OutdoorUAE - March 2015

STEER CLEAR FISHING GREAT BEAR LAKE

LIFE ONBOARD VOLVO OCEAN RACE Outdoor play

HIKING AND CAMPING WITH KIDS

Plenty of

PRODUCTS TO CHECK OUT

Price 10.00 AED 10.00 QAR 1.00 OMR

MUSANDAM ADVENTURE RACE 2015

Walk on the wild side

THE HUMAN & K9 ULTIMATE CHALLENGE

Vol. 5, No. 3 March 2015

www.OutdoorUAE.com

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

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

OutdoorUAE Team

It’s March already. It seems like not a minute ago we were celebrating the turn of the year. March sees the beginnings of the return to the hotter weather as the temperatures start to rise so take care in the sun when you are outdoors. We’ve also seen some windy weather and sandstorms in February so be careful when you’re out at sea or on the water.

March sees International Women’s Day and for that reason you will find our supplement dedicated to, written by, edited by and compiled totally by women. The articles will appeal to everyone, whoever you are and wherever you are from. At OutdoorUAE we have over 50% female staff and the UAE is a training ground for world-class female athletes in all disciplines from motocross to climbing and triathlon.

March in the UAE has many events. The Boat

Sean James Editor sean@outdooruae.com

Show and the magazine is focused on boating and fishing. OutdoorUAE will be at the Boat Show and I will be showing some pictures from his adventures in Musandam before I head off to Nepal to spend two months climbing Mount Everest. I’m fully connected by satellite so expect regular updates and messages on the OutdoorUAE blogs so you can follow my progress.

If you are still thinking about doing more outside in the UAE, read through the magazine and get inspired. Contact us or the companies in here. We all share the same dreams and obsessions as you.

March is also the time that we at OutdoorUAE are thinking about our summer holidays. In addition to regional adventures in the Middle East we often have articles to give you a fresh look at overseas destinations. Make sure your next vacation is something exciting and packed full of adventure.

Maybe you could be tempted by horse safari in Argentina, rafting in Costa Rica, climbing mountains in Iran or even a staycation in Musandam.

Whatever you do in March make sure it is outdoors and pushes you slightly out of your comfort zone. You’ll definitely feel better and more rewarded for going the extra distance. Who knows maybe it could be the start of a whole new lifestyle. Nowhere are the workings of the mind and changes in behaviour more acute than in the outdoors. Profound changes happen in very short spaces of time. Most are positive but we can guarantee you will remember them all and be talking about them until next month.

That’s why we love the outdoors so much.

Editor For editorial content and press releases Tel: 04-447 2030 Mobile: 055 5760322 editor@outdooruae.com

Distributor Tawzea, Abu Dhabi Media Company P.O. Box 40401, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries) Tel: 04-447 2030 Mobile: 055 9398915 linda@outdooruae.com

Printed at United Printing and Publishing P.O.Box: 39955, Abu Dhabi, UAE

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 Cover photo by: Sailing Arabia - The Tour

© 2015 Outdoor UAE FZE Vol. 5, No. 3, March 2015

www.OutdoorUAE.com

© 2015 Outdoor UAE FZE Reg. at Creative City Fujairah P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E. Get to us on Facebook!

Glaiza Seguia-Godinez Editor glaiza@outdooruae.com

Eulogy van Dyk Editor Qatar eulogy@outdooruae.com

Linda Turcerova Sales and Marketing linda@outdooruae.com

Jane Mesina Administration jane@outdooruae.com

Jung Francisco Designer and Photographer jung@outdooruae.com

EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS Ian Ganderton Kayaker, climber, mountainbiker and snowboarder.

Enthusiastic jack of all trades, master of none

John Basson Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker

Marina Bruce The Desert Diva and off-road expert

Kit Belen Our fishing pro

Facebook.com/OutdoorUAE Twitter.com/OutdoorUAE

Nico de Corato Diver and heli rescue swimmer with Bergamo Scuba Angels

Instagram.com/OutdoorUAE

The information contained is for general use only.

We have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been obtained from reliable sources. The publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in this magazine is provided without a full guarantee of completeness, accuracy and chronology. In no event will the publisher and/or any of our affiliates be held responsible for decisions made or action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine.

All contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission.

Daniel Birkhofer Founder and General Manager daniel@outdooruae.com

WHEN YOU’RE DONE READING, PLEASE RECYCLE!

Ivana Chiles Health coach and outdoor enthusiast

Dan Wright Freelance wilderness guide in the UAE

Cindy Stadelmann Equestrian expert

Trace Rogers SuperTri triathlon coach

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

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

CONTENTS 14 DMX

12 K9 CHALLENGE

EVERY ISSUE 05 BEST SHOTS 06 EVENTS CALENDAR 40 LIFESTYLE 46 PRODUCTS 62 PEOPLE 70 DIRECTORY

EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS 16 24HR RUN 24 EFG SAILING ARABIA – THE TOUR 2015 26 SPARTAN RACE UAE

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE 34 GREAT BEAR LAKE 38 HONEY BADGER DIARIES

18 VOLVO OCEAN RACE

LIFESTYLE 42 SEAYOU WATERSPORT CHALLENGE 44 UAE’S GEOLOGY

OUR EXPERTS 56 ROAD TO ADDC - IAN 59 FAMILY FISHING – KIT 60 RECON RIDE – JOHN

TIPS + TRICKS 66 HIRE A GUIDE 68 FITNESS TIPS

22 SALOMON WADI BIH RUN

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40 HEALTH POWERHOUSE

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

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BEST SHOTS 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, five free copies of the magazine and the Advance Off-road book: Christophe Besson, Stacey Brady and Jerry Damian. Well done!

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

Christophe Besson

A cloudy morning in the desert of Al Hayer.

Stacey Brady

Loving the Liwa dunes.

Jerry Damian

Acrobat Rider in Liwa.

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

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EVENTS CALENDAR

Stay up-to-date with the latest events featured event

Dubai International Boat Show

March 3 to 7, Dubai International Marine Club Mina Seyahi The Dubai International Boat Show (DIBS) is established as the MENA region’s number one marine luxury, leisure and lifestyle industry event. With 23 years of maritime history, it is the premium event to gain exclusive market exposure to the largest and most influential gathering in the MENA marine industry. It will be a big gathering of visitors based not only in the UAE but around the Middle East and the world with world-class suppliers of marine equipment, boats, yachts and leisure craft. This year’s DIBS will also feature sub sectors covering sailing, watersports and fishing. OutdoorUAE is a media partner for the Dubai International Boat Show.

For more information, visit www.boatshowdubai.com.

ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi 2015 March 6 to 7, Abu Dhabi

Dare to tri! Following a five-year partnership between Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and ITU, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Triathlon Series (WTS) will be held in the UAE capital from 20152019 with this year’s event being centred in and around the city’s stunning Corniche. The World Triathlon Series represents the best of the best with the sports elite competing in a 10-city circuit. The public will not only have a chance to watch these elite athletes in action, but they also get the opportunity to compete on the same course and experience the same race setup as the 65 elite men and 65 elite women.

For more information, visit abudhabi.triathlon.org and www.premieronline.com.

2015 BULA & WFDF World Championships of Beach Ultimate March 8 to 13, The Beach, Jumeirah Beach Residence

Brought to Dubai by the Beach Ultimate Lovers Association (BULA Beach Ultimate) and the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), Beach Ultimate is a fast-paced sport that involves the rules and styles of football, American football and basketball to create an original activity. This sporting event hopes to bring together up to 60 teams and huge number of participants to play around JBR area and will be the first of its kind to be held in the Middle East.

For more information on this new sport and event, visit www.wcbu2015.org.

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Saucony Dubai Autodrome 10K 2015 March 13, 6:30 a.m., Dubai Autodrome The oldest running race in Dubai held every year since 1991 is back.

Organised by the Dubai Road Runners, this is a 10km challenge on an undulating course followed by refreshments. Prizes will be given for each age group category and for first male or female overall For more information, visit www.dubairoadrunners.com and www.premieronline.com.

Urban-Ultra Hajar 100

March 13, 8:00 a.m., Ras Al Khaimah

Challenge yourself on this beautiful 100km trail run through the mountain passes, along jeep tracks and over spectacular sand dunes of Ras Al Khaimah. It is a tough challenge and requires training, but generous cut-off times (24hr overall) allow most physically fit, determined and wellprepared runners to get to the finish.

You will carry your food and water (fruit, water and Aqualyte available approx every 10km). CP5 will be your opportunity to eat a hot meal where hot water for your dehydrated food and hot soup on the go will be provided.

The course will take you on a multi-terrain adventure; the details of which will not be divulged until registration has closed. It will take in approximately 2,000m of elevation over the 100km distance.

For more information, visit www.urbanultra.com and www.premieronline.com.

Dubai Gran Fondo UCI World Cycling Tour

March 20, 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Al Qudra Cycle Path The UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) is a series of UCI-sanctioned races held all over the world where amateur and masters age-group cyclists can qualify for the UCI World Championships in both road races and time trials. This is the fifth season of the Tour and thirteen qualifier events will qualify the top 25% in each age group for the Amateur Road World Championships, and the UCI Masters Road World Championships, where the champions are awarded with the coveted rainbow jersey.

For more information, visit dubaigranfondo.com and www.premieronline.com.

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EVENTS CALENDAR Emirates Golf Club Half Marathon 2015 March 20, 6:15 a.m., Emirates Golf Club Starting at Emirates Golf Club, the first half of the race is around the Faldo golf course, a picturesque winding route on the continuous cart path followed by one loop around the perimetre of Jebel Ali Race course.

There is an element of running on hard pan sand in between the Faldo course and the race course.

For more information, visit www.premieronline.com.

2XU Triathlon Championships Series Race 3 of 3 Season 14/15 March 27, 7:00 a.m., Al Mamzar Beach, Dubai Calm waters in the lagoon, closed roads and a designated running track will ensure a safe and speedy race for all. Three distances including Sprint, Super Sprint and Olympic. This event is open for all ages and abilities and relay teams of two and three people are also welcome to enter. Enter this event and stand a chance of winning an all expenses weeklong holiday in the French Alps.

For more information, visit www.supersportsdubai.com and www.premieronline.com.

Zayed Marathon 5km and 10km Run 2015

The Pearl Qatar Triathlon 2015

March 21, 3:30 p.m., Yas Marina Circuit Grand Prix Circuit

March 27, 6:00 a.m., Doha, Qatar

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed All Nahyan in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, spectators and runners will enjoy a day of health and traditional entertainment in the Athlete’s Village with live music from Arabic and Western artists.

Exceptional cash prizes will be awarded to the top three runners for each categories.

In its second edition, this is one of the most exciting events on the Qatar sporting calendar with full international standards and an exciting course.

The event will be opened for public and will consist of swim, bike and run routes. Two distance routes: sprint and Olympic; with respectively 750m and 1.5km swim, 20km and 40km bike ride and 5km and 10km run.

For more information, visit www.yasmarinacircuit.com and www.premieronline.com.

For more information, visit thepearlqatar.com/ and www.premieronline.com.

Dubai World Cup

March 28, Meydan Racecourse

Dubai Desert Road Run 10km and 3km

March 21, 7:00 a.m., The Sevens Stadium Featuring two distances, 10km race (which starts at 7:00 a.m.) and 3km fun run (7:05 a.m.). Both distances will be timed and award medals to 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.

For more information, visit www.premieronline.com or contact info@dubairunning.com.

We’re off to the races! The region’s premier equestrian event pays tribute to the Arabian love affair with horses and is also one of the UAE’s biggest social and sporting events. It will be the richest day of racing in the world with a combined prize purse of 27.25 million USD. The event features nine races, highlighted by the 10 million USD Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline.

For more information, visit www.dubaiworldcup.com.

This is just a selection of the events taking place this month, for more upcoming events visit: www.outdooruae.com/event

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

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

NEWS + COMMUNITY

Mark Cavendish wins the 2015 Dubai Tour On February 7, in the shadow of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, Mark Cavendish (Etixx – Quick-Step) won stage four of the 2015 Dubai Tour.

Victory brought Cavendish the race leader’s Blue Jersey by a margin of six seconds over Saturday’s stage winner and the overnight Blue Jersey, John Degenkolb (Team Giant – Alpecin), who finished ninth. Cavendish also secured victory in the overall points classification and received the final Red Jersey on the podium, by virtue of his wins in stages one and four and his second place in stage two.

Elia Viviani (Team Sky) finished second in Saturday’s stage, and in the overall points classification. Third, for the second day in a row, was Juan José Lobato (Movistar Team). The result moved Lobato into third place overall, and he stood on the final podium with Cavendish and Degenkolb.

In the intermediate sprints competition, Alessandro Bazzana (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling), 20th on Saturday, successfully defended the UAE Flag Jersey, while Michael Valgren Andersen (Tinkoff Saxo), 30th, retained the White Jersey for the best young rider.

JERSEYS BLUE JERSEY (SPONSORED BY THE COMMERCIAL BANK OF DUBAI) Overall race winner: Mark Cavendish (Etixx - Quick-Step) RED JERSEY (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES) Overall points classification winner: Mark Cavendish (Etixx - Quick-Step) UAE FLAG JERSEY (SPONSORED BY DUBAI SPORTS CHANNEL)

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Intermediate sprints classification winner: Alessandro Bazzana (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) WHITE JERSEY (SPONSORED BY THE RTA – THE ROADS AND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY) Best young rider, born on or after 1 Jan 1990, winner: Michael Valgren Andersen (Tinkoff Saxo) After the podium ceremony, stage winner Mark Cavendish (Etixx-Quick Step), who is now the 2015 Dubai Tour champion, HE Saeed Hareb, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Dubai Tour, and Lorenzo Giorgetti, CEO of RCS Sports and Events (UAE) spoke to the press.

Cavendish said of his overall victory: “I’m super-happy obviously it’s nice to win, but winning isn’t new. What makes this super special is the fact that Etixx - Quick-Step just rode from the beginning of the race on Wednesday until the finish of the race here today.

Our team wanted to control. We had no help but the majority was left to us and the lads rode out of their skin for four days. Yesterday it wasn’t necessarily for me, it wasn’t a stage that really suited me, but we honoured the jersey, we rode, and the lads stayed around me and delivered me as best as possible and more than I could have hoped for. They kept me within distance of winning this Dubai Tour overall. We wanted it back. The lads rode with fire in their eyes today. That was a phenomenal display the whole day, not just the

lead-out. To be fair, I didn’t really do anything, so I’m incredibly grateful to the lads for this win. I think, yeah, they deserve this jersey more than me.”

Our contributor Nico de Corato also had a chance to speak to HE Saeed Hareb, Chairman of the Organising Committee, who talked about the goals of Dubai Tour. “Spreading the culture of cycling, encouraging our community to practice this sport for its numerous benefits of health, fitness and well-being, and showcasing the development of Dubai and the UAE, especially for tourism, construction and urban planning,” Hareb said. “The Dubai Tour offers us an opportunity to reveal to the world images of convergence between our rich heritage and our flourishing present; images of harmony among communities, of more than 200 countries, living and working in our nation, and images of millions of visitors who come to the UAE throughout the whole year.”

Lorenzo Giorgetti, CEO, RCS Sports and Events (UAE): “I think that we will know in 2017 what rules will set the new standards in UCI professional races. I know the UCI is talking to riders, teams and organisers but some of the criteria are already clear: they include rider safety, the quality of TV production, and the quality of hospitality. I think that Mark [Cavendish] can witness the level of investment made by the Dubai Sports Council, by booking this wonderful hotel, building an entire paddock and then engaging the fans and the general public.”

Animaniac Animaniac adventure

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

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Words By: Trace Rogers

Are you an animal lover that likes getting outdoors and is looking for something different to do? A great opportunity exists right on our doorstep and the bonus is that this adventure is for a very good cause.

The Animal Welfare Project UAQ (TAWP), was founded by Barbara Carstens and Louise Mitchell in May 2014. They have taken on the full-time job of looking after the animals living in the Umm Al Quwain industrial area. These ladies spend up to nine hours a day ensuring that the animals are watered, fed, neutered, tended to for medical emergencies and (most importantly) vaccinated. In the event that they come across a younger animal or animal that cannot fend for themselves, the animal will be removed from the environment to be taken care of. For the best part, they will look for foster and permanent rehoming for the animal. In other cases where it is evident that the animal will thrive back in the original environment, they are returned. In all cases the first consideration is what is best for the animal.

Up close and personal

Barbara with dogs

Animals currently being looked after by TAWP include: dogs, cats, camels, donkeys, goats and sheep – all of them in great condition and always very happy to see the ladies (and friends).

Be part of the experience. TAWP will gladly have you join in on the feeding rounds. This involves travelling to various feeding stations to place food down for the animals. Be prepared though, many of these animals are far less interested in the food and far more interested in receiving hugs and cuddles.

When we arrived at the first feeding sight, we were treated to (what would be an unusual sight anywhere else) the dogs running towards us followed by their camel companions. It was so special to see those happy dogs followed by camels on a mission. The dogs and camels really seem to enjoy the interaction with people and I was challenged to a head/fist butting competition with one of the goats. It was an amazing experience and the best part for me was to see that these animals were all very happy and well taken care of.

Knock on effect. As a result of going out to care for the animals, these ladies have

developed a rapport with the workers who live in the area. This is fantastic as many of the animals are overseen by these men and although there is a genuine concern for the animals they do not always have the means or know-how to care for the animals properly. A genuine sense of gratitude and friendship has developed and the workers have become watchdogs for the animals, alerting Barbara or Louise when there are emergencies.

The other positive effect of this project is that it keeps animals out of shelters and in the environment that they are happy in.

There is a neutering project in place, so although the animals are fed and cared for, it is done responsibly without encouraging further breeding.

Get out there! If you are considering going out there, the meeting point is about 45 mins drive from Dubai. To organise a visit, please contact TAWP UAQ through their Facebook page.

Be sure to wear comfortable clothes as there is a bit of walking, carrying and a lot of cuddling involved. Also, feel free to donate.

This project relies on donations to continue the great work.

Happy herd

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Advanced Expedition Vehicles:

For the past seven years, we have been building some of the region’s coolest, toughest and fastest Jeep Wrangler JK’s. For the demanding off-road Jeepers, a hemi engine swap is performed. The Jeep Wrangler JK doesn’t come equipped with a V8 engine. At AEV, we offer a wide range of Hemi engine swaps starting from 5.7L and all the way to 7.2L. The conversion uses high-end factory quality conversion kit and the whole swap is performed by our experienced Hemi gurus supported by our hemi conversion partner in the united states Dakota Customs and led by Hemi swap guru and inventor Dan Mackeag.

The car in the pictures has been converted from its stock engine Chrysler 3.8L to a Hemi 440 7.2L with a whopping 630hp.

The conversion is factory alike and the entire electronics work and perform just like a stock car. All stock car functions and engine programming will be retained. It’s such a feeling when you do zero to 100km in less 10

OUTDOORUAE

than five seconds with a JK Wrangler sitting on 37” tyres!

The front and rear axles has been upgraded using high-end Dyanatrack Pro Rock D44 front and Mopar Dana 60 at the back with 4.88 R&P ratio and ARB air lockers front and rear as well as heavy duty ceramic breaks. A thicker heavy-duty radiator has been fitted. The car is lifted using Teraflex 3” full lift kit with Pro series Fox shocks. The tyres are BF Goodrich 37x12.50R17. The transmission has been upgraded to a Getrag Manual transmission and we retained the stock transfer case. 1350 front and rear drive

shafts from Tom Wood has been added too.

The process of engine swap required the cutting of the stock engine mounts, welding new CNC machined and laser-cut mounts.

About AEV:

We started the business back in 2009 and focused from day one to become the GCC’s largest one-stop Jeep shop.

Built and driven by Jeep enthusiasts.

For information, visit www.aev.ae or call 04 330 71 52 or visit our showroom in Al Quoz.

INTRODUCING

DUBAI Showroom No. 8, Al Ghandi Complex Nad al Hamar Road, Ras al Khor Tel: +971 4 2896100 Fax: +971 4 2894914 Email: sse@polarisuae.com AL AIN Al Masaood Showroom, Sanaya Tel: +971 3 7219999

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

BADA ZAYED Al Masaood Showroom, Sanaya Tel: +971 2 8844200 MUSSAFAH M4, Sector 13, 10th Street Tel: +971 2 5555144

DISTRIBUTORS QATAR Protech Powered Sports Co Street: Salwa Road PO Box: 91, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 44398030 Fax: +974 44398030 Sales Email: info@protech.com.qa

EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

OMAN FairTrade Auto Services LLC P.O. Box 2636, Ruwi, Muscat Tel: +968 96778552 Fax: +96824701787

LEBANON Helmets On sarl Independence Street, Sodeco, Beirut Tel: + 961 1 644442 Fax: + 961 1 633332

Contact person Mr. R. K. Sunder Email: sunder@ftgroupholding.com

Contact person Mr. Khalil Abu Chwareb Email: khalil@helmets-on.com

EVENT REPORT

Dog Days Hiking with man’s best friend

High in the hills

doesn’t mean they don’t need money. On the contrary they are run entirely by volunand rely 100% on donations to operate.

