OutdoorUAE - June 2014

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Qatar’s underwater world Dive Listings

Comprehensive list of the best dive centres in the region

Travel + Adventure

Jebel Toubkal Hiking for health

Getting outdoors in the UAE

Be Sport Bike Shop brings Cube bikes to the UAE

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Issue 42, June 2014

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

On the cover: Suunto, Conquer New Territory Photo by: Jill Heinert Managing Editor Daniel Birkhofer Editor Glaiza Seguia Administration Jane Mesina Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries) Linda Turcerova Tel: 04-447 2030 Mobile: 055 9398915 linda@outdooruae.com Published by Outdoor UAE FZE In cooperation with D32 Events P.O. Box 215062 Dubai, U.A.E. Tel. 04-447 2030 contact@outdooruae.com www.outdooruae.com Distributor Tawzea, Abu Dhabi Media Company P.O. Box 40401, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

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Let the summer begin!

Long gone are the summers in Dubai when the city was yawning with emptiness and the couch and DVD box set combos were the weekend staples. In a reverse, yet totally understandable logic, summer used to be time to put on weight, not lose it to fit into a bikini. Times are a-changing, and we admit we actually love the summer here. Firstly, you never get out of the heat for long enough to escape it. Secondly, it actually doesn’t feel any different from sweating in 35° and sweating in 45°. Thirdly, schools close in June, roads clear out and the busy business city takes a notch or two down from its manic pace and lets you breathe a little behind your desk. Now, it’s time to finish those long-delayed projects, get creative and tweak the workflow here and there.

Sports have not gone to hibernation either. Push your timings a bit into the late afternoon or earlier in the mornings and the beach jogging, workouts, yoga and even open water swimming is very enjoyable at these times. Kite Surfers Beach and other sand patches in the region are getting makeovers, and we are very excited to see what they are going to look like when finished towards September. Parks and suburban green areas are swamped with residents on the move. Or turn your body clock nocturnal to get the best out of the last of spring — head to the desert for a midnight soiree with friends and light food, stargazing and good company.

Printed at Atlas Printing Press LLC P.O. Box: 14833, Dubai, UAE

Last but not least, I personally will be making a few “extended weekend getaways” over the summer months to the coast of Oman. Hot weather, always windy and perfect waves to conquer on my board.

© 2014 Outdoor UAE FZE Issue 42 June 2014

Linda

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BETWEEN THE LINES Get to us on Facebook!

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.

Daniel Birkhofer Founder and Editor in Chief daniel@outdooruae.com

WHEN YOU’RE DONE READING, PLEASE RECYCLE!

Jane Mesina Administration jane@outdooruae.com

Glaiza Seguia Editor glaiza@outdooruae.com

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EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

All contents are under copyrights and may not be reproduced in any kind without written permission. © 2014 Outdoor UAE FZE Reg. at Creative City Fujairah P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.

Linda Turcerova Sales and Marketing linda@outdooruae.com

Kit Belen Our fishing pro

John Basson Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker

Tori Leckie Writer, runner, blogger and adventurer

Eulogy van Dyk Outdoor loving Qatar explorer

Sean James Mountaineering and MTBing expert

Ian Ganderton Kayaker, climber, mountainbiker and snowboarder.

Enthusiastic jack of all trades, master of none.

Mike Nott The 4x4 expert

WANT TO CONTRIBUTE? CONTACT US! contact@outdooruae.com

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS 19 MTB RACE, QATAR

EVERY ISSUE

24 THE BIG 100 KM

05 BEST SHOTS 06 EVENTS CALENDAR 32 LIFESTYLE 44 PRODUCTS 54 PEOPLE 63 DIRECTORY

EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS 08 EDA PHOTO COMPETITION 12 SURF & SKATE JAM 2014 14 PREPARING FOR K2 16 MOUNTAIN BIKING IN THE UAE

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE 26 JEBEL TOUBKAL IN 12 HOURS 30 TOURISM IN MALAYSIA 28 THE HONEY BADGER 50 QATAR EXPLORER

32 THE EXTREME LIWA

LIFESTYLE 35 HABITUALLY HEALTHY

OUR EXPERTS 48 MAGIC IN MOLWENI – TORI 53 PAVEL’S LUNCH BREAK- JOHN

TIPS + TRICKS 60 QUEENFISH – KIT BELEN 62 INJURIES – GORDON 4

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BEST SHOTS WINNER!

Here are the best shots sent in by you for the monthly “Want Fame?” photography competition!

Thank you for all your entries, they were all great and it was hard selecting the best photos this month.

Congratulations to the top three winners, who will each receive Buff headwear and five free copies of the magazine: Dean Seton, Joe Brady and Shoaib Ahmed Jan. Well done!

To submit your entries, simply email us at competitions@outdooruae.com with the subject “Best Shots.”

WINNER!

Dean Seton

While diving in Oman, I managed to grab a photo with the turtle before it vanished back into the blue.

WINNER!

Joe Brady

The safest part of the Stairway to Heaven that we completed last month. Epic hike.

Shoaib Ahmed Jan

At last season’s endurance horse racing.

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

EVENTS CALENDAR Stay up-to-date with the latest events

Dubai Sports World 2014

June 11 to August 30, Dubai World Trade Centre Take it inside! One of Middle East’s largest indoor sports events, the Dubai Sports World, transforms summer into the only season that matters for sports, with all your favourite sports in one professional standard and air conditioned arena. Hosting football, rugby, basketball, badminton, skateboarding, volleyball, table tennis and much more. Dubai Sports World is the training ground for greatness and teamwork. For more information, visit www.dubaisportsworld.ae.

Dubai Desert Road Run June 13, 6:00am, The Sevens Stadium

The Dubai Desert Road Run occurs several times a year to provide a safe enjoyable environment where runners of all abilities can come together to enjoy keeping fit and aiming to beat their own personal best. This race will feature two distances: 10km race (6:00am) and 3km Fun Run (6:05am). Both distances will be timed and feature medals for all finishers. The 10km winners in each age category will receive trophies, there will be awards for the first three male and female finishers in the 3km Fun Run (no age categories for this distance). To register and for more information, visit www.premieronline.com.

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Proud2b Spinning Middle East June 14, 10:00am, The Room, Zayed Sports City

After four years of wonderful Spinning Marathons in Belgium, now Proud2b Spinning® Events are in our region! Spinning Marathon is six-hours of non-stop spinning! Either as a solo rider or as a team of 2-6 people, meaning individuals can register for the entire six hours of riding or participate as a team and share a bike. There is only one rule: the team’s bike needs to be used for the entire six hours to “officially” be called “finisher” of the event! Spinning marathons are unique gatherings where people train, smile and share emotions. Your fitness level is not the key aspect of this event. Six top quality spinning classes seamlessly linked together will be lead by two international Master Instructors of the Spinning program, MI Rose O’Donovan (Ireland) and PSMI Peter Pastijn (Belgium). For more information, visit www.theroom.ae.

Summer Solstice 100 mile Night Ride

June 20, 11:00pm, top car park (beside Trek Shop), Al Qudra Cycle Path Ride 100 miles during the shortest night of the year and finish with a post ride breakfast and coffee before the sun comes up. The course will be three laps of Al Qudra plus a bit extra. There will be support vehicles and plenty of water stops. For more information, visit the www.facebook.com/ events/226507997544395 or contact Andy at andy265@gmail.com or 050 1057845.

Sunman for Rich June 26 to 28

The challenge is to complete either a full Ironman distance (3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, 42.2 km run) or Half Ironman (1.9 km swim, 90 km bike, 21.1 km run) race over three days (26th to 28th June). The disciplines can be done in any order anywhere in the world as long as all three disciplines have been completed in their entirety by midnight of 28th June. This event is based on an honour system. All athletes (who do not yet have an account) would need to create an account in www.strava.com and record their progress. The disciplines may be covered either indoor or outdoor but as it is a “Sunman,” we would encourage athletes to be outdoors and “feel challenged” whilst sparing a thought for Richards Holland’s struggle. For more information, contact supertridubai@yahoo.co.uk or call 050 8731989.

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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NEWS + COMMUNITY

ATM 2014 opens with updated Tourism Vision 2020 Dubai’s goal of doubling the 10 million visitors welcomed in 2012 to 20 million by 2020 is the collective responsibility of all industry stakeholders. This was the message shared at the launch session of the ATM 2014 seminar series last month at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The opportunities, challenges and early successes of the government initiative, one year on from its official launch, were addressed by four top tourism industry leaders at a session entitled “Delivering the Tourism Vision for 2020 and how Dubai is marketed to the world.”

Leading the panel discussion was HE Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO and Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM), who was joined by Ghaith al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai; Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates; and Neil Jones, Chief Sales and Marketing Office MEA, Marriott International.

Opening the session, HE Almarri said: “Dubai’s position in the world, with what we have to offer, is very promising. The Expo 2020 win offers a clear message that Dubai is seen as a tourism and business hub for the region. We’re very proud to have won the right to host the event, but Dubai won’t stop; it will continue evolving up to, and beyond, 2020.”

DTCM has spent the last 12 months working closely with its partners in the tourism industry to implement the first phases of the detailed strategy, with Al

Marri reporting that government departments and private sector companies have fully embraced the vision as the emirate fast tracks regulatory changes to facilitate further sector development in the remaining half of the decade.

Since ATM 2013, the Dubai government has already announced plans to create a fully integrated e-Permit and e-Ticketing system and shared details of an exciting incentivisation initiative that will enable hotel owners to bring forward construction timelines for three and four-star properties, with eligible developments granted a concession on the standard 10% Municipality Fee levied on the room rate for each night of occupancy.

At the start of 2014, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai and UAE Vice President and Prime Minister issued a series of directives designed to enhance and streamline hotel investment and development in the emirate, supported by ongoing infrastructure expansion. At the same time, the newly established DTCM affiliate, the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) will focus on the international marketing and promotion of Dubai’s tourism and commerce credentials to a growing global audience.

Following the recent news that Dubai International Airport pipped London’s Heathrow as the busiest airport globally for international passengers in Q1 2014, and with the successful phase one launch of the emirate’s second international hub, Al Maktoum International, the role of Emirates and flydubai in bringing the world to Dubai was a key discussion point.

At ATM from left to right, Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates, Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, DWTC and Director General, DTCM, Neil Jones, Chief Sales and Marketing Office, MEA, Marriot International

His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri CEO, DWTC and Director General, DTCM

Commenting on the role of the emirate’s airline in driving inbound passenger numbers, Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO, flydubai, said: “Dubai’s vision is why we’ve been so successful. We set out to maintain the standard expected of Dubai, which sets us apart from typical low cost airlines because we’re innovative in introducing distinctive value added services.

“We now fly to 75 destinations, 48 not already served from Dubai and these are aligned to meet Dubai Expo 2020’s growth plans.”

“The challenge for 2020 is to meet the demand in services while developing the brand and have the best airlift in the world, and continue to accelerate in terms of quality,” added Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates.

The city has been named as a top destination to visit during 2014 by both the New York Times and the Trip Advisor Traveller’s Choice Awards, and the need to attract a broad visitor base, and position Dubai as a destination for budget as well as luxury travellers, was also addressed by the panelists.

“Dubai is a fantastic attractive city for tourists and business travellers and we believe Marriott can have 10,000 rooms in the city in 2020, up from 3,000 now.

This is a unique destination with architecture and a rich cultural history, but we need help with partners such as airlines and cruise lines to build demand; but we’re bullish for the future,” said Neil Jones, Chief Sales and Marketing Office MEA, Marriott International.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the show has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world.

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DIGITAL ONLINE 2014

EDA’s Underwater Photography and Film Competition “We are honoured to have the professional support given to us by some of the top underwater photographers in the UAE and in the world as part of the Digital Online panel. With this pillar, we are able to offer our photographers and videographers expert and fair judgement. Each year we get to see how the returning competition participants grow within their technique and this is something to be very proud of. There is much talent in the UAE and we get to discover them together.

Within this discovery, there is the development of growth and learning, the one thing we are drawn together to share. It is of relevance to have Digital Online’s exhibition in collaboration with The American University in Dubai this year.” Mr. Essa Al Ghurair – EDA Vice Chairman of the Board

“We at AUD are exceedingly pleased to have been chosen as the host space for the 6th EDA Photography And Film Competition. We’re pleased to continue to build upon the strong foundation that has been created between AUD and EDA and find this to be a great avenue to foster that relationship. We also look forward to the wealth of enrichment this will provide the students of AUD.” Brad Moody – Associate Professor of Digital Media, Department of Visual Communication Emirates Diving Association (EDA) are unveiling their 6th Digital Online – EDA’s Underwater Photography and Film Competition’s Awards and Exhibition Opening which is this year being hosted by the American University in Dubai (AUD) in the School of Architecture, Art and Design Building (A), Rotunda Gallery.

Digital Online’s main objectives are: • To discover new promising underwater photographers in the UAE.

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• To develop the human interaction within the underwater environment and highlight the beauty of its flora and fauna.

• To gather information on the number of underwater photographers in the UAE (both professional and amateur).

Digital Online was realised in 2009 by Marcelo Mariozi, a professional underwater photographer who had previously been involved in the organisation and set up of underwater photography competitions in his native country of Brazil. As there were no underwater photography competitions existing in the UAE at the time, Digital Online was introduced by EDA for resident photographers to develop a relationship and human interaction with those unfamiliar with the underwater world and environment. The film category was introduced as an extension to the competition in 2012 to share our underwater world in motion pictures.

The event now in its sixth year, has seen the steady growth of underwater photography participation, the enthusiasm and the passion step up to another level. The event has attained equal success within the nondivers who come to support the participants at the Awards and Exhibition night.

We would like to thank all our devoted and new sponsors for all their wonderful prizes for 2014; BFC Travel Management, Tourism Malaysia, Kungkungan Bay Resort, Desert Islands Resort & Spa by

Anantara and Al Mahara Diving Center, Al Boom Diving, Al Marsa Musandam, Nomad Ocean Adventures, Gulf Marine Sports, OutdoorUAE, Millennium Hotel Mussanah Oman and The Oman Sail Dive Centre, Pavilion Dive Centre, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort and Spa, MTM Marine, Seychelles Tourism Office Middle East, Freestyle Divers, The Dive Centre, Sheesa Beach Travel & Tourism, Divers Down and Dive Rite, Philippine Department of Tourism and Deep Blue Sea who make these competitions possible. We would like to thank our printing sponsor, Print Works who provide the quality prints for the Digital Online exhibitions and a big thank you to The American University in Dubai for hosting the Awards and Exhibition this year. We would also like to thank Warren Baverstock, Jonathan Ali Khan, Ali Bin Thalith and Nuno Sá for being Digital Online’s asset guest judges. We are privileged to have such amazing people and photographers/film makers be a part of this event.

The exhibition will be open to the public at the American University in Dubai in the School of Architecture, Art and Design Building (A), Rotunda Gallery from the 29th of May through to the 7th of June. The gallery will be open from 9:00-17:00 on weekdays and 14:00-17:00 on Fridays. Visitors will be asked to show their ID at the main gate to get an entry pass.

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Awni Hafedh Macro International Compact First Place

Awni Hafedh Marine Life Portrait International Compact First Place

Christopher Combes Macro UAE Compact First Place

Lyad Suleyman Wide Angle UAE DSLR First Place

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Juraj Roka Marine Life Portrait UAE Compact First Place

Jan Wenger Macro UAE DSLR First Place Jan Wenger Wide Angle International DSLR First Place

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Juraj Roka Wide Angle UAE Compact First Place

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Sijmon de Waal Marine Life Portrait International - DSLR First Place

David Robinson Macro International DSLR First Place

Juraj Roka Wide Angle International Compact First Place

Mohamed Abdulla Marine Life Portrait Local DSLR First Place

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EVENT REPORT

Just Add Volcom, Surf & Skate Jam 2014 Words By: Baxter Jackson Photos By: Abdel Elecho

In the UAE’s rugged interior lies the desert oasis of Al Ain. There at the foot of Jebel Hafeet, a giant monolith of rock shooting up from a desolate plain, is exactly what you would never expect to find – surfing.

Not “sand surfing” either. Try full on Polynesian wave riding on a two-metre (6.75 foot) high electric-blue swell of chlorinated water breaking every ninety seconds – left, right or closeout – all in a specially designed wave pool replete with a concrete beach.

This concrete beach on the edge of the desert was transformed into Surf City, USA on May 2nd 2014, thanks to host Wadi Adventure and event organisers Volcom and Rage Skate Shop who rolled out the 2nd annual Just Add Volcom Surf & Skate Jam. Amidst the burkas and bikinis and punk rock music blasting, skaters and surfers battled it out simultaneously for the top three spots in a fun jam session with high fives all around. With the surfers carving up the waves in the pool and the skaters shredding the half-pipe and street obstacles on the concrete beach, this was a surf and turf classic, with a twist.

Thanks to the marvels of hydraulic engineering and a nearby natural spring (Al Ain actually translates into English as either “spring” or “eye” depending on the context), mother nature’s cooperation was not required to make this surf and skate combo run like clockwork, sandstorms not included, of course.

Lumped into four categories – Groms, Juniors, Women’s and Men’s – the 43-odd individual surfing contestants were judged by a wisecracking panel of local surf celebs on their consistency, style, manoeuvres and overall shaka brah attitude. Each surfer was allotted three perfect waves in three heats to wow the judges – heat one, lefts; heat two, rights and heat three, closeouts.

For those not in the know, lefts are waves that break to your left as you ride them to shore. Rights are just the opposite of lefts, naturally, and closeouts are waves that break on both sides and come together in the middle, making them ideal for launching aerial manoeuvres inspired by skateboarding.

The inspiration was mutual on this day as surfers such as Jeff Del Torre took to the skies with aerial moves inspired by skateboarding and skaters such as Omar Al Abaar wowed the judges with his smooth

surf style on the mini-ramp. Both took home 1st place prizes for their hybrid stylings on and off Tierra Firma.

The cultural interplay wasn’t limited to the surf and skate tricks either. With the waves crashing and Jebel Hafeet looming in the background, a warm desert breeze wafted in over the girls in bikinis, the ladies in abayas, the boys in board shorts, the men in khanduras. Mixing and mingling, the distinct melodies of their Romance, Afroasiatic, Slavic and Indo-European languages blended together beautifully in a cosmopolitan cocktail, available only in a handful of places like the UAE. When the sun finally set over this international surf and skate fest in the middle of the desert, the pool lights flickered on and the waves crashed in primary colors – blue, green and red. The music mellowed out but the surfing and skating only intensified with the coming coolness of the night. When it was all said and done, here’s how prizes for the best rides and vibes got doled out: Surfing Groms (12 and Under) 1st Place: Lucas Bay 2nd Place: Theodore Desclee 3rd Place: Noah Offord Surfing Juniors (Under 18’s) 1st Place: Josh Pickering 2nd Place: Luke Baerschmidt 3rd Place: Peter Baershmidt Surfing Men’s (18 & Over) 1st Place: Jeff Del Torre 2nd Place: Dave Richards 3rd Place: Luke Cunningham Surfing Women’s 1stPlace: Nicole Miller 2nd Place: Donna Masing 3rd Place: Chantelle Hobson Mini-Ramp 1st Place: Omar Al Abbar 2nd Place: Alex Medvedev 3rd Place: Andrew J. Hughes S.K.A.T.E Winner: Tree Trunk

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Preparing for K2 The physical Words By: Adrian Hayes

People often ask me “how’s the training going?” and “how do you train for K2?” The general answer to the first is much like many of our school reports from years yonder – good, could do better. The answer to the second is simple – train for what you’re going to be doing.

That means mountain hiking, stair running and rock climbing, in that order of importance – even though there are a number of vertical sections with technical climbing involved on the mountain.

Fitness is very sports specific and nothing prepares your legs for mountaineering like, surprise, mountain hiking.

And, although I’m often away from the country, we are blessed with a fantastic and extensive mountain range on the UAE-Oman border to get fit for task. It may only rise to a maximum of 3,000m, with the majority less than 2,000m, and there aren’t exactly many 60° ice and snow sections to climb, but the rugged and rock strewn landscape is second to none for leg and core stability training.

I’ve thus had a full season hiking or climbing in the mountains at weekends when I’m here – and midweek too – with a great group of friends accompanying

me on most occasions. For most hikes, I am now using ankle weights and a medium weight pack, rather than how I used to with normal hiking shoes and a heavy pack. Yes, hauling a bulky pack up a mountain helps build strong quad muscles, but I believe that simulating of heavy double mountain boots is even more important.

The special addition this year is sand dune running – possibly the hardest training one can possibly imagine, it is brutal.

I have always cross trained for all round fitness and have continued this pre-K2 with cycling, running, weights, and circuits as supplementary training. Cycling builds the quads, weight training is always in my

fitness training and the circuit training the one thing I felt I needed more of in 2013 – lung capacity.

Whatever training one has done in the year or six months prior to a challenge, it is the 2-3 months prior that is the most important and where I step up the intensity, whatever the challenge. And if one’s training hard enough, that intensity is indeed difficult to keep up beyond three months.

I never taper, be it for Ironman, cycling, running or expeditions – on the latter, travelling to and admin time in destinations and, on mountains, treks are more than enough taper.

I’ve also started sleeping in my oxygen tent for a short pre-acclimatisation prior to heading to Nepal at the end of the month to climb 6,200m Lobuche East as a warm up for K2. To me this is a vital component – a two week continual hiking and climbing period to get legs fully attuned, to acclimatise, to test equipment in challenging conditions and, although it is much like riding a bike, to shake out ice climbing skills. But, perhaps most of all, the critical need to get into the essential mindset required for the immense challenge in June and July. I will additionally be using ankle weights on the trek in for Lobuche.

And finally, I am going to be using a hypoxic mask for training the next three weeks, which forces the lungs to work harder with less oxygen coming in.

In short, nothing is left untouched or to chance on the physical side – and nutrition is so important on its own that I will write a separate blog on this integral part of physical preparation. My “good, could do better” comment only represents what many of us training for big physical goals sometimes feel – that we can always do better, longer, faster and harder. But in the end, it’s simply about being in the best possible condition we can be.

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ACTIVITY REPORT

A dhow cruise:

Your gateway to Musandam diving sites A cruise is the best chance to reach and explore the best diving sites of the peninsula Words By: Nicola de Corato Photos By: Sijmon de Waal, Neil Murphy

The Musandam Peninsula is an exclave of Oman, separated from the rest of the country by the United Arab Emirates, with a stunning backdrop of quaint fishing villages (often reachable only from the sea), white sandy beaches and striking mountain scenery; the Musandam’s mountainous fjords give it a truly unique natural character. From the boat you can easily see the geological conformation of the peninsula, with horizontal and vertical stratifications chasing each other seamless.

Fjords, created by fragmented and weathered rock formations stretch out into the sea and massive overshadowing cliffs tower above the beaches. Thousands of years ago the entire area was under the sea. It was suddenly (geologically speaking) forced up when the rocky plates collided to form the Zagros Mountains in Iran and the Musandam cliffs on the other side of the deepened Gulf. This happened long before the volcanic formations of the Al Hajar Mountains (once part of Iran), which after serious geothermal events was separated from the Zagros Mountains.

As the only access to the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz touches the shores of Musandam, carrying rich nutrient laden waters from the Indian Ocean into the Gulf and contributing to a rich biodiversity and unique ecosystem: loads of beautiful wall dives, coral gardens, turtles, rays, dolphins, whales and many other species. Musandam provides fine coral reef diving. Planktonrich waters attract over 900 species of fish, ranging from tiny cleaner wrasse through to whale sharks. The dive boats are often accompanied by dolphins, which like the calm waters of Musandam’s fjords.

