ABRaS Hatta Fort Hotel Cross-Country
UAQ MX Championship 2010-2011 Round 8 (11/03/2011) Run: 65 cc 1. Jonathan Hare l- KTM 2. Nicholas Keeford - KTM 3. Mohamed Reza - KTM
Women’s 1. Julie Rayfield 42:32 (ABRaS AC) V40 2. Kerry Ross 42:52 (Dubai Creek Striders) V40 3. Annamarie Watson 44:11 4. Marie Perin 44:25 (Dubai Creek Striders) 5. Denise Faulhaber 47:05 6. Mairead Murphy 48:49 (ABRaS AC) V40 7. Jane Thurley 50:51 (ABRaS AC) V45 8. Katherine Smith 51:37 V45 9. Kati Anderson 52:10 10. Katherine Sanderson 53:41 11. Carol Vandentillaart 54:47 (ABRaS AC) V45 12. Nicole Fris 56:33 V40 Men’s 1. Matt Ross 39:08 (ABRaS AC) V45 2. Johan Anderson (Dubai Road Runners) 42:44 3. Ronnie De Pryck 44:43 (ABRaS AC) 4. Slawomir Troc 46:13 (NSN) 5. Mike Smith 46:50 V45 6. Peter Vandentillaart 47:43 (Dubai Creek Striders) V45 7. Stephen Ashenden 48:28 8. Martin Scadden 55:54 (Mirdiff Milers) V40 9. Barry Nefdt 58:19 10. James Weber 1:11:29 V40 Juniors 1. Mathew Lamb 14:38 (Mini ABRaS) U14M 2. Leszek Troc 15:35 U12M 3. Cooper Ross 15:45 U10M 4. Alanna Rayfield 17:38 (ABRaS AC) U14F 5. Holly Rhys-Maitland 19:40 U12F 6. Sophie Rhys-Maitland 19:44 U12F 7. Roisin McElligott 19:55 U10F 8. Monica Scadden 20:21 Mirdiff Milers U12F
UAE Stand-Up Paddle Woman’s Race 1. Jen Scully 2h9.23 2. Chantelle Howes 2h15.23 3. Maegan Mcdonald 2h22.43 4. Wendy Couch 2h24.26 5. Eva Safrankova 2h34.27 6. Mulyani Sanrang 2h59.29 Men’s 12km Race 1. William Lee 1h45.00 2. Jakub Sczesny 1h51.27 3. Marc Robitzkat 1h54.14 4. Mustafa 1h54.28 5. Nick Yates 1h57.25 6. Richard Howes 2h00.55 7. Joao 2h03.55 8. Jonty 2h06.00 9. Ahmad Ghannoum 2h09.45 10. Geoff Turnbull 2h15.24 11. Omar Osama I. Ewaysi 2h24.32 Men’s 12km (UAE Locals) 1. Saeed M 2h18.12 2. Sheikh Ahmed 2h18.27 3. Abdul Aziz 2h21.56 4. Salem Al Hamzi 2h33.27 5. Sheikh Mohammed 2h42.32
54 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
Run: 85 cc 1 . Dean Jullien - Suzuki 2 . Ryan James wynn - Yamaha 3 . Regen Laue- Yamaha 4 . Darren Berry - KTM 5 . Michacl Pegrume - Suzuki Run:125cc 1. Michel Malpass Yamaha 2. Shelby Ingirll SUZUKI 3. Jake Porter HONDA 4. Alex Malpass HONDA 5. Joseph Morritt KTM 6. Jason Mann HONDA Run Masters: 1. Sean Holder KTM 2. Philip Van Der Walt KTM 3. Tony Wayaman HUSQ 4. Nic Bac Yamaha 5. Paul Malpass KTM 6. Andrew Caldwell KTM 7. Bradley Manser KTM 8. Jenseal Accad KTM 9. Anwar Khamies Yamaha 10. Jonathan Jameson SUZUKI 11. Steve Morritt Yamaha
Dubai World Cup
SUP Race Results (Abu Dhabi Kite Surfing Races)
Female 1.Wandy Couch, Uk 2.Eva Safrankova, Czech 3. Zuzana Pelikanova, Czech UAE Nation 1.Rashed Al Flasy 2.Saeed Al Mauily 3.Abdelazis Al Marzoqui Juniors 1.Baptiste Aubourg, France 2.Diedrich Vahrenkamp, Geramny 3.Raphael Lauray, France Male 1. Mustapha Bubuhusni, Egipt 2.Richard Howes, RSA 3.Christophe Gerard, France