This is a story about two beauti- teers Much of their time is spent fundraising. A ful souls who entered our lives for visit to the kennels in Jebel Ali is a fantastic day out and you will be overwhelmed by the a brief couple of days. Boomba positivity and compassion of the volunteers and Dingo, two foster dogs, who all focused on caring for these beautiful but we were lucky enough to spend a unwanted dogs. If I was a homeless dog, I short period of time with. Modern would want to be brought here.

K9 Friends had come up with an event life then pulled us apart and they and challenge for the whole family. They had returned back to a life of uncerorganised a hike in one of the most secluded tainty and we continued on a path and breathtaking valleys of the UAE. The hike would provide a way of bonding of relentless goal-driven behaviours between your family, friends and also your and the quest to attain the aspiradog. If you didn’t have a dog you could take tions of our society. a foster dog.

The event was totally supervised with Recently OutdoorUAE was invited by a marshals, first aiders and vets. Everything you dog welfare organisation in Dubai to support need to ensure a safe and fun day out in the their annual hike. K9 Friends was set up in mountains. At the end there was even a BBQ 1989 and is a non-profit organisation. Their brunch. The hope was that time spent with objective is simple – to rescue and rehome the foster dog would lead to a more permastray and abandoned dogs in the UAE. You nent relationship. can imagine they are very busy. Non-profit Hiking with your dog or a foster dog has so Dogs are part many advantages. Dogs love being outside of the family and will follow you on virtually any trail. They won’t complain when you are lost and are always willing to please. Dogs are banned Words + Photos By: Sean James

Forever grateful and tired

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from most beaches in Dubai so taking to the mountains, wadis or desert is a good alternative for everyone.

We had planned to take two dogs just for the day of the hike but ended up taking them for the whole week so we could get to know them: Boomba and Dingo. Both two years old and both have their own story. Instantly, we saw they had very different personalities that complimented each other. They were both male and acted like brothers. Constantly nudging and bumping noses affectionately, obviously used to spending time together and taking care of each other in the kennels.

For anyone, it is a big upheaval moving from Jebel Ali to Arabian Ranches for the week but they instantly settled in and looked like that had lived in a villa all their lives. Dingo made straight for the back garden, past the comfy couch in the living room and claimed the garden chairs as his. This was his safe place and he preferred to sleep under the stars at night as well, only lifting his head up for dinner time or walkies. Boomba, a black Labrador cross was a lively young man but so loyal. He would do anything for his owner. He constantly followed me around the house, trying his best not to get under my feet, watching every move and just happy for the newfound companionship.

Dogs need reassurance

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Whatever it takes

Walking a dog will take you to many new places

Plenty of rest and shade for owners and dogs

Tips to make your dog hike more comfortable

• Take a bowl and plenty of water for your dog.

• Try to build the distance of your hikes slowly. Don’t start with a huge four-hour marathon. Three to four kilometres to start should take less than two hours with stops.

• Dogs get sunburn as well.

• On trickier, steeper sections and going down, keep the dog closer to you on a short lead and let them know who is in control.

• Constantly check their pads. Dogs are so eager to please that they will keep going and can’t easily tell you they have a thorn or sore feet.

• Have regular stops in the shade.

• Dogs don’t sweat, they pant to lower their body temperature. Excessive panting and drooling is a sign they are getting too hot.

Stop, rest and let them drink.

• Get a good dog body harness that doesn’t rub. This is easier to control and better than a collar.

• Take poop bags and a hard plastic container. Never leave any waste in the outdoors. Even skins from oranges or bananas take years to decompose and looks trashy for the next person.

• Don’t let your dog chase goats or annoy local villagers.

Boomba and Dingo took to the lead instantly and loved the sandy tracks around the Ranches, meeting the permanent residents, domestic staff and local dogs. Like most from a humble background, Boomba and Dingo

were naturally more sociable and well-mannered than many of the expats in Dubai. They became accustomed to travelling in style in the Cayenne with Boomba loving to sit upright in the middle of the back seat, checking we were going the correct way, occasionally putting his head or paw on your shoulder to let you know he was thinking of you. Dingo of course was happy to curl up and sleep until we arrived.

The hike with the dogs was amazing. They loved the Bedouin staircases, secret pools, hidden villages and stood staring out into the wilderness on the very top of the plateaus as the wind blew their ears and cheeks. Never pulling too hard on the leash they would break stride and glance back every few minutes to check we were still there. Happy we were ok and after a rub on the head they would trot on, contented that they were pleasing their new masters.

The weekend was over and it was almost as if they knew it was time to go back. We were so proud of them. They had been the best, most loving and loyal new house guests and friends you could want.

We drove silently to the kennels in Jebel Ali and pulled up outside in the sandy parking area amongst the industrial buildings.

They sat up in the car and patiently waited for the car door to open. As we took hold of their leads for the last time, they jumped down and knew where to go. Not a whimper or growl of complaint, just happy to have been out and loved for a week. Their temporary owners were suffering more than them. They were used to this scenario. That evening we went for a bike ride. Opening the door to the villa, no furry bundles of energy came rushing to see us, no furious wagging tails. Only silence.

Since 2000, K9 Friends have found over 4,000 dogs homes but the struggle never ends. To start your adventure with man’s best friends and maybe even be part of the happy homing stories visit the website www. k9friends.com. #humank9challenge

What you can do to help dogs in the UAE

Even if you cannot adopt a dog full time there are many ways you can help • Arrange or attend a lecture for a group of friends or children

Stylish dogwear

Hiking with a dog is very rewarding

Take a bowl and water

• Sponsor a kennel for a year • Sponsor a dog • Foster a dog for a short period (one week) • Volunteer your time to help at the centre • Take a foster dog for a walk • Encourage people to consider a foster dog if you know they are thinking of getting a dog • Promote K9 Friends and foster dog organisations whenever you can on social media etc.

• Donate books etc to the centre for sale For details of hikes we run where you can bring your dog, contact trips@outdoorarabia.com.

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DMX Words By: Mark Ackerman Photos By: Andy McNab

Motocross has become a popular recreation activity within the UAE. An average race day attracts approximately 80-100 racers whilst this number is much higher for riders who just ride for fun. Our small club has approximately 10% of the riders either being race professionals or making their living in the industry. DMX racing is every bit as exciting as any event in the world with racers covering 1.9km of race track in the fastest time of 1min 36sec with a maximum speed of 70km/h. The riders will fly over 17 jumps with a total airtime of about 150m along with 13 corners, thick sand, deep ruts and fellow competitors all racing for the first corner down a 100m start line.

Each racer has to be very fit for racing with MX being rated as one of the most physically demanding sports in the world with the average competitive age at premier level of 18-24 years old. Most racers these days

spend many hours practicing, going to the gym and cycling is also a key activity for cardiovascular endurance. Injuries are not uncommon with MX being rated the seventh most dangerous sport in the US; however, it’s still safer than rugby, soccer and football!

At a slightly more conservative pace we have the Masters and Clubman class. The seasoned veterans in the Masters class have an average age of over 42 years old yet this class is without doubt the biggest class every weekend. The Clubman class is really the best place to get into MX with open entries to all who are keen to learn. The classes are typically combined for a full race gate of about 25-35 bikes for one race and have oldies and newbies duking it out for 20 minutes. Every rider gets off the track just as

“pumped” as the junior track riders and it is truly awesome to see CEOs, directors and general petrolheads just having heaps of fun like they are all teenagers with no day jobs.

Round 5 was a big upset day in the points for the Masters Class with some crashes from Ali and broken toes for the new points leader, Shannon O’Connor, who still managed to grit out a second moto finish to overtake Ali Alkubaisi in the points for the overall. Clinton Wyngard continued to extend his points lead in the Clubman class but was not immune from an MLOT (Momentary Lapse of Talent) in Moto 2. The overall winners on the day include Ahmed Alnuiami (65cc), Eugenio Barbaglia (85cc), Dean Jullien (125cc), Jake Shipton (MX2) and Jake Shipton (MX1).

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Dale Jullien

Age: 19 Nationality: South African Occupation: Student Race Number: 3 and 2 Bike Model: 2015 Class: Mx1 and Mx2 How did you get into motocross?

Motocross has been in the family for years. My dad surprised me one day with a 50cc when I was eight and I have been riding since. I’m trying to think of someone in my family who hasn’t put their foot over a bike at some point in there life.

Can’t think of anyone.

What’s your greatest racing achievement so far?

I’ve won championships as a junior but I think my greatest achievement is coming third in my first season in the Mx1 class (big boy class).

What’s your training like?

Just cardio and ride as much as possible.

Seat time is very important in motocross for sure. I’m pretty much a weekend warrior. Ride weekends, school and gym during the week.

What’s your race strategy?

Everyone wants to come out leading

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round the first corner. My strategy is different depending on my start but if it’s a good one, ride it like you stole it.

Always ride the best you can. There is no worse feeling than giving up or knowing you could have done better. Competition is tough in my classes for sure. Few riders have come over from different countries and it makes ruling real exciting.

What do you love about this sport?

I love the feeling of having a good ride and knowing I put all my effort into something and get rewarded for it. The adrenaline rush is what I love. I’ve learned to be patient mostly. You can’t just hop on the bike and expect to win. A lot of work behind the scene needs to happen such as strategy, tactics, stamina, etc.

Aren’t you worried about accidents?

Accidents are a part of motocross, we try not to get into it as much as possible but it does happen at times which is a part of the game. I’ve had a bunch of big injuries. My worst was probably at a Supercross event where I knocked myself out and broke my collar bone and tore some ligaments.

What do you like most about riding for the Kawasaki team?

The support we get from Liberty Automobiles – Kawasaki from all fronts is unmatched which essential for a sport like motocross. They take care of things from A-Z, the bikes are awesome and which makes riding much more enjoyable.

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EVENT REPORT

A personal goal Is it a dream? If it is, please don’t pinch me because I don’t want to wake up!

Words By: Gigi Young

This dream goal started in August. My coach Howard (who is the US National 24hr Ultra Running Team Leader) mentioned to me that based on my performance at the Keys100 in Florida (160km in 19hrs 27mins) I might be able to run well in a 24hr race and suggested that I might have a chance to reach the National Qualifying standard for the 24hr World Championship.

Wow! To me this sounded a totally unrealistic goal being a leisure runner! However after a few emails backwards and forwards, Howard guided me to contact the HK Ultra Running Association. First, I needed to find out if HK is registered under the International Association of Ultra Running (IAU) and participate in a 24hr IAU certified race that would enable me to qualify for the World Champs.

During my usual home visit to Hong Kong in August, I decided I had nothing to lose. I contacted the HK Ultra Running Association and asked what plans they had for any 24hr races, as well as checking out any other IAU certified races in other cities. However the HK URA committee told me that they were organising an international 24hr certified race in January 2015. As a Hong Kong born Chinese, there would be nothing better than to run a race with friends and family support! At that time, deep down I knew I had already quietly and secretly decided to set this “unrealistic” goal! I was going to run a 24hr race!

Training started; Howard scheduled quite a bit different schedule than the one for Keys100, I quietly ticked the box day in, day out, morning and evening running sessions, paying a lot more attention to nutrition and the all too important recover time between

my back-to-back sessions. I had to admit this training was never easy, but is it not what we go for – to push our limit?

During the training period, I have only told a very few running friends; the group that I felt comfortable to talk to, the group I trusted and never needed to hide my fears. On the other hand, I was so nervous I couldn’t even bear to tell the public that I was training for this epic race! I was speechless when my running buddies Nick and Lesley decided to make a trip to HK to support me and John! My very dear husband as usual, never questioned me and always stood by my side and supported whatever I wanted to try to achieve.

After a horrible nerve-racking and uncomfortable taper, John, Nick, Lesley and I met up in HK a few days before the race.

We attended the race briefing, met some other running friends who I had bumped into on previous ultras in South Africa and the enormity of the challenge hit me hard. I was running with some great runners and this was going to be a huge challenge. We discussed what I needed during the race, etc. The 24hr race was set around a 1.1km running track with just two timing mats at each end of the track. Runners would run round and round on the track within 24hr and see what the maximum mileage we could tuck in! I always laughed and described this like a monkey running inside the cage! This race was obviously not just physically challenging, but also very much a huge mental challenge. This race was strict with no pacers and assistance from official supporter in one very small area along the route. John, Nick and Lesley could only pass me things when I ran pass the runner’s helper tent. So you could imagine how “exciting” a job they had to do – standing and sitting for 24hrs watching runners running round and round! As a runner, I can tell you it is a much harder job as a supporter! Needless to say, they did a fantastic job to support me; they did a top job to make sure I have enough balanced nutrition during the race. At the first official weigh in (being four hours into the race) I had lost 1kg. At the second weigh in, I had lost 1.7kg. My supporters in Dubai upon hearing this were very jealous of my weight loss and I got lots of rude comments over the SMS! During the dark and down periods, the rain and wind started from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. and I had to change to waterproof gear, but to see my supporters also stood in the cold and just watching all the runners, I can’t really describe my feeling! I told myself over and over that I had to stay focused and keep moving, I dare not drill into any negative energy, all I needed to do was keep running, walking or even crawling - as long as I didn’t stop I would make the 24hr!

Rain stopped around sunrise and this gave me a bit of a lift. I glanced at the official timing

clock and saw 20:10:00, it means I just had less than four more hours to run. I also dared to open up myself to my support team; that my goal was to run 180km, as this is the National Qualifying mileage for the World Championship! When I passed the timing mat on lap 164, my team told me I have ran the minimum 180km! They were jumping up and down and so did I! I am not sure who was happier. I was happy but exhausted and when I looked at the Timing Clock again I realised I still have another 1hr 20mins left to run!

Immediately I asked myself “Am I going to stop now?” I have done what I came for. I was tired and every bit of my body was screaming at me that I’m in pain. But the other side of me was also telling me that I might still have a bit more to give; no pain no gain theory! So with a bit of a stubbornness and determination, I did it. I ran 190km in 24 hours! Exceeded my own expectation!

I realised that this was no longer a dream, my dream had come true! I got three awards, 1st Hong Kong Female, 3rd Overall Female, and I exceeded the National qualifying standard! Lastly I was officially invited to represent Hong Kong in the 24hr World Championships in April in Italy.

Of course the above would not have happened without all these wonderful people helping me during my training period: Andrea, Jerry, Kerry, Julie, Noel, Monique and Samantha, they are truly my running buddies.

I wouldn’t have done this race without John, Nick and Lesley’s support - their physical and mental support was outstanding and kept me going even during the darkest hours of this race. When I stood on the stage to receive my trophies and all the glories, I looked at these three wonderful people. They had done all they could to help me achieve my dream. It’s hard to describe my feeling. I just know those faces will stay in my heart forever. I can never offer enough thanks to them. I hope I did them proud. Another wonderful and memorable time was to see all my very good friends in HK: Sean, Sandy, Simon and family, Anita, Tracy, Connie, Fanda who all came along to cheer me and share the moment with me during the awards ceremony. Many people have asked me “How can you run on a 1.1km track for 24 hours? Wasn’t it boring? Was it hard? What were you thinking? My answer was it was never easy, but with all the above mentioned wonderful people being part of this journey, I can say it was well worth it. A wonderful lifetime experience!

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EVENT REPORT

Live and train yourself like a Spartan Words By: Nico de Corato

The most famous obstacle race finally came to Dubai! The Spartan Race brought an unforgettable adventure, one that pushes competitors of all backgrounds and skill levels to their limits. The obstacles and over three miles sprint course were designed to challenge the fittest athletes to their limits.

Spartan Race was founded in 2010 by Joe De Sena, Selicia Sevigny, Richard Lee, Brian Duncanson, Mike Morris, Andy Weinberg, Shaun Bain and Noel Hanna. The first Spartan Race event was held in 2010 at the Catamount Outdoor Center in Williston, Vermont; nowadays it’s franchised to 14 countries including Canada, many European countries, South Korea, Australia and now UAE. As with any fitness endeavour, one must be properly ready to compete and run a certain distance; in particular, this race requires stamina to wade through the mud, water and signature obstacles that characterise the Spartan Race.

The event challenged my cardiovascular fitness and endurance level on a course designed to test the full spectrum of terrains, with natural and man-made obstacles. I tackled physical and mental challenges along the way, while running, jumping, crawling, climbing and plunging through mud. Participants had to complete the obstacles or perform burpee penalty exercises (just one penalty for me). Organisation did not pro-

During the race

vide the course map or list of obstacles until race day making it more and more intense, but also fun. The Spartan Race brought excitement to spectators and athletes alike.

I prepared for my first Spartan Race joining the free Spartan Workout every Friday at the SkyDubai; learning exercises to help me over the toughest of obstacles and getting a Spartan mindset. Unlike any other competitive race, it’s not just a race but a way of living. You need to be ready to train your mind as well as your body; to make your personal health and well-being a top priority. Train as if your life depended on it. If you can “exercise” while watching TV, talking on your mobile, sharing pictures with your smartphone, you’re doing it wrong. You’re like the potter who calls himself a soldier. You need to think, train, prepare like a Spartan.

Having a group at work exercising with me every Friday helped me a lot. If you say you are going to work out at a certain time on a certain day, I was there – no excuses, no

Start of the first wave

With Eva Clarke before the Race

email to send, no traffic jam to stop me.

Spartan Races are open to any person; anyone can do it, and everyone should try it. Obstacle races such as these are among the hottest trends in fitness right now. Those that do not want to partake in the event as individual runners can choose to create a team with a minimum of four people to join in on the excitement. With course lengths of 3+ miles (Sprint), 8+ miles, (Super) and 12+ miles (Beast), the race accommodates different fitness levels and training experience.

Spartan Race also has a military series in which obstacles are designed by the United States military. ESPN describes the Spartan Race as “a true test of will”.

“Spartans” obtain a Trifecta medal after completing a Spartan Sprint, Spartan Super and a Spartan Beast in one calendar year.

A participant can earn multiple Trifectas i.e.

Double Trifecta, Triple Trifecta etc in a given year by completing another set of events.

Ready to follow the Spartan way,

Nico

Spartans never quit (even with a broken arm)

Blogger, marathon runner and triathlete, diver and heli rescue swimmer with Bergamo Scuba Angels. You can read my blog www.dubayblog.com, contact me on social networks or via email at admin@dubaiblog.it for information about this article or just to say hello.

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EVENT REPORT

Volvo Ocean Race 2015 Words + Photos By: Guida Verschut

I didn’t need to think a second to say ‘yes’ to an invite from our supplier, Ocean Glasses, to step on board the ‘Mapfre’, one of the sailing yachts representing Spain and participating in the Volvo Ocean Race.

I am not currently into sailing, so when ‘Volvo Ocean Race’ came across I did not know exactly what it was. In short, seven identical, high performance sailing yachts made of 98% carbon fibre and 65m in length, race around the world. It is held every three years and is named after the main sponsor.

The race takes approximately nine months, goes over four oceans and five continents.

The total distance covered is a staggering 39,000 nautical miles (75,000 km). The race starts in Alicante (Spain) and has 10 stopovers before it finishes in Gothenburg, Sweden.

One of this year’s stopovers was Abu Dhabi, and involved a series of Pro-Am races. I was definitely an Am. Water is my element. Being born and brought up on a house boat, my playground was either on the water or around it. For example we had a canoe that my dad converted into a sailing boat, so if the weather was right, we often went out on a large channel where freight boats would pass now and then. In winter, we would ice skate to school, we learned at a young age what floats and what doesn’t, signing up for swimming classes ‘as soon as we could walk’.

So here we are in Abu Dhabi, after instructions, filling in disclaimers and lots of information for an hour or so, we finally stepped on board – not on the sailing boat – but on a rigid-hulled inflatable boat which took us out on open sea. It is here that we stepped on board the ‘Mapfre’. The wind was good so the waves did not make it easy to step on board. With a crew of nine people, this yacht offered enough space to get 10 guests on board. It was huge!

As soon as we were settled the crew started to do all the preparations to start a short race of an hour. You could feel the tension building up – these guys were competitive. The key was to get as close as possible to the start line in time, get most of the wind possible (with six other yachts around you) and to block the wind of your competitor without hesitation.

While most of us made ourselves useful In front is women-only team SCA making momentum, before Abu Dhabi yacht takes the lead

Mapfre Race yacht, representing Spain

Waiting for the start sign

by providing counter weight – some of us were helping manage the sails by rotating grinders as fast as possible which looked quite exhausting and was ongoing. We had a good start and were neck to neck with the competition, then the Abu Dhabi yacht started gaining speed, took all our wind while passing by before cutting us off sharply. We never were able to recover the distance. We finished second in the race and I was over the moon as we were called on stage to receive a medal for it.