Visibility ranges up to 30m and water temperature is between 21-30°C offering

excellent year round diving conditions.

There’s diving here for all levels and memories that will last a lifetime.

A dhow cruise or a private charter departing from Dibba port cruise and navigating alongside the dramatic coastline of the Musandam Peninsula are the best solutions to reach diving sites. In order to discover those places, I chose a shared cruise on a triple deck dhow, together with my friend Massimo owing to his experience as a diver (he’s been a commercial diver and has more than 3,000 thousand dives in his career) and photographer. It was my first cruise, my first time having so many dives in a short time and I had the chance to enjoy and, at the same time, dive with him and other experienced divers.

There are over 30 established popular dive sites. As the region is remote, and commercial fishing is not permitted, the biodiversity of marine life is immediately noticeable upon entering the water, and it leaves a lasting impression on divers. The dive sites themselves range in character from walls to extensive coral gardens. They deliver world-class adventurous diving to experienced and inexperienced divers alike.

Due to the low diving impact in the area, the reefs are healthy and marine life flourishes. Even in the shared cruise, you are able to enjoy and explore diving sites according to your qualification and experience.

I had chance to dive in lots of places in two days, I saw my first sea turtle, lots of angelfishes, beautiful corals and lionfishes.

Impossible to tell my preferred dive sites among them, but the one I remember bet-

ter is Umm al Fayyarin (the mother of the mouse), probably just because of the funny name. This island (whose shape resembles a big mouse) is 35 miles from Dibba port of Oman, between Habellyn and Shaboos bays. The most common seen around this area are fusiliers, giant trevally, barracuda, angel fish, bat fishes, turtle, stingray and school of mini manta ray. Wall combination of slopes nice corals on the wall and table corals at five to 10m. One of the best dives in the Musandam. However due to its location, it must be dived with an accompanying guide with local knowledge.

When you enjoy a dhow cruise, you cover the major distances by dhow, which is going to be your basecamp, then you often reach the dive site with a speedboat. This give you chance to enjoy and explore most of the places all around Musandam; a pleasure not only when you dive, but also when you navigate on the speedboat, having the chance to take pictures of the fjords around you, or to see eagles, herons, seagulls and other birds fishing, or when you enjoy the evening light on the boat, waiting for the dinner.

For more information do not hesitate to contact me or to visit the website www.sheesabeach.com.

Ready to cruise and dive,

Nico We had chance to try the dhow cruise thanks to the support of Sheesa Beach Travel and Tourism. Born in 1994, it was the first company in Dibba to offer dhow cruises to tourists. In late 2010, Sheesa Beach Dive Center was launched as a PADI Dive Center and Resort.

Nico is a blogger, marathon runner and triathlete, diver and heli rescue swimmer with Bergamo Scuba Angels. You can read his blog at www.dubayblog.com or email him at admin@dubaiblog.it for information about Dubai and desert trips, to schedule a desert run together, or just to say hello.

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Mountain biking in the UAE Singletrack; how does it get there?

Words + Photos By: Sean James

Somewhere east of Dubai or west of Fujairah, depending on where you live, there are some of the wildest and gnarliest regions in the UAE. These wild areas are crisscrossed with narrow trails perfect for mountain biking and provide the best playgrounds available.

For the uneducated, these trails would pass as goat paths but to mountain bikers they are known as single track. But have you ever stopped and wondered how these goat trails are so perfectly placed with just the right amount of drop, climbs, excitement and sweeping corners. Surely the goats and their leathery, sun beaten herders aren’t walking the Arabian Peninsula all day, moving rocks and preparing paths for brightly coloured riders from the sparkling cities.

Single track in mountain biking is defined as a track that is the width of a bike. It can be natural but more frequently it has been doctored or adapted. It is often fast with challenging, technical sections that those who push their limits on these playgrounds will bear testament through pictures of the scrapes and bruises that they proudly show to the world via the Internet.

One of the most well-known single track areas in the UAE can be found at Showka. Showka already possessed the basic requirements for great single track.

It is accessible easily from Dubai and the

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cities. Parking is at the very start of the trails. There are hills but they are small and not big enough to scare the downhill boys away with their monster full suspensions.

The area is hugely popular and at weekends there can be hundreds of vehicles.

Showkah is still sufficiently new that the desire to explore new areas has not attracted the majority of people away yet.

If you do venture further afield looking for new areas there are plenty. Frequently I come across areas that I’m positive have been subjected to the work of these trailbuilding gods. Many of these are equally if not better than Showkha.

Cycling and in particular mountain biking tourism is growing around the world and there is no doubting Showka and its sculptured features are brilliant and built by experienced mountain bikers. A visit to the UAE should be on everyone’s bucket list. If you have not it is about time that you seek out these areas. There is no doubt the UAE can be developed with similar hotspots akin to The Nevis Range in Scotland, Coed-y-Brenin in Wales and with events similar to the world prominent TransHajar in Oman.

In the cooler winter months the fever pitch of development and the excitement amongst those who spend long days under the Arabian sun is unmatched. At the moment, the UAE is gold rush territory.

Groups of keen bikers, spend the weekend camping, bringing with them heavy tools and imagination. Let’s hope that facilities and an infrastructure like Al Qudra can be developed for the off-road bikers with the support of the UAE government.

Be warned though, regular visits to single track areas will definitely improve all aspects of your riding, on and off road.

The trail builder

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

ACTIVITY REPORT

Bintan Triathlon:

Celebrating 10 years in sporting paradise Words By: Helen McClure

There aren’t many triathlon events you can go to where you are welcomed by an elephant.

But that’s exactly what happens on Bintan.

Bintan is a little Indonesian island located just an hour’s ferry ride south east of Singapore. I say little; that’s the impression you get when you arrive. It’s actually much larger than Singapore, but where the jewel at the end of the Malay Peninsula offers the highs of urban life, glitz and glamour, on Bintan you’ll find a quiet retreat from the hectic hassle and bustle of city life. It’s the perfect antidote. You’ll be able to feast your eyes on beautiful tropical sandy beaches, calm coves and sleepy villages nestled in the jungle.

The race itself is a highlight on the Singapore fitness calendar. This year it celebrates its 10th anniversary, with 1,300 competitors taking part in Olympic and Sprint distances, with kids’ races too. It’s a real family occasion, with a festival area complete with face painting, children’s activities and a huge foam bath to play in.

Triathlon is a relatively new and growing sport. The mists of history suggest the concept of “les trois sport” has its origins dating back to 1920s France, but the first modern competitive race was held in San Diego in 1974.

The Bintan race attracts a lot of first timers, this year as many as 40%, but this isn’t to be confused with a fun run. The terrain is undulating, or mountainous if you’re used to training in Singapore.

It’s also very hot and humid, and heat exhaustion can be a real problem even if you’re acclimatised. It is a fantastic race, however. The waters are warm, the crowds supportive and the scenery inspiring. Coaching sessions are organised to help get you familiarised with the course and keep nerves in check.

There is nothing like the build up of adrenaline and tension when you’re on the start line counting down the seconds before you dash off into the sea and throw yourself into the churning sprawl of competitors, each failing their arms with all their might in an effort to inch ahead into clear water. While you might have

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a friendly chat with the chap or chapess standing next to you on the beach, wishing each other well, joined by the camaraderie of the event, as soon as the klaxon sounds, everyone is your enemy.

With each person you pass you feel as little victory as you climb the rankings.

The bonhomie naturally returns as soon as you cross the finish line. Stories are shared and you’re forever joined by the common experience of putting yourself through the paces. It’s not the medals that make triathlons memorable. It’s the connections and bonds you make.

This year’s competitors shared the start line with sporting royalty. Two-time Ironman World Champion and professional triathlete, Chris “Macca” McCormack joined the throng of adrenaline pumped triathletes.

This is the first time Macca has competed in the Bintan Triathlon, and he left a legacy in his debut with a win - in both the Sprint and Olympics races, proving he has pace and stamina.

He watched his first triathlon at the age of 18 and the same year he entered his first race and won the junior category, a sign of great things to come. He turned professional in 1995, at the age of 21.

He said: “I’ll be doing this sport until I’m 70. I love it. My parents never forced me into sport, in fact they wanted me to focus on my studies. But I forced myself because I had a dream. It became a way to socialise, and also a way to get rid of adrenaline before studying in the evening.”

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Macca, who grew up in southern Sydney, Australia, has two daughters and a son of his own, aged 10, seven and three.

He added: “There’s no pressure from me for them to do triathlons. I encourage them to find their way and will support their dream, but I’ll also hold them accountable to their grades!”

About triathlons A triathlon is a multi-sport event that includes swimming, cycling and running, in that order. There are different categories and distances but the most common are: Sprint: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run.

This is a good introduction to the sport but it’s no fun run. Your pace needs to be quick to get ahead of the field.

Olympic: 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run. This event is more about endurance. You need to be able to last the distance.

Half Ironman: 1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run. You may find that you excel in one discipline over another, which gives you the chance to gain ground, unlike single discipline sports.

Ironman: 3.8km swim, 180.2km bike, 42.2km run. Could you run a full marathon after a swim and a cycle?

And the winners are…

Olympic: Chris McCormack (pro) 02:03:34 Assad Attamimi 02:09:17 Kathryn Marie Haesner 02:19:11 Relay: 144 Not Out 02:11:08 Sprint: Chris McCormack (pro) 01:03:55 Bret Izzo 01:05:24 Vanessa Colless 01:14:51 Relay: 114 Not Out 01:15:32 Youth: Kyle Izzo 00:44:47 Emma Middleditch 00:48:38 Kids: Jackson Campbell 00:26:25 Caitlin Van Selm 00:35:05 Helen McClure is the journalist behind www.expatexplorers.org, a travel and expat website offering free independent insights, ideas and inspiration. Follow her on www.facebook.com/expatexplorers and www.twitter.com/expatexplorers.

Her travelling experiences have included backpacking in South America and the Far East, touring Europe in a camper van, working in villages in Africa, travelling with the British Army in Kenya, Oman and Northern Ireland, working in Saudi Arabia, living in Kuwait, Chicago and the United Arab Emirates. She is known for being sport mad (all sports), running long distances (just mad) and being competitive (in everything).

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JUNE 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

EVENT REPORT

Inland Sea Traverse MTB Race, Qatar Six sand dunes, the desert and the sea…

The push continues

Words By: Eulogy van Dyk Photos By: Zdeněk Dostál

The Inland Sea Traverse is a highlight every year on the mountain bike calendar of Qatar. It was almost cancelled this year, but due to popular demand and riders coming together to assist with the planning and preparation for the event, the Qatar Chain Reaction Cycling Club (QCR) hosted another successful event yet again this year!

Six sand dunes, the desert and the sea – this is a bit of a crazy race, but is that not one of the big reasons why we just love the sport of mountain biking? Always on the look out to do something more extreme, normal is just not good enough!

The race start is about one kilometre of the Sealine Beach Resort on the south east side of the country and takes you on a 38km desert discovery of hard packed desert highway, sandy patches and six dunes to reach the finish line at the Inland Sea (Khor Al Daid).

The race consisted of an open men (under 40 years of age), ladies and masters category and 56 brave riders signed up and participated in the event.

Riders were off on an early start at 6:30am to beat most of the heat. Red flags were used as route markers and on top of each dune two flags were placed which served as check points that ensured riders went right to the top of the dune Riders approaching a sand dune

The start

and down again. carrying their bike, where others At the beginning of the (and myself) decided taking a race, riders were full of stroll up whist trying to push adrenaline and took off at your bike through the thick high speed on the hard sand is better. At least you had packed desert highway but as a nice view on top of some of Open Men winner soon as we hit the first dune the sand dunes! LOL. we realised that it is almost Victory came at last when impossible to cycle, even a little bit, up the Inland Sea’s water appeared before one of them. us after 38km and we knew we have conFresh cold water was waiting for us on quered this one of a kind race in Qatar! top of each dune provided by Rayyan Big thanks go out to the organisers Water and after the fourth dune it was QCR, in particular Davy Muller the MTB refreshing to be able to rinse off your face representative, Saad Ferzam from Flash with it!

Bike providing back up support to the There were some die-hards out there riders on route, Rayyan Water and all the that were running up the dunes whilst volunteers, family and friends that came out to support us!

Race results were as follow: OPEN MEN

LADIES

MASTERS

1. Jock Hughson

1. Louisa Lobigs

1. Kirk Pleasant

2. Jonathan Le Marchand

2. Eulogy van Dyk

2. Gil Gabriel

3. Les Brown

3. Kristyna Mikusikova

3.Andreas Goldau

Time to cool down with some water

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EVENT REPORT

IRONMAN 70.3 Putrajaya Words By: Nic Potter Photos By: FinisherPix

Let me give you a little insight and context first – as a cardio sportsman, I’m weak at best.

Up until last year, I used my strength and size in sports that suited it; a lifetime weightlifter and rugby player, which four slipped discs had paid for. Doctor’s advice was simple – lose weight or undergo surgery. The choice was easy. (Dubai’s Friday dining choices hadn’t helped and I found myself tipping the scales at 122kg!)

I decided on triathlon as I get bored easily, and training for three sports seemed better than one. Amusingly, I have done two sprint triathlons in the UK before. I hated them, I was terrible at them, came dead last in the swims and, to the amusement of my friends, swore never to attempt them again!

So at the end of last summer I changed my diet, changed my priorities and set some targets. Fitness would be mine once again! Slowly but surely everything improved, the weight fell off, distances and times got better, I felt better and my goals evolved. Things progressed so quickly that within six months the goal changed from completing an Olympic distance triathlon to a 70.3 Half Ironman. A 70.3 (the mileage total) consists of a 1.9k swim, 90k bike and 21.2k run. Full of confidence or stupidity, I set a date and committed to the Malaysian 70.3 in April. Kuala Lumpur had always been on the “to visit” list, so it was two for the price of one!

Buoyed on by completing my first marathon in January, I jumped two feet into the challenge of a big triathlon. A few mouse clicks later and the flights were booked, race paid for, and the understanding of my goal started to dawn on me – I can’t swim 2km! Relentless last minute training is crammed in. I have quite literally never done this much cardio training in my life, but it doesn’t seem enough. Nervous doesn’t begin to explain how I feel about this. Seriously, what was I thinking? I swim like an angry drowning gorilla. This will not end well! And then I found TriDubai, a very welcoming Dubai-based triathlon club, who host training sessions for all, and even beginners’ swim session for the likes of me!

A few weeks later and some confidence is found. I still swim like a gorilla, but at least not one that looks in fear of its life.

12th of April found me sat in my hotel in Putrajaya, just outside Kuala Lumpur.

I’ve just checked into the race and picked

up my race number. First observation is how alarmingly fit everyone looks, I could immediately understand I was mixing with some people in the top of their game. My second observation is how alarmingly I do not look fit, and right on queue the butterflies arrived in stomach and stayed there until 5:00 the next morning!

Race morning!

I was in transition at 6:00am, preparing myself and my kit. In the lead up to this event I did five or six triathlons. The race morning set up had been well practised, organisation lessons learned, food and drink carefully chosen, so it didn’t take long to set up and concentrate on psyching up.

Swim After a painful half hour delay, we got under way. First the pros, then the first half of my age group, five minutes later I dived in for a rather warm open water start in a fresh water lake, I scoped the course again whilst bobbing about in-between the 50-odd other people in my age group.

Conclusion, I cannot swim that far! The horn sounds and off we go, 350m later we round the first buoy and field has really opened up, the lead group has near disap-

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peared from view and I’ve found myself in a nice open space to swim at my own pace, just as I’d hoped. Several hundred metres past and my rhythm is disturbed by a dull ache setting into my cumbersome shoulders, I’m getting tired already, I’ve got a long way to go, but I’ve been here before, too many times, so it’s time for the secret “Finding Nemo” mantra sung inside my head, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” And slowly that is what I did, occasionally bobbing my head up to check the progression, and course (never far enough and always swimming in the wrong direction). After what seems like an eternity later I see the buoy that marks the end of the long back leg, now it’s only about 500m left, I am genuinely happy! I go for a big final push and a strong finish, but that makes me horribly out of breath, so I slow down again to make sure I actually reach the shore. I am so happy to put that behind me! 55 minutes, I had hoped for 45 minutes, but at least I made it.

Bike Now for my favourite part! I quickly whizzed through transition and I’m on the bike. I actually enjoy the cycling part so I’m happy to be pedaling away on the open road. My target pace is 30km per hour, which should take me three hours dead.

Thankfully my body has woken up, and I quickly set into a nice rhythm on the clear tarmac road. The cycle course is two laps

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of main roads around the country’s administrative district, the roads are new and clear. Cycling here is fun! There are some long inclines breaking up the fast course, but the road surface makes them a smooth ride, so I concentrate on keeping my average high as I pump my legs into any oncoming challenge. At the halfway point I’m a few minutes ahead of target and ecstatic, the swim is a long distant memory.

85 minutes later, and 8 minutes ahead of schedule I roll into a great reception at transition, great noise and great support, and as usual my wife’s support rings out above them all.

Run Another quick transition and I’m on the road, listening to my wife’s support again as I exit down the gangway to the lake side run route. I settle into a comfortable stride and lap up the atmosphere, the course around the transition area is abuzz with people and it really helps to put a smile on my face ahead of the 21km run between me and the end of the race.

Then it happens, 15 minutes into of the run and all I can I think about is the heat.

It’s around midday, 35° and the humidity is in the 70s. My head is pounding already, my limbs, my head, everything is radiating heat, it’s all I can think about, this is not good. This is really not good. I’ve been running 30 minutes and so far I’ve thought about quitting twice. The heat is unbearable, I can’t let this stop me so far into the race. I dig in 500m at a time, but around me, people are dropping like flies, either walking or sat head between legs in shaded spots, every aid station has a casualty resting under the protection of a tent.

Then I find my savior – cups of ice down the front of my tri suit, thanks to the tight-

ness of the suit I can position the ice over my heart and its seems to gives almost immediate relief. So the rhythm is set, slower than usual with my plodding interspersed with ice stops at the many aid stations, along with the obligatory cold water over the head. I’m well aware that my pace is slow, but there’s nothing I can do about it, the heat is crippling me. Hitting the halfway mark was torture, I ran within 10m of the finish line, only to have to take the left lane and the next 10km that came with it. In the finishers enclosure I can see the pros and super fit who have long finished.

This makes me very jealous, but happy that I would be there myself in an hour. The last hour took a lot longer in my head, even longer when the aid stations ran out of ice, no more in-suit cooling, and only warm water to drink. 70 minutes of plodding later, the end is in sight. For the second time today I go for the strong finish, I love to finish a race with maximum effort, but for the second time today it betrays me, the push cripples me and by the time I cross the finish line, I’m in bits. The commentator achieved his desired outcome by making me break out a huge smile by highlighting the state of my unhappy face as I cross the line.

I’m elated, it’s done, I’ve made it after six hours and 18 minutes. All that hard work, all the training, all worth it. Knackered, mentally tortured, but over the moon.

Along the way I’ve found new depths, met great people, achieved new goals and it’s just the start.

Full Iron Man, you’re next.

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ACTIVITY REPORT

The Zen and art of freediving Words By: Alex Boulting, Freediving UAE

Freediving is one of the purest sports on the planet. To freedive is to enter a world of extraordinary tranquillity and peacefulness. Diving down below the surface, unencumbered by heavy scuba diving equipment, you are at one with the magical aquatic realm beneath the waves.

Most people never have the opportunity to discover this place; most people are too afraid to try diving into the depths on one lungful of oxygen.

So why, when as a species we are so dependent on oxygen, do some crazy individuals regularly dive down to extreme depths with nothing but a facemask and some fins for fun?

An extraordinary sport “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water” – Loran Eisely, “The Immense Journey,” 1957 There is no other sport quite like freediving. It tests the limits of our very existence and takes us to places we have never before visited. In the words of William Trubridge, world record freediver: “The fact we’re completely immersed in liquid; a single breath, the weightlessness, the absence of sounds, the dullness of the colours… everything is subtracted. It’s a completely different experience to life in the air element. When I’m diving it feels like I’m being accepted into the ocean.”

It takes tremendous focus and concentration to reach depths of 100m or more.

Some of the most exceptional freedivers in the sport today make such feats

of endurance look utterly effortless – a good example being Natalia Molchanova, inspirational Russian freediver and holder of numerous world records.

A lot of people struggle to hold their breath for more than 20 seconds without training. The body’s natural response when submerged in water is to send urgent messages to the brain telling it that you need to breathe, immediately. At this point most of us dive to the surface and fill our lungs up with precious air. If we try and fight the urge, it is not uncommon to feel as if we are on the verge of blacking out.

Mind over matter The mind is a powerful tool and freediving is essentially mind over matter. You can train your body to cope with extended periods of oxygen deprivation, but if your mind is not in the right place when you dive, it is game over. Experienced freedivers are able to achieve a state of intense mental focus that allows them to be completely absorbed in the activity of freediving.

Jaques Mayol, the first freediver to achieve 100m: “Freediving is about silence… the silence that comes from within.”

It is very hard to ignore the survival instinct, but by practicing mediation and relaxation techniques it is possible to train the mind and body to bypass this perfectly natural physiological response. Practicing the art of Zen helps you to free your mind from negative energies that sabotage your ability to stay under the water for very long.

Achieving a state of Zen in freediving Zen is a school of Buddhism dating back to 6th century China that placed great emphasis on meditation and intuition as opposed to the study of scriptures. We can use the principles of Zen to break through the wall that prevents us from staying underwater for more than a short space of time.

Many of the world’s best freedivers use meditation and yoga to help them get into the right mental state for freediving. Once

you have reached this state of quiet concentration and calm focus, you will enter a blissful, happy place where time ceases and the urge to breathe is no longer a priority.

“To freedive is to return in some small way to a unity between ourselves and water. When you hold your breath and slip below the surface, you invoke a magical time of pure consciousness, safety and freedom, released from everyday worries and cares,” says Emma Farrel, a leading freediving instructor from the UK. A life without limits Herbert Nitsch, known as the “deepest man on earth,” sums up the allure of freediving when he says: “Each time I think I’ve reached a limit… there is a door… it opens … and the limit is gone.”

Freediving requires nothing but a good pair of lungs and the ability to achieve a Zen-like state of total relaxation and focus.

It isn’t easy to do, but if something is that easy, where is the challenge, right?

For us, it’s all about achieving that state of perfect flow, stepping into that transcendental moment where time seems to almost stop as you merge with the world around you. We recently posted an article on our blog (freedivinguae.com/ latest-news/) that you should read, it’s called “Is Freediving Your Path To A State Of Optimal Existence?” if you are curious about the deeper mind-body connection achieved through freediving. Scan the QRcode below with your smartphone to be taken directly to the blog post.

Ready to get your feet wet? Our special hands-on classes are designed to give you everything you need to discover for yourself exactly what it feels like to reach your full potential while enjoying a unique state of peace few others will ever know. Visit FreedivingUAE.com/ ouae for an exclusive chance to try freediving absolutely free just for being an OutdoorUAE subscriber!

Classes fill up fast so sign up today.

Available at: Go Sport The Dubai Mall and Bawabat Al Sharq Mall in Abu Dhabi, Adventure HQ in Times Square mall in Dubai and Dalma mall in Abu Dhabi.