Zoggs Mina Mile Open Water Swim Series Female Overall 1. Gwen van Beek f - Active Sports Swim Squads 2. Giulia Filocca - LIBRA Swimming 3. Rowan Smith - Speedo Swim Squads Male Overall 1. Christopher Allan - Hamilton Aquatics 2. Konstantin Bushmelev - Active Sports Swim Squads 3. Michael De Joode Active - Sports Swim Squads
1. Victoire Pisa (JPN), Mirco Demuro 2. Transcend (JPN), Shinji Fujita 3. Monterosso (GB), Mickael Barzalona 4. Cape Blanco (IRE), Jamie Spencer 5. Gio Ponti (USA), Ramon Dominguez 6. Gitano Hernando (GB), John Murtagh 7. Musir (AUS), Soumillon 8. Buena Vista (JPN), Ryan Moore 9. Twice Over (GB), Tom Queally 10. Prince Bishop (IRE), Ahmad Ajtebi
FIA GT1 World Championship Round 1
1. N.Pastorelli/D.Schwager, Lamborghini Murcielago 670 R-S; 1:51.668 2. S.Mücke/D.Turner Aston Martin DB9; 1:52.113 3. M.Martin/F.Makowiecki Ford GT Matech;1:52.197 4. A.Müller/T.Enge Aston Martin DB9 1:52.547 5. M.Hezemans/N.Catsburg Corvette Z06 1:52.750 6. P.Dumbreck/R.Westbrook Nissan GT-R 1:52.866 7. E.Bernoldi/R.Zonta Nissan GT-R 1:53.191 8. L.Luhr/M.Krumm Nissan GT-R 1:53.336 9. D.Brabham/J.Campbell-Walter Nissan GTR;1:52.804 10. K.Wendlinger/P.Kox ,Lamborghini Murcielago 670 R-SV;1:52.907
DMX Season 10/11 Race Results after round 7: 125 cc 1. Mitchel Malpass with a total of 282 2. Shelby Ingrilli with a total of 249 3. Joe Morritt with a total of 234 4. Jake Porter with a total of 225 5. Ramon Brand with a total of 197 DMX Masters 1.Sean Holder with a total of 279 2 .Medhy Menad with a total of 239 3 .Philip Van Der Walt with a total of 224 55 4. Brent Gregson with a total of 221 5. Tony Waimon with a total of 209 DMX Pro Quads 1. Alex Macfarlane with a total of 287 2. Nick Black with a total of 272 3. Colin Mercer with a total of 254 4. Vicky White 238 5. Gwenael Delaville with a total of 188
Final Thought... You make the difference
It is not about going back to a cave and eat only meat - ecofriendly behaviour starts with small actions which can have a big effect the more people who do them. We will always harm the globe, that’s in our nature of living and surviving but in the last century we have reached a level which will destroy our globe sooner or later. Every one of us should start acting a little bit more responsibly for a better tomorrow.
UAE it might be not as obvious as in other places, there are plenty of collection points for plastic, paper and glass recycling.
I think eco friendly living and behaviour is a simple question of education. I can’t and don’t want to believe that some people will litter some of our most beautiful places here in the UAE without knowing what they are doing. I think the biggest challenge is for all of us to take responsibility - there are so many things we can do but we might need to spend a little more money or time on some things. In general it’s very simple, just use only the things you really need, this starts with the number of carrier bags use to pack your shopping and leads to leaving your appliances in stand-by mode.