Everything went super smooth. There was a strong synergy among the team, every person had his or her role, and the skipper standing on his platform was clearly the boss. Knowing what extremes these guys have to put up with – the mental and physical stamina required

“The combination of physical endurance and

mental toughness it takes to complete this race makes it one of the most extreme athletic events on earth. - Laird Hamilton, American extreme surfing legend.

”

“The Volvo Ocean Race - the best worst experience of your life. ” - Justin Slattery, Bowman Trimmer and Helmsman, Abu Dhabi Team.

Packing up sails

is tremendous – has given me great respect for the sport, and it was a great experience to meet these passionate people.

Sailing is a way of life for them, they live it, eat it and breathe it.

The yacht

Everything is high-tech on this boat and equipped with the most advanced electronica. At the same time it looks ‘simple’ as everything is stripped down to a bare minimum. There is a desalination pump on board but there is for example no shower; just a small toilet equipped with hand holds and helmet for when it is windy as you could get smashed around.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS Mast height: 30.30m (about the size of a 10-storey building) Weight: 12.5 tons (12,500kg) Length of boat: 20.37m Length of ropes on board: 3km Total number of sails for the race: 17 Total number of sails onboard: 8 Largest sail on board: The Gennaker = 420sqm Max speed: 40 knots (74 km per hour).

Compared with 20 knots (37km/h with a traditional boat of this size) Gear on board: electronic hardware, batteries, power systems, media equipment, satellite and communication systems.

12x hours of autonomy thanks to the batteries. That is what it takes to run 6 iPhones 24/12 volts which is the voltage used on board.

Number of crew: 8 (plus one onboard reporter who writes reports and produces image material).

EVENT REPORT

Who is Mingma?

A story of the Sherpas Part 1

Words By: Sean James

Mingma is just another Sherpa. You might have walked past him in Kathmandu or you may have even been on an expedition with him. If you were from a western country such as the UK or the States and had done what he had done you would be a superstar giving motivational talks to Fortune 100 multinationals about what drives you on to push yourself against these incredible challenges. You would command many thousands of dollars for an hour. Instead Mingma Sherpa, Tschering Sherpa climbs dangerous mountains and returns home to his farm and family in the quiet season.

Mingma is pretty special. In fact, there are quite a lot of things that are special about Mingma and his friends. They do things that mountaineers dream about. They do them every day and hardly ever blog or tweet about it. Twenty times Mingma has stood on the top of Everest. From the North, from the South, without bottled oxygen. Back in the 1990s, he was the first Nepalis to stand on the top of K2.

This month we will look at who the Sherpa people are and why they are so vital to the success of climbing expeditions and the aspirations of the modern world. Next month, in Part Two, we have recollections from Sherpas who I have personally worked with in the high mountains. Kindly they have given their time, pictures and thoughts to provide us with further insight into the lives of climbing Sherpas and Sherpanis. Maybe one day you will climb with them. As you read this I am preparing for an expedition to Everest. In a few weeks I will be reacquainting myself with these wonderful people.

Lhakpa Sherpa

Always happy to show you the ropes

Ongchuu Sherpa

Who are the Sherpas?

Be in no doubt, the position of Sherpas, especially those climbing high mountains has changed in Nepali and even global society.

There is a clear hierarchy amongst the ranks and keen competition to rise from cooks, porters and farmers to become high altitude guides. Many Sherpas have their own expedition companies and run them as profitable businesses. They advertise and attract climbers who are prepared to pay 100,000 USD to live out their dreams. In the off season they frequently live abroad in New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Canada and ply their trade in these foreign places. Of course some are more successful than others like any industry.

Sherpa youngster

Like the marathon runners of Kenya and the African countries, climbing and working on the high mountains is a way to care for one’s family.

Until the early 20th century Sherpas were unknown to the rest of the world but now the word Sherpa has come to have its own meaning. Physically strong, friendly and loyal. Not only is Sherpa the name of an ethnic group and a generic term for a mountain guide, it is also a common last name in the Sherpa group.

The first Sherpa

The first Sherpa to bring the Sherpa name into the public consciousness was Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953. With Edmund Hilary, he was the first person to climb Everest and set the precedent for generations to come. In fact, his own generations have continued the tradition. His son Jamling Norgay Sherpa summited Everest, and not to be outdone his grandson Tashi Wangchuk Tenzing Sherpa also summited establishing the record of most generations to summit Mount Everest. All Sherpas have the last name Sherpa. This does not mean they are directly related although when asked they all seem to be able to trace cousins, brothers, uncles etc to one another.

Another Sherpa legend and one recognised how to harness Sherpa power by establishing records was Babu Chiri Sherpa.

Born in 1965, he summited Everest 10 times

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without oxygen and at one point held the speed record of just under 17 hours from basecamp to the summit. There is even one Sherpa family with seven brothers who have summited Everest: Ang Chhirring Sherpa, Nima Temba Sherpa, Pema Tharke Sherpa, Nima Gombu Sherpa, Mingma Chhiri Sherpa, Thundu Sherpa and Passang Tenzing Sherpa.

A monopoly

Everyone agrees equivocally that climbing high mountains is impossible without the help of the Sherpa. The domination of the Sherpas in successful high altitude climbs is total. Sherpa has become synonymous with high altitude climbing. In Pakistan where similar high altitude locals can be employed on 8,000m peaks, commercial expedition companies will bring their own Sherpas to strengthen the HAPs or High Altitude Porters of Pakistan.

Sherpa homeland

Sherpa literally means “people of the East” and refers to the migration of the original Sherpas from eastern Tibet. Sherpas are considered an ethnic group and now number around 25,000. Their homeland is considered to be the Solukhumbu region of Nepal. They migrated to this mountainous area from Tibet through the Nangpa La pass in the 1500s establishing villages and living in relative isolation. Now there is another exodus. Sherpas are moving to cities like Kathmandu further diluting the original origins.

Although many Sherpas are mountain guides or work in the mountains, most survive through trade and subsistence farming, growing crops such as wheat and potatoes in the off season. With the men spending long periods away from their families as mountain guides, Sherpa women have had to be strong and independent as the head of the household taking care of the important roles in daily life such as looking after the children and tending to the crops and yaks. Now they are also gaining recognition as guides.

Contrary to popular belief the tourist industry does not underpin the Nepal economy and only accounts for 10% of GDP and less than 6% of employment. While Looking down on Namche Bazaar

Buddhist prayer stones

area. Hillary’s Himalayan Fund charity built 30 schools in the Solukhumbu region. Today, some schools have fallen into disrepair and suffer from low attendance because most students must trek long distances to get to school.

Religion

Prayer flags are everywhere the Khumbu region

some Sherpas work with trekking and expedition companies, most are still subsistence farmers. Despite the danger of working at altitude, the rewards are too great to ignore.

A Sherpa at the top of the tree can earn more than 2,000 USD for an 8,000m expedition. Compare this to the average yearly income of 331 USD for Nepal’s per capita Gross National Income in 2007 and you see why many want to be mountain guides.

Sherpas speak a Tibetan dialect rather than the national Nepali language and have no written language. Until the 1960s and the funding from Edmund Hillary’s foundation, little formalised education existed in the

Although many Nepalese are Hindu, Sherpas practice a form of Tibetan Buddhism.

Understanding their Buddhist practices helps understand their way of life and why the Sherpas are so deeply linked to the mountains. The mountains, particularly Mount Everest, hold spiritual significance as places to come closer to enlightenment.

Even the Khumbu valley is referenced in Buddhist literature as sacred.

Compassion is central to the Sherpa religion and their way of life. Many Sherpa homes contain religious shrines to which they pray and present daily offerings. In the mountains, you will see visible symbols of Buddhism dotting the footpaths and landscape. Mani walls, which are stones engraved with mantras, or short prayers of transcendence, remind Sherpas of their journey toward nirvana. Chodens, or religious shrines, are also common milestones along the trails, often wrapped in the strands of Tibetan prayer flags.

This religious background explains much about the differences between the Sherpa mindset and the Western approach to mountaineering. To attain enlightenment, Buddhists must not perform religious acts for their own sake, but rather for others. This selflessness translates into the Sherpa profession of guiding the climbers and sometimes sacrificing their own safety for others.

Next month, meet some of the Sherpas and their stories in OutdoorUAE. In April and May, I will be in Nepal working with them on the high mountains. Follow my blog on OutdoorUAE and see them in action. If you join one of our treks or climbs at OutdoorArabia you will more than likely meet them in person.

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EVENT REPORT

Salomon Wadi Bih Run reaches new heights Words By: John Young Photos By: Glen Nuestro and Barry Morgan

The 23rd Salomon Wadi Bih Run was held on 6th and 7th of February 2015 and reached new heights with the increased popularity witnessing over 1,500 runners, some old and some new, enjoying the great outdoors of the wadis and mountains of Musandam, Oman.

Due to the ever increasing interest in the event, it was split over Friday and Saturday to avoid congestion in the Wadi.

To some, the Salomon Wadi Bih Run is a competitive event but for the majority it is a physical challenge and a great social day out with friends. The way the event is structured with a number of stage markers over the route means that each runner runs a series of relatively short stages before meeting up again with their team vehicle, so even the not so great athletes enjoyed the fresh air and environment of the great outdoors.

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The Salomon Wadi Bih Run is now firmly cemented in the local calendar for hundreds, if not thousands, of local and regional athletes, running clubs and fun runners.

Its far-reaching appeal, when compared to the majority of other sporting events in the region, lies in its uniqueness due to the location and the environment where participants are taken out of their normal comfort zone in the city and face the challenges of a steep ascent through a rugged and dramatic canyon opening out into the high mountains. The run is also a great example of camaraderie between friends, family members and work colleagues who come together in a relay team and support each other through a great physical challenge.

This year, the solo run categories were developed, which are relatively new to the event and was originally undertaken by a very few hardy types about 10 years ago but has subsequently grown into a very competitive race. The original solo category was the full 72km but last year a new 50km solo category was introduced which proved extremely popular, and this year a new 30km solo category was introduced and appealed to serious runners but not seriously mad runners!

The organisers are keen to open up the event to solo runners internationally as it’s a great escape from the harsh winter of the northern hemisphere.

For the first year, the solo events were held on the Friday and there were 74 finishers for the Solo 72, 32 finishers for the Solo 50, and 48 finishers for the new Solo 30 route. This year saw a new category event, the Team 50 on the Friday where many of the 40 finishing teams comprised of families and children. On the Saturday, the main Team 72 event saw 214 finishing teams of five.

Everyone who has ever run in the Salomon Wadi Bih event should be grateful to long term expatriate John Gregory, the founder of the event. John has been a stalwart of the local climbing and mountaineering community

in RAK and is renowned for his hospitality at the many camps he has arranged and where he is locally known as the Laird of RAK. The history of the Salomon Wadi Bih Run harks back to the early 1990s when John’s long term passion with the mountains lured him to the Musandam area. John was an ardent climber and mountaineer, and in the cooler winter months used to explore some remote areas of the mountains. On one trip John climbed a large peak overlooking the Wadi Bih road and when sitting having a sandwich the idea came to him that it would be great to run across the mountains. John took this idea to the RAK social running group, the Hash House Harriers, and initiated the first Salomon Wadi Bih Run in January 1993 when 16 teams of five people gathered on the RAK side of the mountains for a social camp on the Thursday evening before heading off very early on the Friday to cover the approximately 75km distance through the spectacular wadi over the high point of the mountains and down the narrow Wadi Khab Shamsi canyon to the finish. John is a really practical easy-going guy and his mantra for the run was to ensure that there was always plenty of hot curry and adequate beverages at the finish.

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Since 2007, the run has been from Dibba up Wadi Khab Shamsi to a high point of over 1,000m on the road and then back down the same route. The previous route through the mountains from RAK to Dibba has been closed since 2007 due to border restrictions.

The route was as per the previous few years and traversed the very narrow and deep Wadi Khab Shamsi canyon, which is very susceptible to being washed out in case of a flash flood. The authorities in Dibba are generally very good in repairing and reinstating the road in a relatively short time, but it’s always a worrying period because if the wadi is washed out just prior to the event a change in route would be required and the contingency plan is for a shorter route with two members of the relay team running together to make sure each runners distance is maintained. This year the route and track were in good condition.

For the last few years, there have been difficulties in crossing the UAE-Oman border in Dibba which has involved the organisers in close liaison with the authorities to attempt ensure a smooth flow of participants through the border. This year saw a great improvement thanks to the organiser’s meetings with the authorities and all runners, friends, family members, sponsors and others involved or participating in the event had submitted their visa and passport in advance and passage through the border was greatly improved.

There are many people who have completed numerous Salomon Wadi Bih Runs in teams and solo in its 23-year history and the question came up when the 20th run was held a few years ago as to who had completed the most runs. Some of the team captains have been coming back over the years and there are a lot of names that could contend for the most runs.

On the social side, the regular competition to find the best named team and also the best dressed team took place with the not so super sporty types putting on their thinking caps to form a team with humorous or

anecdotal names, whilst some headed down to the souk to buy some unusual characteristic running gear for the fancy dress category.

The run was very fortunate this year to have some high ranking members of the Oman government attend to present the prizes provided by Salomon and witness the traditional Arabic dancing.

The Salomon Wadi Bih Run has developed into one of the region’s top sporting and social events and last year Salomon joined as the headline sponsor for the event and this year again Salomon continued their support as the title sponsor.

Since its construction in Dibba a few years ago the Golden Tulip hotel and Resort has been a major partner for the event and the hotels setting by the Gulf of Oman , with the dramatic backdrop of the mountains makes a great location for the post run buffet.

Absolute Adventure is an outdoor sports centre based in Dibba who offer people trekking, kayaking and mountain biking in the great outdoors and are a principal supporter of the event providing the marshals on the course.

The Salomon Wadi Bih Run has its roots in the very, very, very social Hash House Harriers local running clubs who enjoy the occasional beverage and in this regard thanks are due to MMI for their support.

The organisers would like to thank the other sponsors: Suunto, Thule, Sport 360, Voss water, GU, Aqualyte, OutdoorUAE and Physio House for their support. A special thanks needs to be extended to Miffy and her team of physio’s from Physio House for helping to alleviate the pain of the long distance solo runners.

Again this year, the support to solo runners out on the course at the manned checkpoints was very professionally organised and staffed

by Absolute Adventure who deserve a big thank with very positive feedback from race participants.

From Thursday evening through to the end of Saturday, there was an awful lot of work

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to be done and the organisers are extremely grateful to all of the volunteers for helping with the registration, timekeeping manning of checkpoints and handing out the medals at the finish.

Over the year prior to the event, there is an awful lot of hard work for the preparation, planning and organisation and the event relies on the services of a dedicated team, the Salomon Wadi Bih Run Organising Committee, so many thanks are due to: Barbara Young Neil Young Tasha Young Graham Rafferty Katrina Rafferty Helen Rodd Thilan Adrian Hayes Looking forward to welcoming people to the next Salomon Wadi Bih Run!

ACTIVITY REPORT

Two wins in a row for EFG Bank (Monaco) after Leg 4 The fast 60nm sprint from Dubai to Abu Dhabi gave Sidney Gavignet and his EFG Bank (Monaco) team a chance to demonstrate their tactical skill once again to secure their third leg win of the of EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour. Gavignet and his super-tuned crew that includes Spanish sailor Alex Pella, Nicolas Lunven, and Ireland’s Damian Foxall, had a poor start but it did not take the seasoned team long to find their stride and lead the 11-strong fleet round the windward mark.

Although they had an impressive oneand-half minutes lead at the mark, they were pushed all the way by the ever-threatening

Zain Sailing Team – headed by seasoned Tour competitor, and former team partner of Gavignet, Cédric Pouligny.

Mohammed Al Mujaini, one of the three Omani crew members on board EFG Bank (Monaco), commented: “Our start was really, really bad but we played the shifts well.

Zain pushed us all the time but we kept all the focus on speed and we did not think of anything else other than that. In fact, it always makes us work harder when we have pressure from others.”

Seasoned Tour competitor Cédric

Pouligny and his Zain Sailing Team includes Gérald Véniard on navigation and a crew formed mainly from employees of Zain – one of the Middle East’s leading mobile telecoms operators. The crew for this leg also included Bader Al-Khafari – Deputy Chairman of Zain, and Head of the MAK Group in Kuwait. Commenting on his first ever yacht race, Al-Khafari said: “It was interesting and challenging and the rough sea made it tough but we made it, enjoyed it and got a top result. It was all down to teamwork. I enjoyed being part of it and actually help

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sail the boat, including a stint at the helm.”

In third place after a race long struggle through the fleet following an over the line at the start (OCS) was Marcel Herrera and Team Averda (Oman). Herrera commented: “Despite our OCS we actually had really good speed throughout the day. We worked hard and constantly gained, which was down to a top effort from the team.”

Fahad Al Hasni and the all-Omani team on Renaissance sailed well once again and held third position for most of the leg but lack of boat speed in the closing stages saw them lose four places. Al Hasni commented: “We don’t know what happened the boat just seemed to stop. We did everything we could but it is a mystery.”

The consistent Delft Challenge team was

always in the top half of the fleet and took fourth despite a start line incident that resulted in a bit of damage to the boat.

Another team sailing well and posting consistent results is Lorenz Müller’s amateur Bienne Voile team from Switzerland. Today they finished fifth, and the team currently stands in fifth place overall.

Nick Moloney and his mostly Chinese team on GAC powered by Dongfeng Race Team had a better day finishing sixth, just ahead of Renaissance.

In seventh place were Mary Rook and the all-female team on Al Thuraya (Oman). It was a tough day for the girls, some of whom suffered with seasickness in the rough sea.

They were eighth overall.

Mathijs Wagemans and the predominantly

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Omani crew on Team IMCO, and Ahmed Al Ma’mari and Team OMIFCO finished in ninth and tenth place respectively.

The Royal Navy of Oman announced the team’s retirement from the EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour after Leg 4 due to extensive boat damage. Commenting on the decision, skipper Ali Al Rahbi said: “It was a tough decision not to continue but we are extremely pleased with what we have achieved so far.

Our aim was to use the race as an opportunity to develop team skills and I believe that is exactly what we have carried out.”

EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour, now in its fifth year, provides an opportunity for Oman Sail, organisers of the race, to promote the Gulf region as alternative international race destination.

Ahead of the race, SATT spoke with Ahmed Al Mamari, skipper for OMIFCO team.

What is the energy like for the team at the beginning of a race?

The team is a group of passionate sailors, none of them professional off-shore sailors yet but all of them very keen to take part in EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour. We are all focused on pushing our abilities to the limit and testing ourselves on the water but also we want to have fun – that is why we sail.

How important is it to have team members for whom the Gulf is home waters?

Certainly we have an advantage because we understand the waters, we know the conditions, especially with the Musandam Peninsula which can be unpredictable.

How do you keep spirits high during long legs?

You have to keep looking forward and keep the goal in sight. It can be hard to be out on the water for 15 days, and sometimes we are sailing for up to 48 hours at a time, sleeping in shifts and not getting much rest. It is demanding, so it’s important to make sure you have fun and laugh with your teammates too.

The tour is a strenuous 15-day trek across the Arabian Gulf, is it hard being on sea for that long?

It becomes harder if you are not sailing

well as a team together or compared to the other teams in the race. I don’t miss much, I am happiest when I am on the water.

Which event in your sailing career are you most proud of and how do you take your learnings from that into this race?

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

If there is one thing I learned, it is that it’s important to know that the race finishes only at the finish line – you have to stay focused and dedicated the entire time, you cannot become distracted.

What’s your day-to-day fitness regime when prepping for a race like Sailing Arabia?

I train 40 minutes a day for four days a week in the gym. Sailing is tough physically and you have to be prepared for any conditions and your body needs to be able to react. Core strength is essential.

What is the greatest challenge you face when out on the water?

Light winds.

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EVENT REPORT

Spartan spirit Words By: Candice Ford

This weekend the long awaited Spartan Race arrived in Dubai – a five-kilometre sprint obstacle course – the shortest of the three distances that the famous Spartan Race offers. However, despite the shorter than average length, Dubai’s adventure-loving residents took up the challenge in their thousands.

Ever up for a challenge, 75 members of the Reebok CrossFit LifeSpark community joined 4,000 other competitors at Jebel Ali Racecourse to take on everything Spartan had to throw at them. The course, set out over 5km of soft sand, challenged all aspiring Spartans to take on 15 obstacles ranging from sand bag carries to spear throws, wall traverse to rope climbs and a leap over a flaming ‘wall’ to finish! Plus, with a penalty of 30 burpees for every missed obstacle, competitors had a physical challenge regardless of their ability to complete the many obstacles!