Qatar Doha: Go Sport in Villaggio Mall, Doha City Centre Mall

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EVENT REPORT

100km adventure On April 19th, Conrad Bay and Tati CoCo SUP paddled 100km from Abu Dhabi to Dubai. This adventure was set with the purpose of raising money for Rashid Pediatric Hospital.

Conrad and Tati paddled for four consecutive days, averaging at seven hours a day to finish this amazing adventure.

Day 1: Getting out of Abu Dhabi On the first day, both of us felt very nervous, but right from the start we felt like we had luck on our side. We got to the hotel in Abu Dhabi early in the evening before our adventure was due to begin. Shortly after arriving we received a bag with two t-shirts from Live Love Sup wishing us all the very best as well as giving us all their support. When we looked at the time it was already 7:00pm and we had to pump up my Red Paddle Co inflatable board and carefully double check all our equipment. We were fully-prepared and had trained hard for the adventure.

Every night before going to bed we used to look again over our stuff to make sure we never forgot anything important. It became our little routine. We had to check if we had energy bars, drinks, GPS, phones, extra paddle, leashes, CamelBak, GoPro, camera and a torch for the night. During the trip, we carried approximately 10kg extra.

Our alarms were set for 3:00am and we woke up feeling apprehensive although we were also very excited. The starting location was just next to the hotel in the mangroves of Abu Dhabi and Conrad’s very supportive and encouraging father, Thomas Bay, drove us there. It was stressful as we had

was good, what went well and what we could improve.We decided on having an early night so we were fully recharged for the following day.

never been there before and it was quite dark. Our first hour was very tense and we were paddling slowly because we were in an unknown place and there were a lot of strange animal noises. Suddenly, around the 6km, a big fish jumped on Conrad’s board, we were so frightened but we found it so funny at the same time! After that we began relaxing and kept going. The first 20km was really good but at around 8:00am we already felt the sun starting to burn our skin.

The heat increased quickly during the morning meaning that the last 5km was quite challenging. Every day we had to paddle through an average temperature of 30-38°C even during the night. Obviously, it was more comfortable to paddle in the night when it was cooler than in the scorching sun (40°C).

We accomplished the first day of 25km relatively easy, the water was perfectly flat and there was no wind at all. Back to the hotel, we went directly to shower, had some food and a long nap. We chilled out in the pool and then prepared again for next day.

Once again, all the equipment had to be checked so we were ready for day two.

Meanwhile we discussed the first day – what

Day 2: Heading to Al Rabhia It was a beautiful day; full of fun, exploring, learning about currents and downwind.

This day was the fastest and the easiest to complete. Once again we started off paddling through the mangroves which after Day 1 we felt comfortable doing so we completed the first 8km within an hour.

After that we had planned a stop but felt so strong we only paused for 10 minutes for a quick munch on a cereal bar and to take some time to pack our torches in the dry bag.

The next 5km was interesting as we occasionally had to paddle on the nose of our boards because the tide was low and our fins were dragging in the sand.

The following 14km was really fun and went by quickly as we neared land. We sometimes had really strong current making it much easier. Unfortunately we started a little bit late so we had to paddle more in the daytime sun, however, we found lot of shade under the bridges and we stopped every 4km for a break and cool down. The last 3km was more difficult because we were in the sea and our bodies were overheating but we fought our way through. By the end of the day, half of our challenge had been completed and we were both extremely happy!

Day 3: Heading Jebel Ali The most emotional day of the challenge!

It was intensive, exasperating, frustrating yet wonderful with lots of amazing surprises along the way.

Another early start of 2:00am and our immediate hurdle was to ensure we got into the water before we were questioned by the security guards. We then had to paddle for three hours with very limited light due to the fact that clouds covered the moon so that it was not visible. The first 5km was quite good with just a gentle breeze facing

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

us when we exited the port. However, the challenge was starting to take its toll on us and although we were still covering the distance at speed, our bodies felt tired.

Out of the canal the sea, the wind and the night made us feel slightly isolated, we were alone with only each other as support.

Nevertheless, we did not let it defeat us.

We dared the sea, the wind and night and we didn’t stop paddling for three hours neglecting to take breaks. At one point, I (Tati) was very afraid that something had happened to Conrad. We also had another possible encounter with security guards as we passed the navy base and were very close to being stopped. We had to paddle for 15km in the dark with huge waves and with the offshore wind pushing us far out to sea and far away from the shore. We were tired and we wanted to stop but we worked as a team and motivated each other and told each other that when the sun rose it would become a lot easier but this wasn’t necessarily the case! On the route we had planned, we had thought that there was a bridge but instead it was a road. We had no other choice and had to cross it while carrying our boards to the other side. On the plus side, all morning we had a big turtle swimming by our side for additional company.

After a short period of time, we took a

short 30-minute break as we were exhausted. We hadn’t eaten all morning and hadn’t drunk as much as usual. This lead to us being low on energy but we were still happy with what we achieved the first leg of Day 3.

For a few seconds, Conrad was paddling and sleeping on the board at the same time, and it was hilarious to watch. It’s amazing how the body and the brain can sometimes do strange and wonderful stuff!

Unfortunately after a few strokes he fell down, smashing the paddle into the board in the process and as a result breaking the tail of the board which as of that day has a large hole in the top tail.

Initially when the sun rose we had calm waves but they soon turned into a choppy sea with wind picking up quickly. Unfortunately, we arrived late meaning that we were more exposed to the heat and the risk of getting heatstroke was a constant nagging thought in our minds. Thomas found us after a few kilometres from when we passed the road. We were so happy to see him and he asked us to stop. We didn’t want to as the adrenaline was pumping through us, however, Thomas insisted for the sake of our own well being and health we needed a break and a surprise was waiting us.

While resting on the beach, we discovered that the turtle was digging through the night holes to put her eggs in. We found lots of eggs and I also tried to dig and found more! It was incredible! Throughout our training we were used to seeing many dolphins and turtles. After a long break and playing on the beach with shells, corals and turtles we went back to the water. There were gale force winds blowing so it took us a long time to finish but we still had the company of the turtle. It was like she wanted to encourage us, “Let’s go guys, let’s do it!” We felt like she was our guardian and protecting us on this difficult day as well as pushing us further.

Finally, we returned sunburnt, with dry eyes, thirsty, hungry, and utterly destroyed but we were safe and we finished in Jebel Ali. Thomas picked us up and drove us back to Dubai. Once returned we had found that Conrad’s mum had prepared a delicious lunch for recovering energy. We slept immediately exhausted from our journey.

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the constant traffic of boats and hatch coming in and out of the harbour and the worry that they can’t hear us due to it being quite dark. At first we got slightly lost; we paddled out of The Palm and were facing Jebel Ali port. We didn’t realise this immediately and it was only when the sun began to rise that we picked up on our error. Quickly, we tried to get inside The Palm and we had our first break that morning in front of Atlantis.

We were safe! As I helped Conrad pull his board out of water I thought it was heavy, it was only then that we realised he had forgotten the plug and the board was filling up with water! (No comment! Haha). Excitedly, we embarked upon the final 15km to finish our challenge and we felt as if nothing was going to stop us. After a few kilometres, Conrad’s father and Eric Terrien joined us.

What a great surprise! We had fun while we paddled together. On the last 2km a boat full of people shouted our names, we had many friends supporting us. When we finally arrived at Sunset Beach, lots of people were there to welcome and congratulate us.

They presented us with a great trophy each while taking lots of pictures and they gave us a big round of applause. I think we only realised when we finished that we achieved a great adventure! We were ecstatic and so proud of what we had accomplished and it was hard to contain our euphoria.

Conclusion Tati: “This was of my best SUP experiences.

I definitely wanted to keep paddling long distances and exploring and discovering other amazing places all around the world.

I can’t stop I am addicted! Every stroke is a new story in my life.”

Conrad: “I discover that every stroke can be a new adventure, you never know what you will encounter next. This 100km has inspired me for the rest of my life to keep exploring and discovering the world. Tati has kept me motivated and she is an inspiration. Throughout the challenge she taught me how to cope with covering such a long distance and all the factors we needed to be aware of such as wind, currents, dangers, hydration and energy levels.

Day 4: End of the 100km Sunset Beach ,Dubai On Day 4, we had the last 25km to paddle.

We were very motivated since we had already covered 75km but obviously we were also very tired. We started at the Dubai Marina and it was always quite difficult due to

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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

Jebel Toubkal in 12 hours, alone and wearing shorts Words + Photos By: Mike Nott

Some years ago, when I was fit, I had a week’s holiday in early June so I headed to Morocco and wanted to try and pack in as much as possible.

This involved a couple of days in Marrakech, Essaouira and a desire to knock off Jebel Toubkal (13,671ft/4,167m).

Marrakech and Essaouira were sublime, well worth visiting, full of their own adventures but this is about Toubkal. I was in Marrakech and needed to find my way to a starting point for the ascent. A quick consultation with my battered copy of “Africa on a Shoestring” led me to the bus station outside the city walls and a thoroughly enjoyable journey through the Atlas mountains to the village of Imlil.

Along the way we rested at several village bus stops for “comfort” breaks and to give the villagers the opportunity to sell the passengers mint tea and biscuits.

I didn’t have a map of the mountain, or in fact a compass but put my trust in the fact that Toubkal was the highest

mountain and there was bound to be a path up it and all I needed to do was find the right path and follow it until I couldn’t go up anymore. A map would have been useful though so I asked around at the bus stops to see if anyone knew where to get one. Despite several promises that they did have a map, followed by a trip to their house to get it, it turned out that they didn’t and could I please pay for the mint tea they had just given me.

So I arrived, mapless, at Imlil and needed to find a place to stay for the night. In no time at all, in fact as soon as I stepped off the bus, I was approached by a gaggle of people clamouring to offer me accommodation. I chose a very friendly looking chap who hovered slightly back from the melee of other providers, agreed a very reasonable price with him and was taken to his mud brick house on the slopes behind the village. I was offered a small room with a thin mattress on the floor and an endless supply of mint tea. We sat out on his veranda watching village life and in my schoolboy French I tried to elicit from him the route that would take me up the mountain. He knew it and pointed me in the right di-

rection, up the valley path and gave me some rudimentary guidance tips, which I hoped would be enough.

I set out the next morning at dawn, in shorts, and headed southwards up the ascending path that follows the valley; my plan being to get up and down the hill and back to the house before it got dark. I was carrying my rucksack with all that I’d been travelling with for the week, much of which was superfluous to my needs on the hill, except my mum’s ventile windproof she’d bought in Norway in 1954 (and which I used again for the Marathon Des Sables). I found myself passing several donkey trains and passing through a small hamlet on the way. Route finding proved to be easy and despite one small point of hesitation at Shamhoroush, where the correct route takes a 90° turn, I eventually found myself at a large refuge hut at about 3,000m.

There seemed to be no one around and I tried the door, which, thankfully, opened. There was no one inside so I sat down at one of the old wooden benches and ate some of the food I’d brought with me. The noise of me entering and moving the bench to sit down must have woken or disturbed the hut’s retainer and he appeared; a benevolent looking old man with a full greybeard, dressed in warm, traditional clothing. He offered me some mint tea, which I gratefully accepted but for which he would take no payment. Knowing that I’d be coming back to the hut after the trip to the summit, I emptied my rucksack of all non essentials: towel, wash-kit, reading books, SW radio, clean underwear, etc.

From the hut, the route turns eastwards

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up to the summit peak. Still in my t-shirt I left, waved off by the hut’s retainer. I was expecting the effects of altitude to have started by now but whether it was my fitness or whether I was just having one of those good mountain days, I don’t know but I was moving quite fast and easily. The route heads up a bit of a scree slope but then ahead of me there was a large snow field below the summit massif and the path disappeared beneath it. I was wearing lightweight trekking boots and didn’t have any crampons, a walking axe or even a trekking pole. I also wasn’t sure which way the path went; there were no obvious signs or footprints in the snow. It looked to me as if ascending the snow field on my right and onto a ridgeline that appeared to lead to the summit, would be the least hazardous way. The snow was quite crisp underfoot and it wasn’t scarily steep, and after committing to this route I was glad to find the surface proved to be reasonably grippy.

As I ascended the snowfield, the temperature dropped remarkably and I pulled out my mum’s windproof and put it on. I could see the snowfield ended near the ridgeline and I could finally feel the unwelcome effects of the altitude.

I reached the ridgeline safely and walked the reasonably short distance to the summit and the summit marker, feeling that telltale ache in my

head. I didn’t want to spend too long at the summit but needed to take in the views, take the obligatory summit shot and then take myself down again. Despite the clouds, the views across the Atlas were far reaching, crystal clear and spectacular, and well worth the headache and chill I was now feeling. I packed up and retraced my steps to the edge of the snow field. From here I attempted a sort of glissade, shuffle, stumble and hoped not to lose control during my descent; not having the benefit of an implement to help stop me if I did.

Not without a little luck, I safely reached the bottom of the snowfield and headed to the hut, to be greeted again by the retainer, who asked if I’d done it, congratulated me when I said that I had, gave me some more mint tea, retrieved my bag of spare gear and waved me off as I headed down. The descent from the hut was quick, easy and accompanied by my own euphoria and more donkey trains. Imlil eventually came in sight and I began to bump into others walking the path but all were local Moroccans and none were tourists. I arrived at the house weary but cheered to have made it back in daylight. I know I had something to eat and probably some more mint tea but I can’t remember, I think I may have even changed my shorts.

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

The Honey Badger Episode 2: Start with a bang Destination: Mombasa, Kenya Date: 21st April – 20th May 2014

James and Mira’s departure from Dubai marked the start of a year of adventure, exploring and volunteer work in Eastern and Southern Africa. After a short flight they were greeted by the unmistakable Kenyan clouds covering the plains, and then a beautiful sunset over Tsavo National Park with Mt Kilimanjaro’s peak in the distance.

The Honey Badger was rather less fortunate and set off to Kenya 10 days later than expected following delays with shipping agents and customs. However, there are worse places to wait than Kenya’s east coast with the beach, wildlife and Haller Park

View of Shimba Hills

Diaries

exploring in and around Mombasa.

The first week at Nyali beach was spent at the Backpacker’s Nirvana Hostel, recommended on Trip Advisor. It is a friendly and relaxed place that was great for settling in to a budget of 50 USD per day, no air conditioning and intermittent electricity. Whilst the budget has proven rather harder to adjust to than the humidity, both paled into insignificance following events on our second day in Kenya.

Two simultaneous explosions detonated in the early evening in Mombasa on 3rd May. Apparently linked to the Al-Shabaab terrorist group, the first attack targeted the Reef Hotel, a five-minute walk from the hostel, and the other was in the town centre at the bus station. Despite 12 causalities, the Kenyans’ resilience has been impressive and everything bounced back to normal within a matter of hours.

Feeling relatively secure in a hostel on the doorstep of an Army Barracks, it was time to hire a motorbike (30 AED per day) as a temporary substitute for the Honey Badger and explore Mombasa. Haller Park was the most interesting site, although James was in for quite a shock whilst leaning into a reptile enclosure to photograph a frog, only to come face to face with an unimpressed puff adder. Jesus Fort and the Old Town gave an interesting perspective on life in Mombasa and the prevalence of Islam in the region. The Ferry across the river to Likoni was also a worthwhile opportunity to get down to the beach resort of Diani.

Diani is a beautiful, laid back coastal town. The beaches are white, the ocean is turquoise and the pace of life is rather slower than Mombasa. As news arrived

Waterfall at Shimba Hills

of The Honey Badger’s additional delays, and further threats from Al-Shabaab, a quick decision was made to move to Diani. From South Coast Backpackers there was easy access to Shimba Hills National Reserve and several other attractions in the area like the Sacred Forest, Wasini Island, and the Forty Theives pub.

Two weeks on, The Honey Badger is still at sea, and likely to delay a further 5-7 days. However, all is now set for the road trip to start and Ethiopia is firmly in our sights for next month.

If you are interested in supporting James and Mira in achieving their target and making a difference to African communities and wildlife, please spread the word or donate using the following links.

To donate: www.gofundme.com/thehoneybadgerdiaries If you would like to follow our journey through Africa: Website: www.thehoneybadgerdiaries.com Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/ Honey-BadgerDiaries/ 716885161656060?ref=hl Instagram: @thehoneybadgerdiaries

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ACTIVITY+ REPORT TRAVEL ADVENTURE

Diving and adventure tourism in Malaysia Words By: Fei Chin Kaw

Following the success of 2013 Tourism Malaysia “Divers’ Appreciation Night” event, BFC Management recently conducted a series of “Diving & Adventure Tourism in Malaysia” events on behalf of Tourism Malaysia showcasing the vast variety of opportunities there are on offer for travellers to Malaysia. The events coincided with DMEX in Dubai on 6th March 2014 and then a follow up in Doha on 10th March 2014.

At the event in Dubai, we had the honour of having a few members of the board of directors of the EDA, its executive director Mr Ibrahim Al Zu’bi, Consul General of Malaysia to the UAE, Dato Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, director of Tourism Malaysia Dubai, Mr Mohd Taib Ibrahim and renowned Malaysian diving ambassador, Mr Clement Lee. Historically, EDA awarded its very first lifetime membership to Clement Lee at the event. Clement Lee was thrilled and

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said that it is his honour to be recognised in the Middle East by the EDA, an organisation that he is very proud of and has often spoken about all around the world.

Clement Lee received his DEMA Reaching Out Award in 2008 in Las Vegas and was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame on 2011 in the Cayman Island.

He was the first Asian to be receiving the DEMA Reaching out Award and hence the first Malaysian to have had this honour.

Clement also said, “Environment, particularly the oceans are our ‘silent’ partner, they don’t speak, but they will react. When they are not well, we are all going to be sick!”

EDA and Tourism Malaysia also exchanged tokens of appreciation for the support rendered to each other over the past decade.

These events highlighted the fact that Malaysia is truly the ideal destination for those seeking an unconventional travel experience, be it a short romantic getaway or an off-the-beaten-track adventure. Of course, the country’s stable political and excellent economic conditions make it an irresistible venue for Incentive and Special Interest organisers as well, as they know there will always be something to suit all participants, no matter where they are from.

Malaysia is also the ideal place for Corporate CSR activities and student programmes, for instance CAS, combining adrenaline, physical activities, cultural elements and service aspects.

Of course diving is the mainstay of the Malaysian tourism activities and with hundreds of tropical islands; you’ll find an incredible choice of dive sites and undiscovered beaches. It’s not surprising that Malaysia is regarded as one of the world’s top dive destinations. You can pick from a variety of underwater landscapes - including sloping reefs, pinnacles and coral gardens

– for deep, drift, wreck, cave and wall dives.

Get ready to meet an amazing array of brilliant, exotic marine life beneath these pristine waters – some of which are rarely experienced anywhere else on earth.

Clement Lee spoke about the beauty of diving in Malaysia. Apart from the well known Sipadan island, about 40 minutes away are the Tun Sekaran Marine Park consisting of several heavenly islands and standing out is the Bohey Dulang island – the island which he described as Heaven On Top and Paradise Underwater. “Here if you are a super macro photographer, you will love it as underneath is a real paradise for nudibranches, flamboyant cuttlefish, frog fish, leaf fish, and also the ‘orangutan crab.’

You will not be short of subject. You will see occasional manta ray passing by, and of course turtles too. Please do not forget to hop on to another island ‘Si Amil’ where you will be thrilled to see the schooling of hundreds of resident Devil Rays, a must see underwater unique life.”

Ms Fei Chin Kaw, director of BFC Travel Management later said that away from the diving, Malaysia is home to the tallest mountain in South East Asia, Mt Kinabalu.

Kinabalu has many excellent trails to hike and there are dozens of other hiking trails (eg the pinnacles at Mulu National Park, Mt Tahan in Pahang, Cameron Highlands trail,

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etc). These trails offer climbing challenges to suit all level of abilities, ranging from the strenuous exertion of a nine-day traverse of Gunung Tahan to a relatively gentle trek through the botanical gardens of Mount Kinabalu.

Verified by Guinness World Records as the highest via ferrata in the world, those up for a challenge can try descending Mt. Kinabalu via ferrata. One of the greatest thrills a hiker can have is to walk or climb a via ferrata, the “iron path.” Travelling on a via ferrata is a different way of enjoying the sheer magnificence of Kinabalu, providing access to places normally reserved for rock climbers and mountaineers. In this awesome mountain environment, you will be stopped in your tracks by amazing views, from a perspective that few have the opportunity to experience.

I’m sure some of you will be asking what is a via ferrata?

A via ferrata, iron path in English, is quite literally a route with fixed “protection” that aids travellers in moving safely through mountains. Protection found on a via ferrata includes a combination of hardware affixed directly to the climbing or walking surface, most often the rock wall.

Elements include: • cables made from heavy-gauge steel wire, the most common element of a via ferrata • metal bars or posts, drilled and cemented into the rock, with eyelets on the end for the cable to run through (like “rebar” used to reinforce concrete buildings) • rungs of metal, creating a virtual ladder • stemples, or steps created from wood and secured to the mountainside, • ladders and bridges Each component provides both a way to aid travel and an element of safety, providing hand holds, assisting with balance, and actually enabling you to attach yourself to the rock. Go on give it a try!

Perhaps if you don’t fancy climbing up you could try climbing down instead! Malaysia’s many limestone outcrops provide the right ingredients for the formation of hundreds of interesting caves. Many have been made accessible, offering impressive sights and adventurous caving with crawling,

climbing and swimming through passages.

If all this physical exertion is too much for you, how about watching the ultimate spectator sport? With Petronas as its flagship, Malaysia is home to one of the important races of the Formula One circuit. Arrange your visit during the race week to experience the adrenaline of the racetrack as well as the natural tracks of the country.

A slightly gentler and quieter, option is cycling. With its scenic beauty and welldeveloped road network, Malaysia has no shortage of road cycling events every year so you can either go follow an event or even take part.

Away from the mechanical tourism there is a massive variety of wildlife available to build a trip around. The tropical environment and the extensive rainforests have led to a huge diversity of plant and animal species. Surveys have identified more than 8,000 species of plants including 2,000 tree species, 800 types of orchid and 200 types of palm. Living amongst all of this lush vegetation are more than 200 species of mammals, 600 different bird varieties, 140 species of snakes, 80 types of lizard, 300 species of fresh water fishes and thousands of insects who make their homes in the rainforest.

A river cruise is the one of the best ways to spot these ‘local residents’ - an adventure you’ll never forget! Conservation in the Kinabatangan floodplain also fulfills Malaysia’s pledge as a signatory to the Ramsar Convention to promote the wise use of wetlands.

Keeping to the water theme, Malaysia is blessed with many fine rivers, providing many venues for white water rafting. Experiences range from the high adrenaline Class 5 rapids to the more tranquil family rides.

Some rivers are very remote, as they travel through the Orang Asli (aborigines) settlements and ancient forests full of bird and animal life, and some flow past limestone caves and prehistoric archaeological sites.

White water rafting can be experienced on day trips, or as part of a longer group trek.

If like me you love to get a few rounds of golf in wherever you travel there are numerous courses to choose from in Malaysia.

Whether one chooses to tee-off in the cool

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highlands, amidst lush greenery or by the fringe of the South China Sea, one can do so on superbly designed, international standard golf courses. In addition, with each course depicting a style or theme highlighting its natural surroundings, one can indulge in challenging rounds enhanced by Malaysia’s natural beauty.

Other options you can try are backpacking as a single traveller, celebrating your honeymoon on top of the tallest mountain in South East Asia (this has to be one of the most romantic things you can do!), searching for Proboscis monkeys and learning about bird watching with your family.