It was and still is shocking what natural disaster is caused by a nuclear power plant out of control. The incident in Japan is based on extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances but in other places on this globe it will not take so much to reach the same or an even worse situation. Even if Fokushima does not melt down and can be saved, as long as there are nuclear power plants the risk will be present. We must learn that the best precaution might be not enough and nature is able to strike back with its most deadly forces. We hope and pray for the people in Japan who have been hit so badly already, that no further harm will come to them.
The UAE ranks high globally when it comes to rubbish production and energy consumption per capita. You think it’s bad but there is nothing you can do about it? Here are some things you can start doing from today:
Stop using plastic bags or at least take re-useable bags. Also try to ensure that shop staff does not use more packaging than necessary. Recycle your rubbish. In many countries it is common to recycle rubbish, although here in the
Ugly! Picture taken in th UAE
Switch off lights and other electrical appliance which you are not using.
On the other hand it was great to see the awareness and participation of the UAE in the 2011 worldwide Earth Hour on 26th March. Earth Hour is a global initiative in partnership with the WWF aimed at showing us that individual actions can collectively contribute to enormous savings that benefit us all.
So get inspired saving energy and make your actions more eco-friendly.
beauty!
Picture taken in th UAE
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 55
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Air Balloning Adventures Emirates Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Al Ain Tel: +97142854949 www.balloning.ae Jazirah Aviation Club Ras Al Khaimah Tel: +971503707917 www.jac-uae.net Seawings Seaplane Tours Dubai Tel: +97148832999 www.seawings.ae Adventure Tours & Desert Safaris Dream Explorer LLC Tours and desert safaris Dubai Tel:+9714 3319880 www.dreamexplorerdubai.com Explorer Tours Tours and desert safaris Dubai Tel: +971 4 2861991 www.explorertours.ae
Sky & Sea Adventures Tour operator Hilton, Dubai Tel: +97143999005 Cyclone Tours & Travels Tours and desert safaris Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 6276275 www.cyclonetours.com
Sharaf Travel Travel agency AbuDhabi, Dubai, Sharjah Tel: +9712 6760900 www.sharaftravel.com Oasis Palm Dubai Desert tours and safaris Dubai Tel: +971 4 2628889 www.opdubai.com Dream Days Outdoor Gift Services Dubai Tel: 971 4 4329392 www.dreamdays.ae Boat Cruise, Charter & Other Services Dubai International Marine Sports Club Marine & Water sports Events at DIMC, Dubai Tel: +97143995777 www.dimc.ae Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC Fishing and Boat cruise Dubai Tel: +97155896 1276 www.happydaysdubai.com LYCATAMARAN Boat cruise Dubai, UAE Tel: +97150 58 69 746 www.lycatamaran.com
Khour Shem Tourism Tours and desert safaris Tel: +971503724411 www.khourshemtours.com Net Group Abu Dhabi Tours and desert safaris Abu Dhabi Tel: +97126794656 www.netgroupauh.com Relax Tours Travels LLC Tours and desert safaris Tel: +971 4 422 1786 www.dubairelaxtours.com Sharjah Golf & Shooting Club Golf, shooting, archery, paintball Sharjah Tel: +971 6 548 7777 www.golfandshootingshj.com
56 April2011 OUTDOORUAE.COM
Marine Concept Boat cruise & sea school Dubai, UAE Tel: +9714432 9496 www.marine-charter-concept.com