With a hazy start to the day, it looked like an overcast morning was going to benefit the thousands of racers, however in true Spartan style, Dubai’s weather threw another challenge into the mix! By mid morning, the sandstorm, which plagued the city over the weekend, had hit in all its glory! Breathing dust and sand-filled air made the tough course even tougher for the racers and left many shielding their eyes as they made their way around the track.

The beauty of obstacle races of this sort is how the course provides different challenges to different athletes. For the runners and endurance athletes the run was the easier element, while the obstacles had the potential to challenge racers, particularly the higher skill obstacles such as the rope climb. In contrast, for the more ‘CrossFitesque’ athletes the obstacles presented less of a problem, while the longer distances between obstacles, especially in soft sand, were the most challenging element.

As with many obstacle races in the

region, you only needed to look to the podium to see who the race suited best.

Familiar names stood atop the podium.

Hallvard Borsheim and Eva Clarke, both more endurance-based athletes, are known for their ability to take on weighted and skillbased challenges with as much ease as they can produce speed around even the toughest courses. Hallvard set a blistering course time of 34:00 minutes, while Eva was close behind in 42:17 minutes. Both these times would rival the international records in the Spartan Sprint – and although every course is different, there is no doubt that these two powerhouses would crush any course presented to them.

But the Spartan Race wasn’t just about incredible athletes and course times. The UAE’s first Spartan Race offered something for everyone, with fully clad Spartans running around the track, teams of various sizes and even a kids course, the event offered something for everyone.

The kids race provided an excellent opportunity for younger athletes. Open to kids

from 4 to 15 years old, and offering three distances; 0.8km, 1.2km and 1.8km, with appropriately scaled obstacles, even the smallest-Spartan was able to take up the challenge. The sheer number of kids, including a few ‘Little LifeSparks’, tearing around the track with confidence and competence clearly demonstrated a demand for more kids challenges! Not to mention how awesome it was to see whole families cheering each other on, caked from head to toe in dust and muddy sand!

In addition to many of the LifeSpark Community taking on the Spartan Race, Reebok CrossFit LifeSpark’s coach Craig Harriman had worked with Radio One’s Danny and Surina in the month running up to the race, helping them prepare for the 5km Spartan Challenge. During the course of their training Danny and Surina both reduced their 1.2km test runs by an incredible one minute and 45 seconds and one minute and 39 seconds respectively. So, by race day, they were both ready to take on the Spartan Challenge, and despite starting out in the height of the sandstorm, both DJs made their way confidently around the track – proving to themselves and their teammates that a little hard work will go a long way!

All in all, it is safe to say that, even after a slightly untimely start, and a rather horrendous shammal, everyone had a great race! A race which put their fitness to the test, and challenged them in a way that many had not experienced. So in looking forward to the next Spartan Race, I will leave you with a few choice remarks from the LifeSpark Community on their thoughts after the race:

“Eat my dust… literally!”

“Blown away!”

“Gone with the sandwich?!”

LIFESTYLE

tales FROM THE yard

Off into the desert

Words By: Cindy Stadelmann and Cosmo

In the last edition, we gave you some insights into hacking in and around Al Khawaneej. What a great way to exercise.

I, Cosmo, love to have a blast out in the desert but as I mentioned last month, I do encounter other horses and riders there who are training hard for endurance races and they take “riding through the desert to the next level”.

Endurance riding is very popular amongst UAE nationals and even His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Maktoum and his sons participate in Endurance events nationally and internationally. It is absolutely fascinating to watch this sport. The first endurance races were done in the USA and organised events were registered in 1955.

In 1998, the UAE was the second country to host the World Championship. But before setting up a world event, the UAE under the directive of President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan organised its first distance events in 1993. In this 40km race, camels competed against horses in the dunes of Dubai and the first 15 places were taken by horses. In 2014, in the UAE, endurance

riding was tied into modern triathlons and substituted the normal swim: horse-ride, cycle, run = The Dubai Desert Triathlon. Two competitions have taken place since and were very popular.

What is an endurance race?

In one sentence, endurance races are competitions in which horse and riders cover very long distances at the highest speed possible. The distances vary from 80km (in one day) to 240km (over up to three days). The terrain in the UAE is certainly desert but in other countries the riders compete through forest trails, fields, etc. Any horse type can participate, but Arabians are dominating the scene due to their superior stamina. In order to participate, horses and riders need to first Cooling down starts as soon as horses enter transition

participate in speed-regulated “Qualifiers”.

They need to successfully complete two rides with the distance of 40km and two rides of 80km. Minimum age for these qualifiers is five years for the horse and 14 years for the rider. In qualifier races there is no weight restriction, but for the official races there is. No whips and spurs or other special riding aids are allowed during endurance races. Your legs and reins are the only tools to indicate to your horse to go faster or slow down.

In order to regulate the speed for these qualifier races a car drives at the head of the group and acts as pacer. Nobody is allowed to pass this car. The goal of qualifiers is to finish the “race” comfortably and as fast as possible, within the given time limit. The distance to cover in any of these races is not completed in one section but rather legs or phases (indicated with different flag colours along the path) of different distances. All loops start and finish at one central location. Here all rider and teams set up their “camps”, depositing all tools and equipment they might need throughout the day. The equipment that I am referring to includes riding tack, sunscreen, water and feed for horse and rider, big buckets with ice-water, heart rate monitors, helmet, chaps, bandana and clothes for the rider. The format for qualifiers and official races is more or less the same.

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Registration and checking

The day before the race riders need to register and the horses need to be brought to the host of the endurance cup and presented to the vets. It starts with “trotting the horse up” in front of a vet to assess potential lameness, which means the rider runs next to the horse on a track of around 20m, first away from the vet and then back towards the vet. If the horse is judged as lame, the race ends there.

The vets also check the horses’ passports to ensure that the horse in the passport is identical with the horse they see and the vaccination cycles are validated. The vets also Ready for the second lap measure the heart rate (around 36-42/bpm), breathing, and evaluate the hydration level. horse cannot move any further and needs to For the latter the vet checks that the eyes are be transported back to the centre. Also at shiny, the skin is elastic (pinching the skin on numerous places are dedicated areas where the horse’s neck) and presses his or her finger horses can drink out of buckets or endurance against the horse’s gums. The gums will turn team members hand riders water bottles white or light pink for a moment. If the gums from which they can drink or pour over the turn normal again in less than three seconds horse to cool it down while it is on the move. the horse is sufficiently hydrated. All details are Some horses are initially quite sensitive about recorded on a form. If the horse passes, the having their rider hold a bottle over their registration number of the horse/rider team is neck and suddenly splashing water over drawn onto the horse’s hind with a big marker them. “Something over my head is making (quite tricky if you have a dark horse). It is a slushy noise over my head.” Scary! It takes admitted to the race. After the check, the rider practice and time for the horses to get accan either bring the horse back to its stable quainted with these techniques. Once horse if it is close or leave the horse under groom and rider return through the entry-gate, their supervision in temporary stables close to the time is stopped. Now the horse has to cool facility. The impressive Dubai International down and its heart rate has to slow down to Endurance City in the Bab Al Shams area is a less than 60bpm to be then presented to the great example. I can highly recommend doing vets again. The saddles and bridles are taken a quick drive there when a race is on. You will off. In headcollars they are gently walked not believe your eyes when you enter the around and buckets of iced water are poured facility. Lush grass, a state-of-the-art facility, over the horses’ bodies to bring the heart and lots of organised hustle and bustle. Entry rate down. Once that is accomplished, you is free and you often encounter royals strolling line up for the vet check. The vets review the around and working with their teams. existing record of the horse and assess the Since the races start early in the morning, data again. Any lameness, dehydration or many riders camp, sleep in their cars or stay other health problems are factors to declare in bedrooms that some endurance facilities the horse as “unfit”. After the vet inspection, offer. The next morning the riders get ready, the horse is held for another 20 to up to 45 put on their race number and assemble at minutes for a break to eat and drink before the exit gate. They all leave together and trot the horse continues on the next leg. The or canter to complete their first loop. Each riders also take in their nutrition and stretch. rider chooses their own pace. On the way, Needless to say that the time out on the vets in cars accompany the riders on tracks tracks and inside the centre is electronically next to the riding path. They flag riders down monitored. After this break, each individual if a horse is spotted and assessed to be unfit horse and rider leave the exit-gate at a time to continue. Important to mention is that the depending on their “entry” time and time drivers always drive on the off wind side to they had to stay and rest. Depending on the avoid dust and dirt polluting the air around length of the race, the competitors complete the competitors. two or more legs every time repeating the vet inspection and break. The winner of the The race race is the first team to come back from the Throughout the event the race organisers entire race length and pass a final vet check. have a few horse trailers stationed in case the

Training and preparation

To accomplish these races, horse and rider have to put a lot of time into training and start preparing months before the race season, similar to human athletes training for ultramarathons, Ironmans and other races.

Numerous days per week they go out, mostly in bigger groups, and improve their fitness levels and stamina.

Besides Dubai International Endurance City, there are two other self-sufficient modern endurance centres or villages in the UAE. At this point, 22 riding clubs and equestrian establishments are registered with the Emirates Equestrian Federation. Some of the races are women only. To have a look at the scheduled events go to the “Endurance” schedule at www.eef.ae.

Anyway, enough chat, it’s time to get outside and log some more kilometres in the desert. Stamina doesn’t come by standing and gossiping.

Another great way of spending hours outside with your horse and similar to the human “triathlon” is participating in eventing competitions, formerly known as Military.

In the next edition of the magazine, we will share with you details on this great discipline.

Testing for lameness

Cooling down is a team job

Electrolyte solution during breaks

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EVENT REPORT

Musandam Adventure Race Dramatic twists and turns

Words By: Sean James Photos By: Absolute Adventure

All week the temperatures had been rising and signs of summer were here. Dubai hit 38°C as competitors looked forward to the weekend in Musandam and one of the longest and hardest multi-sport adventure races in the region.

On Friday 20th February, 33 teams took place in an epic adventure race that started with a 35km kayak from Khor Najd just south of Khasab to Lima in Musandam. The next leg was a hilly 20km run back towards the mountains and then over those mountains.

At the end of the run, competitors grabbed their mountain bikes and pedaled towards Wadi Beih before making a sharp turn up and over Jebel Harim, the highest mountain in Musandam and a touch over 2,000m. At the col near the military base they took a breath before descending all the way down to the coast and the finish. The winning mixed team of Catherine Todd and Daniel Menton took just over 16 hours to finish!

This is the fourth year that the race has been run. Originally an idea conceived by Mike Nott, a Dubai resident who has since Pete completing the bike leg

The race course covers some amazing territories

left the Emirates, the organisation has now been taken over by Paul Oliver of Absolute Adventure. His team of instructors oversaw the safety aspects and marshalling. Those AA staff on a day off even got a team together and took part.

Musandam, the northern part of Oman is particularly suited to adventure with its rugged, isolated areas. What typifies Musandam is the combination of high mountains and coast. There is nothing in between. The mountains drop sheer down to the sea. If you are hiking the mountains here you will nearly always have a view of the water and possibly on a clear day, Iran. It’s a magical place with mystery and everyone has a story about Musandam.

Problems of course still exist with the borders, but that happens everywhere in the world. If you make the effort and learn the current situation and the best ways to get there, you will have the time of your life.

The entrance via the Al Dara checkpoint is relatively straightforward and you can be in Khasab within an hour.

Competitors arrived on the Thursday evening and camped on the beach beside the idyllic bay at Khor Najd. There were threatening clouds in the sky and whilst Musandam did not receive the full onslaught of the sandstorm that hit Dubai, it was touch and go whether the race would go ahead.

The kayak leg even though it started early was still hit by strong winds forcing some competitors to capsize and some to climb about the support dhow. This is a remote

area with serious weather and the clouds and wind continued throughout the day reducing visibility and leaving everyone feel like they had been in a true battle.

The Musandam Adventure Race is a serious undertaking and, for those choosing to do the Full Monty (all three disciplines as individuals), it is probably the toughest one day event of this nature in the region. Most organise a team and complete the legs as a relay, passing over the baton to the next member thankful that their part has finished.

In addition there is a driver who accompanies and supports the biking leg.

Put this in your diary for next year. There are not many adventure races in the world that cover such dramatic and remote territory.

Gordon sheltering during the kayak leg

EVENT REPORT

Polaris held second Camp RZR in the UAE Polaris® Industries Inc., (NYSE: PII), the leading manufacturer of off-road vehicles, showed off its RZR vehicles for the second year in a row, in the United Arab Emirates. Camp RZR UAE took place February 5th to 7th, 2015 in Dubai, UAE. “For the second year in a row, Polaris is celebrating our riders and our customers in one of most important RZR markets in the world,” said Suresh Krishna, vice president, EMEA for Polaris. “With a shared passion for riding, we are looking forward to spending a couple days in the desert with our biggest and most loyal RZR fans.”

Camp RZR UAE was open to Show and Shine registrants on February 5th and to the public on February 6th. The event featured riding activities, new product displays, giveaways, a traditional desert BBQ and evening campfire. The next day, off-road enthusiasts interested in demo rides of Polaris vehicles had the opportunity to test out a wide range of RZRs, RANGERs, ATVs and ACEs.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorised Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Yoga for cyclists with Andree Clement Words By: Sarka Svobodova and Andree Clement Photos By: Sarka Svobodova performed in a concentric movement where muscles are always in a contraction and never I had an opportunity to meet in full extension. Hip flexors and hamstrings Andree Clement at her yoga for contract repetitively and can shorten overtime potentially creating muscle imbalances cyclists session at the cycle track and the result of overuse injury. In addition, in Nad Al Sheba. She is a very the habitual posture of the sport being in a energetic and enthusiastic woman, bent over position can also have major impact on the day-to-day posture. Because of a certified yoga teacher, massage a lack of awareness or fatigue from the long therapist with an extensive sport hours spent in the saddle, this posture can be background and a truly passionate compromised and result in lower back, shoulcyclist. Taking part of her yoga der and neck problems, hunched upper-back, poor breathing mechanics, creating further session was a great learning problems and discomfort. experience.

Regardless of you being a top athlete or As a yogi and non-cyclist – well I used to recreational practitioner, yoga will always cycle when I was teenager – I was really curiprovide benefits to your life and health no ous to know more about the main benefits of matter what. Although cyclists have an amazyoga for cyclists and what are the main issues ing cardio, power output and strong legs, cyclists have to deal with. What I found to be really interesting, was the fact that cycling is About Andree: Andree is a former member of the Canadian Judo Team, a certified massage therapist and has a Bachelor degree in Physical Education. No matter what domain Andree performs in, her driving force and key to success has always been her positive outlook and approach – in her mind, it goes without question that everyone is entitled to live their best possible life. Called to high-performance at a very young age, Andree trained on the Canadian Judo Team for 10 years only to qualify for the Canadian Olympic Team at the Sydney 2000 Games. Always driven to

one common objective amongst cyclists is certainly the need to be more flexible.

Yoga will contribute in increasing your strength, flexibility, correcting imbalances and play a key role in injury prevention allowing you to enjoy the ride with a better posture for longer period of time. Furthermore, it will nourish that mind-body connection, which will translate to more focus, mental perspective and ultimately better performance while on the bike.

Even cyclists, who are now visiting her lessons regularly can confirm how much their flexibility has improved since they started, how much more comfortable they feel in the saddle, some health related issues such as back pain has just disappeared.

So don’t hesitate and visit Andree at Nad Al Sheba on Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. for a post-ride 30-minute recovery session or at The Cycle Hub in Motor City on Monday evenings 7:00 p.m. for a full hour session and learn more about the yoga for cyclists and how you can benefit from it. No matter whether you are a recreational cyclist, road cyclist, mountain biker, or a triathlete, Andree’s group classes or private sessions are sure to bring some insightful solutions for you. succeed she had yet to discover the power of yoga for athletes and suffered a major injury causing her to miss competing in the games themselves. Following her injury, Andree adopted a new yoga practice to facilitate her physical healing. Over time, yoga practice and holistic healing became a regular part of her life until she realised how it had fundamentally changed her forever. Seeing in hindsight how her athletic performance could have been combined with the benefits of yoga, she now saw the strong connection between the two and the exponential power it could create.

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

ACTIVITY REPORT

SUP fishing Words By: Carl de Villiers

What better way to include a bit of exercise than with some sightseeing and some fishing? Endless long distance paddling can be dull so why not just pull a lure behind you to pick up some dinner on the way?

While the kayak has always been the traditional personal watercraft for fishing, the Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) also makes an excellent platform for this too.

You can enjoy a better workout with a SUP as you stand and paddle rather than sit and paddling or using your legs to propel the kayak. As you stand, you also get better visibility and this makes for a great and stealthy platform for sight casting and fly fishing too.

There are a also lot of great and easily accessible places to fish in the UAE as there are mangroves, lagoons, long stretches of flat sea areas and great flat water areas that are full of fish and protected from the wind such as the Palm Jumeirah. Besides bottom fishing, the UAE has a great range of gamefish such as kingfish, trevallies, queenfish, barracuda and cobia which frequent areas very close to shore. An easy catch for the SUP fisherman with lures, live bait or sight casting.

There are also some great SUP fishing paddleboards available locally which are specifically geared up for SUP fishing and offer all the necessary attachments to keep your gear on board too. We use the BOTE boards range to fish (www.boteboard.com ) which have models specifically made for fishing and they pretty much lead the market in this. They have attachments to strap gear down and have a “tacklerack” which is a metal piece fitted into the board that has rod holders and can hang your bag or lean on for extra stability. The boards are also wide, stable and fast on flat water. These are also available from Surf Shop Arabia.

When SUP fishing or looking at a board to do SUP fishing, you need to consider the following: • For trolling, get a board with a “pointy V-nose” – the race style boards that cut through chop and will troll easier with less work are the ones to use. Wider rounded nose boards tend to make a lot of work to troll and can be a real workout in the wind.

You will want to cut through the water and glide your way to success.

• Look for a board that is wide and stable as nobody wants to fall off all the time and your equipment needs to stay dry too. The wider, the more stable and the better for sight casting and fly fishing. Boards over 30 - 32 inches wide are best.

• Get a board with some weight on it – carbon race boards are fast but are generally not suitable as they cannot make the forward momentum to pull a lure due to their lightness. The lure has resistance when it’s pulled (especially if you pull two or more) so it makes for more work on a lighter board with no weight in its forward momentum.

• Tie down points are a great help so look for boards that have webbing on the nose or have tie down points to stash your gear.

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take these with and make sure you phone is in a waterproof container as it won’t work when it’s wet! We also recommend taking a leash with you and when conditions are bumpy, wear it!

• Follow the birds – the absolute best way to catch fish from trolling and bait casting is to fish where the birds are diving.

The gamefish push small baitfish up to the surface and the birds eat them. Where the birds are diving, the fish are feeding.

• Be ready – have all your gear such as flies and bait casters ready to go – you may arrive at a spot where birds are diving and by the time you have gotten everything ready, the fish have moved on. Be ready so as you arrive you can get a fly or lure in front of the fish.

• Use wind and tide conditions to move into position – when the wind is blowing or tide are moving around, the board will move around and move away from your spot so drift in on the wind or make adjustments when you get to your spot.

• Live bait is best – the best way to catch big game fish is with live bait. Put out some live bait while you bottom fish.

• Don’t troll in busy boating areas unless you want issues. A lot of boaters and jetskiers don’t have a high regard or respect for fisherman and paddle boarders and will wakeboard right past you or over your lines hence areas like the inside of The Palm being a good place to fish.

• Go early – fish are active early morning till about 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. so be on the spots at this time. Later afternoon can be good to but bumpy.

• Strap on a cooler – we strap on a cooler box and have attached some extra rod folders to it. It makes for a great place to stash fish and to hold your lunch. It also makes for a great seat. If you don’t have any cleats or attachments on the board, just use a strap and run it smoothly around the board to firmly fix it in place.

Try to take a camera, GoPro or waterproof container will be best. OutdoorUAE loves good pictures and fishermen can share their pics on Emirates fishing Facebook group!

Lastly, just get out there and enjoy yourself. Getting outdoors, enjoying nature and doing some recreational fishing is good for the soul.

We have been through a lot of trial and error to find the best set-up and how best to do this so here are some of our tips and tricks: • Take water and snacks while you travel out on the water. Dehydration and getting out of energy is not great so plan to stay energised and full of water!

• Watch the weather – check weather and wind reports when going out on the open sea. Mist, wind and bad seas can create emergency situations, so stay safe.