What else? Malaysia actively encourages sustainable travel, so try staying at an eco lodge as part of your agenda, look to learn the etiquette of the national parks, wildlife reserves, protected lakes, caves, UNESCO Heritage sites, etc during your trips. There are also opportunities to visit schools, orphanages or old people’s homes either as part of an organised CSR activity or as an individual wanting to give something back to society.

Last but not least why not experience a culinary tour and sample the very varied Malaysian food as part of your adventure.

Adventure means different things to different people, it can be unusual experiences or it can be something bold involving some risk taking with uncertain outcomes and generally stepping out of your comfort zone and unleashing your curiosity.

Subconsciously, many people live in a familiar environment bubble – a phenomenon where they surround themselves in a similar living environment when travelling abroad.

There is nothing wrong with it, but it is just so much more fun when you step out of your comfort zone and have an adventure.

So why not try something new on your next trip (after you’ve done the diving of course!).

How many activities you can do really depends on how long you have, so I recommend 2-3 activities per trip so you can savour the experience and not to be too exhausted. Malaysia has year-long tropical weather so whatever time you go, you will always find something adventurous to do.

Malaysia is a very affordable destination and based on your budget, we can customise your itinerary. However, we do have several fixed group trips available, please feel free to get in touch to find out more.

You can reach BFC Travel Management at info@bfctravels.com or 04 360 7177.

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LIFESTYLE

Testing the 2014 FJ Xtreme in Liwa Photos By: Marina Bruce, Markham Bromfield, Renaud Olivier and Siyun Liang

Marina Bruce

is The Desert Diva – read her blog at www.thedesertdiva.com Oasis Offroad is a free to join offroad club based in Al Ain offering family trips and overland adventures in the beautiful sand dunes of Al Ain and beyond. Their website is www.oasis-offroad.com and their Facebook page is www.facebook.com/ OasisOffroad

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When an email arrived offering me the chance to test drive the 2014 FJ Cruiser Xtreme it took me a nanosecond to reply “yes,” another nanosecond to think “I’ll take it to Liwa” and all of two minutes to make some phonecalls to persuade a couple of friends to accompany me.

Toyota has commissioned Arctic Trucks in Dubai to add some carefully selected modifications to the standard FJ which will appeal to the off-road buyer and the resulting vehicle is being packaged as the Xtreme edition. Some of these modifications are cosmetic, such

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as the Bushwacker Fender Flares which give the car a more rugged appearance, smoked LED front turn signal and tail lamps, as well as front fog lamps and DRLs which add to the FJ’s funky styling and increase visibility.

My testing team – Mark and Renaud driving with passengers Siyun and Aisha – met very early on a Friday morning at the White Sands Café on the Abu DhabiHimeem road and we fuelled up at the nearby ADNOC before heading along a gatch track to reach an open gateway into the desert.

Parts of the gatch were washboard-like with small hard rutsbut thanks to the Fox Stage One suspension the FJ Cruiser Xtreme traversed them so smoothly I hardly noticed the bumps (but my support crew who were following in their Patrol and Xterra unfortunately did),

Fox Shocks make a big difference to ride and handling

indeed the FJ Cruiser provided a comfortable ride all day regardless of the terrain encountered.

Once deflated and with the traction control turned off, we hit the sand and I was immediately impressed at just how well the car handled. The Fox suspension gives it a 2” lift which helps greatly when tackling technical dunes, particularly when exiting bowls. The car has good entry and exit angles though I would be tempted to fit a bash plate to give increased engine protection. It was easy to stay in control when travelling down slipfaces and there was no kick-out of the rear due to the FJ Xtreme being a long wheelbase car, despite being considerably shorter than other LWB off-road favourites such as the Landcruiser, Patrol or Raptor.

The sand was extremely soft in many places but the 270bhp lurking under the bonnet ensured there was plenty of power to tackle everything in my path. The FJ is available in the UAE with five speed automatic transmission as standard; the gear ratios are well suited to give plenty of power to climb large dunes effortlessly, yet with the flexibility to tackle the journey home. When struggling to climb or extricate oneself out of a sticky situation, simply move the car into neutral, engage 4LOW and you’ll find enough

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In front of the lovely 5star Qasr Al Sarab

torque to conquer the softest of sand.

The FJ Xtreme model comes with a hood scoop, which does reduce visibility slightly for a short person like me, but with the extra air cooling this outweighs this disadvantage. During the test drive the mercury hit 42°C at one point which necessitated the air conditioning to be on “full” for most of the journey, yet there’s always plenty of power and the engine thermostat stayed down in the first quarter of the dial at all times.

For off-roading, the BF Goodrich ATR tyres mounted on classy 16” matt black alloy wheels are a big improvement on the standard Dunlops; they are a little bit noisier on the highway but with music on at even low volume you don’t really notice.

However once you get it into the sand you will feel the benefits of the all-terrain tyres straight away - deflated to 12.5psi they grip beautifully ensuring a smooth and controlled ride over the most technical of obstacles.

One pet peeve of mine is a car overloaded with electronics; these often take the fun and challenge out of dune bashing, so I was pleased to see that the FJ Xtreme has no hill descent control or the like. Importantly it does have traction control for road driving, easily disabled when off-road, and the most desirable of off-road features, rear diff-locks which are handy to get out of tricky situations in the sand.

We had up to eight hours to complete our drive which was planned to take us over varying terrain for 160km point to point; our small convoy moved quickly and thus we had plenty of time to deviate somewhat from the straight line, in search of oryx, oilfield trucks and burnt out wrecks. Testing the FJ in May meant we

didn’t encounter any other off-roaders but in places we crossed some multiple tyre tracks, now beginning to fade, a reminder that the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge had passed through this area only a few weeks previously.

By mid-afternoon we had hit the blacktop near Himeem and it was time to relax over a coffee at the wonderful five-star Qasr Al Sarab. If you are driving in the east of the Liwa area it’s a great place to have a drink and a rest before you head home or if time and budget allow, you could stay the night in one of their sumptuous rooms and wake up with the desert on your doorstep.

Returning to the blacktop after 201km off-road, my teammates had to fuel up again, however, as the FJ Xtreme carries 159 litres of petrol in its dual tanks, I had no need of the ADNOC in Himeem – my fuel gauge was still showing half full! The ability to travel up to 400km off-road without carrying extra petrol cans is one of a number of very good reasons to buy this car, especially if you enjoy long-distance overlanding and regular forays to Liwa and I would expect a tank to take you around 700km on road.

Often when cars are modified the manufacturer’s warranty is compromised, however this FJ has a full Toyota warranty which covers the Xtreme additions. In some emirates, modified vehicles occasionally fail their annual registration test but were these are part of the original specifications they are generally allowed so buyers won’t have to worry about having to remove then replace the shocks annually once the car is three years old.

On a side note, five years ago, I learned to off-road in a 2008 FJ Xtreme and it was interesting to see how the model has evolved over the years. The ability to disable traction control from the dashboard, improved interior lighting, grab handles for the rear seats as well as an extra 32bhp from the engine have made a noticeable difference to both the comfort and performance.

Verdict: The Xtreme 2014 package takes the standard FJ Cruiser to a whole new level for the off-road enthusiast; it is good on road, but in the sand it comes into its own as it is an exceptionally capable dune-basher. In a nutshell, the price tag of 149,900 AED buys you a lot of car with the added bonus of Toyota reliability.

Lots of power at hand

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Ways to ride on 70% of the world!

Water sports are adven-

along the surface of water, and is pulled along by a high-speed powerboat with the help of a ski cable or rope. On a competitive basis, show water skiing and slalom skiing are followed, along with standard dual skiing. Water skiing has been a part of all major water sports championships including the Olympics, World Games, and World Championships.

Champion’s Choice: Jobe Sports

turous, fun-filled, action-packed and exciting. Both, physical exertion and mental stimulation can be attained in water sports. They offer a visual treat, motivation and an elated feeling.

Water sports can be played in, on, or underwater.

UAE is one best places for water rides and fun. Beaches and winds are in favour for marine sports lovers. UAE Government, RTA, the police, Marine authority also encourage and invite all water sports lovers to fulfill their dream in their own way.

But in all chunk of adventurous rides, where you will enjoy extreme fun? You may challenge yourself with the different activities below:

Wakeboarding Imagine surfing while being towed along by a high-speed boat. That’s wakeboarding in a nutshell. The board here is a specifically designed board with fins and weights, to allow the rider to manipulate it with his/ her feet. This sport is partially inspired by snowboarding, and is often performed in smaller water bodies like lakes. World Wakeboard Championships are held for wakeboarding, and it has been a part of the X Games and World Games as well.

Champion’s Choice: Jobe Sports & Yamaha

Kayaking In this water sport, a small boat called kayak is used to move across water. Kayaking can be done in whitewater, rivers, seas, lakes and for different purposes, such as recreation, expedition, touring, adventure, or competitive purposes. Kayaking through rapids and whitewater is dangerous and needs years of practice to master. Across UAE you will find special dedicated coast for kayaking for real fun!

Champion’s Choice: Feel Free

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Stand Up Paddling Unfortunately for surfers, it’s not always big waves and strong winds, it’s often too calm in places to really get good surf. You can do it on lake, rivers, etc. The idea is that you stand up on a long surfboard and use a paddle to push yourself around the water in this relaxed sport. It’s a little difficult to get started if your body is not properly synchronized with board, but when you’ve got a little speed up then it’s a lot easier and very relaxing.

Champion’s Choice: Jobe Sports

Personal Water Craft Riding PWC is basically racing over a body of water on a one-man watercraft machine.

Fancy stunts and tricks, like flipping and jumping over a ramp, can be done with freestyle riding. In simple words, it’s a jet on water.

UAE is the best place for PWC racers and riders, and offers multiple events for PWC competition throughout the year.

Champion’s Choice: Yamaha

Water skiing Another water surface sport, water skiing is basically skiing on water. An individual uses two skis or a single ski to skim or glide

Inflatables/Towables This is definitely something to try on holiday and there’s many different variations, but you’re essentially being pulled along behind a boat on an inflatable. This is fun as the driver of the boat pulls every manoeuvre they can, to try and throw you off the inflatable, while you lean into different parts of it to help keep you onboard. You can also do this with donuts and lie-down inflatables with friends, taking it in turns to see who can stay on the longest.

Champion’s Choice: Yamaha and Jobe Sports It is always recommended that you should chose quality safety items through the authorised dealers such as Al Yousuf Motors where not only quality is good but also you can find their price very competitive, above all, you can find Al Yousuf Showrooms throughout UAE. From training to provision of complete water sports with world renowned safety items, Al Yousuf Motors is always there to assist you in your adventurous endeavors by only following one rule and that is “customer’s satisfaction.”

Please contact any time for any water sports assistance on below detail. It will be our pleasure to assist you.

Email: aym-accessories@alyousuf.com Contact number: +971 50 3790737

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JUNE 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

LIFESTYLE

Habitually healthy Mango & Orange Refresher Words By: Chef Christopher Zerbe

So again it’s that time of year when that delicious golden fruit called mango is in season! Claimed to be the world’s most popular fruit, the Alphonso and the Kesar mangoes are also referred to the “King and Queen” of mangoes.

Grown principally in western India in the state of Maharashtra, the majority of these mangoes come from the Ratnagiri District.

Devgad region is said to grow the best Alphonso mangoes in the world! The mango tree itself is depicted as a symbol of love and some even believe that the tree grants your

wishes! During the Hindu New Year Ponggol and Deepavali, the hanging of fresh mango branches and leaves out the front door is a way of giving blessing to the house! The word mango is originally derived from the Tamil word “mangkay” and was adapted to mango when Portuguese traders arrived and settled in the western region of India. Much of the Portuguese influence in India is still evident in these parts of the country.

Catholic Cathedrals are still prevalent, the Portuguese style of architecture is still in abundance along with the traditional pastel colours adorning the seaside houses and cottages. The Alphonso mango was named after Alfonso De Albuquerque. Alphonso was a nobleman from Portugal who was sent to India to establish the Portuguese empire there.

Now enough of the history lesson! Let’s get down to brass tacks as we say. What are the

Blend all ingredients well in your blender till smooth! Enjoy!

500ml (ok, maybe just a touch more,to share with someone!)

Ice

5

cubes

If you don’t like it too cold, just skip the ice

Fresh Alphonso mango flesh

100

grams

Don’t forget, it’s about 75 calories

Coconut milk

25

ml

Not only delicious, but will give a great texture

Fresh orange juice

100

ml

Use only fresh or even a half an orange with the peel for the extra vitamin C boost

Raw or wild honey

1

tsp

Don’t go crazy! But it is great for the immune system.

Coconut water

250

ml

Great for hydration and tastes great too

Banana (optional)

½

each

I love using my overripe bananas in my smoothies!

health benefits of this magical fruit called mango? Let’s start from the ground up.

The actual mango tree has great uses as well the fruit! Hindus are known to brush their teeth with the twigs on holy days! The Leaves of the mango tree are boiled and steeped overnight to make a tea that helps to normalise insulin levels in the blood as a diabetic homeopathic remedy. Mango is also good for the eyesight! Due to it’s high levels of vitamin A, mangoes can help with night blindness, dry eyes, cornea softening and itchy eyes. Very rich in dietary fibre as well, the mango is great as a pre-digestive and aids in lowering LDL cholesterol.

Mangoes are great for women who are pregnant due to the high levels of iron.

Mango has even been said to help prevent cancers such as colon, breast and prostate. Want to know a natural way to help stop acne. Mango!

Isn’t mango super sweet and high in sugar, you ask? Well as a matter of fact, mangoes are a bit sweet but, they actually have a relatively low glycemic index.

Mangoes are high in calories though, so be careful not to go mango crazy. Just 100g of Mango contains 75 calories.

Good for bulking up! Don’t forget all the potassium, which is great for blood pressure and heart rate, as well the pectin and vitamin C! Come try one of our Mango & Orange Refreshers here at The Cycle Bistro while the mangoes are at their peak. If not, well then here’s my actual recipe for you to try at home.

The Cycle Bistro GPS location: Latitude: N 25° 02.792 Longitude: E 055° 14.384 04 425 6555 Phone:

2014 Listings Dive

For the June issue of OutdoorUAE, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of diving centres and shops based in the UAE and beyond for you to look at.

The Pavilion Dive Centre Dive into the waters of Dubai, Oman and beyond to discover a whole other world of sunken shipwrecks and exotic sea creatures.

From snorkeling and scuba diving for beginners, right the way through to courses for professional dive instructors, The Pavilion Dive Centre at Jumeirah Beach Hotel has the expertise to

Sheesa Beach Dive Centre is your marine expert in the Musandam. We specialise in private and sharing day and overnight diving and pleasure safaris, PADI dive courses and all from our fleet of eight dhows. Beat the heat in summer on our air conditioned, catered live aboards and relax in the cooler months on our double deck dhows. Our customised speedboats will transport you to the furthest reaches of the Musandam as well as the more local sites quickly and efficiently.

Dibba, Musandam Port, Oman Tel: +971 50 3336046 www.sheesabeach.com

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make sure your experience is everything you hoped.

The Pavilion Dive Centre is the only PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) five-star Career Development Centre in the United Arab Emirates. PADI certifications are recognised worldwide, giving you access to diving adventures all over the planet.

From entry-level and children’s diving courses to training you as a professional dive instructor, we have over 30 PADI courses for you to choose from. To make things even easier, our dedicated Instructor Training is available in English,

Daily dive trips to Fujairah, Musandam, Dubai wrecks and World Islands, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, and Atlantis Shark Lagoon with centralised bookings office. Four fully stocked dive shops with equipment from AquaLung, Apeks and much more. Dedicated workshop catering to most wellknown brands. Four watersports centers.

Tel: +971 4 3422993 Email: abdiving@emirates.net.ae www.alboomdiving.com

German, French, Russian, Arabic, Chinese and more.

You’ll find our approach is amazingly flexible. With our PADI e-Learning courses, you can develop your diving knowledge wherever and whenever suits you, before you take your certification dives.

Tel: +971 4 4068828 Email: divecentre@jumeirah.com

Musandam-based diving and cruises specialist Al Marsa Travel is now offering a host of services to help guide visitors through some of Oman’s most spectacular reefs and rock formations to find a huge selection of marine life spread over more than two dozen unique dive sites.

Located 120km away from Dubai, Musandam is home to several exotic marine species, including lionfish, whale shark, pilot whales, lobsters, hawksbill and green turtles.

Tel: (Oman) +968 26836550 www.almarsamusandam.com

2014 Listings Dive DIVE SHOP

Gulf Marine Sports is located in Abu Dhabi, tourist club area, 10th street or Old Mazda St, opposite Fayrouz super market.

Gulf Marine Sports distributes a wide range of basic snorkeling equipment, professional and pleasure diving gear.

Gulf Marine Sports has been established since 1998 and offer an extensive range of diving equipment and professional services. Gulf Marine Sports advise and help its customers to decide what equipment is best for them. GMS offer a big range of the most reputable and leading diving equipment brand names, such as Tusa, Beuchat, Bare, Underwater Kinetics, Trident, Sea Pearl, Pro Blue Dive Accessories, Big Blue Lights, Stingray, Pelican, and PADI.

Our facility includes:

• Hyrdo test for tanks • Tank rental • Tank filling • Padi materials Supply • Equipment service • Scuba Gear sales • Under water Spearfishing Products • Diving Mask Prescriptions Lenses Contact: Gulf Marine Sports | Abu Dhabi Outlet P.O. BOX 32945.

Tel: +971 2 6710017 Mobile : +97150 4467956 Email: firas@gulfmarinesports.com www.gulfmarinesports.com

Freestyle Divers are a PADI five-star dive centre, based in Dibba, Fujairah, where we organise dive/snorkel trips to Dibba and Khor Fakkan.

Our professional team of instructors are on hand to teach the full range of PADI courses. Freestyle Divers is a family-run business and have been keeping the fun alive since 2005.

Hidden destination, untouched dive sites, boldly go where no one has gone before! We are the only dive centre in the whole area so lots of fish and few divers! Enjoy the impressive landscape of the fjords of Oman and the heritage life of a fishermen’s village. Discover a new world! Enjoy the freedom of gliding through the big blue. Experience new adventures and explore undiscovered worlds. The Extra Divers Centre is fully equipped and offers daily dive excursions on speed boats as well as the full range of dive courses.

Scubatec Diving Center L.L.C is a five-star IDC Center Licensed by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). We are well known here in Dubai as one of the friendliest and busiest dive center.

Our team of dedicated and professional instructors will ensure that you gain all the knowledge and experience required to be safe scuba divers. Scubatec prides itself on the personal touch and prefer smaller groups on a dive trip so the dive master/instructor can dedicate more time and attention to the individuals.

Tel: +971 9 2445756 Email: freestyle@eim.ae www.freestyledivers.com

Tel: +968 267 30 501 Email: info@musandam-diving.com www.musandam-diving.com

Tel: +971 4 3348988 Email: scubatec@emirates.net.ae www.scubatecdiving.com

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2014 Listings Dive

Learn to freedive with FreedivingUAE. We offer high quality all year round beginner to advanced AIDA freediving courses and trips in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujariah.

FreedivingUAE was co-founded by Adel Abu Haliqa (UAE National Freediving Champion & AIDA Instructor) and Alex Boulting (AIDA Instructor) in 2009, and is the only company in the UAE specializing in courses and training in Freediving. We are a professional community of freedivers who have a passion for passively exploring the underwater world. We are working to get Freediving recognized in the UAE and creating Freediving as a popular activity.

We aim to put the UAE on the international Freediving map by organizing a national team and running competitions locally.

We feel that the UAE is a natural home of Freediving where pearl diving brought wealth to the region before oil.

Course Location: Abu Dhabi: AFOC ( Abu Dhabi Armed Forces Officers Club) | Dubai: Jebel Ali Beach Hotel for theory and Hamdan Sports Complex for the pool session.

Freediving courses are run every month in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. To find out more logonto: www.facebook.com/breathholder Contact: Email: contactus@freedivinguae.com www.freedivinguae.com

COMPETITION

WIN over 3,600 AED of freediving courses!

Learn how to explore the underwater world in the most liberating and calming way!

For your chance to win a course with FreedivingUAE, log onto: www.freedivinguae. com/competition or scan the QR code here taking you directly to the competition page. All you have to do is answer one question and fill in your details!

FreedivingUAE are giving away: 2 AIDA ** foundation freediving courses 4 AIDA * beginner freediving courses 8 Discover freediving courses Terms and conditions apply, the competition closes on the 1st of July 2014 winners will be announced on the OutdoorUAE Facebook page on the 5th of July 2014 (www.facebook.com/outdooruae)

ONLINE DIVE SHOP

DIVE LOCATION

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Al Jeer Marina offers the newest scuba dive/snorkel location in the UAE. Its unique location at the very north of the country, is set against a stunning backdrop, it enjoys crystal clear waters that are not spoiled by construction projects. Where the mountains meet the sea. Sandy beach camping with showers and wet changing rooms. Fully licensed clubhouse with BBQ, food, fish and chips.

Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters have over two decades of experience on the Arabian Peninsula. We offer a “One Stop Shop” with “On Site” facilities, and PADI P.I.R.R.A Resort. We do daily Sightseeing Boat Charters, Big Game Sportfishing, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling Charters. Our marina chandlery retails Scuba Diving, Sportfishing and Boat Equipment.

ScubaUAE.com is the UAE’s first online scuba store offering equipment, courses and trips, all from one website. Our mission is to offer the biggest range of brands, combined with excellent prices and first-rate customer service. We supply items

by Mares, Cressi, Scuba Pro, Oceanic, Suunto, Sealife Cameras and many more. Visit www.scubauae.com for products and services.

Tel: +97150 4873185 www.aljeerport.ae

Tel : +97150 6146931 www.fishabudhabi.com

Tel: +97150 2053922 www.scubauae.com

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2014 Listings Dive

The Dive Center is located in Hilton Fujairah. Fully air-conditioned with a user friendly classroom facility for students to make the most of the diving knowledge. Our Marine Biologist dive instructor takes you well beyond the normal learning curve.

Bathrooms with showers, changing rooms also located in the Dive Center. Retail fully equipped dive center with all major scuba brands for resale. Different areas: complete water sports facility with Jet Ski rental, wakeboarding, waterskiing, and all non motorized activities.

Tel: +971 7 2433800 www.arabiandiver.com

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7Seas Divers has been established since 1994 and is located in the heart of Khorfakkan City, the East Coast of the United Arab Emirates.

We aim to promote diving and conservation of the pristine marine life in the East Coast of UAE. Tel: +971 9 2387400; 9 2387440 Email: bestdive@emirates.net.ae www.7seasdivers.com

SCUBA 2000 is an unusual dive centre on the East Coast of the UAE. Set on a peaceful fishing beach, you can really get away from it all.

The centre is housed in a traditional courtyard building, right at the water’s edge, and just minutes walk away from the historic Al Bidiya mosque, the oldest mosque in the Emirates. With only three rooms for rent, it’s quiet and rustic. You’ll find a friendly, family-type atmosphere, which is why people come back again and again. The centre is fully equipped, and staffed by a qualified, competent team.

Tel:+971 9 2388477 Email: scubauae@emirates.net.ae www.scuba-2000.com

Masaood Marine is a collective of enthusiasts, able to deliver fully trained support for the boat builders, dealers and users. Being Mariners ourselves, we understand the requirements for hassle free time on the sea. We aim to be your best partner on the water. Our products range is supported by innovative, technologically advanced brands.