Summertime Marine Water sports provider Tel :+97142573084 www.summertimemarine.com Umm Al Quwain Marine Club Boat Cruise, Water sports, Fishing, Camping, Marina Umm Al Quaim Tel: +971 67666644 www.uaqmarineclub.com Rineh Marine & water sports equipment and services Al Quoz, Dubai Tel:+97143391512 www.rinehemiratesme.com Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club Marine & Water sports Events Abu Dhabi www.adimsc.ae Bristol Middle East Tours, Boat Charter, Diving, Fishing Dubai Marina, Dubai Tel: +97144309941 www.bristol-middleeast.com Boating/Jet-Ski Retailers and Manufacturers Al Masaood Marine Marine & water sports equipment and services / Quads, Jet Ski & Boat Dealer Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai Tel:+97143468000 www.masaoodmarine.com Art Marine Boats & yacht dealer, maintenance, jetty services, yacht management, charter, and marina management Al Quoz, Dubai Tel: +971 4 3388955 www.artmarine.net Extreme Marine Marine equipment and services DIMC, Dubai Tel: +97143992995 www.extrememarine-me.com Azure Marine Boats & marine equipment Tel: +97143412866 www.azuremarine.net Boat House Boat Dealer and Service, Maintenance Al Quoz, Dubai Tel: +97143405152 www.theboathouse.ae
Macky Marine LLC Boat dealers Tel: + 971505518317 www.mackymarine.com Gulf Craft Boat manufacturer Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street Ajman Tel:+97167406060 www.gulfcraftinc.com Luxury Sea Boats Boat dealer Al Quoz, Dubai Tel:+9714 4473652 www.luxuryseaboats.com Boats Ocean Boat Dealer / Manufacturer Al Quoz, Dubai Tel:+97143403303 Boating/Jet-Ski Maintenance Extreme Marine Marine equipment and services DIMC, Dubai Tel: +97143992995 www.extrememarine-me.com Boat House Boat Dealer and Service, Maintenance Al Quoz, Dubai Tel: +97143405152 www.theboathouse.ae Al Masaood Marine Marine & water sports equipments and services / Quads, Jet Ski & Boat Dealer Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai Tel:+97143468000 www.masaoodmarine.com Camping Retailer Picnico Water sports, outdoor & camping equipment Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai Tel: +97142679992
Camping/Hiking Tours & Operators Absolute Adventure Tour Operator, Hiking , Climbing, Kayaking, Camping Dubai Tel: +97143459900 www.adventure.ae Libra Outdoor Camps Tel:+971559228362 www.libra-uae.com
Arabia Outdoors Tour operator, hiking, climbing, camping Dubai Tel: +971559556209 www.arabiaoutdoors.com
Dive Centres & Operators Atlantis Dive Centre Dive center & equipment, boat cruises, fishing trips The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Tel: +9714426 3000 www.atlantisdivecentre.com
Sheesha Beach Dhow cruises, diving, camping Dibba, Musandam Tel: +97150336046 www.sheesabeach.com Climbing The Wall Dubai World Trade Centre Tel: +97143065061 www.climbingdubai.com Cleapatra’s Fitness Club Indoor climbing wall, gym, tennis Wafi, Dubai E-Sports Dubai Sports training academy ( climbing, tennis, football) www.e-sportsdubai.com The Club Climbing wall for beginners Mina Sadiyat, Abu Dhabi Tel: +9712673 1111 www.the-club.com
Probike Bikes, equipment & service Al Barsha 1 Tel: +97143255705 www.probike.ae
Deep Blue Sea Diving Diving centre International City, Dubai Tel: +97144308246 www.diveindubai.com
Wolfi’s Bike Shop Bikes, equipments & service Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Tel: +971 4 3394453 www.wbs.ae
Khasab Divers Diving, fishing, kayak, beach camping Oman www.khasabdiver.com