• Safety – lifejackets and telephone are a must when going off-shore so make sure to

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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

Great Bear Lake:

Words By: Rasmus Ovesen Photos By: Rasmus Ovesen, Og Klaus and Boberg Pedersen FROTHING FOREST FIRES rage below us spewing out severe plumes of thick, white smoke into the air. Klaus and I are sitting in a small, chartered propeller plane in the veiled airspace between Yellowknife and the massive Great Bear Lake – a giant body of water that has found its gnarled and uneven bed in Canada’s desolate and harsh Northwest Territory – a mere cast away from the bitterly cold Arctic. The scenery below is both disturbing and irresistibly compelling. It is as if a selfeffacing and ill-tempered force in nature has flared up, and there is something disquieting about the way it is trying to conceal its vehement rage by covering everything in thick smoke. The same smoke soon hems in the plane, and for the remainder of the flight the ravaging flames are hidden from our flabbergasted eyes.

Great Bear Lake is also shrouded in thick smoke, and it isn’t until seconds before we hit a rather rudimentary landing strip right on the lake shore that a massive water mirror is revealed below us. When the plane is brought to a stop; we alight and find tentative footing in a vast, intrusive wilderness, where the silence is as deafening as the humming drone of the airplane propellers. Here – in the middle of absolutely nowhere, in an immense and undulating morass of anorectic pines, slight thickets, tufts, heather and moss – lies Plummer’s Great Bear Lodge, the wilderness dwelling we’ll be staying at for the coming week and from which we will head out in search for full-grown lake char.

GREAT BEAR LODGE is booked to the point of bursting this week, because guests – who

had otherwise intended to stay at Plummer’s Great Slave Lake Lodge, have been transferred here (the lodge on Great Slave Lake, close to the city of Yellowknife, is in imminent danger of burning down!) Here, unmanageable forest fires are raging too, and – stubbornly incited by a hoarse northern wind, one of them is in the process of hauling its crackling and all-consuming body of licking flames across the lodge property. Fire fighters all the way from Alaska have been summoned to contain the fire, but apparently the situation is grave. And for the coming days, a lot of Great Slave Lake Lodge’s repeat customers will be fishing with a gnawing fear in the back of their minds.

NO LESS THAN AN HOUR AFTER OUR ARRIVAL, we’re sitting on board a spacious Linder alu-boat that is cutting its way with authority across the bitterly cold and slightly rough waters of the Great Bear Lake. Our guide, Matt Dick, is heading for one of the numerous exciting fishing spots on the Dease Arm – a bay comparable to a mid-sized Norwegian fjord, that unbeknownst to us,

consists of myriads of smaller bays, inlets, reefs, depth curves, fault lines and towering islands.

The smoky air has shrouded the lake in a kind of illusory mist that the sun is incapable of penetrating, and it isn’t until later in the week, when northern winds finally displace the smoke further to the south, that the lake’s size becomes even remotely comprehensible to us. Until then, the sheer fact that it takes two full tanks of gasoline to ferry us across the Dease Arm and back to the camp will have to suffice as an indication of the lake’s awesome magnitude. It also serves to prove that there is plenty of room for an overbooked lodge with 20 boats and about 40 eager fishing guests.

THE BOAT IS BROUGHT TO A HALT outside a series of reefs that outline a small bay.

Here, the bottom drops off quite dramatically, and along the fault line our guide – a young chap, who is set to become a great friend over the coming few days – expects us to find foraging lake char. These fierce fish, which undoubtedly are the undisputed

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rulers of the watery Arctic realm, are savage and shady predators with insatiable appetites and gory-looking jaws designed to inhale unsuspecting prey of remarkable sizes. Typically, they are targeted in 25-100m of water, but here in July, during midsummer, when the tireless midnight sun bathes the Arctic region in clear and colour-saturated light, the fish are supposedly to be found in relatively shallow water.

WITH OUR FLY RODS IN FIRM, IRON GRIPS, we prepare for the first expectant casts. Soon after, the big, bushy streamers, that we have tied on to our 0.40mm tippets, whistle through the air and land on the water like maimed birds, they find themselves forced irresistibly downward, into the ice-cold water by the weight of our sinking lines.

When, seconds later, we hitch up the flies and bring them back towards the boat with long, even retrieves, our heartbeats suddenly begin racing uncontrollably.

We have no idea what to expect, but we get an indication soon enough. In his third cast, Klaus’ #10 fly rod suddenly bows and scrapes under the weight of a powerful fish thrashing about in the crystal-clear water. A few intense minutes later, the fish is thrashing about in the guide’s spacious landing net.

Klaus now proceeds to lift an immaculate lake char of about 10lb out of the water for a quick photo shoot, and then prepares for its release. Immersed into the lake’s chilly water, the fish quickly frees itself from Klaus’ hands and catapults its matte-olive and slightly-marbled body towards the bottom of the abyss.

Above it, two relieved Danes and a Canadian guide cheer loudly.

WE MUST HAVE FOUND THE FISH, because less than 10 minutes after Klaus releases the first fish of the trip, a heavy tug on my fly line announces that yet another lake char has been fooled by one of our deceiving streamers. This fish, too, manages to send jagged convulsions through the carbon fibres of the 10-weight rod. It moves about like a mythological creature from the seven seas – deep, unyielding and heavy – and every turn on the fly reel is laden with excitement. A single surge into the back to the depths and an ill-tempered stint of tug-of-war later, the shadow of a fish appears in the water. Shortly after, another Great Bear lake char finds itself reluctantly embraced by mesh and netting.

The magnificent and broad-shouldered 14lb fish is duly photographed, and upon its release, heads straight for the gloomy solace of the depths below. It hasn’t gotten very

far though, before our treacherous, white streamers whistle through the air yet again.

Our hearts are still racing, but our souls are suddenly infused with a newfound quietude and calm.

THE NEXT FEW DAYS, we continually prowl edges, drop offs, reefs, islands and fault lines – and there are surprisingly few dull moments in the boat. We consistently find fish where the water temperatures are the highest; typically in wind-exposed bays with water depths between 15 and 45ft. There are loads of them – reckless, aggressive and powerful.

Most with impressive average size of around a solid 10lb, with the occasional 20lb’er thrown in.

The thick, clingy smoke, that’s been shrouding the lake for the past couple of days, has finally lifted, and with a deep-blue sky and a flickering sun above us, it seems as if the lake has been brought back to life. The icy water suddenly assumes an absorbingly deep cobalt-blue colour, the wave crests sparkle among the distorted cliff fragments of the reefs, and the dramatic drop offs are more defined and spectacularly saturated than before. At the same time, news reaches us that the Great Slave Lake Lodge has been rescued from the flames and at dinner later that day there is an atmosphere of relief and gratitude. Additionally, the good news coincides with some rather impressive Great Bear Lake trolling catches – including a massive 45lb fish, and for the next few days, we fish with intensified ambitions and expectations.

themselves clearly against the sandy bottom, and as a result, we can handpick individual fish to cast at.

On the very first cast, one of them resolutely sets in motion and pursues my fly. A handful of quick retrieves later and I pause for a short bit. The fish stops immediately – trembling with excitement – and when shortly after the fly makes a subtle but tempting forward motion, it is suddenly gone. Hidden between the jagged jaws of the fish, which has scooped up its prey in one lightningquick and impulsive manoeuvre.

The fight is on, and the fish is all over the place. It thrashes about with such uncontrollable ferocity that at one point – in an explosion of water and foam – it regurgitates a half digested prey fish. One of the other fish in the school sees this. It shoots forward in the water and sucks in the frayed, white meal with the great self-satisfaction. Shortly after, it spots another frayed, white prey object in the water. However, when it clamps its jaws around it, a piercingly sharp hook anchors up in its bony mouth, and its freedom of movement is suddenly overcome by a weird, unyielding pull.

THE DAYS THAT FOLLOW offer several unforgettable moments and episodes. At one point, for instance, we find ourselves in a small, shallow bay where a school of solid lake char are on the prowl. With the sun perched at its highest peak and dead-calm water above them, these agitated fish reveal

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Klaus is now into a decent fish too, and for the next few minutes looming chaos reigns in the boat, as we perform a simultaneous fight with two big and uncooperative 10lb+ lake char.

GREAT BEAR LAKE is a big lake, so big it generates its own weather, and the weather can be quite unpredictable and unsettled.

We get a taste of this on the penultimate day, where the lake is in turmoil and crackling flashes of lightning rapture the charcoal firmament of the sky.

We had found provisional shelter from the wind between two islands, when the wind suddenly dies down, the sun peaks through the dark cloud ceiling, and the lake becomes one big recumbent mirror. Bewildered greybrown caddis flies now swirl across the water, and suddenly the water surface is breached here, there and everywhere, by hungry lake char.

We now find ourselves in a major rush.

With overly eager hands and reckless haste, our dry fly rods are mounted, fly lines and leaders are threaded through guides, and bulky caddis imitations are tied onto tippets.

For the next half an hour or so, we carefully cast at more 8-12lb trout, than most fly fishermen see in their entire lives. We even manage to hook a couple before the winds pick up again and the lake turns nasty, however, landing double-digit trout on #4 fly rods and 4lb tippets prove an altogether different ballgame.

THE MONSTERS OF GREAT BEAR LAKE also show a bit of interest in our flies during the week. For instance, I still have nightmares about a massive lake trout that almost pulled the line out my hands when striking. It then proceeded to disappear irresistibly into the abysmal depths dragging more than 150ft of fiery-orange backing behind it. It must have stalked an 8lb fish Klaus was in the middle of fighting – probably in order to steal away the prey, because it hit my fly with resolute determination, when – at one point during the fight – my fly ended up right behind Klaus’ fish. In the end, however, the massive fish ended up spitting the fly, and the anticipative link to a hauntingly big dream fish was abruptly disconnected.

Luckily for the calm and serenity of my thinly worn soul, I land another Great Bear Lake Monster. It clams its staunch jaws around my streamer outside a big gravel bar, immediately heads for deeper water and quickly proves heavier and more stubborn than the other fish, I have hooked up until this point.

I lean back on the fish until the fibres of my

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10-weight fly rod creaks, but the fish won’t readily budge.

The next 10 minutes is a battle of fairly even will powers. The guide circles around the fish, and I do my very best to keep my nerves calm and utilise all the power reserves in the fly rod’s carbon fibre blank. In the end, the heavy-handed treatment proves too much for the fish. I gain on it little by little, and when it finally appears along the boat side, I can see how massive it actually is. Now my whole focus narrows – I fall back into myself, and all that’s left is the gravity of the task ahead: bringing the fish close to the boat and safely netting it. When that finally happens, I re-emerge with a loud and redeeming roar!

We quickly drive the boat to the shore, dragging the fish behind us in the net. I then jump in the water, and Klaus shoots a barrage of images with the camera, while I gently lift the 30lb fish briefly out of the water.

Afterwards, I take a self-conscious minute to enjoy the sight of this old, broad-shouldered monster from the depths. As it rests in the shallows by my side with its big sail-like fins, soulful eyes and inverted dots like scintillating stars in a dark sky, I suddenly understand and appreciate, why we have travelled all the way to the Northwest Territories and Great Bear Lake. And when the fish liberates itself from my grasp with a couple of defiant fin strokes and catapults itself into deeper water, the feeling intensifies.

GREAT BEAR LAKE is the world’s fourth biggest lake – a massive freshwater reservoir with a water table of 31.153sq km and water depths of up to 446m. It is situated in the central part of Canada’s vast Northwest Territories, which borders on the Arctic Ocean to the North.

Fifteen different species of fish inhabit the lake including lake char, grayling, pike and whitefish.

Plummer’s Arctic Lodges manage the fishing on the lake, which, throughout the years, has produced one recordbreaking lake char after the other; among them the standing world record of 72lb. In total, there are three lodges on Great Bear Lake (Trophy, Great Bear, and Arctic Circle) which are all run by the Plummer’s staff and offer a variety of different fishing options. For more information, please visit the following link: www.plummerslodges.com or send an email to fish@plummerslodges.com.

LAKE CHAR (Salvelinus Namaycush) belong to the char family, which also counts brook trout, arctic char and bull trout. To thrive, it requires clean, cool and well-oxygenated water in combination with a solid prey biomass. When these conditions are met, it can grow up to 100 years old.

In terms of geographic distribution, the lake char is endemically distributed across the north-eastern parts of USA and across all of Canada.

In Great Bear Lake there are three distinct lake char sub-species: silverbacks, red fins and butterfly red fins. Silverbacks are pelagic lake char with a silvery grey gleam and a relatively big head and mouth. They primarily live off of prey fish such as grayling, whitefish, pike and even relatives. As a result of their piscivorous inclinations, they tend to grow big – and they have been known to reach weights up to 100lb.

Red fins display saturated olive-green flanks and bright red fins. They don’t grow as big as the silverbacks – probably not bigger than 30lb, and they primarily live off of small baitfish, gammarus, caddis and other aquatic insects. In terms of colourations, the butterfly red fins are quite similar to ordinary red fins, but they differ physiologically. They display oversized fins, a notable overbite and plump lips. These fish rarely exceed 15lb, and they are typically found in relatively shallow water, where they specialise in insect-based bottom feeding.

Photostory – City Boating, between the sky scrapers in Dubai Marina N 25° 04’ 26.3” E 55° 07’ 35.0” After launching from the beach, right of the JBR Sheraton, it’s just a short paddle round the corner into the Marina before you are engulfed by Dubai’s majestic skyline. Because the Marina is very protected from any wind it’s a superb place for even the least experienced of paddlers to explore.

A kayak gives a unique perspective on the skyline and the city life happening beneath and between the towers.

Distributor of awesome outdoor brands • www.globalclimbing.com • info@globalclimbing.com • +971 (0)4 882 9361

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

The Honey Badger Episode 11: Lake Malawi and the Nyika Plateau Destination: Malawi and Eastern Zambia

Diaries

After a week of comfy beds, washing machines and general bliss with Susan in Lusaka, our Belgian friend Elliot arrived for a journey through Malawi.

With a long distance to cover and only a few hours of daylight left, the three of us squeezed into the front seats of the Honey Badger and started the eight-hour journey to Chipata. We arrived just after 8:00 p.m. at Dean’s campsite, near the Malawi border with Zambia, and Mira prepared dinner whilst James showed Elliott how to set up the tent and use a machete safely.

Early the next morning, we headed north west along a track for two hours to South Luangwa National Park. We arrived only to be disappointed when we could not camp inside. James briefly considered wild camping, an idea which Mira quickly put to bed, so we ventured inside for an afternoon safari before staying at crocodile valley, which is a beautiful campsite just outside the park along the shores of the Luangwa River.

Inside the park we immediately saw a lot of game, including a giraffe lying down which was a first for all of us. Much of the park was flooded and we saw numerous hippos and buffalo lazing in the swamps whilst we drove

for several exciting kilometres over marshland. Quietly impressed with James’ driving, Mira started to wonder why we had not yet got stuck in the flood plains and mud.

Sure enough, on our way out of the park James decided to take a little detour to get closer to the river. Feeling confident when we reached the next swamp, we continued along the track and found a deep puddle where we came to an unexpected stop. The winch came out again and we managed to move a few metres before the next swamp.

By this point the tyres were so full of mud that we might as well have been driving on balloons. Even when we managed to pull the car forward a metre or two, we were pulling hundreds of kilos of mud with us, putting a lot of strain on the winch. Having had enough mud-dwelling for the day, Mira decided to call the rangers to help. Nevertheless, with his pride slightly dented, James

continued to try and drag the car out of the mud as the sun set.

During the recovery calamity, Elliot had decided that we were definitely going to be eaten by lions. He retreated to the roof of the car with a powerful torch and started to search for things that were going to eat us. A couple of elephants came quite close, but the ground was too wet for any lions to bother approaching. At 9:00 p.m. we considered whether to sleep in the car and wait to recover it in daylight, but James persisted and the winch continued to struggle pulling the car, emitting an electrical burning smell.

An hour later, with buried Max Tracks and car covered in mud both outside and inside, we finally reached a dry patch in the middle of the swamp. Having seen several failed recovery attempts from the rangers we decided to make a dash for dry land. By some miracle we made it, and retreated back to

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the campsite for a much needed shower and late dinner.

The next morning was spent cleaning the car and we were ready to head to Malawi by midday. With an easy border crossing we continued past Lusaka to Senga Bay. We had been concerned about reports of two cyclones hitting southern Malawi leading to a humanitarian disaster with over 100,000 people displaced. Luckily everyone we saw had been unaffected and Senga Bay provided our first view of Lake Malawi. The lake was impressively large with beautiful beaches, although the mosquitoes were horrendous and very hungry! We were covered in bites which all swelled up and itched for several days afterwards.

We followed the coast northwards to Nkhata Bay the next day. It was more picturesque than Senga, with fewer mosquitoes and a lower risk of Bilharzia (a nasty waterborne parasite found in most African lakes).

We camped at the Blue Star Campsite and watched a wonderful sunset whilst eating steak and mashed potatoes for dinner.

After a discussion of the symptoms of Bilharzia we finally convinced Elliot to come diving in the lake the following morning. It was a 30m shore dive which was cut short by

Mira’s dive computer alarming. We surfaced a little concerned after 30 minutes because the lake is 800m above sea level and we needed to drive to the Nyika plateau at 2,500m, ideally without suffering from the bends from a deep dive at altitude. Some local boys washing in the lake had seen us surface and swam out to us. Mira offered her spare regulator and they joined us for a 2m dive back to the shore.

We took our time ascending into the mountains, watching as the grassland slowly turned into moorland. By the time we had reached our campsite in the heart of the Nyika Plateau National Park, the landscape looked more like North Yorkshire than Africa.

The campsite was remote and well maintained, with a great view over the rolling hills where the zebras and other antelopes were grazing. The man at the campsite built a huge fire for us and we enjoyed the evening at a much cooler temperature with no mosquitoes in sight.

The drive out of the northern end of the park was only suitable for robust 4x4s, but was absolutely worth the effort with picturesque landscapes over the hills the whole way. We headed on to the northern border between Malawi and Zambia which we had heard was closed. Luckily we found a sleeping man in a hut who stamped our passports and let us through.

The road back into Zambia got progressively worse and we were lucky not to get stuck as a storm blew over turning the dust into sticky, deep mud.

We stopped for the night at Shiwa House, a colonial stately home built about 80 years ago in north eastern Zambia. The campsite was a few kilometres down the road near some hot springs, which made for a refreshing start in the morning before an informal tour of the house and grounds.

We made it back to Lusaka over the next couple of days, through more storms and an uneventful campsite near a farming town.

We were sorry to see Elliot fly home to his studies before heading off on our next adventure with the chimpanzees of Chimfunshi.

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A key part of Mira and James’ trip is fundraising and volunteer work and they are currently teaching nursery school children in Zanzibar. If you are interested in helping them to achieve their target and make 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 their journey through Africa and see more photos, recordings and vidoes: Website: www.thehoneybadgerdiaries.com Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ pages/Honey-Badger-Diaries Instagram: @thehoneybadgerdiaries

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LIFESTYLE

Au Natural: Health powerhouse Transform your health and feel inspired by eating fresh vegetables from your own garden Words By: Ivana Chiles

In the last issue, I gave you some tips about how to start a small herb garden.

But what if ‘small’ is not big enough for you and you want to experiment more?

What if you want to nourish your body and soul with vegetables that are handpicked at their peak nutritional value? What if you care about what you put on your fork and want to shorten the ‘harvest to plate’ time to an absolute minimum? Perhaps you are tired of running around Dubai supermarkets looking for organic kale or celery? Or you just want to liven up your salad and sandwich with the incredible spectrum of colors you had watched grow?

Did you know?

The average time it takes from leafy greens, fruits or vegetables to be imported from all over the world to Dubai is between two to three weeks? Wouldn’t that be another reason for you to start growing your own vegetables and herbs?

Vegetables have a set amount of nutrients when harvested and begin to lose them the minute they are cut off from their food source. Once harvested, they begin to consume their own nutrients in order to stay

alive. This decline is hastened by the things we do to them. Leafy greens like spinach will lose 50% of their vitamin content within 12 hours of harvesting!

After picking, fruits and vegetables continue to breathe. This process, called respiration, breaks down stored organic materials, such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and leads to loss of food value, flavour and nutrients. Produce will lose heat from this respiration as well as moisture, which is one way nutrients are lost. Asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower have a very high respiration rate and will lose nutrition and flavour more quickly than apples, garlic or onions, all of which have low respiration rates. The longer produce has to breathe before it is consumed, the less likely it is to retain nutrients.

Take your own health into your hands.

Come to life again by eating vegetables from your own garden.

If you have grown some fresh herbs, green leafy vegetables should be your next choice.

If you can afford a larger planting area or perhaps you have a wonderfully skillful husband like me who shares your passion and will make raised beds for you or perhaps your balcony is large enough to place some bigger pots? Rocket, spinach, kale and red chard have been doing incredibly well in my first ever attempt to grow them this season while broccoli has never made it far enough to create reasonable edible ‘heads’. Just don’t give up! At least we have been harvesting and enjoying beautiful green broccoli leaves in our salads or sautéed them with some olive oil, onion and garlic. Some vegetables simply require weeks to mature and grow fully.