One brand per product group allows us to advise the best possible solutions to the client.

Divers Down is a 5-Star PADI IDCResort established 2002, located within Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort & Spa, Fujairah. Family-friendly with a great club-like atmosphere, our boutique dive-centre is 1st choice on the UAE Located on the East Coast; for expats and tourists.

Multilingual, experienced instructors teach the full range of PADI courses and specialties. We offer safety, fun, flexibility. 3 dives and night dive, every day - We visit 14 different dive sites - Ranked #1 on TripAdvisor.

Nomad Ocean Adventure is a respected family run diving centre and venture dedicated to the environment and its preservation.

Nomad Ocean Adventures is a fully equipped PADI resort Dive Center and a TDI (Technical Diving International) dive center. We offer free Nitrox to all qualified divers and cater to Submatix rebreathers as individuals or groups. We can even provide 2 & 3 liter tanks for your Submatix rebreathers. We have over 30 recorded dive sites throughout the Musandam with a flora and fauna that is as remarkable as in the Red Sea.

Tel: +971 4 3468000 www.masaoodmarine.com

Tel: +971 9 2370299 www.diversdown-uae.com

Tel: +968 26836069 www.discovernomad.com

OUTDOORUAE

Dive the DAYMANIYAT ISLANDS this summer!

Oman Dive and two nights package from Al Boom Diving, Oman Sail and The Millennium Resort, Mussanah.

The Millenium Resort Mussanah is located in the South Batinah Region of Muscat along the coastal beach of the Gulf of Oman.

This luxurious Oman, Muscat hotel is roughly a four-hour drive from Dubai including an estimated time of an hour spent at the Hatta border (please check with your local consulate regarding visa requirements for Oman). The Oman Sail Dive Centre is based in the Millenium Resort, just an hour by speed boat from

the best dive sites in Oman. Foremost among these is the UNESCO recognised Daymaniyat Islands Marine Nature Reserve and Kharãbah Island’s aptly named “Aquarium.”

ROOM TYPE PRICE (AED) Superior Sea View Room 3,490 Deluxe Garden View Room 3,190 What’s included: n Two nights half board for two people (bed, buffet breakfast and buffet dinner in the Meydan restaurant), inclusive of taxes and service charges. n In room WiFi

n Mineral water in rooms, replenished daily n Tea/coffee making facilities n Free parking n Two days diving with two guided dives per day for two people with tanks and weights n Marine reserve fees Extras: Full equipment rental 160 AED per day per person Booking and further information: +971 4 3422993 or abdiving@emirates.net.ae

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Suunto was founded in 1936 by Tuomas Vohlonen, a Finnish orienteer and inventor of the liquid-filled field compass. Since then Suunto has been at the forefront of design and innovation for sports watches, dive computers and instruments used by adventure seekers all over the globe. From the highest mountains to the deepest oceans, Suunto physically and mentally equips outdoor adventurers to conquer new territory.

Locate your official Suunto dealer on www.suunto.com/Dealer-Locator/ Suunto Zoop 1,205 AED

A great value, easy-to-operate dive computer THE ALL-TIME FAVOURITE Suunto Zoop is a great value, easy-to-use dive computer for recreational divers. Though Suunto Zoop is a great choice for your first dive computer, its full decompression capabilities and nitrox mode mean it’s designed to give you years of serious fun.

• Air and nitrox modes • Super-bright phosphorescent LCD display • Robust and durable • Suunto RGBM

Suunto D4i Novo

2,645 AED

An easy-to-use dive computer with freedive mode and air integration THE GREAT ALL-ROUNDER The redesigned Suunto D4i comes in a range of fresh colours and with an all-new soft, comfortable silicone strap for that perfect fit.

Lightweight and packed with handy features like freedive mode and optional wireless air integration, it’s got everything you need – wherever your diving may take you.

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• 4 modes including freediving • Lightweight

• Optional wireless air integration • Suunto RGBM

Suunto D6i

Suunto D9tx

Serious features and air integration at a great price

The world’s first all-in-one wristop trimix dive computer

SERIOUS FEATURES AND GREAT LOOKS Suunto D6i is the watch-sized dive computer of choice for those who take their diving seriously. With a new tilt-compensated 3D digital compass and wireless air integration, it’s a great tool when other people rely on your diving skills. Trusted by professional divers, its good looks make it a great addition to your more civilian wardrobe too.

AWARD-WINNING DESIGN FOR DIVERS WHO DEMAND THE BEST From its titanium frame to sapphire glass, everything about Suunto D9tx is designed to impress. We’ve taken Suunto D9 and made it trimix compatible – with a 3D tilt-compensated compass. You’ll have all your divecritical information on one unique and stylish device.

4,995 AED

4,395 AED

• 5 modes including freediving • Gas-switching between up to 3 gases • 3D compass, optional wireless air integration • Suunto RGBM

• 5 modes including freediving • Titanium case with sapphire crystal glass • Suunto Technical RGBM • 3D compass, optional wireless air integration

Suunto DX Titanium 8,495 AED

The world’s first watch-sized rebreather-compatible dive computer THE ULTIMATE INSTRUMENT FOR OPEN CIRCUIT AND REBREATHER DIVING The Suunto DX, built on the award-winning Suunto D9tx, is the ultimate tool for open circuit and rebreather divers. It’s the very first of its kind to feature CCR compatibility. The premium design and materials, combined with the new superior Suunto Fused™ RGBM, make it the must-have instrument for your dive missions and everyday adventures.

• For rebreather and open circuit diving including trimix • Titanium case with sapphire crystal glass • Suunto Fused™ RGBM • 3D compass, optional wireless air integration

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JUNE 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

PRODUCTS A round-up of quality products available right here in the UAE BionX SL350 HT XL 8,995.00 AED

Available at Adventure HQ (and soon at other quality bike stores) Adding a BionX electric propulsion system to your bike is like having someone giving you a push. It comes with throttle mode, four levels of pedal assist and regenerative braking. It uses torque sensors built right into the hub motor making it very intuitive and easy to install on the bike. Everything about this kit is beautifully engineered.

• 32 or 36 hole 135mm 350 watt hub motor allow lacing into the majority of bikes (including road, mountain and fat bikes) • Li-Ion 48volt 8.8amp hour battery, the strongest BionX makes • Two battery designs allow mounting to down tube or use on a rear rack • Proven computer system offers throttle mode, pedal assist or regen mode • Lightweight giving a typical weight increase of only 6.1kg (13.4lb) over a standard rear wheel setup • Range is up to 105km (65 mi) depending on use of throttle mode vs pedal assist and rider weight, terrain etc.

• Top Speed: 32km per hour electronically limited • Charge Time: 3 hours • Motor: 350 watt brushless, gearless rear hub motor • Computer locks motor if removed and is password protected

Buff® Football Flags 85 AED

Available at: GO Sport stores at Dubai Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall and Bawabat Al Sharq Mall in the UAE; Villagio Mall and City Centre Doha in Qatar; and Muscat Grand Mall in Oman.

Support your country and wear an Original Buff® Football flag for the coming up FIFA World Cup in Brazil next June.

This special made headwear collection includes the following countries: Spain, England, Germany, Portugal, Italy, France, Brazil, Argentina and The Netherlands.

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Words + Photos By: Daniel Birkhofer

Drown your phone and smile Testing the Optrix PhotoProX case for iPhone 5 at sea We have already tested the Optrix PhotoProX in the February 2014 issue of OutdoorUAE magazine, so we will not repeat any of the points previously mentioned. If you are keen to read the review, you can find the February issue on www.outdooruae.com/magazine, as well as all older issues free of charge.

In the last test, we focused on all the functions and different lenses and their use on land. Now we do the obvious step to get wet and test the phone on and under the water. The protection from water is certainly the biggest selling point of any protective phone case. Being waterproof down to 10m almost allows you to use the case for scuba diving. Since underwater camera setups for scuba diving are in the thousands of dirhams for two reasons extreme water pressure and what some people forget, if you go deeper than 3-4m you will need strobes for nice photos and true colours since the colour spectrum of lights changes with depth. For example the red coloured light rays penetrate the water only for a few metres so it would anyhow be pointless to make a phone case for depth surpassing 10m. I am sure, that the least people will really use the phone as underwater camera, the higher interest will be to be able to use the camera/phone on or close to the water without fearing it can get wet. No matter if you kite, surf, kayak, fish, swim, snorkel or just enjoy the beach keeping your phone with you and

protected from water is a big thing living with the sea at your doorstep.

Pros: • You can use the phone almost without limitation if it is in the case. The touchscreen as well as the menu button work well. Only the silent ring button is not accessible.

• Interchangeable lenses • Waterproof down to 10m, shock resistant up to 9m drops • Own Optix app with many additional features • Video and photo capable • Many different mounts

the water is too high. But I usually have a small point and shoot camera with me that is waterproof. The point of having no phone with you is a big safety concern, I know a least a handful of people who got in trouble on the water without the possibility to call for help. The great thing on the water, you usually have mobile network coverage kilometres off the shore. So combining the two things together is great.

The image and video quality is also great for the size of the camera/phone and produces good results on and under the water. The different options to mount the camera are also great. There are only two little downside – a waterproof remote control would be super useful (there are remote controls you can use with the phone but I am not aware of a waterproof remote on the accessories market). The other one is that the phone in the case is not floating, so if you drop it, it is most likely gone. The wrist float strap is certainly a good thing but I would recommend buying the ankle float from the optrix accessories to be sure your phone will not drown.

This applies of course only if you use it on the water eg surfing, if you use it for snorkeling, this disadvantage turns into an advantage, that the phone has no lift.

So adding to our last positive review, some more good reasons why you should buy the Optrix PhotoProX if you are an iPhone user.

Cons: • A bit bulky for the pocket • Voice and audio quality reduced • Not floating I usually don’t take a phone with me when I go SUPing, kayaking or fishing, since the risk of dropping the phone into

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JUNE 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

PRODUCTS Cortez 100oz for SUP 375 AED

Available at Adventure HQ New to Camelbak’s paddle collection, the Cortez™ allows you to secure your drinking water firmly to your kayak. This deck mounted Antidote™ reservoir features our Quick Link™ System, a grip strip on the back side to help it stay in place, a bungee overflow to quickly secure a hat or clothing layer, and external access to the reservoir fill port. The Cortez™ also comes with an insulated tube cover to keep your water cold, and a bite valve cover to keep river or ocean water off of the drink interface.

Nova Rig

3,245 AED Available at Adventure HQ Dalma Mall The Nova Rig package is the ideal choice for “leisure” sailing on relatively flat water. It has been designed with pure simplicity and durability in mind, and is ideally suited with our Nova range of boards. It allows you to learn and progress into the sport of windsurfing without worrying about your equipment!

The sail has been designed on a fixed mast and boom length, so when you get to the beach all you have to do is thread the mast up the sail, pull the downhaul to the base of the mast, the outhaul to the clew of the boom, and then go sailing! It’s made from tough Dacron, is well reinforced and super hard wearing, great for intensive use. The mast is made with a durable composite construction, while the boom has a minimum number of moveable parts making it easy to use, light weight and durable. This Nova package is aimed at beginner to intermediate windsurfers who want to easily progress in the sport. For clubs, it offers a tough, versatile rig package for intensive use by learning windsurfers and funboarders.

Handirack Inflatable Roof Rack 300 AED (previously 420 AED)

Available at Al Yousuf Motors across UAE This is one of those products with great execution and a simple answer to a common problem. The HandiRack Inflatable Roof Rack is ultra-convenient, and perfect for protecting the roof of your car from your paddleboard, surfboard, kayak or snowboard. Simply remove the HandiRack from your trunk, give it a few quick pumps from the included doubleaction Handy Pump, and fit it on your vehicle.

• Allow up to 80kg of weight • Fits in all vehicles • High Quality PVC Tubes for high strength

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Silverback Strela 3 Silverback is relatively a

young bicycle company that is now in their 10th year of business and has recently been introduced into the UAE and GCC market through Sport In Life Distribution.

handles when you sprint and I was actually blown away by how stiff the bottom bracket of this bike is. Having a stiff bottom bracket means the more energy you put into the sprint, the more your energy gets used to propel the bike forward.

We decided to take their entry level Strela 3 road bike out for a spin to see if this really is the ultimate first time road riders’ bike.

One of the first things I notice about the Strela 3 is the attention to detail.

The rims decals match the frame decals, which even match the saddle, which give this bike a great, uniformed overall feel.

Frame The frame technology has been filtered down from its higher end carbon siblings, which include taped head tube to make the front end of the bike stiffer for climbing and sprinting, tri-formed tubing to allow certain areas of the bike to be stiffer or more flexible than others and finally the smooth welding to really give the frame joints a pleasing finish.

Ride and handling While removing the bike from the bike carrier one thing becomes apparent, the Strela 3 is actually very light for an entrylevel road bike at just 9.2kg. This is great news for anyone who would be attempting a few hills as the lighter the bike, the easier the climb.

After just a few minutes of riding you notice how comfortable this bike is and this is due to the thin rear seat stays, which actually absorb the road vibrations.

I decided to see how the Strela 3

Equipment The Strela 3 comes equipped with a full Shimano Tiagra group set. Not many brands on the market use full group sets now days but this is one of the key features of this bike. By using a group set from the same range you get a super smooth reliable shift every time. The brakes on this bike are also Tiagra so breaking is firm and I have confidence in knowing that when I need to stop in a hurry I can do this safely.

When it comes to attention to detail,

Silverback have included chain catchers on all their road bikes to give riders that extra confidence that they will not be able to drop their chain during training or racing.

Wheels The wheels, which come on the Strela 3, are Alex Aero rims which help cut through the wind making the ride easier.

They are also double walled rims that help make them stiffer and tougher. The rims are colour coded to the frame and saddle, which give the bike a pleasing overall feel.

Summary The Silverback Strela 3 is a great bike for a beginner who can use it just to get fit or even to compete in events. The bike really is reliable and hassle free and just for that extra peace of mind it even comes with a lifetime warranty.

The Silverback Strela 3 retails for 4,499 AED and is available from the following retail outlets: • Go Sports, Dubai Mall • Go Sports,Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi • Go Sports, Abu Dhabi Mall For further information on the brand please visit: www.sportinlife.ae and www.facebook.com/SilverbackUAE

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OUR EXPERTS

e r u t n e v i Ch ck Ad eni lw finds magic in Mo Photos By: Anthony Grote and Jacques Marais

Tori

runner, writer, blogger & adventurer PS. My email address is tori@fitchicksandfastwomen. com for thoughts, ideas, and suggestions… or just to say hello!

This month, Adventure Chick’s adventures continued in stunning South Africa. As the heat rises in the desert, Africa’s cooler climes have kept me away but as I type this, I am en route back to the sandpit. I expect a sweaty welcome!

The race on my radar this month was called the Molweni Trail Run, the first edition of many

I expect because it was pretty, completely, absolutely awesome from start to finish. With hindsight we have 20:20 vision and I realise now, post race, exactly why we were given a DVD called Why We Run in our pre-race goody bags. You see, this race, for me, epitomised with perfection just why we run!

Presented by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKW) in conjunction with 369 Communications and Salomon, the home page on the website said: “Our connection with nature is immutable. No one can dispute the incredible thrill of experiencing the great outdoors and the wonderment of Mother Nature.”

Other winning words followed, with video and images to draw us in, but to be honest, they had me at the first sentence.

Held in the utterly breathtaking Krantzkloof Nature Reserve, just a stone’s thrown from Durban, Krantzkloof comprises a whopping 584 hectares of dense coastal forest and grasslands above the deep gorges carved out by the Molweni and Nqutu Rivers. This is true African trail where the views can’t fail to wow you, especially when visiting from the hot, flat desert. African skies just seem higher, her sun brighter, her nature greener.

On day one, post registration, we ran a 6.5km time trial, a beautiful circular jaunt through the forest, some technical descents swiftly followed by some glorious ascents, the sort of terrain that we trail junkies dream about.

Day two was the main affair, a 32km solo adventure with 2,000m vert. The terrain was tough and technical. Community paths, enchanted forests, open veld, river crossings, bridges, slippery descents and relentless ascents. The local community was out in full force, smiling, cheering and sharing the sorts of smiles that can’t fail to be motivating and contagious. At one point, a little girl threw her arms out to me. I picked her up, swung her around and then suddenly had another five or so, vying for the same. “It’s only a few minutes,” I thought… who cares about that in a race, when you’re connecting with these precious little people? It reminded me of the village kids in Nepal, where I have too many fond memories to mention.

My own expectations were low going into the race, after another month of too much fun and too few runs. But then again, perhaps it’s these races that end up being the most glorious. They ensure that our perceived success and enjoyment is limited to staying connected, embracing the moment, taking all that the trails throw at us with a childlike curiosity instead of fixating on some time, effort or finishing position. I felt wonderful, from start to finish, never once pushing myself too much but rather, spreading out my energy levels so that even the final hill couldn’t break me. My hydration was spot on (not always my strong point), my nutrition same.

Ahhh, have I mentioned that this race, reminded me with perfection, “why we run?”I admit that I took a wrong turn… on three occasions… but then again, I can’t recall a race when I haven’t got a little lost, such is that far away place called Tori-world that I lapse into. And I had one face plant, thanks to a giant tree root, which seemed to appear from nowhere. But I got up, dusted myself off and continued on my merry way. Not even a broken nail to spoil my mood. All in all, I

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

felt strong, invincible, full of gratitude for having the ability and the opportunity to participate in such an event. We’re all so damn lucky to spend our weekends fulfilling our passions and I hope never to take this for granted.

Beyond the views and the vistas, grassy gorges, flowing rivers, forest tracks and twists and turns, this event had a greater

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purpose, than to simply satisfy our trail fix.

The race brought extensive support to the greater community by funding the reserve and a local primary school. A number of local athletes were also given free entry, athletes whose lives can potentially change forever, given the prize money that was on offer. On the very race route, walk dozens of kids every day, just to get

to school. Likewise, adults, to travel far to study or to work. Big families housed in tiny run-down houses with little more than a single room.

The Molweni Trail Run also brought a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate the importance of protecting our ever-compromised environment, of preserving our eco-system. Conservation, sustainability and the need to be environmentally responsible – these concepts are all today’s buzz words, but the harsh reality is that they’re not fleeting trends to watch out for.

We must do what we can do, before it’s too late.

Before sitting down to write this, I revisited the words I wrote following a tester run held earlier in the year, when we hit the trails of a small section of the course. “Make no mistake,” I wrote, “this race will be no walk in the park. The terrain is tough, technical and will challenge all who enter. But equally, it promises to be a grand experience of ups and downs, sweat and toil… and isn’t that what trail running is all about? The chance to experience highs and lows, to discover your “why,” to see firsthand that whilst the pain may be temporary, the pride and reward of crossing the finish line, will remain forever?” Re-reading these words made me smile. Spot on Adventure Chick!

Visit: www.molwenitrailrun.co.za

Love, Tori x

photo: Stephen Whitesell

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QATAR EXPLORER

Sea turtles

From Pearl Diving to Scuba Diving…

Discover Qatar underwater!

Butterfly fish

Words By: Eulogy van Dyk Photos By: Khaled Zaki

If you look back into the history of Qatar, dating back to the historic pearl diving days, you will soon realise that Qataris have a significant connection with the sea. These days it would not be strange to find a jet ski, boat, fishing rods or diving equipment as part of many households in Doha.

Qatar is not listed under the top ten scuba dive sites in the world and I think it is fair to say that it is not the perfect scuba diving destination, but this small country definitely has many hidden underwater treasures waiting to be discovered. One must remember that the peninsula is surrounded by heavily saline waters of the Arabian Gulf, which makes the marine life and activity vary to some extent compared to other countries that are directly connected to the Indian, Pacific or Atlantic Ocean. But with that being said, Khaled Zaki a Master Instructor and Marine Consultant (that has been an active diving expert in the country for 15 years) with 10 years Red Sea experience believes that

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Danish divers visiting Qatar for scuba diving

Qatar has definitely got the potential to become a sought-after recreational diving destination.

The sport is constantly growing in the local community and one of the big reasons for this is due to the great weather conditions you enjoy here in Qatar. Sunny skies, tranquil water with great temperatures and very little current ensure that the reefs are easy accessible, which makes it a truly “user friendly experience.” Qatar is therefore a perfect location to start this new hobby or do any advanced or specialty course.

Over the past six years with the increased amount of people now living in Qatar and visiting the country on a daily basis, you will find more and more people changing from their “works suits” into their

“wetsuits” to get a taste of this adventurous sport!

The local course fees are at very affordable rates and there are numerous companies that provide scuba diving courses.

Qatar scuba diving sites are mainly manmade wrecks or shipwreck dives with some natural reef in the inland sea and offshore and the visibility can be poor compared to other parts of the Middle East. However the experts say diving is about what you feel during the dive not only what you see.

If you are looking for some easy diving with some great access to wrecks and all the sea life associated with that, Qatar can provide some interesting sites for exploring.

The best time of year for scuba diving is March, April and May. During the hot summer months the rising water tempera-

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JUNE 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Angel Fish

Divers receiving training

tures attracts jellyfish, which doesn’t make it ideal ideal but still possible to scuba.

From October to February many westerners come to visit Qatar for a scuba diving experience to escape their cold winter months back home.

There are a couple of dive sites located mainly on the east side of the country, below is a short summary of the five most popular sites.

OLD CLUB REEF – known as “Man Made Reef” (Latitude: 24° 52.148’ N; Longitude: 51° 31.823’ E) Located by the golden beach Mesaieed, the Old Club reef was formed in 1970 and is a favourite dive spot amongst many local people and features an artificial reef made up of several vehicles, school buses, a pickup truck and some small boats, as well as several piles of pipes and water tanks.

Grouper are seen regularly, as are blue angelfish, batfish and other small local fish.

ACCESS Take the road towards Sealine Beach Resort. Turn left onto a small paved access road just after QChem gate on the left hand side of the road. Access to the dive site will be on the left hand where the road ends at the beach about 100m south from the rock jetty.

DIVE SITE CHARACTERISTICS Entry Type: Shore Average Depth: 12.2m / 40ft.

Max Depth: 15.2m / 49.9ft.

Visibility: Medium (5 - 10m) DIVE SITE ACTIVITIES First dive; dive training; photography; wreck diving MINIMUM CERTIFICATE LEVEL Open Water Diver NEW CLUB REEF (Latitude: 24° 50.701’

N; Longitude: 51° 30.481’ E) New Club Reef is an artificial reef, which has lots of marine life and large fish; it has pipes and metal parts as well as medium sized shipwreck.

ACCESS Take the road towards Sealine Beach Resort. After the first sand dune after the resort stop your car and swim to the red buoy at about 200m from shore then start your dive at about 17m depth. You can follow the ropes to explorer all the places Take the road towards Sealine Beach Resort. Turn left onto a small paved access road just after QChem gate on the left hand side of the road. Access to the dive site will be on the left hand where the road ends at the beach about 100m south from the rock jetty.

DIVE SITE CHARACTERISTICS Entry Type: Shore Average Depth: 10m / 32.8ft.

Max Depth: 20m / 65.6ft.

Current: Low - Medium Visibility: Poor (3 - 5m) DIVE SITE ACTIVITIES Dive training MINIMUM CERTIFICATE LEVEL Open Water Diver THE INLAND SEA (Latitude: 24° 39.046’ N; Longitude: 51° 25.707’ E) The Inland Sea is a great place for diving.