Rage Bike Shop Bikes, equipment & service The Dubai Mall Tel:+97144343806 www.rage-shop.com Diving Retailer Gulf Marine Sports Diving and Snorkeling equipment Abu Dhabi Tel: +9712671 0017 www.gulfmarinesports.com Premiers for Equipment Diving equipments Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, Abu Dhabi Tel: +97126665226 www.premiers-uae.com
Nomad Ocean Adventure Diving courses and activities Oman www.discovernomad.com
Fishing/Kayaking & Cruise Operators Desert Islands Resorts & Spa Kayaking, Archery, Snorkeling, Bird watching, Mountain biking, Nature and wildlife drives Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi Tel: +97128015400 www.desertislands.anantara.com
Al Mahara Dive Center and Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC Sea Cruiser Fishing and Boat cruise Diving and Cruise Dubai Tel: +97155896 1276 Abu Dhabi Tel: 050 720 28 53 www.happydaysdubai.com www.divemahara.com Khasab Divers Divers Down Diving, fishing, kayak, beach Diving center camping Rotana Al Aqah Hotel Resort & Oman Come and visit the Atlantis Dive Centre… Spa, Fujairah www.khasabdiver.com T: +971092370299 whether it is your first breath underwater www.diversdown-uae.com Xclusive Yachts or the start of your divingFishing& career! boat charter Scuba Dubai Dubai Marina, Dubai Diving & equipment Tel: +97144327233 Dubai www.xclusiveyachts.com Tel:+97143414940 Xventures www.scubadubai.com Fishing, jet-ski, camping Sheesa Beach Tel: +971555404500 www.x-ventures.ae Dhow cruises, diving, camping Dibba, Musandam - Join our photography club, FREE to join with many trips planned for 2011. Thewith Westin / Mina Seyahi Tel: +97150336046 - Become an Atlantis Dive Centre Club Member Exclusive Benefits Kayaking, wind surfing, Wakewww.sheesabeach.com - Complimentary access to the water park for all pleasure divers or students at the Atlantis Dive Centre boarding Neptune Diving Come and visit our stand for more information.Dubai Diving activities Tel:+97143994141 AtlantisDiveCentre.com | Direct: (+9714) 426 3000 | Fax: (+9714) 426 3030 www.westin.com/minaseyahi Tel: +97150 4347902Atlantis Dive Centre | PO Box 78942 | Dubai | U.A.E www.neptunedivingcentre.com The Cove Rotana Resort Emirates Divers diving centre Kayaking, jet-skiing, wakeNear Meena Fish Market, Abu boarding Ras Al Khaimah Dhabi Tel: +971 2 6432444 Tel: +9717206000 www.edc-ad.ae www.rotana.com
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Cycling Cycle Sports Cycles, equipment & service Al Barsha 1, Dubai Tel: +97143415415 www.cyclesportsuae.com
Ride Bike Shop Bikes, equipment & service Dubai Festival City, The Dubai Mall, Oasis Centre, Mirdiff City Centre Tel: +97143750231 www.ridebikeshop.com
Free Diving UAE ‘Free Diving’ courses Abu Dhabi www.freedivinguae.com
Extra Divers Zigy Bay Dive center Musandam, Oman Tel:+96826735555 www.extradivers.info Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre Diving, Tour Operator Oman Tel: +971 50 3289642 www.holiday-in-oman.com 7 Seas Diving Center Khorfakkan, Tel: 97192387400 www.7seasdivers.com Al Boom Diving Diving center & diving equipments Al Wasl Rd, Dubai Tel + 97143422993 www.alboomdiving.com
FreeStyle Divers Diving Dubai & Dibba Tel: +971 4 394 4275 www.freestyledivers.com
Sandy Beach Resort Kayaking Watersports Fujairah Tel:+97192445555 www.sandybm.com
Fishing/Kayaking Retailer Barracuda Fishing Shop Fishing and Kayaking Equipment Dubai Marina, Dubai Tel: +097141234567 www.baracuda.de