Once you have prepared your soil, simply throw some seeds, sprinkle a handful of soil on the top (just enough to cover the seeds), water and make sure the soil never gets completely dry. All leafy greens should not be replanted at any stage, as they grow in thick patches and their roots are rather deep. Don’t forget to nourish with Bokashi juice (www.bokashidubai.com), organic fertilizers or by sprinkling some Epsom salt (for magnesium) every couple of weeks!

If you wish to take your gardening further, try cucumbers, peppers or tomatoes. But remember, that they are all nutritionally demanding crops and pouring some water now and then will not reward you with very positive results.

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Cucumbers, peppers, red chard, kale, broccoli, spinach and rocket

Cucumbers

I love growing cucumbers. They do require lots of space and water, but I enjoy literally training them how to grow up the trellis.

They are simply fun. You will be able to harvest tasty cucumbers in less than three months here in UAE and the size gain can be amazing; 2cm in 24 hours. You will love it! Another amazing thing about cucumbers is that you will be able to do two harvests within one winter here in UAE! I have also planted rhubarb and beetroot couple of months ago and they are doing very well too and we will be enjoying some fresh juice sometime this week.

Vegetables need friends as well

Ever heard of ‘companion gardening’? I have recently attended a workshop and learnt about crop combinations. If you have read my article last month and got inspired by herb gardens, you can now combine your herbs with vegetables and flowers. For example, tomatoes will do great when planted together with basil and marigolds; each plant will supply certain nutrients to support the other and together they will live in harmony. Yet another example that plants, soil and insects are intimately connected on our planet. Bright yellow marigolds will attract pollinating bees while basil will keep insects and bugs away. Isn’t that amazing?

Tomatoes

The smell of your own organic tomatoes

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Tomatoes seem to be the top choice for most people in UAE. After all who does not want to have juicy organic tomatoes in their salad from their own garden? Ripe tomatoes on a vine are rather inviting, at least for me and smell amazing. Just remember, it is a slow plant (just like peppers) and you should start planting tomato seeds indoors around September, so you can harvest in December and throughout the season. Tomatoes do like sunny areas and don’t do too well in airconditioned flats. They also require plenty of water, which should never be poured onto the leaves or the stems. And remember, you have to fertilize every two weeks to keep the plants strong.

Morning selection of vegetables and herbs from our garden

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Add some nourishment to your life

I could be going on and on about gardening, crop combinations, crop rotations, nutrient deficiency etc., but remember, do what you feel like and can find time for. Treat your plants with love and care, learn from your mistakes, so next time you will get it right.

Enjoy the sudden abundance of birds, bees, butterflies and dragonflies in your garden or on your balcony. Start or join a like-minded gardening community of people in your area and connect with them to exchange gardening tips.

If my article resonates with you, join my Health Powerhouse Facebook page and check out my website www.ivanahph.com for some more gardening tips, delicious healthy recipes, natural cosmetics and lots more.

Some interesting facts about how quickly vegetables lose their nutrients Freshly cut broccoli

Yes, even beetroot is possible for you, but it takes about three months to mature!

The depletion can happen in many ways:

Through the chopping itself which exposes surfaces from which vitamins and minerals can be lost. When a vegetable is cut, it perceives it as an attack; it goes on the defensive and activates enzymes which destroys its own nutrients. (Better to destroy yourself than be destroyed). The brown discoloration is the evidence. The more pieces you cut it into before you cook it, the more defensive the vegetable gets. Ever heard of tearing leafy green rather than cutting with knife? Definitely more gentle way of preparing!

You should always delay cutting and buy

whole vegetables vs pre-cut. Don’t peel or pre-cut and store in the fridge! Peel vegetables after cooking (especially beets), as the skin seals the nutrients in.

Through freezing, when the enzymes are deactivated. Vitamin C seems to be particularly vulnerable and lost during freezing.

Through juicing, juicing breaks the vegetable into such tiny parts that the nutrient loss begins rapidly. Very few nutrients will be left in the glass 24 hours later. To maximise benefits from freshly made juice, drink it as soon as possible after juicing, alternatively use glass bottle and fill it up with juice to the maximum to minimise oxidizing.

Broccoli recipes Here are two recipes to give an idea what to do with broccoli when it doesn’t exactly grow the way you wish: There are many different ways to use up your beautifully coloured broccoli leaves (the same rule applies for pretty much any other similar vegetable like cauliflower, beetroot etc). The delicious tart taste will enhance your raw salad, sautéed broccoli leaves can be used as a substitute for spinach with your morning scrambled eggs and the leftover used in another salad. Let your fantasy be your guide.

Raw broccoli leaves are packed with B vitamins (especially riboflavin, niacin and thiamine), vitamin A, C, folate, calcium, iron, potassium, selenium and manganese. They are also excellent source of protein!

Recipe 1

In a large pot, sauté finely chopped onion and few cloves of crushed garlic with olive oil or butter. In the meantime wash broccoli leaves, remove and chop the stems and add to the pot. Sauté for two more minutes on medium heat (you don’t want to destroy any precious vitamins!). Add hand-teared broccoli leaves, fresh pepper and a pinch of salt and cook briefly for one to two minutes. Serve with scrambled eggs and fresh bread (in the picture homemade organic buckwheat/hazelnut bread).

Sweet green pepper are rather demanding, but it’s worth it giving a try

Treat your plants with love and care, learn from your mistakes, so next time you will get it right. Just like me. You can find some more tips and links on my website www.ivanahph.com or follow me on my Health Powerhouse Facebook page for some more gardening tips, delicious recipes and natural cosmetics.

Recipe 2

What to do with leftover sautéed broccoli leaves? In the picture above, I mixed them with cooked millet and amaranth, handful of dried cranberries, pine nuts, pinch of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Delicious, nurturing and well deserved!

Ivana Chiles has been living in the UAE for almost 15 years. Her passions are nutrition, healthy cooking and gardening. Ivana is a certified health coach, member of American Association of Drugless Practitioners and also a keen outdoor enthusiast.

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EVENT REPORT

SeaYou

Watersport Challenge

On Saturday 6th of February, SeaYou offered a great opportunity to all the competitors and visitors at the SeaYou Watersport Challenge – to sail and paddle inside the amazing Palm Jumeirah thanks to Nakheel support.

For this second edition, the day was divided in two parts with SUP races in the morning and windsurfing races in the afternoon.

All the SUP races were free and open to all. At 10:00 a.m., it started with a sprint race of 1km towards the Atlantis for boards below 12’6. Then at 11:00 a.m. a long distance race of 4km was running for race boards of 12’6 and above. It was one lap going in front of Atlantis, entering in one frond and the finish line was on the beach! There was a prize giving with trophies and medals for female Siyun Liang and male Amer Dantachi first prize (1,000 AED SeaYou voucher and a lunch for two in Coya restaurant, value at 700 AED).

Afternoon was dedicated to windsurfing race on Starboard Phantom 295 which is a one-design class race board, so all the

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competitors were sailing on the same board with only different sails fitting to their body type. The board is equipped with a retractable dagger board rudder which is perfect for light wind conditions like in UAE. SeaYou provided all the equipment for the competition (100 AED) and with this kind of event, SeaYou wants to develop a windsurfing community through all of the emirates.

There were two races with 12 competitors each and there was a final race with the six best of each groups.

It’s the biggest windsurfing event in all the Middle East!

The race was launched at 1:30 p.m. in

light wind conditions approximately 7-8 knots coming from west – northwest. There were three laps about 12min over a triangle course where the competitors were sailing broad-reach, then up-wind port tack and upwind starboard tack.

After the race, all people were invited to the prize giving with trophies and medals. Edern Lalann won the overall first prize (Starboard apparels, lunch for two people in Sofitel the Palm’s restaurant, 1,000 AED SeaYou vouchers) and Sihem Soukeur won the female first prize (1h massage in Sofitel, The Palm, Starboard apparels).

With a family-friendly atmosphere (18 nationalities involved in both activities), visitors and competitors already planned to come again to the next SeaYou Watersport Challenge in April. Stay tuned on www. seayou.ae.

Thanks to Nakheel, Dubai Sport Council, Sofitel, The Palm Resort & Spa for their support and a special thanks to OutdoorUAE and GU (energy gel), all the three first winners of each race were lucky to get a goodie bags with some issue of the magazine, the Off-road guide book and ICFlix cards. Sofitel, The Palm also offered 20% discount to all the participants as well as Raffiné Beauty Salon and Smart Haiways Gents Salon.

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Habitually healthy Words + Recipe By: Chef Christopher Zerbe

During the winter months here in Dubai and the UAE, one of the more popular things to do is boating and fishing! I for one grew up with a fishing pole in my hand constantly. Whether it was freshwater fly fishing for trout or deep sea fishing for flounder, fishing has been in my blood since the very beginning. (Then again, it could be the Greek in me!)

The average fishing season in the UAE runs from October to usually early May. With the increase in population over the last 10 years, the demand for local fish has drastically caused the overfishing of at least six to seven different species! Who is doing anything about this you ask?

It has been stated on record that in the last nine years, the supply of fish off the coast of the UAE has decreased by more than two thirds (2/3)! By far a byproduct of the increased construction off our coastlines and reefs, however we all can do our part to help bring back certain species of fish which have dwindled so low that they are becoming endangered.

Over the last two years, we have also seen a big push for sustainability in our local fishing and purchasing of fish whether it be at the local market or by the huge five-star resort properties. Some of these fish are still sold in restaurants and markets across the UAE even with government pressure from the incredible ORANGE-SPOTTED TREVALLY Ingredients

METHOD Be sure to keep your trevally fillets nice and cold when transporting from the market to your kitchen!

For this recipe you will need two med size fry pans.

www.choosewisely.ae organisation heavily endorsed by the Ministry of Environment and Water of the United Arab Emirates. This organisation has set up a fantastic resource for everyone, describing the overfishing being done here as well as the consumer purchasing of non-sustainable fish!

In case you were wondering which fish are sustainable, the Choose Wisely website has a great section with even pictures of each fish and which category they fall in. An impressive resource for you especially on your shopping days. Avoid purchasing hamour or kingfish and try some other amazing local fish like orange-spotted trevally (known locally as “Jesh Um Al Hala”) or even the black-streaked monocle bream (known locally as “Ebzimi”).

There are many other fish in the sea as they say, so go try them. Take a few minutes and visit the weblink mentioned above and do your part to help revive the age old custom of responsible fishing and trade in your home away from home!

Quantity Preparation

Orange-spotted trevally fillets 1 each

Ask the fishmonger to scale/de-bone it for you

Organic yellow onion

25 g

Minced

Garlic clove

1/2 each

Minced

Fresh heirloom tomatoes

2 med

Small diced

Fresh basil leaves

4 leaves

Thinly sliced

Extra virgin olive oil

5 tbsp

Use 1/2 for cooking and the other half for finishing

Chili flakes

1 pinch

(I like it a bit spicy. Your choice though!)

Flaked sea salt

2 pinch

Use 1 for seasoning the fish fillet and the other while cooking the tomatoes

Ground white pepper

1 twist

Use 1 for seasoning the fish fillet and the other while cooking the tomatoes

Cauliflower

1/2 head

Cut into 4cm pieces and pulse in your food processor till you get a “rice like” texture and size

Lemon wedges

6 pcs

Use 4 pieces for the fish and 2 pieces for the cooking!

Water

3/4 cup

For the cauliflower “rice”

In the first fry pan, place on med heat, add 1tbsp of olive oil and 2tbsp of the minced onion and cook till the onion starts to turn translucent. Now add 1/2 of the minced garlic and the chopped parsley. Next add the chopped cauliflower to the pan and toss liberally to get it all mixed thoroughly. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice in the pan, toss then add the water and cover, cook till the “rice” is al dente!

Once your rice is done, drain the excess water just like you would regular rice, and set aside in a bowl and cover with cling film to keep hot. (That microwave on your counter acts as an awesome insulated hot box too).

Now I like to take my fresh fish fillet and pat them dry with a tea towel first before I put a very small amount of olive oil rubbed on and the sea salt and white pepper.

Next heat your second fry pan to medium heat and sear the fish flesh side down. Once it has cooked for about 2-3 minutes it will be a nice golden brown. Carefully flip the fish fillet over to the skin side ( be sure to flip the fish away from you so that if you splash the oil it goes away from you avoiding the chance of a nasty burn. Cook the fish on the skin side for another 3min to get the skin crispy and remove from the pan and set aside.

Now that the fish is 3/4 cooked, it’s time to “deglaze the pan”.

Place your same fish pan back on the stove and heat again to med heat. With the remaining oil in the pan, add your minced onions and brown gently. Add the garlic mince, then add the chili flakes and basil. Before the garlic turns brown, add the chopped tomatoes and a healthy pinch of the sea salt and a twist of white pepper.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook on med heat for approximately 2-3min to allow the tomatoes to break down and the “sauce” to form!

Carefully lift the lid off your pan with it angled away from you to prevent the steam from burning you. Safety first always.

Now place your 3/4 cooked fish fillets on top of the cooked tomatoes and cover again for 2min till the fish is cooked through and flakes nicely. Remove the pan from the heat and turn off your stove top.

To plate your fish, place a bed of the cauliflower “rice” on your plate, place a fish fillet on top and spoon over half of the chunky tomato sauce. Drizzle a bit of the extra olive oil over top and garnish with a bit of basil.

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

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LIFESTYLE

The geology of the UAE

Walking along the limestone ridge at Maleha, Fossil Rock

Words + Photos By: Dan Wright

I have always had a love for Geology which was inspired by my father and mother taking my brother and I out into the hills of Gloucestershire at weekends to collect fossils and minerals.

The predominantly limestone hills where we grew up were abundant with outcrops (also good for climbing and caving!) where a few hours with a picnic spread out on the grass nearby could turn out a pocketful of gastropods, ammonites, bivalves and various other Mesozoic era fossils. Sometimes we would vary the day out by visiting the Red Lion Inn on the banks of the River Severn and whilst mum and dad tucked into a ploughman’s lunch and lemonade, my brother and I would happily splash along the exposed shale and mudstone river banks looking for glittering chunks of pyrites otherwise known as “Fool’s Gold!”

This fascination with ancient life and the way the world has developed followed me through an A-Level in Geology and a degree in Environmental Science with a specialisation in Sedimentology and Glaciology. Since arriving in the UAE in 2008, I have amassed quite a big collection (to some concern from my wife for the dust it brings into the house!) on our apartment window ledges of rocks, minerals and fossils from all over the seven emirates and beyond into Oman.

The past

For most people, if I asked them, what do you know about the Geology of the UAE? It’s likely they’d reply something along the lines of “It’s pretty flat with lots of sand a few mountains and a lot of oil stored underground.” Well, that’s a fairly accurate description of the area we live in now but 44

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how did that happen? This month I’m going to tell you a bit about the geology under our feet and about how that has shaped the landscape that we live in today. HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan states in the foreword to the book “Abu Dhabi 8 Million Years Ago” that: “It is appropriate that we should take time to remember the country’s past – for it is from there that we derive our roots and from there that the environment of today has evolved.”

but also some of the much older layers.

Geologists can look at these exposed layers and date them according to what is found in the beds and use them to form an accurate picture of what has occurred here over the last few hundred million years!

Exposed limestone beds at Maleha

The Arabian Plate

The UAE lies on the Arabian Plate which was once a part of the supercontinent known as Gondwanaland, this dates back to around 950 million years ago which to be fair is quite a long time! Throughout the millennia the area has been subjected to vastly changing conditions and for much of the time was under the sea and was actually located in the Southern Hemisphere. These conditions meant that various sediments have been deposited and gradually form successive layers. From sandy beaches (forming sandstone) to layers rich with dead organisms under the sea (forming limestone), marshy land between the beach and mainland (forming shale) and thick mud deposits from river deltas (forming mudstone). The process of these sediments being laid down is called sedimentation. As they form layers and layers on top of each other, the intense pressure from the weight above mixes with mineral fluids and crushes down to cement together forming rock beds. This process is also responsible for the oil and gas beds in the shale layers that are so prevalent in this region.

Over time due to tectonic forces (the shifting of the Earth’s plates that form the crust) many of these beds have been twisted and moved so that they are no longer horizontal and it is now possible to see not only the most recent layers on the surface

Believe it or not the Western Region used to look pretty much like a modern African Savannah would today. Seems unlikely right?

Elephants, hippo, hyena, sabre-toothed cats, apes, crocodiles and lots of fish and birds. But six to eight million years ago this is precisely what you would have found on the plains around Abu Dhabi. This was known as the Late Miocene period. If you visit the natural history museum in Abu Dhabi or at Sharjah Wildlife park you can see the fossil evidence of these animals living here yourselves.

There are now no rivers in the UAE but back then the river that flowed through this region is likely to have been either a lower section of the Tigris or Euphrates that we now know or possibly the eastern part of a Saudi Arabian system. Whichever source it came from, it doesn’t exist today and the fertile flood plains that it would have deposited silts on in the rainy seasons are also long gone and the land now is dry and sandy.

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Desert Rose

Desert Rose

Fossils collected above Greyskull Canyon in RAK

Fossil Rock

Large parts of the UAE were also from time to time underwater, specifically sea water and the evidence for this is found in the beds of sedimentary rocks, in particular limestone that hold fossils of known sea dwellers from specific periods in geological time. For example the mountains at Maleha that form the well known “Fossil Rock” and the almost straight ridgeline that rises out of the desert like a prehistoric dinosaur’s back are formed of limestone beds that are rich with fossils.

The limestone dates back to the Cretaceous or Jurassic periods which were between 65 and 213 million years ago.

RAK is also famous for its fossil beds in the mountains above the city and if you head up there on a half day hike or to descend a dry canyon with OutdoorArabia you’ll easily find a pocketful of small “Gastropods” or “Ammonites” or “Bivalves to take home for your school project or to clutter up your apartment window ledges!

Apart from the enormous fossil fuel reserves in the region the UAE is also famous for its Ophiolite formations. Ophiolites are sequences of rocks which are very rare to see because they come from deep under the overlying sediments and form the upper layers of the Earth’s crust. Sometimes tectonic forces thrust them upwards and the Hajar Mountains from Dhaid to Dibba have surface exposed outcrops which allow geologists the rare opportunity to study the Earth’s crust.

One beautiful mineral you may be lucky enough to find in the UAE is the “Desert Rose” which is formed from gypsum. This is a very important mineral in soil and the amount and location will decide the different soil type. It can be found in the desert in shallow depressions between two sand dunes. It forms in sabkhas (saltwater rich desert) when shallow salt basins evaporate (especially as they dry out after rains). The CaS04 2H2O in the water crystallizes into the mineral Gypsum which forms between the individual sand grains trapping them in its structure. Winds and other surface processes expose the crystal structures which look like rock roses as in the example below:

What can I do with all these rocks?

You could create your own “Rock Garden” at home to impress visitors or make a small collection in compartmentalised boxes each one labeled and then take it into school for extra credit! You can even take nice crystals or fossils to a jewelry store and have them set in silver and made into pendants to give to friends and family as gifts. For some time in my 20s, I funded my travels in Asia by collecting fossils and setting them in silver at

Rock Garden

local jewelers and then selling them through natural history shops in the UK. Or you could leave everything in place where you find it and just take photographs (which is definitely the cleanest and tidiest option!).

Whatever you decide to do, please do it in a safe and responsible way. There’s no need to take more than one or two samples from any one place and you should always pay attention to the landscape you are in and preserving its natural beauty. I don’t use a hammer to collect samples as this destroys the environment. As always check the weather forecast before heading into the mountains and take all your rubbish home with you.

Geology is a great way for anyone and their friends or family to get an introduction to the environment we live in and an understanding of geology will give you a better understanding of the landscape in the UAE and how it was formed. Good luck and have fun!

Discovering yourself

If you do decide to head out and do some rock, fossil or mineral collecting then you may also want to invest in a good rocks and mineralogy book like DK Nature Guide: “Rocks and Minerals” by Ronald Louis Bonewitz or the pocket book on “Fossils” by David M Martill. These are available from any good book shop in the UAE. You can create your own collecting kit and you should include a handheld magnifying glass (around 10 AED from any big shopping centre) and take separate sandwich bags to keep similar samples together. A marker pen is a useful way to write on the sandwich bag where and when you found those samples. Be careful if you are turning over rocks and watch out for scorpions or even snakes.

Geology collecting kit

About the Author: Dan Wright is a freelance Wilderness Guide in the UAE and Asia, prior to that he worked for an Emirati Citizenship program. He has a degree in Environmental Science. Dan has been on several International wildlife and exploration expeditions with UK Radio stations and writes for a range of publications in Asia and the Middle East. His wife is the former Nepal National Mountain Bike Champion, Nirjala Tamrakar (See OutdoorUAE, issue44, page 8). They live in Fujairah with their son Percy and spend all their spare time exploring the UAE!