It is located at Khor Al Udeid; a sheltered area with some small reefs, it is a prime spot for an all-day outing. Lots of hard coral can be found and supports an abundance of fish.

ACCESS Accessible by four-wheel drive vehicles, about 30 minutes drive through the dunes from the Sealine Resort and in sight of the Saudi Arabian coastline.

Sergeant fish

Angelfish

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

DIVE SITE CHARACTERISTICS Entry Type: Shore Average Depth: 10m / 32.8ft.

Max Depth: 14m / 45.9ft.

Current: Low Visibility: Medium - Good (5 - 15m) DIVE SITE ACTIVITIES First dive; Dive training MINIMUM CERTIFICATE LEVEL Open Water Diver M.O. WRECK (AL-ED AL SHARQI) (Latitude: 25° 33.167’ N; Longitude: 52° 37.667’ E) M.O. Wreck is a sunken metal-built shipwreck. It is on a depth of 22m. Some spots of the wreck are suitable for penetration.

Around the wreck, there are a lot of local fish as well as the occasional grouper, jack fish, rays, lionfish and clownfish.

ACCESS M.O. Wreck is located approx. 100 kilometres from Doha, located near Halool Island accessible by boat.

DIVE SITE CHARACTERISTICS Entry Type: Boat Average Depth: 15m / 49.2ft.

Max Depth: 25m / 82ft.

Current: Medium Visibility: Good (10 - 20m)

Car wrecks at Old Club Reef

JUNE 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Crab

DIVE SITE ACTIVITIES Wreck diving; photography; boat diving MINIMUM CERTIFICATE LEVEL Advanced Open Water Diver PERICLES SHIPWRECK (AL-ED AL GHARBI) (Latitude: 25°29.500’ N; Longitude: 52°04.421’ E) Pericles is a large sunken metal-built shipwreck. Sunken on its side on a depth of 32m. Some spots of the wreck are suitable for penetration. You will find a rich variety of marine life with large sized fish here.

ACCESS Pericles Shipwreck is located approximately 66 kilometres from Doha accessible by boat.

DIVE SITE CHARACTERISTICS Entry Type: Boat Average Depth: 25m / 82ft.

Max Depth: 35m / 115ft.

Current: Medium Visibility: Medium (6 - 15m) DIVE SITE ACTIVITIES Wreck diving; photography; boat diving; drift diving

MINIMUM CERTIFICATE LEVEL Advanced Open Water Diver Scuba Diving is more than just a sport; it has become a lifestyle for many Qataris and expatriates living in Qatar. Families have embraced the activity as children can start to scuba dive at the age of eight years and if you have good health on your side you can continue until you are 80 years old. It’s a great activity to do for relaxation and zone out from the every day busy life!

So if you are curious to explore and experience underwater life in the Arabian Gulf why not visit Qatar and learn how to be like a fish in the water with your scuba gear or do that specialty diving course that you have always wanted to do. Qatar provides the perfect setting for you!

Below is a list of some local scuba diving centres and equipment suppliers in Qatar visit their websites for a complete list of courses and services they provide.

Company

Website

Go Sport

www.gosportme.com +974 4463 1644 (website under construction) +974 4415 7463

gosport_customerservice@ almana.com

Equipment Sales

Poseidon Dive Centre

www.pdcqatar.com

+974 4442 8402

info@pdcqatar.com

Courses, Sales, Equipment Rental & Servicing

Qatar Marine

www.qatarmarine.net

+974 5531 9507

info@qatarmarine.net

Courses, Marine Consultancy and U/W Filmmaker

Qatar Scuba Centre

www.qatarscubacenter.com +974 4442 2234 +974 6666 2277

info@qatarscubacenter.com Courses, Sales, Equipment Rental & Servicing

Pearl Divers

www.pearl-divers.org

+974 4444 9553

techdiveintl@qatar.net.qa

Courses, Sales, Equipment Rental & Servicing

Q Dive

www.qdive.net

+974 5531 9507

info@qdive.net

Courses, Sales, Consultancy

World Marine Centre

N/A

+974 5550 8177

wmarine@gmail.com

Courses & Sales

Al Fardan Marine Services www.alfardan.com.qa/ alfardan-marine-services/ (website currently under construction)

+974 5528 0606 +974 4443 5626

jsawan5@hotmail.com

Courses & Sales

Qatar Divers

+974 4431 3331 +974 7731 3331

info@qatardivers.com

Courses

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www.qatardivers.com

Contact Number Email

Services

OUR EXPERTS

Pavel’s lunch break

It is not uncommon in the

UAE to hear about friends and colleagues (or maybe even you?) that work a six-day week. Some are lucky and might work every second weekend and the fortunate few, only work a five-day week. But what do you do if you work a seven-day week for seven months of the year without any off days?

John Basson

Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker

Due to the critical nature (falcon breeding) of Pavel’s work it is required that all the specialists are present, every day, for the duration of the breeding season. This lasting from mid-January till end of July. The day is also broken up into a morning shift, a three-hour break, and then the afternoon shift, totally eliminating the possibility of riding your bike for half the year, or so you would think!

As there is no time to load the bike, drive to the desert, ride and come back, my good friend

Pavel made a plan. At the back of the villas where he lives there is a square section of what I would guess to be no more than 1.5km x 1.5km of flat “sabkha” like terrain. Pavel converted this into a “lunch-break-track.” As he lives in the same compound that he works in, it literally takes him minutes to reach home. He changes, gets on his bike and braaaaaap!

I joined Pavel on one of these “lunch breaks” and found the compact gravel like texture of the “track” made turning very difficult. There is just no traction in the turns and unless you are a pro or accustomed to something like “super-moto” riding, you battle with the turns. As the straight sections are only 1.5km obviously you have to do many turns in the one and a half hours that he rides!

As Pavel tries to get the most out of his “lunch break” he would include figure eight patterns midway on some of the straights,

just to really slow guys like myself down!

There is also a flood water wall that was built to keep possible floods from the nearby mountains in Oman away from the residential area. This “wall” has got many erosion ruts and Pavel included these in his track. By now Pavel manages to get ridiculously high average speeds on this small track of his as he has gained a lot of experience with turning on loose gravel. Combined with his already impressive desert riding skills I think the next challenge would be for Pavel to start competing in international championships.

This just goes to show that if your passion or love for something is strong enough, then you will find means to enjoy it, no matter what obstacles you face! (Something so many of us can learn from.)

Ride safe and go for gold,

John

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PEOPLE

Heike Pirngruber

Occupation: Camera woman and photographer Nationality: German Age: 42

There are no barriers and borders for Heike, just the determination to go and do. At an early age, she already knew she wanted to see the world, hence, this epic solo cycling from Germany to Australia.

Follow her two-wheel traverse on www.pushbikegirl.com.

What attracted you to the great outdoors?

All my life I enjoyed being outdoor – camping with a wonderful campfire, silence, wildlife, stars and just enjoying the fresh air and great smell in the morning waking up in a beautiful forest or in a nice setting in the mountains.

Why decide to cycle from Germany to Australia?

I always dreamt about cycling around the world. And finally after many years dreaming about it, it was the right time to start.

I chose Australia because I love it; it is my favourite country and since I am a child I wanted to explore it. I have been there four times so far. In 2011, I crossed the desert with my pushbike.

Before embarking on this cycle trip, what were you doing?

I quit my job in 2011 before I flew to Australia cycling and hiking through Tasmania and the desert. After AustraIia I spent time cycling in Europe and South East Asia before I finally started my trip “Let’s go east.” Before 2011, I worked for German’s biggest TV station ZDF as a freelance camera woman. I am also a professional photographer.

How did you prepare for such an epic journey?

Well, to be honest I decided about six weeks before I started that I am actually heading off. I have done so many other trips in my life, I had all my gear and I knew where I want to go and what I will expect.

It might sound weird, but that’s how it was.

What were your main concerns with this adventure?

Well, the biggest step was to say good bye to family and friends not knowing when I will return.

I was attacked by two motorbike riders in Turkey, so afterwards each time I hear a motorbike coming closer I turn around and watch them carefully. But these worries are over. I was also worried about Iran. Going to Iran as a single woman, didn’t seem to be the cleverest thing to do, but as most people on this planet, I was totally wrong.

I met the friendliest people on the planet.

The planet is full of very nice people and most of them want to help and protect me. It is really unbelievable how much they welcome me; it doesn’t matter where I am going.

What bike are you using?

A simple mountain bike. Old and worn out, but I still believe it is best for travelling. It doesn’t look so expensive anymore, it is simple to fix and most of the parts I can get somewhere on the way.

What are the best moments you had so far in this cycle tour?

I stayed with locals in a yurt in Albania and had a special “candle light dinner” in the mountains, I camped in sight of the Grand Canyon of Oman and had a wonderful camp spot for myself, I had a lot of good moments in Iran, which was on one side the toughest country so far, because of being the centre of attention all the time.

But on the other hand, I experienced some special moments while they were remembering a few deaths of some imams and the “celebration” was something really special to see.

What are the worst?

To say good bye to my mum. The attack in Turkey, kids threw stones at me in nearly every small town in the Turkish part of Kurdistan, the icy weather and the snow in Armenia and Northern Iran. The wind which blew quite a lot in the last two months, of course, most of the time as a headwind.

What do you think of the region as a cycling destination?

Oman is superb as a cycling destination.

One of the best places I have cycled in.

What lessons have you learned from this cycle tour?

I learned a lot about myself, cultures, people and food. Lesson number one was probably slow down for a bit, otherwise you might not be able to enjoy it anymore, because it is all too much in one go.

And I learned the goodness of people, when others warned me about all the bad people out there and I always said most people are very friendly, but they are even more than that, they are gorgeous everywhere.

Where is your next stop?

I am currently in Samarqand/Uzbekistan and heading off to Kyrgyzstan soon. From there I will either go to China or to Russia and Mongolia it all depends on which visa I can get.

When do you think you will arrive in Australia?

Good question. I have no idea. There is so much to see before arriving to Australia.

It could take at least another 1.5 years or as long as three years. Open end. I can also imagine extending the trip, but I will decide this in a later stage.

What’s your advice to those who are planning their long distance cycle adventure?

Don’t worry. Don’t plan too much; things you have planned half year ago will no longer be relevant by the time you will reach this place. Either not relevant anymore because your interest have changed or the climate might be a barrier or even the bureaucracy will kill your plans. Just go and enjoy.

PEOPLE

Ernesto Gainza

Occupation: Operations Assistant Manager at Skydive Dubai Nationality: Valenzuela Age: 35

Even the fierce winds couldn’t stop this daredevil skydiver from creating history and making it to the Guinness World Records for jumping off 14,000ft and gliding down to earth on the world’s smallest parachute on April 5th.

Congrats on making it to the World Records!

Thank you! It’s really a beautiful feeling.

I wake up in the morning and I go “oh my God.” It still feels like I’m in a dream and I’m also massively relieved. I’ve been jumping every single day for 12 months, so I am relieved it is over. I’m extremely happy about the results and that all our hard work paid off.

How’s the recovery?

Well, I’m exhausted and completely drained. I never thought I will feel like this, but now I’m completely relaxed and have sort of shut down, but I feel good. But I’m still at work right now, so it doesn’t matter if you are world record holder, you still have to work hard [laughs].

How did you get into the sport of skydiving?

It was actually through a friend back in Venezuela. He became a skydiver and he told me I should try skydiving, because it’s something that I am going to love. And I said to him nothing was going to be better than surfing. I left UK the following year, I was back in Venezuela and I had a couple of, I don’t know, 600 dollars left. I decided to do the skydiving course and since then I knew this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to become a professional skydiver and be an instructor.

The 35sqft parachute was specifically designed for this jump?

The parachute was manufactured in New Zealand, a company called Icarus Canopies by NZ Aerosport. Basically what they did is they scaled down the model that they already had for sale. They did a lot of tests to see if the parachute will inflate correctly, they measured the lines to make sure they were even. They did a lot of

tests; however these tests are only done on the ground. How the parachute flies needs to be tested in the air, so I was the first test pilot to jump it. As a test pilot, every jump that you do, the parachute can react in a way you cannot expect so we to be super cautious and be careful for every single jump.

This prototype was designed for me in this size and a bigger one that I used for training in past which was 39sqft parachute. For the Record, I try to keep myself at 50kg, at the day of the event I weighed myself and I was at 54.5 so I might have been compulsively eating a little bit more [laughs]. For me being a large person is a massive advantage, it requires a lot of skill, a lot of training. It’s not only about the size, it’s about how to land that parachute down and how you fly it.

What were the risks of jumping with a small parachute?

It could from extreme G-forces, after the opening there could be malfunction where the parachute could twist and put you in a violent spin. It could also collapse on itself, obviously neck injuries being such a small parachute it only takes a couple of seconds to fully inflate. If I were to put percentages, I would be 70-30; I would have been at the disadvantage.

Aware of these risks, how did you prepare for this?

We trained for 12 months. I did everything that hurt [laugh] — I did running, CrossFit, stand up paddle board, bike, everything. They even put me in a small room like in a freezer -101° for a small injury. Aside from the normal physical training, just normal jumps from 14,000ft or 11,000ft.

It takes a lot of mental preparation to do this. It’s about knowing that bad things can happen and you have to be prepared to react in every single one of them. For example, for G-force we went to a G-force trainer in Holland to experience all the Gs and how to visual when something is going wrong. It’s pretty much physical training and mental preparation so it’s a combination of everything.

Luigi Cani, the actual record holder before me, he passed onto me his parachute to train. We really had a good relationship; he’s a true gentleman. I started training with the 37sqft which was the record by then landed that one 10 times and then we moved to the 35.

So Luigi wasn’t upset you broke his record?

I don’t think so, Luigi was a true sportsman and I think I would do the same if somebody in the future asked me for help, I will also give it to him. The thing in skydiving is you want the sport to grow. We want people to take it one step further and I would help whoever is trying to achieve something bigger.

How did it feel when you finally landed?

It was amazing for me to have all this support from the locals, tourists, family, Skydive Dubai and my wife. It was wellorganised. To be honest I thought we weren’t going to jump. When I was in the plane I thought well what a shame that we have to postpone the event. The ground control guys told me as I was at 11,00ft the winds were dropping. As we were circling around the ground control gave the green light, we have 80-90mi wind.

My wife is very supportive, of course she was scared but now she’s super happy that everything is over.

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LOCATIONS

Get outdoors in the UAE Hiking – A series of articles to help you start or progress your hiking in the UAE Words + Photos By: Sean James

Fitness and hiking Did the chicken or the egg come first? Always a difficult question. Similarly ask yourself do you hike to gain fitness or is hiking a test of your level of fitness? Walking in the mountains can be both a path to gaining fitness and a way to set yourself to increasingly difficult physical challenges.

Having a good base level of fitness will certainly open more opportunities to your hiking and allow you to go further, higher and to more remote areas. If your aspirations are higher and you have set your mind on high altitude peaks or multiday treks then your training approach should be similar to that of a marathon runner or long distance triathlete. But how many of us actually set a hiking specific program or go to the gym and say to the instructor, I’d like to train for this hike in Musandam. My guess is a very low percentage.

Working as a guide for a number of years, I have seen people invest time, money, equipment and emotion into getting to a mountain but fail to address one of the most important contributors to achieving their goals: a systematic

Yes that is a rock he is carrying.

Combining being in the outdoors with a workout is proving very popular in the UAE.

Part 6 approach to physical training. Take for example a trip to Nepal; whether it is a five-day trek over a number of passes at 5,000m or a 60-day expedition to a higher peak of 8,000m, both require something more than a few outings up the local hill in the month before you leave. A marathon runner could tell you exactly how long it takes to run a kilometre, their resting heart rate, the effect of different foods or drink and a whole number of other factors that would kill the conversation at a dinner party. Hiking can be many things. It can be a pleasant outing on the occasional weekend with family and friends but it can also provide an outlet for those interested in pushing their limits.

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This article will examine several approaches that have been adopted by the outdoor community in very recent years.

Such is the level of interest in specific training for hiking and mountaineering today that the ground breaking American super climber Steve House has distilled his years of experience into a book specifically about fitness for climbing and trekking, Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber as Athlete.

Many of the principles he outlines are taken from sports science and those who have been in the athletic arena will recognise techniques such as periodisation, strength training and nutrition.

In the past training specifically for being in the mountains has been shunned and even ridiculed. Don Whillans, a legendary British mountaineer from the 1980s with an equally legendary girth, used to boast about his apparent lack of preparation. He was vastly overweight, drank and smoked heavily and eventually died of a heart attack in his sleep. Once during an approach hike to a mountain as his team was walking through an Indian village, a young local boy pointed at him and asked innocently, “Are you not too fat to be a mountain climber?” Don replied, “Perhaps I am too fat, but by the end of the expedition I’ll be skinny and the rest will be non-existent.” Although it is true that certain physiological change take place over the course of an expedition, in my experience your level of fitness and strength drop rapidly. I would warn against entering a potentially, dangerous environment in which factors such as diet, altitude, hygiene and climate are against you and expecting yourself to be stronger at the end than at the start. Like a marathon, your last drop of energy is

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Man-made paths cling to the wadi side.

usually required to cross the finish line.

The words uttered by Don Whillans are again a good lesson to avoid, “By the time you get to the top you’ll be fit - or dead!”

Modern climbers like Steve House talks about “Base Fitness.” Like any sport this is created by huge volumes of moderate exertion. Whether training for trail running, steep hill hiking or skiing, the majority of the time is spent exercising around 70% of max Heart Rate. To this should be added elements such as strength training and flexibility to provide the hiker with a “total” strength and fitness package. On top of this, consider even more specific mountaineering methods. Think of all the different speeds, intensities and distances that

runners use to improve: tempo, interval, recovery, long, progression, fartlek and you get the idea.

Mark Twight was another American mountaineer who redefined the approach to climbing mountains in the 1980s. He was renowned for extending his own limits and committing himself to particularly hard and fast Alpine ascents. Typically he would head out by himself for long periods with little if any food and only loud punk music playing on his headphones. When he stopped climbing he set up a company, Mountain Mobility Group that now trains the US Special Forces and many hundreds of movie actors. Many considered him reckless but he was able to do things that were considered beyond regular

Beautiful villages are dotted over the plateau and connected by paths.

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climbers because he subjected his body to extreme workouts similar to the now popular Crossfit prior to his climbs. His attitude was always more about control than putting himself in deliberate danger and he felt that by pushing himself in a training environment he could then extend himself in the mountains. His gym and website are still considered alternative and not for everyone. However it has a philosophy based on 10 Basic Tenets that are interesting to consider.

• The mind is primary • Outcome-based training (train for an objective) • Functional training (high degree of transferability) • Movements not muscles (transferable training does not isolate muscles) • Power-to-weight ratio (you must carry the engine) • Train all energy systems (emphasize the important but not at the expense of others) • Training is preparation for the real thing (train for something) • The mind is primary II (eat for an objective) • Nutrition is the foundation (eat for an objective) • Recovery is more than 50% of the process This systematic approach to preparation has benefited the commercial expedition industry. In the past the primary objective of most expedition companies was simply to provide services for climbers when they got to the mountain.

Summit success and repeat business is important and having realised that their client demographic was changing, they found it was a good idea to inform and Quick Checklist Route planning

Google Earth Screen shot of the route You can download the GPS files here: www.outdooruae.com/downloads/Julyhike2014.zip

prepare their members as fully as possible. This included loosely defining a level of fitness for a client that is comparable to the objective that they have signed up for. If we look at running again, imagine your target for a marathon is 3hr 30mins.

Part of your training would work towards the ability to run comfortably each kilometre in around 4min 58sec. You would also build in the capacity to run 42.2km.

A marathon training program would be very different from that for a 10km race.

The larger mountain guiding companies such as Adventure Consultants, Aventuras Patagonicas and Alpine Ascents took this on board and now suggest full training schedules prior to joining. The intensity and content of the schedules are tailored to suit the elevation and difficulty of the mountain. Climbers should follow these as religiously as if they were aiming for an Ironman triathlon or competing in a 92km bike race.

Start Point

25°42’59.52”N 56° 6’40.36”E

Off road driving required

Yes. It is possible to drive all the way to the start in a two-wheel saloon but 4WD is preferable.*

Distance & Time from Mirdiff to Start

125km 92min

Navigation on hike

Navigation required. Up and back. Can be extended

Time required for hike

5hrs – 6hrs but can be extended

Distance

6.4km

Elevation gain on hike

600m

High Point

820m but can be extended

Grocery / water on hike

No

Possible to encounter a vehicle on trail

No

Suitable for all the family

This hike is very strenuous. Vague tracks, man-made steps, height and exposure and some loose rock. Not recommended for small children.

Directions to the start Enter the start point coordinates into your GPS device or follow the directions from Google. *Depending on your vehicle park where you are comfortable along the approach wadi and start the hike from that location. With a 4WD and high clearance you can get all the way.

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So before next hiking season starts, examine what you want to do and how you are going to achieve it. If you are a technology geek who searches out the latest trends there are many out there.

You will discover a world of oxygen tents, breathing inhalers to increase the strength of the lungs even allegations of performance enhancing drugs.

Alternatively you could read this, say to yourself that all the science and discipline is not for you. In that case, jump straight to June’s hike at the bottom of this article. Remember at the end of the day it’s equally important to just go out hiking, explore and enjoy yourself.

A hike for June We are still being blessed with some cooler mornings and evenings. It is also still possible to hike at night especially when there is a full moon. This quiet and isolated hike is not a long distance but climbs a beautiful wadi to a village at a height of 1,000m. The pictures in this article are from the hike. The plateau looks out towards Musandam and a stunning range of peaks. The wadi has a real remoteness, being on the border with Oman and you will be amazed by the work that has been carried out on maintaining the path and steps.

The author has guided hikes, treks and climbs all other the world.

He gained his qualifications from the British Mountaineering Council, a national representative body for England and Wales that exists to protect the freedoms and promote the interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers. At present he lectures in a college in the UAE. Before that he worked for a private company that trained the UAE military forces. He has also appeared on TV programmes in the UK and Brazil talking about outdoor activities.

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LOCATIONS

Inchcape 2

Dive sites in the UAE and Oman

How to get there: This site is around a 25-minute trip on speed boat from the Al Boom, Al Aqah Dive Centre located at the Le Meridien Hotel. The drive to Al Aqah from Dubai normally takes 1.5-2 hours. Alternatively, if you are not driving yourself to Fujairah, you can also use the Al Boom bus transfers from Dubai. Meeting point is from the dive centre in Al Wasl Rd. (Other pick-up points are available, please contact the call centre for more info) Description: This is an artificial reef that has been created by sinking a decommissioned American built boat that worked mostly in and around Dubai transporting supplies and crew. She was found to need extensive repairs while being painted, and decommissioned as a result. After the success of Inchcape 1 which was previously sunk in deeper waters, the Inchcape team decided to sink Inchcape 2 to create a similar dive site, but in shallower water so it would be accessible to more divers.

Inchcape 2 is located close to Martini Rock at a depth of around 20-22m. She is upright and her bow is facing east, with the deck being shallow enough for Open Water divers to dive on. There is some debris in the surrounding sand from when she was sunk, where you can find some interesting marine life.

There are various corals growing on her, and if you investigate closely you may find

Name of the dive site:

Inchcape 2

Location:

Fujairah, UAE

Depth:

22 metres

Type of dive:

Wreck covered with soft and hard corals, surrounded by sand.