Soolyman Sports Fishing Fishing trips Umm Suqeim, Dubai Tel: 050 8866227 www.soolymansportfishing.com
Ocean Active Fishing equipment and charter Dubai Garden Center Tel: +97150 2898713 www.oceanactive.com Masaood Marine Distributer of Fishing equipment, scuba gear, wakeboards, kayaks, etc. Tel: +97143468000 www.masaoodmarine.com Leading Edge - S Kayaking, fishing, camping equipment Tel: +97172447732 www.leadingedge-s.com
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[OutdoorUAE] General Sports Equipment & Mega Stores Go Sport IBN Battuta Mall Tel: 04 368 5344 Mall of the Emirates Tel: 04 341 3251 Mirdif City Center Tel: 04 284 3034 Sun and Sand Most Shopping Malls Decathlon Mirdiff City Centre, Dubai Tel: +97142839392 General Sports Equipment Distributors Global Climbing General Outdoor Equipment Tel +97172353910 www.globalclimbing.com Flip Flop Arabia CARIRIS, JULBO and PANTROPIC distributer flipme@flipfloparabia.com www.flipfloparabia.com Ocean Sports Fze UAE Naish International. Kitesurf, Windsurf and Stand Up Paddleboard Tel: +971 55 935 2735 www.kitesurfsup.com
Advertise HERE for only 400AED/ month for details call 04 44 72 701
Sakeen General Trading outdoor and tactical supplies Tel: +97147094224 www.sakeen.ae
Gecko Motors Motor Cross bikes and service Al Quoz, Dubai 043413550 www.geckomotors.comÂ
Horse Riding Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club Horse Riding Abu Dhabi Tel: +97124455500 www.adec-web.com
Dune Bike Dealer bikes & buggies equipment Al Khail Road Alweer, Dubai Tel: +97143272088 www.dunebuggyuae.com
Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club Horse riding & lessons, polo Arabian Ranches, Dubai Tel: +971 43618111 www.poloclubdubai.com Emirates Equestrian Centre Horse riding equestrian club Tel: +971505587656
www.emiratesequestriancentre.com
Emirta Horse Requirements, Riding equipment Sheik Zayed Rd, Dubai Tel: +9714 3437475 www.emirtahorse.com Sharjah Polo& Equestrian Club horse riding & lessons, polo Al Dhaid Road, Sharjah Tel: +97165311155 www.forsanuae.org.ae Motorcycle Retailer KTM motocross & quad dealer and Equipment Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42 Tel:+9714323151 www.ktm.com
Aprilia Motorcycles Trader Al Quoz I, Dubai Tel: +971 4-3476712 www.apriliauae.com Tristar Motorcycles Trader Dubai Tel: +971 4 333 0659 www.tristaruae.com Al Yousuf Motors LLC Motorbikes, Motocross, Jet Ski, Boats Dealer and equipment Sheikh Zayed Rd, Dubai www.aym.ae/yamaha/ Liberty - Kawasaki Motorcycles dealer Interchange4, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Tel: +97142822144 www.libertykawasaki.com Motorcycle Services & Operators 2XWHEELER Motorcross Lessons Tel: +971506003058 www.2xwheeler.com Motorsports Yas Marina Circuit Abu Dhabi www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Dubai Autodrome Dubai www.dubaiautodrome.com Emirates Motorplex Umm Al Quwain Tel: +971 6 7681717 Off-Road Retailer Off Road Zone 4x4 vehicle repair and services Al Quoz, Dubai Tel : +9714 339 2449 www.offroad-zone.com Icon Auto Garage Off-road equipment, car equipment Al Quoz, Dubai Tel: +971 4 338 2744 www.icon-auto.com Yellow Hat Car & off-road equipment, Sheikh Zayed Road & Nad Al Hamar, Dubai Tel: +97143418592 www.yellowhat.ae AEV - Advanced Expedition Vehicles Off-road equipment, car Equipment Sheikh Zayed Road,Dubai Tel: +97143307152 www.aev.ae Wild X Adventure Shop Buggys, quads, off-road and outdoor equipment, Um Al Ramoul, Dubai, Tel: +97142852200 www.wildx.ae Al Tayer Motors Off Road car dealer www.altayermotors.com