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T R&I E D

TESTED ODUC THIS PR

OV T IS APPR

TDOO ED BY OU

RUAE

The vest rests nicely in a position in the back

BY NATHAN Words By: Sean James

I’m a very sceptical person when people tell me things. Especially if it comes from a marketing department. I always need to check them out myself. So when my task this month was to test a “veste de course” or a race vest that was totally black but claimed to be more reflective than other materials, I smiled.

Most people in the UAE know Nathan as the guy at Premier Marathons who you email when deadline has passed and try to beg a late entry or who stands at the front of the RAK Half Marathon every year and apologises for the late start. In fact, Nathan is a market leader in creating groundbreaking “running essentials”. Running essentials is anything that helps you run faster and longer in races from 5km to ultramarathons. And Nathan has a full range of products from hydration vests, belts, handhelds, bottles, running packs, active visibility and reflective vests. Nathan is a US-based company with distributors worldwide. Their products feel like high quality and they have been awarded several design awards for graphic and/or product ideation and execution by industry bodies.

The Nathan product I was testing was the hydration vest. It looked awesome in black and the materials, meshing and clips felt so slick, A front bottle for quick tactile and of a very high access and the drinking tube keeps you hydrated quality.

It’s almost like a backpack, but it’s called a race vest. When you put it on it, wraps around your body so that when you are running, especially bumpy trails it doesn’t jump about. In the back section there is a two-litre reservoir with a drinking tube that stretches to the front. Hydration in the Emirates is essential when out in the mountains, wadis and deserts

at any time of the year but coming up to the summer even more so. Running around the streets of Dubai in the evening in the summer you benefit from having the liquid and the reflection abilities of this product.

There are a number of selling points of this beautiful, iconic design but rather forgettable name, the HPL 020 Blacklight Hydration Vest 2L: • Black reflective fabric is super-reflective and provides incredible visibility • Patented three-way Propulsion Harness Comfortable mesh straps and a tube for easy hydration stabilises side-to-side/up-down movement of snug. All around the vest there are reflective bladder and other contents for a bounce-free strips that trim the black reflective fabric. ride The straps on the vest mean you can pull • Wall mesh shoulder straps are highly it tight or loosen the fit according to how breathable you feel and the front zip pocket and hooks • One front bottle pocket fits a 22ozTru-Flex safeguard your car keys etc so you don’t have Bottle and one front zip to run another loop and find them. smartphone-compatible pocket Overall, I found the vest very tactile and an object of desire. It fits and holds perfectly The whole vest weights 413g without the on the back and feels so nice bladder. The bladder holds to wear that you look for op2L of water which is 2kg so portunities to use it. Maybe you want something that is owning one of these will moticomfortable and doesn’t move vate you to get outdoors a bit around. There is a breathable more. The black material gives perforated back panel to cool it a feeling of style and authenthings down a little and make tic design but it is also very your next 100-miler a breeze. functional, 2L in the bladder The stability and comfort and space for more bottles on is provided by the three-way the front so you can stay out harness which controls siderunning for at least a couple to-side/up-down movement of hours. Nathan has a whole of the bladder and other range of products to suit difcontents you might be carryferent uses and demands. The ing such as a phone, camera, HPL 020 Blacklight Hydration gels or food. The breathable Vest is definitely one of my mesh material extends to the The material is actually black but favourites. shoulder straps and feels very glows when light is directed at it

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PRODUCTS A ROUND-UP OF QUALITY PRODUCTS AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE IN THE UAE

Jobe Conflict Wakeboard 2015 collection 2,050 AED (previously 2595 AED)

Available only at Al Yousuf Motors across UAE It is champion’s choice.

“A large nose is the mark of a brisk, strong and dependable man,” a wise Frenchman once said. We’re guessing the same goes for boards made by Frenchmen! Julian gave his 2015 pro model a nose and tail with as much surface area as possible, making the Conflict not only super strong but also fast, consistent and balanced on rails – especially when pressing! The 2015 Conflict also showcases a three-stage rocker and a H.I.T. base, giving this year’s model even more pop off kickers and fleon rails. Its long and deep channels run all the way from tip to tail and work in unison with its sharp and hard edges, giving you the kind of grip you’ll need to boost air tricks like JuJu! • Three-stage construction • ABS sidewall • Blended core • Flex • Hit base • Slider fins • Press technology

Patagonia R1 Full-Zip Jacket 710 AED

Available at Adventure HQ The classic R1® Jacket offers maximum versatility for the full spectrum of mountain endeavours. Made with Regulator® grid fleece for outstanding stretch, breathability, compressibility and durability.

More than a decade after we introduced the R1®, it remains a favourite of the world over for good reason: it stretches, breathes, wicks and warms with ultimate efficiency. The full-zip iteration only enhances its range, whether worn as a midlayer or a lightweight jacket. The finely tuned high/low interior grid polyester fabric (Polartec® Power Dry®) also squashes down to practically nothing, has a terrific feel and remains durable and warm. Two-zippered hand warmer pockets sit above the harness line, and offset shoulder seams steer clear of pack straps.

• Versatile R1® fleece, with its high/low grid pattern, provides excellent stretch, warmth, fast wicking and great breathability in a variety of temperatures • Microfibre face speeds dry time and allows for easy layering • Two-zippered hand warmer pockets with brushed polyester mesh • Raglan sleeve construction reduces bulk under a pack • 6.8-oz Polartec® Power Dry® 93% polyester (41% recycled)/7% spandex. Fabric is bluesign® approved • 294 g (10.4 oz) • Made in Colombia 48

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Marmot Limelight Two-Person Tent 1,335 AED

Available at Adventure HQ The Limelight 2P follows the “keep it simple” principle for quick set-up and weight-minimisation while still camping in comfort.

Features include a roomy side vestibule to keep gear dry in wet weather, D-shaped door for easy entry/exit, colour-coded “Easy Pitch” clips and poles, seam-taped catenary cut floor to maximise space and ventilation and seam-taped full coverage fly. Free gear loft and footprint!

Sea to Summit Ultrasil Duffle 40L 210 AED

Available at Adventure HQ The latest addition to our range of ultralight travel bags, the new Sea to Summit UltraSil® Duffle Bag, is the ultimate in lightweight duffle bags. With an incredible volume capacity of 40L and strong enough for a heavy load, it is the perfect duffle bag as airline carry-on baggage, a carry all for impromptu excursions or just going to the gym. Super compact and superlight, it is also an obvious choice as a spare bag on any trip.

• Ultralight versatile duffle bag • Fits snugly in the accompanying stuff sack with a Hypalon key ring attachment • UltraSil® fabric for strength and durability • Bar tacked stitching to reinforce all key stress points • Durable YKK TM zipper

Boat Show

This month sees Watercooled celebrate three years in the UAE, after first opening their doors at the Jebel Ali Golf Resort in March 2012. In those three years, Watercooled has expanded their training and rental operations, opening activity centres on the Corniche at Hiltonia Beach Club in Abu Dhabi, and most recently on JBR at the newly opened DoubleTree by Hilton. Watercooled offer a wide range of water sports activities, and they specialise in providing certified tuition, which means they choose their operation locations carefully. Watercooled general manager Barry explains, “We choose areas based on certain criteria, namely wind direction, shelter and other water users. We train hundreds of new students each year, and it is important that they can learn to sail, windsurf, paddle or ski in a safe environment, so that they get a chance to really enjoy what they are doing, and therefore have the desire to continue with their chosen sport and their training.”

Activities

Watercooled’s club houses at Jebel Ali and Abu Dhabi are recognised training centres of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), while their JBR centre is currently under application for the same. The RYA is the UK National Governing Body for sailing, windsurfing and powerboating and is globally recognised as a standard of excellence in training. The team at Watercooled are all RYA qualified and each location has specialist instructors who are experts in their chosen sport, from sailing to

windsurfing to powerboating. Scott, Watercooled’s operation manager, has been with the company since they opened in the UAE in 2012 describes the range of activities on offer, “We certainly take pride in our RYA accreditation, and we do a lot of certified training in sailing, windsurfing and powerboating. The great thing about the RYA schemes is that they have been refined over the years so the progression is really achievable, they also specialise in youth and adult schemes. However, we carry this training ethos over to all our activities, and provide great structured tuition for kayaking, stand up paddleboard (SUP) as well as the motorised activities of waterski and wakeboarding. To top it off we have the activities that anyone can enjoy, like fishing trips, boat tours and donut tows!”

Accessibility Part of Watercooled’s mission is to make water sports accessible to as many people as possible, whether you are an experienced windsurfer or a novice sailor, the team will be able to cater for you. Even though the centres are located at premium beach clubs and hotels, anyone can come and use the activities at any time, without having to pay any entrance fees. The company has specific entrance policies with their hotel partners, meaning customers pre-book their activity for their chosen location, then provide their details at the hotel entrance, where they are allowed to come and do their Watercooled activity. If guests wish to stay and use the hotel and beach facilities afterwards, they simply pay the daily rate at the hotel to do so. Each centre has a wide range of equipment from top suppliers to ensure that all abilities are catered for. The beginner training courses prove to be very popular, particularly for sailing. Each RYA course has an instructor student ratio of 1:6, meaning that the tuition is very hands on, with trainees having plenty of time to ask further questions. The rental options available at the centres really open up the different water sports opportunities, allowing people to pick and choose different kit and equipment each time they come, either keeping it a leisurely day on the water, or upping the ante for a real challenge in windy conditions. Scott elaborates “It is really important for people new to a sport, that they can easily practice and develop their skills, this is really one of the strengths of the centres, it allows people to learn at their own pace, or as part of a group lesson. And for

experienced people, the centres are really the ultimate playground, with all the top kit on hand ready to go when they choose.”

Clubs

Watercooled aim to keep building their inclusive take on water sports by increasing their group and club offerings.Water sports is often seen as singular activity, but most can be enjoyed as part of a group. Regular group SUP sessions, like safaris, yoga and fitness camps, as well as windsurfing workshops and sailing race clubs have proven very popular over the years. With their new location at JBR, the company hopes that now they are closer to people’s doorsteps, it will encourage more people to get on the water, try something new, or enjoy meeting some new people in a fun environment.

Watercooled Jebel Ali: bookingsdxb@watercooleduae.com; 04 8876771 Watercooled JBR: bookingsjbr@watercooleduae.com; 055 9137152 Watercooled Abu Dhabi: bookingsauh@ watercooleduae.com; 02 6395997

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

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

PRODUCTS FitBit Surge

1,299 AED/QAR 141.2 OMR Available exclusively at GO Sport from 1st to 15th March 2015 Train smarter and go further with Surge – a sleek, Fitness Super Watch helps you reach your peak performance on the track, in the gym and all day. With integrated GPS and automatic, continuous, wrist-based heart rate tracking, Surge gives you real-time workout stats like pace, distance, calories burned, heart rate intensity and target zones to make the most of your training. Designed for all day wear, this contoured watch tracks your steps, distance, calories burned, sleep and 24/7 heart rate trends for better fitness insights. Stay connected on the move with advanced smart watch features like call and text notifications and music control. Every moment counts when you’re striving to be the best. Don’t just start. Surge.

Five Ten Camp Four Approach Shoe 825 AED

Available at Adventure HQ and Rock Republic Be ready for when your world suddenly goes vertical. From the world’s most dangerous big walls to the world’s most dangerous big hikes, Camp Fours with their super sticky Stealth® S1™ give you the confidence necessary for success. A svelte heel cage has been added plus increased the lug height for better penetration into soft ground, and reduced seams on the upper for improved durability and weather resistance.

More aggressive tread and a less absorbent foam make the newer version of the old classic more suited to loose, slippery approaches. They also feel lighter but just as sticky as we all know and love from the old Camp Four.

They are, designed for the world’s most dangerous hikes: slippery rock, big exposure and dire consequences from a slip.

The new Camp Four is well made for this, sticky rubber that inspires more holds in sketchy situations, deep tread for sure footed grip and tough leather upper that is triple stitched in high wear areas around the ‘bend’ in the foot.

Minimal panels to reduce weakness and complication.

Mocks

Starting from 325 AED

Feel Free Lure 10 and 11.5 Fishing Kayaks

Starting from 275 AED

7,450 AED (Lure 11.5) 6,950 AED (Lure 10)

(mens and ladies CLASSIC CANVAS) Starting from 150 AED (kids)

Available at Adventure HQ and Global Climbing

(mens and ladies MOCKLITE CLASSIC II)

Available at Namshi, Athlete’s Co, Stadium, TAF Kids. For information, call +971 4 362 9497.

Are your feet ready for an adventure? One where they’ll be stepping into a world of pure colour, pure comfort and pure style? You’ve arrived at Mocks, the new footwear trend your feet will thank you for. Taking our lead from traditional moccasins, we’ve looked at a comfort classic and given it a few 21st century twists. With so many colours and styles to choose from, you can express yourself and get your feet fizzing wherever you are: in the city, in the country, on the beach.

Feelfree Kayaks are taking kayak fishing to a new level in stability, comfort and versatility with the new 2014 Lure. The Lure 11.5 is the Lure 10’s bigger brother designed for longer paddling trips on rivers, lakes and oceans with more capacity and additional deck space.

The kayak also comes with a variety of unique features seen on Lure series kayaks including a removable multi-level extra wide Patent Pending Gravity Seat, Feelfree’s patented wheel in the keel and Uni-Track system. The Gravity Seat offers a wide range of seat heights, which is adjusted with the simple function of a lever and is removable. What really sets the Gravity Seat apart is the ability to sit flush on the deck of the kayak when additional stability and a more efficient paddling position is needed for longer distances.

The Lure’s super-stable 36” wide hull paired with a padded standing platform gives you the option to paddle or cast in either the sitting or standing position whether fishing inland waters or wide open oceans — this kayak fears no water.

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OUTDOORUAE

New RACE ULTRA™ 270 Running Shoe Building on the success of their award-winning RACE ULTRA 290, Inov-8 has designed a new, lighter version to give long-distance athletes an even faster weapon in their shoe armoury.

Available now, the RACE ULTRA 270 weighs in at just 270g – 20g lighter than the RACE ULTRA 290 – and has been designed for big-mile races over trails and mountains.

With a reduced 4mm drop (heel to toe differential), the RACE ULTRA 270 brings the athlete closer to the terrain. And while this delivers increased levels of proprioception, the shoe retains optimal cushioning and comfort.

A flatter outsole ensures a stable ride when fatigue sets in, while outstanding grip is guaranteed through a combination of sticky and high abrasion rubber cleats.

Inov-8’s unique on-the-shoe attachment system allows a RACE ULTRA GAITER (available to buy separately) to be fitted, ensuring all debris is kept at bay.

A multi-finger polymer Meta-Shank aligns with each individual metatarsal, delivering an extra kick of energy with every step

while retaining impact protection and flexibility.

The RACE ULTRA 270 has been engineered in Inov-8’s standard fit, which allows extra room and increased comfort for when feet swell over long distance races.

International ultra-runner Brendan Davies, who finished top eight in both the Western States 100 and Ultra-Trail Mt Fuji last year, has been involved in the testing and development of the RACE ULTRA 270.

Brendan said: “The RACE ULTRA 270 is the perfect shoe for racing long distances over trails. With the 4mm drop I still have a great feel of the ground underneath my feet but with superb comfort too.

“The Meta-Shank gives me flexible and lightweight protection. It means I can run long distances and always be protected from the harsh sandstone that is a feature where I live in the Blue Mountains, Australia.

“The grip is ideal for running long ultras.

It really is a great all-rounder, offering superb traction on technical trails, both in dry and wet conditions. I also use it in training when a lot of my running is on fire trails. I’ve found the RACE ULTRA 270 really comfortable when running big miles in training.

“I wore the RACE ULTRA 270 when, as part of a four-man team, breaking the

course record for a 100km race in Sydney recently and plan to wear it for a lot of races in 2015, including the Western States 100.”

The RACE ULTRA 270 is also currently on the feet of global adventurer Ray Zahab, who is running 800 miles across the Patagonian Desert, one of the most remote and extreme places on earth.

For more information visit: www.alboommarine.com

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

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

PRODUCTS

Suunto D4i 2,645 AED

Suunto Ambit3 Sport Sapphire 2,650 AED

Available at Adventure HQ, Modell’s, Sun & Sand Sports, GO Sports and Stadium The elegant design, inspired by feedback from hundreds of women, is unique in the world of sports watches. Without compromising performance or functionality, the Ambit3 Sport Sapphire is the kind of watch you really want to wear all day. Not only does this high-powered sports watch look great, but it also monitors your daily activity. You can check how many calories you’ve burned for the day and see your daily average for the week.

With the free Suunto Movescount App (currently available for iPhone, and for Android in March 2015), you can get notifications sent directly to the Ambit3 Sport Sapphire. A glance at your wrist is all it takes to see who is texting or calling, putting an end to those frantic searches for your phone.

With four dive modes – including freediving – Suunto RGBM algorithm, and the option of wireless integration, the Suunto D4i is the dive computer of choice for all divers looking for a lightweight, reliable and stylish dive computer.

The all-round dive computer comes out in two new editions.

With the pink edition, it gets a splash of colour. It’s the perfect fit, whether blending in with a coral reef or your style out of the water.

The gray Suunto D4i makes for a modern and streetwise alternative to black.

Salomon Elevate Seamless Tee

Salomon Agile Short

Available at Modell’s Sporting, Adventure HQ and Stadium

Available at Modell’s Sporting, Adventure HQ and Stadium

A seamless tee with an active fit, the Elevate Tee is made with 14% wool, making it incredibly soft and comfortable, and it will only become softer with age. Active fit is great for running or sports, but still looks great for everyday activities. Subdued branding so you can wear it everywhere.

Lightweight two-in-one running short with a soft, lightweight internal short and superlight outer shell, as well as a convenient zipped key pocket.

270 AED

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Available at selected retail stores and dive centres

OUTDOORUAE

160 AED

Are your feet ready for an adventure?

One where they’ll be stepping into a world of pure colour, pure comfort and pure style? You’ve arrived at Mocks, the new footwear trend your feet will thank you for.

Taking our lead from traditional moccasins – and generations of native Americans can’t be wrong - we’ve looked at a comfort classic and given it a few 21st century twists.

With so many colours and styles to choose from, you can express yourself and get your feet fizzing wherever you are: in the city, in the country, on the beach.

Explore our world. Take your first steps in Mocks and you know good times are ahead.

Available at Namshi, Athlete’s Co, Stadium, TAF Kids. For information, call +971 4 362 9497.

Kid’s Shoes

Men’s Mocklite Classic

Women’s Mocklite Classic

Men’s Canvas

Women’s Canvas

Words By: Sean James

At the end of March I will be in Kathmandu, Nepal preparing to climb Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. You cannot stand anywhere higher on this Earth.

Everest has caught the imagination of people for a long time and lucky for me it still continues to inspire people to this day. This year, I have been fortunate enough to be supported by a fantastic company, Nite Watches, here in the Emirates who understand what it takes to even dream about such a challenge.

Wristwatches were first introduced in the 16th century when Elizabeth I of England received one as a present. Early models were adaptations of pocket watches but with a leather strap to enable the owner to wear it on their arm. Instantly the watch became not only more accessible and usable but more visible and naturally a fashion item.

Nite Watches is a British watch brand founded by Roger Green in 1998. He was the first person to introduce a technology into the British market known as GTLS or Gaseous Tritium Light Source.The light produced by GTLS s varies in colour and size with green usually being the brightest color.

In daylight, the amount of light given off is not visible but in the dark it is clear from a distance of several meters. It looks stunning in day and night. GTLS uses a combination of tritium and phosphors to create this visible light and requires no external electrical energy and is a completely self-powered, cold light source.

For this reason GTLS technology is favored by the military for applications where a power source may not be available, such as for instrument dials in aircraft, compasses

and sights for weapons. For the Nite watch it looks striking.

The background of Nite Watches is borne from adventure and excitement but also style. I had been approached to wear the Nite Watches because of my mountaineering background and forthcoming Everest expedition linked closely to the core brand values of Nite Watches. The watch I was wearing was called the Icon.

On the wrist it looks grand with a simple and classic elegance. The large open face, bold dial numerals and the GTLS illumination are super effective at any time of the day and in particular at night. The piece feels solid and living in Dubai where the wow factor is part of daily life, it draws many remarks and comments. Wearing it you can feel there is a very high build quality that is lacking in many products these days and you appreciate the solid steel case and internal Swiss movements.

The Icon by Nite Watches can be an elegant piece of jewelry, a collectible or

as in my case a functioning timepiece for when I’m outdoors. It’s interesting that Nite chooses not to sell the watches via retailers but everything is done online and “direct to consumer”. In doing so they have tried to create a brand that is more connected to the end user and their social media platforms are equally full of stories and photos of the watches as they are with information about the products.