Level:

Open Water divers and up, and especially enjoyed by macro-photographers.

some of the tiny and elusive frog-fish and nudibranchs. You will also see rays, morays, boxfish, fusiliers, barracuda, filefish, lionfish, and many more that call her home.

It is also possible to penetrate Inchcape 2, but it can be tight so make sure that you don’t have any equipment dangling that could get snagged.

In summer you can expect water temperatures of around 30°C, and in winter, an average of around 20°C. Divers can enter in many different ways, and backward-roll and giant-stride are the most common.

Visibility will vary between 5-15m, and on a good day you can even get up to 20m vis! Even when the visibility isn’t that great, you can still find lots of amazing marine life to get some great macro shots of; make sure your buoyancy is up to scratch for these days.

Be aware of the usual suspects on the East Coast, such as lionfish, urchins, scorpion fish, and occasionally jellyfish!

Hopefully you will get a chance of seeing a

whale shark close to the surface, or a zebra shark on the sandy bottom.

OBSERVATION: “As a young diver, I was worried that I would not be able to dive on a wreck until I was 15, but Inchcape 2 was perfect for when I did my Junior Advanced Open Water Diver course.” Tanner, Dubai “Frogfish, frogfish, frogfish… oh, and some nudibranchs! Definitely my highlight diving on the East Coast.” Claire, Devon UK Contact: Al Boom Diving, Al Wasl Rd. Call Centre: +971 4 342 2993 or abdiving@emirates.net.ae Al Boom Diving, Al Aqah, Fujairah: +971 9 204 4925 or andrew@alboomdiving.ae Al Boom Diving, Atlantis, The Palm: +971 4 263 3000 or bietha@alboomdiving.ae

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TIPS & TRICKS

What to consider when considering going long Words By: Trace Rogers, Coach and Founder of SuperTRI

With the announcement of two long-distance triathlons on our doorstep at the end of year, you may be thinking about participating in one or even both events. Here are a few questions to ask yourself: In the past two months, we have had the announcement that the first Challenge event in the region – Challenge Bahrain will take place on 6th December 2014 and the Dubai International Triathlon will take place on 7th November 2014. Both of these consist of a 1.9km swim, followed by a 90km bike ride, followed by a 21km road run. This is brilliant news for the world of triathlon. The question is, are you up for it? Here are some quick considerations and tips that will make the answer clear: What are your current abilities? At this point, can you comfortably swim 1,600m, cycle 40km and run 10km? If the answer is yes – you have a good base to start from.

What training opportunities do you have? Can you fit in 10 hours of training a week building up to 18 towards your peak training period? Are you travelling over summer and if so, what training opportunities will you realistically have?

If you can fit in the time and will be able

to train whilst away – go for it. As far as travelling over the summer goes – you may not be able to include cycling but many vacation destinations have a body of water to swim in and you can pretty much run anywhere in the world. You should be able to keep your training on track if you can substitute the cycling with more running and additional swim sessions. There are always creative options – using staircases to run up, doing continuous swims in hotel pools which may not quite be 25-50m.

Are you efficient in one or two of your disciplines but needing assistance in the third one? You may want to consider the assistance of a coach. Most people needing help with technique require help with their swim. An effective coach would be able to assist with minor adjustments that make major improvements. It’s well worth considering professional assistance.

Does your gear serve you? I am a great believer that it has far more to do with the engine on the bike and in the running shoes that determines speed and not

the gear. It is however worth considering making adjustments to your current gear if everything you have is set up towards shorter races. Consider the necessity of the following: Do you need additional water cages? Should you purchase aerobars (in my personal opinion, if you do not own a Tri-bike this is an essential investment. Being able to improve your aerodynamics will pay off enormously on a 90km ride). Should I upgrade to a Time Trial bike? Do I need to tweak my bikefit? All of these are worth giving some thought to.

Are there any “acid test” challenges or races to give me a feel for how I am tracking? Absolutely – with the recent announcement of the “Sunman for Rich,” taking place from 26th – 28th June 2014, you can now complete the entire distance over three days to get a feel for your target race. All details for this challenge as well as the Dubai International Triathlon can be found on www.premieronline.com Now the question is, will we see you on the start line(s)?

Useful knots #5 Gasket Coil

Coiling and unattached rope Storing ropes properly is very important, no matter if for climbing marine or any other outdoor use. If the rope is not coiled up properly it might tangle when you uncoil it. Almost all ropes that you are likely to come across are said to be “right hand laid.” So you need to coil them clockwise to ensure they don’t get tangled or twisted.

Start by leaving the end slightly longer than the coil so it remains outside the coil. To make each turn form a neat loop, twist the rope slightly as

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Coiling twist under

Next loop twist over

you lay it in your hand. To avoid introducing multiple twists, make alternate turns in opposite directions. These alternate turns lie “under” the line rather than “over” it.

Alternating over and under turns avoids the accumulation of multiple twists in the rope.

Once the coil is formed, leave about 1.5m to wrap around the coil about three times, pulling a loop through the gap above the wrappings and over the top of the coil. When the loose end is pulled, the coil keep its form and can be stored away.

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TIPS & TRICKS

Queenfish

How and what to catch in the Middle East #5

Words By: Kit Belen

The Queenfish is one of the prized fighters in the waters of the Gulf. As a sport fish it is a spectacular specimen at the end of your line. Although edible, the Queenfish is not really good table fare and are usually released by anglers.

Locally known as Zelaa and Bassar the Queenfish inhibits the Indo-Pacific Oceans and are prolific in the Gulf. They grow up to 120cm and can weigh up to 11kg although normally caught at half that size; bigger specimens are not uncommon in the Gulf. As juvenile fish, they feed on smaller fish and crustaceans in shallow water and move to deeper water as they mature. Their diet changes as they mature and turn to larger baitfish for their main food source.

Where to find Queenfish can be found in both the shallow and deeper areas of the Gulf. In estuarine environments, they can be found in moving water and sandy shallow flats close to deep water. They hardly stray away from reefs and similar structure. In the gulf where bottom structure is sparse, they can be found on or near drop offs and around concentrations of baitfish close to structure. Ever the prowling predator, the Queenfish is constantly on the hunt for their next meal, at times crashing bait schools in shallow water. An almost fool proof way of locating a feeding school will be to look for feeding birds. If the bait school is close to structure (such as a drop off or a sea wall) the fish feeding on the baitfish will most likely be Queenfish. They can be caught year round, however, quality fish are mostly caught towards the start of the summer or just before winter.

A fly caught queenfish from the edge of the sandy flats. Ambushing prey being washed into deeper water, they lie in wait at the ledge, making them a good target on an outgoing tide

A good sized queenfish destined for the pot although not particularly good to eat, they are an ingedient in some Asian dishes

GT Ice Cream - Don’t waste your time with other lures, go to Ocean Active at the Dubai Garden Center and get yourself some of these lures

How to catch Queenfish can be caught in a variety of different ways. The two most popular ways of fishing for them are light spinning and fly fishing.

A light spinning rod and reel loaded with 6-8kg monofilament or braid would be more than adequate for most Queenfish you will encounter. The more skilled anglers will surely grab lighter gear for the adrenalin rush.

A fast 7-9 weight fly rod is needed to make the long casts needed to reach a feeding school, coupled with a saltwater reel loaded with either floating or intermediate line, and a lot of backing is needed and will surely be put to good use with these fish. Make sure your reel has a smooth drag. If it’s your first time fishing for them, start out with 10kg flouro carbon tippet and catch a couple of them to get a feel of how they fight, then switch over to a lighter leader if you feel the need for it.

Although they can be hooked with live or dead bait, the run and gun style of chasing after the birds will make it difficult to use such baits, so most of the fishing for Queenfish is done best with lures.

When Queenfish are holding deep, jigging with small heavy vertical jigs is quite effective.

There are a variety of lures that work, heavy metal jigs are one of the best lures to use for them when you can’t get close to a feeding school, often times, when you fish off a boat, the motor’s sound will make them move away. Soft plastic lures are also effective for them, as are small trolling lures when you pull them behind a kayak.

On top of the heap of lures for Queenfish is a strange looking lure called a GT Candy; if you are to fish with only one lure for them – do yourself a favour and go to the Ocean Active shop at the Dubai Garden Centre and buy a few of these

killer lures. You are able to cast them a long way and move like a fleeing baitfish on the retrieve. The lures are rear weighted can cast a mile – most especially if you are using braided line.

For flies, the queen fish will take just about any fly that simulates baitfish. Deceivers, Clouser Minnows, and surf candies work well for them. Depending on the pattern, flies tied on size 2 to size 1/0 will work.

Queenfish are very acrobatic, once hooked, they will spend as much time on air as they do in the water. Spectacular jumps and cartwheels are common; they swim fast and pull hard and are fast – that’s why you need a reel with a smooth drag.

When they’re biting wide open, you can toss out almost any lure and they will grab it. There are times when they will bite very close to the boat and not even get frightened, such suicidal and vicious swipes at a lure make them one of the most spectacular striking fish.

There are times when they get finicky and would just not strike a lure or a fly, often following them close to the boat, then just turn away at the very last second.

In those times, it would be wise to look at the baitfish they are feeding on and try to match it as close as you can – often times it works.

Conservation The Queenfish is not commercially important to the UAE and is not listed as threatened in www.choosewisely.ae. If you don’t plan on eating it, release it to fight another day.

The GT Ice Cream is tops for queens and a spin angler chasing after them should not leave shore without one

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limb in a comfortable position. The difficulty comes when the blood supply past the point of the injury may be compromised.

This is the point where medics would give the patient a substantial amount of pain relief and realign the injured limb. Again, not recommended without prior training and knowledge.

TIPS & TRICKS

Injuries In the last instalment, we looked at the primary survey, the initial approach to assessing a casualty to find any lifethreatening issues.

In this article, we are now going to take things a bit further and look at what we can do when we reach the end of the primary survey and have found no major problems.

It is important to remember that if someone has broken an arm it will be painful however it is not a life threatening injury.

The broken arm will not kill the patient; a hidden chest injury which they may have sustained at the same time could present to be a major problem. With this in mind we should always carry out a primary survey before anything else on each and every patient. DRCABCDE – The Primary Survey.

(Look back in the last issue if you missed it!)

It is often difficult to ignore the fact that the patient is possibly in intense pain and being increasing vocal and to carry out a primary survey, but it is imperative that any life threatening problems are ruled out first.

Hopefully, when we are dealing with a casualty we will get to the end of our primary survey and have found no life threatening problems. At this point we can now look at any other problems or injuries that are causing pain and/or discomfort to the patient.

The easiest way to ascertain any injury that a conscious patient may have sustained is to ask the patient! It sounds simple but a conscious patient can supply you with a massive amount of information.

Things are a little bit trickier if your patient is unconscious; the easiest way to work out what injuries they have is by carrying out a Secondary Survey. In simple terms this is a head to toe check of the patient, looking along the whole body for any unnatural movement, deformity, tenderness, bleeding etc. Anything that may not be normal.

So, what can we do and what are the most common injuries found?

There is a wide range of injuries that we could sustain whilst doing sport and if we tie this in with the possibility of not having medical care easily available then our treatment will be important.

The injuries we are going to look at are sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations and cuts.

Sprains – a stretching injury to ligaments.

Strains – a stretching injury to muscle or tendons.

When in an environment with little or no medical care available, sprains and strains can be relatively well managed.

For the first 48-72 hours after the injury, remember think “PAYING THE PRICE AND

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DO NO HARM.” Protect – immobilise the effected limb Rest – consider minimal movement Ice – apply as soon as possible for 30 minutes Compression – a bandage will aid the reduction of swelling Elevation – will limit and reduce any swelling Do NOT allow: Heat – encourages blood flow therefore should be avoided Alcohol – increases swelling, bleeding and prevents further healing Running – may cause further damage Massage – may increase further bleeding and swelling

Fractures/Dislocations If we are presented with a limb that may be fractured or dislocated then we need to think very carefully about how we are going to help the patient.

The treatment of fractures and dislocations in a pre-hospital environment mainly involves IMMOBILISATION/SPLINTING. If a person has suffered dislocations in the past then they are generally more prone to having recurring dislocations in the future.

Some people will wish for their dislocations to be relocated however this does carry several risks and should be avoided unless you are trained in how to carry out the procedure.

Splinting is a method to keep a broken bone, an injured limb, or a dislocated joint completely still. This can be achieved by simply holding/supporting the limb with your hands or it can be made more permanent by fixing a “splint” (something rigid) to it.

There is a wide range of manufactured splints available (eg SAM™) along with improvised splints: wood, cardboard, foam sleeping mat, tent poles, the uninjured limb.

Why splint a limb?

A splint can reduce the risk of shock by controlling the pain and reducing bleeding of a fracture or dislocation. It will prevent any further damage to a broken bone, dislocated joint or injured limb by stopping any movement. It will also prepare the casualty for evacuation or other procedures.

If a patient has suffered an open fracture, then we must remember never to put any pressure onto the protruding bone. Any bleeding has to be managed by padding around the site and then immobilise the

Cuts and lacerations Cuts and lacerations may come as standard depending on the sport in which you are participating. The faster you can treat your wounds, and manage them effectively, the more time you will have to carry on having fun. This is especially important if you are doing an ocean based sport where the smallest cut can put a stop to your activity due to the increased risk of infection.

• Irrigate the wound with fresh water and ensure any pieces of debris are removed from inside the wound. Don’t be afraid to scrub the wound using gauze dipped in antiseptic as this helps to remove any foreign bacteria.

• Apply antiseptic to the wound. The antiseptic may sting but it is extremely important that any foreign bacteria are killed before they have time to damage the tissue within the wound.

• Keep the wound free of dirt and covered as much as possible. Using appropriate dressings for the type of wound.

• Re-dress wounds as required. Do not leave dressings on for more than three days.

• Infection is indicated by yellow pus within the wound site, and soreness/redness surrounding the wound site. If infection is present scrub the wound using gauze dipped in antiseptic. Once all the yellow pus is removed, re-apply antiseptic and dress appropriately.

• If you are lucky enough to be on a boat trip then many of the crew are trained in suturing and gluing. This is great but if you don’t know how then don’t be eager to try!

• It’s very easy for me to say but try not to be tempted back into the water until the wound has healed. Warm sea water contains higher levels of bacteria and your wound will worsen rapidly!

As I said in the previous article, we cannot cover every eventuality and I urge you to enrol onto a suitable course and gain the knowledge you may need. I do hope you never have to act on this information but if you do it is always better to have the prior knowledge.

Take care, stay safe,

Gordon Gordon Ingram is a paramedic with experience and knowledge of pre-hospital care in remote areas. He has been involved in surfing for over 15 years, being sponsored by Rusty in his younger years; he was Senior Instructor at both Harlyn Surf School and with Saltwater Training in the UK.

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UAE DIRECTORY General Sports Equipment Megastores

Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +97142839392 Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +97143253595; Ibn Battuta Mall: +9714368 5344; Mall of the Emirates: +9714341 3251; Mirdif City Centre: +97142843034 InterSport, Dubai, Times Square Centre and Dubai Festival City, +97142066587, www.intersport.ae Sun and Sand Sports, most shopping centres, +97143504444, www.sunandsandsports.com

Adventure tours and desert safaris

MMI Travel, Mezzanine Floor, Dnata Travel Centre, Shk Zayed Road, Dubai, +97144045888, www.mmitravel.ae Alpha Tours, +97142949888, www.alphatoursdubai.com Bike and Hike Oman, PO Box 833, Ruwi, Postal Code 112, Oman, +96824400873, www.bikeandhikeoman.com Cyclone Tours & Travels, Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Street, +97126276275, www.cyclonetours.com Dadabhai Travel, Sama Bldg. next to Al Mulla Plaza, Dubai-Sharjah Road, Dubai, +97142209393,www.dadabhaitravel.ae Desert Rangers, Dubai, +97143572200, www.desertrangers.com Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +97142959429, www.arabiantours.com Dream Days, +97144329392, www.dreamdays.ae Dream Explorer LLC, Dubai, +971433198801, www.dreamexplorerdubai.com Dubai Relax Travel, Dubai, +97144221776, www.dubairelaxtours.com Element Fitness, Dubai, +971502771317, www.element-fitness.net Explorer Tours, Umm Ramool, Dubai, +97142861991, www.explorertours.ae, Gulf for Good, Dubai, +97143680222, www.gulf4good.org Gulf Ventures, Dnata Travel Centre +97144045880, www.gulfventures.com Net Group, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, +97126794656, www.netgroupauh.com Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +97142628889, www.opdubai.com Rahhalah, Dubai, +97144472166,

www.rahhalah.com Relax Tours Travels, Dubai, +97144221776, www.dubairelaxtours.com Wild Guanabana, Dubai, +971567954954, www.wildguanabana.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Fishing, Camping, Kayaking, & Adventure Club, +971504920860, mohammed.almahrouky@gmail.com

Air

Ballooning Adventures Emirates, Dubai, +97142854949, www.ballooning.ae Jazirah Aviation Club, Ras Al Khaimah, +9716139859, www.jac-uae.net Seawings, Dubai, www.seawings.com Sky Dive Dubai, Dubai, +971501533222, www.skydivedubai.ae

Boating & Sailing

Manufacturer Al Fajer Marine, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143235181, www.alfajermarine.com Al Shaali Marine, Ajman, +97167436443, www.alshaalimarine.com Alyousuf Industrial, LLC, +97143474111, www.aym.ae, yamboats@alyousuf.com Gulf Craft, Ajman, +97167406060, www.gulfcraftinc.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK border Musandam, +97172682333/+971504873185, www.aljeerport.ae Elite Pearl Charter, Saeed Tower 1 office # 3102, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3889666, www.elitepearlcharter.com Distributors and Dealers Art Marine, Dubai, +97143388955, www.artmarine.net Azure Marine, Dubai, +97143404343, www.azuremarine.net Leisure Marine Beach Street, Dubai, The Walk JBR, +97144243191 Luxury Sea Boats, Dubai, +971505589319, www.luxuryseaboats.com Macky Marine LLC, Dubai, +971505518317, www.mackymarine.com Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +97165576818, www.nautilusyachts.com UAE Boats 4 Sale, Dubai Marina, +97144471501, www.uaeboats4sale.com Western Marine, Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +97143039744 The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143405152, www.theboathouse.ae Equipment Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Deira, Dubai, +97142263220 Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143808616/+971553899995, info@bluewatersmarine.com, www.bluewatersmarine.com Extreme Marine, Dubai, +97143992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +97155 9299111, +97142828255, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Rineh Emirates Trading LLC, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143391512, www.rinehemiratesme.com Repairs and Maintenance Extreme Marine, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +97143992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1, Al Quoz, +97143391512, info@rinehemiratesme.com, www.rinehemirates.com SNS Marine, JAFZA Techno Park, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971501405058, info@snsmarine.ae, www.snsmarine.ae The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143405152, www.theboathouse.ae Cruise Operators 4 Yacht Arabia, Shop No. 5, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, 800 92248, www.4yachtarabia.ae

Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi, +97126665491, www.marinaalbateenresort.com Al Marsa Travel & Tourism, Dibba, Musandam, +96826836550, +97165441232 Leisure Marine Beach Street, TheWalk JBR, Dubai, +97144243191 Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite the British Embassy, +97143994994 Bristol Middle East, Dubai Marina, +97144309941, www.bristol-middleeast.com Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, +97126507175, www.captaintonys.ae Delma Industrial Supply and Marine Services, Al Bateen Jetty, Abu Dhabi, +97126668153, www.delmamarine.net Eden Yachting, Dubai Marina, +971504586171, www.edenyachting.com Emirates Yachting, Dubai, +97142826683 El Mundo, Dubai, +971505517406, www.elmundodubai.com Four Star Travel and Tourism, Dubai, +9714 2737779, www.fourstartravels.net Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +97192449888, www.rotana.com Ghantoot Marina & Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971529933153, www.ghantootmarina.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971558961276, +971503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com JPS Yachts and Charter, Room 225, Emarat Atrium building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143437734, www.jpsyachts.com Khasab Divers, Oman, +97156 7255889, khasab.diver2@gmail.com Khour Shem Tourism, Oman, +96826731919, www.khourshemtours.com LY Catamaran, Dubai, +971505869746, +971566506683, www.lycatamaran.com Marine Concept, Dubai, +971559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Nautica1992, Dubai, +971504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +97126503600, www.noukhada.ae RAK Marine LLC, Ras Al Khaimah City Hilton Marina, +971504912696, +97172066410 Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats Rental, Dubai Marina, +97142951011 Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Smoke Dragon Of London Yacht, Abu Dhabi International Marine & Sports Club, +971507011958 / +971504546617 Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +97142573084 The Club, Abu Dhabi, +97126731111, www.the-club.com The Yellow Boats LLC, Dubai Marina Walk – opposite Spinneys, Intercontinental Hotel Marina, +8008044, www.theyellowboats.com Khasab Musandam Travel & Tours, PO Box 411, Khasab, Musandam, +968 93350703, info@tourkhasab.com Marinas Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, Abu Dhabi, Breakwater, +97126815566, www.adimsc.com Abu Dhabi Marina, Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area, +97126440300 Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam +97172682333 or +971504873185 www.aljeerport.ae Al Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman, +968 2453 4554, www.almoujmarina.com Dubai Creek Marina, Deira, Dubai, +97143801234, www.dubaigolf.com Dubai International Marine Sports Club, Dubai Marina, +97143995777, www.dimc.ae Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +97143627900, www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com Dubai Maritime City Harbour Marina, Dubai, +97143455545 Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai, +97143941669, www.dosc.ae Emirates Palace Marina, Abu Dhabi,

+97143388955 Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar, +97444948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com Fujairah International Marine Club, Fujairah, +97192221166, www.fimc.ae Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Marina, Al Bateen, Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +97126666888, www.intercontinental.com Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Marina, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +9714814 5555/5029, www.jebelali-international.com Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar, +9745584 3282, www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman, +96824737286 (ext 215), www.marinaoman.net Pavilion Marina, Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +97144068800 The Pearl–Qatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar, +9744965801, www.ronauticame.com Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club, Umm Al Quwaim, +97167666644, www.uaqmarineclub.com Dragon Boat Groups Dubai Dawn Patrol Dragon Boating, Dubai+971508795645 (Michael), www.dubaidawnpatrol.org Dubai Diggers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, pier next to 360, Dubai, +971501547175 (Nick Hando), www.dubai-diggers.com UAE Dragon Boat Association, +971507634008 (Jason), www.dubaidragonboat.com

Camping & Hiking

Equipment Blingmytruck.com, +971505548255, www.blingmytruck.com Jack Wolfskin, Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +97142840228; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi, +97124437802 Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143951113 Tresspass, 2nd floor above ice rink, The Dubai Mall, +97143398801 Gulf Camping, Dubai, U.A.E, support@gulfcamping.com Tour Operators Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +97143459900, www.adventure.ae Libra, +971559228362, www.libra-uae.com Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +97143480214, www.mountainhighme.com Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba, +97150336046, www.sheesabeach.com Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +97142959428, www.arabiatours.com

OUTDOORUAE

63

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Caving

Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +96824543002, www.holiday-in-oman.com Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +97143480214, www.mountainhighme.com Oman World Tourism, Oman, +96899431333, www.omanworldtourism.com

info@adventure.ae Clubs Abu Dhabi Tri Club, www.abudhabitriclub.com Cycle Safe Dubai, Dubai Autodrome www.cyclechallenge.ae Dubai Roadsters, www.dubairoadsters.com