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Abu Dhabi Sailing Club Abu Dhabi Tel: +9712673 1111 www.the-club.com
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PolarisUAE ATV’s dealer Showroom No. 8, Al Ghandi Complex Nad al Hamar Road, Ras al Khor Tel: +971 4 2896100 www.polarisuae.com Off-Road Services & Operators Desert Rangers Desert driving & SAFARIS Dubai Tel:+97143572233 www.desertrangers.com Off Road Adventures LLC Desert Tours Dubai Tel: +971506289667 www.arabiantours.com Outdoor Clubs Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle SUP club Abu Dhabi www.uaesup.com Abu Dhabi Tri Club Club for Swimmers, Cyclists, Runners, Triathletes Abu Dhabi www.abudhabitriclub.org Abu Dhabi Off Road Club Abu Dhabi www.ad4x4.com Filipino Off Road Club forauae@gmail.com www.forac.ae Me 4x4 Middles East Off Road Club Dubai www.me4x4.com Mirdiff Milers Running Club Dubai www.mirdifmilers.com ABRaS AC Running Club Dubai www.abrasac.org
Dubai Roadsters Cycling Club Dubai www.dubairoadsters.com Other Activities SkyDive Dubai Tel:+971501533222 www.skydivedubai.com Ifly Dubai Indoor SkiDiving Mirdiff City Centre, Dubai Tel: +97142316292 www.iflyme.com Ski Dubai Skiing Mall of the Emirates Dubai Tel: 04 4094000 www.skidxb.com Space Walk Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Country Club Tel:+97124463653 www.spacewalk.ae Dubai Dolphinarium Dolphin Swimming, Dolphin Show Creek Park, Dubai Tel : +9713369773 www.dubaidolphinarium.ae Dolphin Bay Atlantis Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Tel:+97144260000 www.atlantisthepalm.ae Sailing Dubai Offshore Sailing Club www.dosc.ae Emirates Sailing School Abu Dhabi www.ess.ae Dubai Marina Yacht Club Dubai Tel: +97143627900
Surfing/Kite Surfing/Stand-up Paddle operators and lessons Kite Fly Kitesrufing lessons Dubai Tel: +971 50 25 47 440 www.kitesurf.ae Kite4fun Kite surfing Abu Dhabi Tel:+971508133134 www.kite4fun.net
Water Parks Aquaventure Atlantis Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Tel:+97144260000 www.atlantisthepalm.a Dream Land Aquapark Emirates Road, Umm al Quwain Tel:+97167681888 www.dreamlanduae.com Ice Land water park Al Jazeera, RAK Tel: +97172447547 www.icelandwaterpark.com Wild Wadi Dubai Tel: +97143484444 www.wildwadi.com
Surf Dubai Surfing Umm Suqeim, Dubai Tel: + 971505043020 www.surfingdubai.com
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Surf Shop Dubai Surfing & equipment Al Barsha 1, Dubai Tel: +97143990989 www.surfshopdubai.com Surf School UAE Surf lessons Umm Suqeim, Al Barsha, Dubai Tel:+97143990989 www.surfschooluae.com
Advertise HERE for only 400AED/ month for details call 04 44 72 701 Surfing/Kite Surfing/Stand-up Paddle Retailer UAE Kite Surfing Kite Surfing UAE Mobile: +971505626383 www.ad-kitesurfing.net Act Marine Water sports equipments, boat dealer The Walk JBR, Dubai Tel: +97144243191 Nautica 1992 Water sports operator Habtoor Grand Hotel, Dubai Tel: +971 50 42 62 41 5 www.nautica1992.ae
Would your company like to be included in our directory listings? contact@outdooruae.com or call: 04 4472701
Advertise HERE for only 750AED/month for details call 04 44 72 701
Pearl Water Crafts Wakeboarding, Jet Ski, Kite & Surfing dealer Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai UAE Tel: +971 55 3749398 www. pearl-watercrafts.com
www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com
OUTDOORUAE.COM April2011 59