Climbing

Diving

Equipment Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +97148829361, www.globalclimbing.com Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +97143466558, www.barracudadubai.com Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +97142840228; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi +97124437802 Services Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +97143459900, www.adventure.ae Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +97126429995, www.alshaheenme.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Dorell Sports Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, +97143065061, www.climbingdubai.com E-Sports UAE, Dubai, +97142824540, www.esportsuae.com The Club, Abu Dhabi, +97126731111, www.the-club.com Information UAE Climbing, +971506456491, www.uaeclimbing.com

Mountain Biking & Cycling

Equipment/Dealers Cycle Sports, Shop No. 1, Al Waleed Bldg., Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +97143415415, www.cyclesportsuae.com Fun Ride Sports, 301, 3rd floor, Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi, Rm. 4, Mezzanine floor, C-13 Bldg., Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi, info@funridesports.com, www.funridesports.com Micah’s Bike Shop, Warehouse no.4 6th St. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +97143805228 Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1, +97143255705, www.probike.ae Rage Shop, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Festival City, +97143369007, www.rage-shop.com Ride Bike Shop, Dubai Mall, Festival City, Oasis Centre, Mirdif City Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143750231, www.ridebikeshop.com Revolution Cycles, Shop G05, Apex Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, +97143697441, www.rcdxb.com Sportz Unlimited, Sheikh Zayed Road & Jebel Ali, Dubai, + 97143388644 Tamreen Sports LLC, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi, +97126222525, www.tamreensports.com The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Dubai, +971505528872, www.thecyclehub.com Trikke uPT, Dubai, +97145081202, +971556096757, www.trikkeme.net, info@trikkeme.net Trek Bicycle Store, Seih Al Salam, Al Qudra Road, Dubai, +97148327377, www.trekbikes.ae Fun Ride Sports, Rm no. 4, Mezzanine floor, C-13 bldg. Khalifa A City, Abu Dhabi, +97125566113, www.funridesports.com Peak Performance, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, Dubai, +97143413056 / +97143308023 Wolfi’s Bike Shop, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143394453, www.wbs.ae Bikers JLT, Unit H6, Cluster H, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE, +971526221888, products@allbikers.net Operator Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +97143459900, +971506259165, www.adventure.ae,

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, +97142894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143468000, Dubai www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Blue Waters Marine, +97142232189, Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi, +97126710017, www.gulfmarinesports.com Premiers for Equipment, Abu Dhabi, Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, +97126665226, www.premiers-uae.com Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +97143444468 Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +97192388477, www.scuba-2000.com Scuba Dubai, Al Barsha, Al Khail Road, Dubai, +97143414940, info@scubadubai.com Diving Centres 7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan, +97192387400, www.7seasdivers.com Al Boom Diving (equipment), Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, +97143422993, www.alboomdiving.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam, +97172682333, www.aljeerport.ae Al Mahara Dive Center, near Muroor St across from main bus terminal, +97126437377, info@divemahara.com, www.divemahara.com Al Marsa Musandam, Dibba Harbour, Musandam, Oman, +96826836550, www.almarsamusandam.com Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al Khaimah, +97172226628, +971502428128 www.arabiandiver.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Coastal Technical Divers, glenn@coastaltechnicaldivers.com, www.coastaltechnicaldivers.com Deep Blue Sea Diving, Dubai, International City, +97144308246, www.diveindubai.com Desert Islands, Sir Bani YAs Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE, +97128015400, www.divemahara.com Divers Down, Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah Hotel Resort & Spa, +97192370299, www.diversdown-uae.com Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi, near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444, www.edc-ad.ae Euro-Divers Oman, Muscat, Oman, +96895035815, www.euro-divers.com Extra Divers Ziggy Bay, Oman, Musandam, +96826735555, www.extradivers.info Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Freestyle Divers, Dubai, Al Wasl & Dibba, Royal Beach Hotel, +97143944275, www.freestyledivers.com Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa - Al Aqah Beach, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +97192449888, www.rotana.com Global Scuba Dive Center, Civil Aviation Club, Oman, +96899317518, www.global-scuba.com Khasab Divers, Oman, www.khasabdiver.com Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +97192449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Moonlight Dive Center, Madinat Qaboos, Oman,

JUNE 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

+96899317700, www.moonlightdive.com Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +971503289642, www.holiday-in-oman.com Neptune Diving, +971504347902, www.neptunedivingcentre.com Nomad Ocean Adventures, www.discovernomad.com, +971508853238, Dibba, Oman Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman, +96824284240, www.omadivecenter.com Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai, +97144068828 Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +97192388477, www.scuba-2000.com Scuba Oman, Oman, +96899558488, www.scubaoman.com Scuba UAE.com, +971502053922, www.scubauae.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +97150784 0830, www.bsac406.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Sky &Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +97143999005, www.watersportsdubai.com The Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai, +97144068828 The Dive Shop, 34G, European Center, Green Community, Dubai, UAE, +97148135474, www.thediveshopdubai.com Clubs Atlantis Underwater Photography Club, Dubai, +97144263000 Desert Sports Diving Club, Dubai, www.desertsportsdivingclub.net Emirates Diving Association, Diving Village, Al Shindagha, Dubai, +97143939390, www.emiratesdiving.com Filipino SCUBA Divers Club (FSDC), Dubai, UAE, +971566952421, www.thefilipinoscubadivers.com Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +971507840830, www.bsac406.com

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +97142894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +97143444468 Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143808616 / +971553899995, www.bluewatersmarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143468000,

New rates for 2014 Single visit 80 aed 10 visit pass: 500 Summer Sizzler 1 May to 30 Sept (5 months) 1,500 Courses starting in May for beginners and intermediate facebook.com.rock.republic.dubai or info@globalclimbing.com 04 88 29 361

The Beach-JBR, Dubai | Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi

RENT ADVENTURE GEAR | BIKE WORKSHOP | DELIVERY AVAILABLE | IN-STORE ADVENTURES

DUBAI Times Square Center | Tel No.: +971 4 346 6824 The Beach, JBR | Tel No.: +971 4 430 4419 ABU DHABI Dalma Mall | Tel No.: +971 2 445 6995 info@adventurehq.ae | www.adventurehq.ae

www.masaoodmarine.com Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +97143466558, www.barracudadubai.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +97148829361, www.globalclimbing.com Leisure Marine Beach Hut, The Walk JBR, Dubai, +97144243191, www.leisuremarine-me.com Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971502898713, www.oceanactive.com Challenging Adventure, Wadi Al Bih Ras Al Khaimah, +971561060798, contactus@challengingadventure.com Al Kashat, Shop No. 14, Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar, +97444175950, www.alkashatqatar.com Operators Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah, +97143422993 Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +97143459900, www.adventure.ae Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, +97172434540, www.alhamramarina.com Al Mahara Dive Center, Downtown Abu Dhabi, +971501118125, www.divemahara.com Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +97126429995, www.alshaheenme.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing (Al Wasl Passenger Yachts and Boats Rental LLC), Airport Road, Al Owais Building, Dubai, +97142394761, www.cruiseindubai.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, +971506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Barracuda Diving Centre, Fujairah International Marine Club, +9719222558 Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi,+97126594144 Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, +97126507175, www.captaintonys.ae Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai, +97153244550, www.funbeachsports.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971558961276, +971503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +97126811900 Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +97192449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Nautica 1992, Dubai, +971504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +97126503600, www.noukhada.ae Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971502898713, www.oceanactive.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +97142573084, www.summertimemarine.comz

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Soolyman Sports Fishing, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971508866227, www.soolymansportsfishing.com Xclusive Yachts, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +97144327233, www.xclusiveyachts.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Camping, Fishing & Kayaking Club, mohamed.almahrouky@gmail.com Dubai Surfski & Kayak Club, Kitesurfers’ Beach, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai, +971554986280, www.dskc.hu

General Sports Equipment Distributors

800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai +97143467751 www.800sport.ae Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Flip Flop Arabia, flipme@flipfloparabia.com, www.flipfloparabia.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai +97148829361, www.globalclimbing.com Goal Zero, +971509128353, www.goalzero.ae Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +97142840228; Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi +97144437802 Ocean Sports FZE, +971559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Sakeen General Trading, +97147094224, www.sakeen.ae Sport in Life Distribution, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Khor, Dubai, UAE, +97142896001, +97142896002, info@sportinlife.ae, www.sportinlife.ae Tresspass, The Dubai Mall 2nd floor above ice rink, +97143398801

Horse Riding

Equipment Al Asifa Horse Equestrian & Requisites Trading, Al Khawaneej 1, Dubai, +971554733110, www.asifa.ae Black Horse LLC, Abu Dhabi, +97126422237, www.blackhorseuae.com Bonjour Equestrian Supplies, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Kho, Dubai, UAE, +97142896001, +97142896002, info@bonjourequestrian.com, www.bonjourequestrian.com Cavalos Equine Care and Supplies, 16th Street, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi, +91722222433, www.cavalosuae.com Emirta Horse Requirement Centre, Sheik Zayed Rd, Dubai, +97143437475, www.emirtahorse.com Horse & Carriage Equestrian Equipment LLC, Dubai, +97142895069, www.horseandcarriageuae.com Mirzan Equestrian Equipment, Dubai, +97144472808, www.metdubaihorse.com Equestrian Clubs/Centres Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +97124455500, www.adec-web.com Al Ahli Riding School, Al Amman Street, Dubai-Sharjah Rd., +97142988408, www.alahliclub.info Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +97125568555, www.alforsan.com Al Jiyad Stables, Behind Dubai International Endurance City, Dubai, +971505995866, info@aljiyad.com, www.aljiyad.com Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +97144274055, equestrian.centre@alsahra.com Dubai Polo Academy, Dubai, +971508879847, www.dubaipoloacademy.com Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, Arabian Ranches, +97143618111, www.poloclubdubai.com Desert Equestrian Club, Mirdif, Dubai, +971503099770, +971501978888 Desert Palm Riding School, Near Al Awir Road (going to Hatta-Oman), Dubai, +97143238010, www.desertpalm.peraquum.com Emirates Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +971505587656,

www.emiratesequestriancentre.com Ghantoot Polo & Racing Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +97125629050, www.grpc.ae Golden Stables Equestrian Club, Al Khawaneej, Dubai, (Nouri) +971555528182, www.goldenstables.ae HoofbeatZ, located just inside the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, +971501810401, www.hoofbeatz.com Mushrif Equestrian and Polo Club, Mushrif Park, Al Khawaneej Road, Dubai, +97142571256, www.mushrifec.com Qudraland Community, info@qudraland.com, www.qudraland.com Rahal Ranch, Al Wathba Racing Area, Abu Dhabi, +971566127914, www.rahalranch.com Riding for the Disabled, Dubai, lessons@rdad.ae, www.rdad.ae, Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club, Sharjah, Al Dhaid Road, +97165311188, www.serc.ae Racecourses Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +97124455500, www.adec-web.com Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +97125629050, www.grpc.ae Jebel Ali Racecourse, off the main Abu Dhabi - Dubai Highway (Sheikh Zayed road) beside the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, +97143474914 Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse, Al Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +97143270000, www.meydan.ae Sharjah Racecourse, Al Dhaid Road, Sharjah, +97165311155, www.serc.ae Equine Hospitals/Clinics Dubai Equine Hospital, behind World Trade Center, Zabeel 2, Dubai, +97143178888, www.dubaiequine.ae Gulf Vetcare, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, +971508617590, www.gulfvetcare.com Sharjah Equine Hospital, Bridge No. 6, Al Dhaid Road, next to Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Center, Sharjah, +97165311881, www.seh.ae Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, next to Dubai Equestrian Hospital, Zabeel 2, Dubai, +97143375165, www.cvrl.ae

Jet Ski

Dealers Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +97155 9299111, +97142828255, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Rentals Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai, +971 5 3244 550, www.funbeachsports.com The Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah, +9717206000, www.rotana.com Xventures, Dubai, +971555404500, www.x-ventures.ae Regal Promotions, Level 14,Boulevard Plaza Tower 1, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard. Downtown Dubai, PO Box 334036 Dubai, UAE, +971 4 4558570, info@regalproms.com

Motocross & ATV’s

Dealers Al Badayer Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, +971507842020, www.albadayerrental.com Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor, +97143200009, sales@alshaalimoto.com. www.alshaalimoto.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42, +9714323151, www.ktm.com Golden Desert Motorcycles Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai, +971551532550, www.goldendesert-dubai.com

JUNE 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Polaris UAE (atv’s), Ras Al Khor, Nad al Hamar Road, Al Ghandi Complex, Dubai, +97142896100, M4, Sector 13, 10th Street, Mussafah Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +97125555144, www.polarisuae.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental), Al Quoz, Dubai, +97143470270, www.sandstorm-motorcycles.com Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1 Dubai, +97143393399, www.sebsports.com Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai, +97148321050, www. wildx.ae Equipment Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +97142959429, www.arabiantours.com 2XWheeler, Motorcity Dubai, +97144548388, www.2xwheeler.com Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental), Al Quoz, Dubai, +97143470270, www.sandstorm-motorcycles.com Sebsports, Dubai, Al Quoz Industrial Area 3, +97143393399, www.sebsports.com Wild X, Dubai, Um Al Ramoul Industrial Area, +97142852200, www. wildx.ae

Motorcycling

Distributors and Dealers Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, www.aym.ae/yamaha Ducati, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +97125535771, info2@ducati.ae, www.ducati.ae Duseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143476712, www.dusejamoto.com Harley-Davidson, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +97125540667, hd.auh@harley-davidson.ae, www.harley-davidson-abu-dhabi.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97142822144, www.libertykawasaki.com Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex, Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor, +97142896100, www.polarisuae.com Tristar Motorcycles, +97143330659, www.tristaruae.com Workshops and Services 2xWheeler Adventures, Dubai, +97144548388, www.alainraceway.com Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +97125568555, www.alforsan.com Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, +97143678700 www.dubaiautodrome.com Emirates Motorplex, Umm Al Quwain, +97167681717 Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, www.yasmarinacircuit.com

Off-Road

Dealers 4x4 Motors LLC, Shk. Zayed Rd, Dubai, +97143384866, www.4x4motors.com Bling My Truck, +971503634839 / +971505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com Liberty Automobiles, Dubai, 8005423789, www.libertyautos.com Repairs and Services Off Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143392449, www.offroad-zone.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +97143382744, www.icon-auto.com Saluki Motorsport, Dubai, +97143476939 www.salukimotorsport.com Equipment Advanced Expedition Vehicles, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +97143307152, www.aev.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +97143390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Bling My Truck, +971503634839 / +971505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +97143382744, www.icon-auto.com Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai, +97148321050, www.wildx.ae Yellow Hat, Nad Al Hamar, and Times Square Center, Dubai, +97142898060, www.yellowhat.ae

Heartland UAE, Al Mafraq Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +971567231967, www.heartlanduae.com Tour Operators Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +97142959429, www.arabiantours.com Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +97143034888, www.arabian-adventures.com Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +97142628889, www.opdubai.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club, www.ad4x4.com ALMOST 4x4 Off-Road Club, +971507665522, www.almost4x4.com ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com JEEP Wrangler JK Fun Club, suffian.omar@yahoo.com, www.jk-funclub.com Dubai Offroaders, www.dubaioffroaders.com

Running

Clubs ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi, www.abudhabitriclub.org Al Ain Road Runners, Abu Dhabi, +971504188978, alainroadrunners@yahoo.co.uk Mirdif Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.info Abu Dhabi Striders, admin@abudhabistriders.com, www.abudhabistriders.com Dubai Creek Striders www.dubaicreekstriders.org

Stand up Paddling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +97142894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Picnico +97143941653 Jumeirah Beach Road Opposite Sunset Mall, Dubai Pearl Water Crafts, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, +971553749398, www.pearl-watercrafts.com Surf Dubai, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971505043020, www.surfingdubai.com Surf Shop Arabia, Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai, +97143791998, www.surfshoparabia.com UAE Kite Surfing, +971505626383, www.ad-kitesurfing.net Ikönic Brands, Suite 509 Düsseldorf Business Point Al Barsha Dubai, UAE +971506874178, info@ikonicbrands.com

OUTDOORUAE

65

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Kitesurf Dubai, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqueim and Jumeirah 3 +971505586190, info@kitesurfdubai.ae, www.kitesurfdubai.ae Distributors Ocean Sports FZE, +971559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Kitepeople Kite & Surf Store, International City, Dubai, +971504559098, www.kitepeople.ae Operators Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +97125568555, www.alforsan. com Dubai Kite Surf School, Dubai, Umm Suqeim Beach, +971504965107, www.dubaikitesurfschool.com Duco Maritime, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi, +971508703427, www.ducomaritime.com Dukite, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqeim, Dubai,+971507586992, www.dukite.com Kite Fly, Dubai, +971502547440, www.kitesurf.ae Kitepro Abu Dhabi, Yas Island and Al Dabbayyah, Abu Dhabi, +971505441494, www.kitepro.ae Kite4fun.net, Abu Dhabi, +971508133134, www.kite4fun.net

QATAR DIRECTORY Adventure tours and desert safaris

Arabian Adventures, Al Asmakh Street, Doha, Qatar, +97444361461, www.arabianadventureqatar.net Gulf Adventures, 29 Aspire Zone Street, Aspire Zone, AlRayyan City, Doha, Qatar, +97444221888/1868, www.gulf-adventures.com Regency Travel & Tours, Suhaim Bin Hamad Street, Doha, Qatar, +9744434 4503/4718, www.regencyholidays.com Qatar International Adventures, Al Rawabi Street, Al Muntazah, Doha, Qatar, +97444553954, www.qia-qatar.com Qatar Inbound Tours, Al Muaither, Al Rayyan, Doha, Qatar, +97477451196, www.inboundtoursqatar.com

General Sports Equipment Megastores

Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +97444822194; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +97444569143; Ezdan Mall, Qatar: +97444922827, www.galaxysportqatar.com

Nautica1992, Dubai, +971504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Shamal Kite Surfing, Umm Suqueim Dubai, +971507689226, astrid@shamalkitesurfing. com, www.shmalkitesurfing.com Sky & Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +97143999005, www.watersportsdubai.com Surf School UAE, Umm Suqeim Beach and Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai,+971556010997, www.surfschooluae.com Watercooled, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, Dubai, +97148876771, www.watercooleddubai.com Water Cooled, Watercooled Sports Services LLC, Hilton Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE, +97126395997, www.watercooleduae.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle, www.abudhabisup.com, abudhabisup@gmail.com UAE SUP www.uaesup.com

Water Parks

Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, +97144260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dreamland Aqua Park, Umm Al Quwain, Emirates Road, +97167681888,

GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +97444631644; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +97444517574 www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar Sun & Sand Sports, City Centre Mall, Qatar: +97444837007; Dar Al Salam Mall, Qatar: +97444932973, www.sunandsandsports.com

Diving

Equipment Extreme Adventure, Shop 3, 4 Ahmed Bin Ali Steet, Doha, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +97444631644; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +97444517574, www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street (near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar, +97444435626 Pearl Divers, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 44449553, www.pearl-divers.org Poseidon, Ras Abu Abboud, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2, Doha, Qatar, +97455510633, www.pdcqatar.com Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar, +97466662277 / +97444422234,

Add your free listing to the

ONLINE DIRECTORY Do you have a business related to outdoor activities, sports, lifestyle or travel? Or are you an active club or social group who is looking for new members? Then list your businesses, clubs or groups with us.

The listing should give all people interested with the outdoors a good overview of what is offered in the UAE, easy access to contact details and a reliable location map.

To ensure that all entries are genuine and complete, we review any listing before it will be posted online. We also review all entries on a quarterly basis, to keep the directory up to date.

JUNE 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

www.dreamlanduae.com Wadi Adventure, Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, +97137818422, www.wadiadventure.ae Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai, +97143484444, www.wildwadi.com

Other leisure activities

Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, + 97125588990, www.adgolfclub.com Al Tamimi Stables, Sharjah, +97167431122 \ +97144370505, www.tamimistables.com Blokart Sailing, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +971556101841, www.blokartme.com Children’s City, Creek Park Gate No.1, Dubai, +97143340808, www.childrencity.ae Dolphin Bay Atlantis Dubai, +97144260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park Gate No. 1, +97143369773, www.dubaidolphinarium.ae iFly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +97142316292, www.iflyme.com Sadiyaat Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, +97125578000, www.sbgolfclub.ae Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Sharjah, +97143999005, www.golfandshootingshj.com

www.qatarscubacenter.com Q Dive, Souq Al Najada cnr of Grand Hamad and Ali bin Abdulla Str.; Al-Odeid Aisle numbers 129-132, +97455319507, www.qdive.net World Marine Centre, Old Salata Street, near the Qatar National Museum, Doha, Qatar, +97455508177 Dive Centres Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street (near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar, +97444435626 Pearl Divers, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 4444 9553, www.pearl-divers.org Poseidon, Ras Abu Abboud, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2, Doha, Qatar, ‘ +97455510633, www.pdcqatar.com Qatar Marine, +97455319507, www.qatarmarine.net Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar, +97466662277 / +97444422234, www.qatarscubacenter.com Qatar Divers, Marriott Hotel Marina, near old airport, Ras Abu Aboud Area, Doha, Qatar, +97444313331 / +97477313331, www.qatardivers.com Q Dive, Souq Al Najada cnr of Grand Hamad and Ali bin Abdulla Str.;Al-Odeid Aisle

SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of The Emirates, +97144094000, www.skidxb.com Spacewalk Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, +97124463653, www.spacewalk.ae

Health, Safety & Training

Safety Lessons Marine Concept Yacht Charter & Sea School, Rania Business Centre, Dubai, +971559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Safety & Leisure Training Middle East, Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +97144502418, www.sltme.com Sport and Health Centres Bespoke Wellness, Dubai, +971553724670, info@bespoke-wellness.com, www.bespoke-wellness.com The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, +97144370570, www.physiocentre.ae Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +9712406 9404, info@originalfitnessco.com, www.originalfitnessco.com Orthosports, 5B Street, Jumeira Beach road, Dubai, +9714355060, www.orthosp.com

numbers 129-132, +97455319507, www.qdive.net World Marine Centre, Old Salata Street, near the Qatar National Museum, Doha, Qatar, +97455508177

Fishing & Kayaking

Spearfishing Shops Equipment Extreme Adventure, Shop 3,4 Ahmed Bin Ali Steet, Doha, +97444877884, www.extreme.qa Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting Equipment, Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +97466724828 State of Qatar (QatarSub), Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +9744431234, www.stateofqatar.com

Stand Up Paddeling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding

Equipment, Operators Fly-N-Ride, Al Muthaf Street, Doha, Qatar, +9744498 2284, www.fly-n-ride.com Flo Kite School, Westbay, Doha, +97455041039, www.flokiteschool.com Kitesurfing Qatar, +97430179108, www.kitesurfingqatar.com

SCUBAPRO. Unparalled performace.

Unimaginable experiences.

MK25/S600 Regulator The preffered combo of professionals embarking on long and deep dives and an excellent choice for any demanding diver.

Equator The Equator is extremely comfortable and fully adjustable. It comes with an integrated weight system and a wide range of great features. Its compact and lightweight design make it an ideal front-adjustable BC for diving at home or elsewhere.

Website: www.amitdubai.net Email: contact@amitdubai.net Tel: 4 229 1195

Synergy Twin Trufit The new Synergy Twin mask uses exclusive Trufit technology with a thicker, matte silicone near the frame to offer extra rigidity & support, while the thinner silicone ribbing conforms comfortably to almost any face.

Twin Jet Twin Jet fins area a must for divers looking for a split-hydrofoil shape to deliver more forward motion with less effort and drag. Monoprene construction makes these fins last for a lifetime.