To recognise the design quality of Nite Watches, the company was awarded a contract in 2005 to supply British Special Forces with the MX10-001 model and the issue of a NATO codification reference. So I felt that when I was wearing my Icon I was in good company. I hope to be wearing the Icon in 30 days more at the summit of Everest.

Available at Instagram: @almekshah Facebook: www.facebook.com/almekshah Mobile:+971 55 4005441

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OUR EXPERTS

Taking up the challenge

Part 4

Words + Photos By: Ian Ganderton

I’m writing this fourth instalment in my Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge story in a good place, but with some frustrations.

There is just over a month to go before the rally starts and I can feel it looming.

So let’s look at the frustrations first and get them out of the way. There are two major problems. First off is my rally bike is not yet built. If you’ve been following these articles you may recall that around Christmas the Gas Gas project came to an end and the Yamaha WR450 Rebel X project took its place. The WR450 base bike is here and I’ve been racking up the hours getting used to its different feel but the rally kit (navigation tower and instrumentation, extended range tanks and bash plate with water and tool storage) is trapped in Dubai customs/DHL somewhere. I’m really keen to get on it and become completely at home riding it.

Frustration number two is a day’s riding I had a couple days ago. I’ve just spent the past week down in the Liwa Crescent on a training camp with James West (Crazy Camel Racing) and some fellow ADDC competitors.

For some reason on the fourth day I lost my riding mojo. A couple of minor falls and struggling on some complex slip faces going against the grain led to more falls and more struggling. With each problem my riding became worse and worse.

The route we were riding for the day was combination of previous year’s rally routes but in reverse. This meant we were going ‘against the grain’. Those who have driven or ridden in the dunes will know they have a natural grain like wood or waves in the sea.

This is caused by the prevailing wind. On the

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side the wind mainly comes from the dunes are less steep and the sand more compact.

The slip faces form on the other side, the lee, out of the wind. The sand here is soft and at its steepest. Against the grain means you are tackling this steep, soft stuff.

It’s not all one big slip face though, there are weaknesses, joining the dots between these creates lines to ride. But they are tough lines requiring both momentum and traction. Because the sand is at its softest carrying speed keeps the bikes wheels from digging in. But of course you can’t just go flat out like its flat. Concave depressions cause compressions and G’s that can be impossible to hold. Convex ‘bumps’, even when soft sand, can launch you into the air.

This is not so much a problem, it’s the landing that’s the problem. Soft sand is also difficult to turn on feeling vague and robbing valuable momentum.

Then there is traction needed to keep your optimal speed going as you fight the gravity and drag of the sand while climbing up the dunes. The aim is to have just enough power to the back wheel, not enough and you lose that precious momentum, too much and either you will be too fast with its associated problems or the rear wheel will spin too much and dig right in losing drive and speed again.

If it all sounds difficult it’s because it is a bit!

There is one more problem too. At the top of every dune there is exactly that, a top and end. The steeper the dune the more sharply it finishes. It’s very important to judge your speed correctly at this transition, too fast and you get launched into orbit, too slow and you won’t make the top.

When it’s all going well all is good, you can see the lines, hold the transition at the bottom, keep your momentum, judge your speed correctly at the crest and flow through dune after dune. It’s tiring but feels great. Make a mistake though and suddenly you are picking a bike up in the middle of a soft slip face and that’s very tiring making the next mistake more likely and this is how it can snowball. This is what happened to me. It was horrible. I was making all the mistakes resulting in a loss of confidence which directly leads to a loss of flow and momentum, more fighting picking up the bike, more energy burned quickly all resulting in more confidence-robbing mistakes.

I felt like an accident waiting to happen plus it’s no fun being constantly being off the back of the group, getting dropped and feeling like you are holding everyone else up unacceptably. I didn’t seem to be able to shake it so at the refuel stop I decided to quit while I was ahead and leave the other guys to crack on without me. Better to walk away and be ready to play another day?

Day 5, I was back on the bike, the weather was poor (start of the sandstorm) and the pace down as a result. I didn’t have any offs

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

but felt stiff and lacking flow on the bike.

I’m confident these two frustrations should solve themselves with a combination of bike time and patience. The Rebel X Rally Kit is here somewhere and there are more on the way (we will be a team of six riders for the event). My missing mojo will come back with time on the bike and I’m planning on heading to some big dunes to work on the weaknesses I found in my riding.

Now what’s going well? Firstly the ankle I broke back in October is healing well and feeling stronger and stronger each time on the bike. It’s now not restricting my riding at all, just feels a bit sore and stiff in the mornings or at the end of a long day.

Next is my riding has been feeling good and I’ve been finding lots of flow over recent weekends.

In the three days prior to losing my mojo down in Liwa, I felt I was riding well and felt comfortable

on the bike in the terrain. I’m comfortable in the environment, I know how the dunes feel down there and know the topography reasonably well now.

I’m happy with the kit I wear and that I can stay fed, hydrated and comfortable for full rally days in the expected temperatures and sun. Doing five consecutive days of more or less rally distances has allowed all those first timer concerns to melt away.

I’m really happy and confident with the rally bike plan. WR450s are well proven to be reliable in our prevailing conditions, even through the summer, so are an excellent base bike. The Rebel X kit brings together components proven for functionality and reliability over many of the world’s toughest races.

Most importantly, I’m most happy with the group of people I have around me supporting me in this endeavour. James West and his crew with their race experience and riding ability are huge assets to have in my camp. They tolerate my ‘noob’ inexperience, stupid questions and by riding with them, give my riding a head start by ensuring I’m learning from their experience and the best lines. During the rally their team, Crazy Camel Racing, will be providing their race proven support, bike servicing and logistics.

I’m also lucky enough to have Malcolm from Dune Raider Desert Racing Team as a mentor. With several successful DCs in the bag, his patient experience has been invaluable when evaluating where I’m at, bouncing thoughts around and planning the path forwards.

Lastly over the past few months I’ve met a lot of fellow competitors and teams. I’m looking forward to the camaraderie of the bivouac and being part of a world championship event. My understanding is that because it’s the first round of the FIM World Raid Rally Championship a successful finish will actually give me a world ranking. That’s kind of cool.

As this will be the last article issue that goes to print before the event start on the 27th March 2015 I’d like to take the opportunity to wish everyone involved the best of luck and a safe rally. That includes not just the competitors but also the huge team of people supporting the event to make it happen, the mechanics, marshals, cooks, medical team, helicopter pilots, sweep team, photographers and journalists. The list is long but everyone is appreciated by this newbie competitor.

For more information on the event go to www.abudhabidesertchallenge.com.

QATAR EXPLORER

An ideal all-year round activity Words By: Eulogy van Dyk Photos By: Black Fern Photography

There are not many places in the world where you can do any outdoor activity all year round.

Most of the time, you have to wait for the season to be right, the weather to clear up and circumstances to be favourable to do that thing you love to do. But in Qatar, there is one blissful activity that is available 365 days of the year – sailing.

Due to its unique geographical location, the little peninsula of Qatar ensures that there will be wind almost every day of the year. Maybe not enough for kitesurfing or similar sports, but certainly enough to get your captain spirit out, set sail and have some fun in the desert sun! No traffic jams, no speed limits; just the open water as your playground and plenty of “free” wind!

About sailing in Qatar History

Dhow boats are somewhat of a common feature in the waters of Qatar, and with a proud pearl diving history, it is not surprising that the Qatari people have a special relationship with the ocean. Although more conventional sports like football dominate the sporting activities for the locals, there is a natural interest in boating and sailing in Qatar. And the popularity of sailing is certainly increasing.

Ideal place to learn to sail

There is a marvelous breeze that establishes itself in the late morning through to late afternoon (courtesy of the desert heating). As the desert gets hot, the air over the desert rises and the cooler ocean air flows over into the desert, so you can almost set your watch by it - by 11:30am everyday you get a lovely breeze blowing into the desert form the sea.

These stable and steady conditions makes

it a very ideal place to learn the skills and techniques of sailing, and indeed, to have a pleasant sailing experience almost daily.

Local activity

The local Doha Sailing Club was established in 1959, sanctioned by the State of Qatar under the Youth and Sports Authority, with affiliation to the International Sailing Federation (ISAF); and its membership is on the rise. Sometimes referred to as a baghlah (from the Arabic meaning “mule”) the traditional dhow has been traded in for a faster catamaran. And with the growing expat community, sailing has taken off in Doha!

Local club racing events are organised on Friday and Saturday afternoons throughout the year, although less popular during the hot summer months of July and August.

With annual membership available at the Doha Sailing Club, it provides a safe and welcoming environment for its members.

Many of the members of the sailing club only took up sailing when they moved to Qatar, so it really is an opportunity for anyone to learn the skill and build up their confidence.

There are of course some very experienced sailing members who have found they could continue their passion in the waters of Qatar.

The Regatta Sailing Academy opened seven years ago to enable people throughout Qatar to experience the wonderful sport of sailing. They are dedicated to youth sailing programs and school activity classes run daily for complete beginners through to race training and school regattas. They are the only RYA (Royal Yachting Association) accredited training centre in Qatar, and their

highly experienced instructors work with those who have special needs to learn about the environment and experience the thrill of sailing a boat. They do not only cater for the youth but also provide training programs for adults. A wide variety of boats and yachts can also be hired from their base, which makes it user-friendly to enjoy the sport here.

Why come sailing in Qatar?

A recent report in the local media quotes on sailor as saying: “Doha’s coast is ideal for sailing. Its clean, shallow waters and yearround summer temperatures rule out the need for dry or wet suits, or any other protective clothing. You only need sun protection and beach gear to go.”

Need we say more? This is really one of the few places in the world where you can have such excellent conditions for sailing non-stop. With a warm community of enthusiasts, great learning opportunity and wonderful facilities, there is no better place for sailing the waters of the Arabian Gulf than right here in Doha!

Where to start Regatta Sailing Academy

Contact: regattasailing@yahoo.com; www.regattasailingacademy.com (+974 5550 3484) Location: Katara Beach, Doha

Doha Sailing Club

Contact: dohasailingclub@gmail.com; www.qmsf.com (+974 4443 9840) Location: Katara Beach, Doha

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

OUR EXPERTS

When I moved to Dubai, our times fishing together was cut short and each time I went home on holiday, I would make it a point to have a trip or two with him. Fishing is bonding time between dad and me.

When I became a dad, I wanted to give to my daughter what I have not experienced when I was her age – to fish with my grandfather and my dad at the same time. So that we did when my parents and brother visited Dubai. We braved the weather and fished together. Although the catching could have been better, the memories that we shared that day will forever be in Kaylee’s mind – the day she fished with her grandpa for the first time.

Legacy Words By: Kit Belen

It is said that the most precious gift we could ever give our children is the learning we pass onto them from what we’ve learned in our lives. Not necessarily for them not to make the same mistakes, but to warn them of the outcome and to let them know what to expect.

Of the three offspring my parents have produced, I am the only one who inherited our father’s passion for fishing, the enjoyment of the solitude and beauty it gives to both mind and soul.

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Looking forward

Kaylee eagerly showing her grandpa how she fishes

My dad, Kaylee’s grandpa

One of the fondest memories I’ve ever had was when my uncle (my dad’s brother) gave me my first rod and reel. When the government started to restrict hunting for birds, dad My grandad took up fishing again, it was a chance for My father’s dad passed away when I was 10 me to learn from someone who knew how years old and the only grandfather I have to fish. Or so I thought. Dad was primarily ever known was my mother’s dad. I never a freshwater fisherman and to make it even got to fish with the old man, although dad stranger, he didn’t even know how to use a and mum always told me that he was a very rod and reel, he used long bamboo poles decent fisherman. At a very young age, I had to fish for the native species we have back visions of learning from an old master and home. There was no need to use “fancy learning to fish the way they used to when gear”, although he had a rod and reel in the they were actively fishing. It did not happen closet (also given to him by his brother) it for me. I learned from older men that were remained there, untouched and unused for a not related to me, not that I’m complaining, few years. it’s just that I believe, these things are better Due to the restrictions imposed by the done with someone close and dear. The government, he finally took up saltwater younger kids will always have fond memofishing and elected to learn how to use a rod ries of the people that they learned fishing and reel. After a few quick sessions with his from and it will be forever ingrained in their elder brother, he learned how to cast and memories. eventually, after a few years, became one of Fishing together for the first time the best, pier fisherman of the country.

I slowly inched away from fishing with kids from my age group and fished more and more with him chasing after snapper, giant trevally, sweet lips and pretty much anything that would bite a bottom fished live shrimp.

Showing her grandparents how she casts

I honestly believe that it is very important to let our kids understand whom we got our passion from.

In my case, having inherited my father’s passion for fishing, and I find it very important to let my child know and experience it straight from the guy that took me out fishing. The memories that she has of her grandfather will forever affect the way she sees the sport. It’s not just about catching fish, but rather time spent with family and make memories with the people that matter most.

We cannot do anything about the past, I cannot change the fact that I was not able to fish with either of my grandfathers, but I can do something about my child’s experiences and for mine as well. It was great to see dad fishing somewhere else and catch fish other than the ones that he catches back home. I am looking forward to their next visit and perhaps next time, I can show him the spots I regularly fish and fish like we did years ago, perhaps we can even take the little girl with us.

Kaylee showing the contents of her tackle box to her grandparents

Our fishing pro who shares his experiences and erpertise with OutdoorUAE through his regular column. thefishingkit@gmail.com

OUTDOORUAE

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OUR EXPERTS

Recon ride into Oman Words By: John Basson

About six years ago, I did an off-road trip to Mashirah Island (Oman) on my Honda 450. It was the highlight of my riding at the time and something I would like to repeat before leaving the UAE. What I do recall from this ride was the beauty of the route, especially day one. This was a section that ran from the Hafeet border crossing in Al Ain to Ibri and then turns southbound towards a town called “Nati.”

Strangely, neither the town nor the guest house can be found on Google! (I will talk a bit more regarding Google Earth images later in the article.)

I called my friend Bradley from Just Gas It, to discuss the possibility of them joining me on this adventure. The problem we (might) have is that virtually no one’s off-road bikes are registered or insured. As it is not yet a “legal” requirement in the UAE, nobody bothers the effort or cost. Six years ago, at the border crossings, they certainly asked for all paperwork and without “legal” proof of ownership, not just an invoice, Oman custom officials would not let you enter with a nonregistered bike, even on a trailer. It seems these regulations are either no longer in place, or we were just lucky as this time neither countries official asked us for any papers.

Both Kevin and my bikes are registered, so it would not have been a problem.

Whilst discussing this issue with Bradley, he asked me why we don’t do the trip on our BMWs. These bikes are all registered and, depending on the terrain, might just be perfectly suited for this adventure. The more I thought about it the more I realised that the BMWs might just be the answer and with slight adjustments to the route we can

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plan an excellent trip. There was only one problem. I could not recall the type of terrain on the second section of Day One. I remembered that there were no major difficulties, but I could not remember if there were any sandy patches or not. One can still attempt slightly technical terrain on a GS, but a 300kg bike, with “semi” off-road tyres does not go anywhere in soft sand. (Only in YouTube videos, but not in reality).

The only way to be sure that this route would be achievable on a GS was to scout it first with our Honda 450 bikes. I immediately started my planning and went on Google Earth to find a route that at least looked “doable”. I did the exact planning, using maps and Google Earth six years ago. I clearly remember a small town, with a fuel station, on the Google map. I think the name of the town was “Nati”. Also on the first evening we stayed in a guest house that was also depicted on Google Earth. However, both town and guest house are no more visible on Google. They are there, but not on Google.

This obviously caused some uncertainty and made me question my aging memories.

With our bikes loaded, Google maps printed and my GPS programmed, Kevin and I left Al Ain early morning on the last Friday in January. As we had to scout the route, and still come back the same day, we drove the pickup and trailer all the way to Ibri, 120km into Oman. At Ibri we off-loaded and took the bikes. I knew the off-road section from Al Ain to Ibri was suitable for the BMWs as we did that route in October last year.

I plotted the route to pass through several small “villages” and also pass through the mountains rather than just straight down between the two mountain ranges. The route turned out to be one of the best I had

ever ridden. Both Kevin and I were again overwhelmed by the beauty of Oman. The crisp and clear winter skis, combined with zero wind the whole day, only made things more impressive! This route would probably not stimulate someone that is looking for an adrenaline overdose, but if “adventure riding/touring” is what you love, then this is a must. By the end of the day, whilst driving back in the pick-up, I realised that instead of trying to plan a three to four day ride, that often complicates things and limits many people from partaking, this ride/route is probably one of the best one day rides any GS rider can ask for.

If one enters Oman by 6:00 a.m. you should reach the guest house by around 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. for lunch. The lunch is cheap and “very acceptable” for the location. After lunch and a short rest, the bikes can head back to Al Ain riding tar all the way. This “one day ride” will allow you to ride 250km of tracks and gravel roads with truly amazing views, and then, after lunch 250km on road, all in one day. Something not possible on a GS anywhere in the UAE. By the time this article is printed and published I would have already done “trip one” of many to come on the GS and will just add a small comment on the ride in the April issue. For now, all I can say is that those who are interested must hurry up as by end of March it will be too hot for the average GS rider to do this trip. Remember that our speed off-road is a lot slower and some sections are very slow due to terrain. These low speeds and all our fancy “touring outfits” tends to cause the riders to overheat.

Ride safe and go for gold.

Regards,

John

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PEOPLE

Red and Gisela Vargas Occupations: He’s a banker, she’s a brand manager; both are dive masters Nationality: Filipino Ages: Both are 39

This married couple has fallen in love with the sea thanks to scuba diving and gives back the love by organising underwater clean-up drives and capturing great images to share.

How did you get into diving?

R: It’s ironic that we learned to scuba dive in UAE, a land more known for the dry desert than the sea. We started scuba diving in 2009. We have friends who were also divers and they encouraged us to try it out through a Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) event conducted by the Filipino Scuba Divers Club (FSDC). We liked it and proceeded to take the Open Water course.

Do your kids join you for your dives?

G&R: Our eldest son, Sebastian, 19 is also a scuba diver who started diving three years ago. Our youngest, Diego, 13 just had a DSD last month and is very keen to learn and start diving with us. He will be taking the Open Water course next year. Kids can start as early as 10 years old.

Photo by: Andrew Borela

In Fujairah

Photo by: Red Vargas

Where is your favorite diving destination?

G&R: For us, the best dive sites are still in the Philippines because of the marine biodiversity and clear waters. The dive site depends on what you are interested in. There are choices if one prefers small creatures (for macro photography) or large fishes (for wide angle).

What was your most challenging dive?

R: A shark dive in the Maldives. Usually, divers are deployed from a boat and waited for each other at the surface before going down together. In this case, we had to enter the water with negative buoyancy, meaning we went straight down without waiting for the others because the dive site had a very strong current. There was a good chance one might get lost from the group and be forced to abort the dive. The second factor was that we had to go very deep at 30m. This meant that we had to watch our time and air very closely. There is a limited time to avoid decompression and going deeper means you consume air faster. We were holding the edge of a plateau while the current was constantly pushing us. It was then that we were greeted by an inspiring sight of eight to nine sharks swimming around. The dive was not tough because of the sharks; the sharks were the reward for the tough dive.

G: I was a novice diver then and we were in a Fujairah dive site called “Shark Island”.

Visibility was very bad, about 3m or less.

We were about 12m deep when I became fascinated with a sea creature. I followed it for a while and before I knew it, I could not see my buddy or anyone in our dive group. I could hear my buddy’s rattle but could not pinpoint the direction the sound was coming from (as the law of acoustics underwater).

Then I remembered the name of the site and it made me nervous. What I love about scuba diving is that it trains you to keep calm and recall your training to solve problems in emergency situations. In my case, I was a lost diver in Shark Island! I slowly ascended to 5m and spent the longest three minute safety stop of my life, turning around every five seconds to watch out for sharks that could creep up from behind me. When I finally surfaced, I was relieved to see the boat only a couple of metres away from me. My buddy also surfaced but found them at least 20m away!

Advice for those who want to try diving?

R: If you live in Dubai, this is the best place to learn. It has opened a new world for us.

It has enriched our family since it is something that we enjoy doing together. It also developed us as individuals since we have learned new skills and it has augmented

Anniversary Dive in Dubai Aquarium

our other passions such as photography and environmental awareness.

G: Scuba Diving is one activity that teaches you to relax in order to act accordingly in the face of emergency situation – to stop and think of your training, and to anticipate what could go wrong in order to plan ahead. These are skills we all need even in the surface.

What puts a smile on my face though is that moment when I got my buoyancy right in crystal clear water. I felt like I was flying, like I do in my dreams. When I am soaring above the coral and sea urchin, all the stress in the world is taken away at that moment. Then when I get to see and even swim with the most magnificent creatures, it is truly exhilarating. In Jumeirah Open Beach for example, on average, you don’t see much but we have been lucky to see sting rays, cuttlefish, nudibranch and marble shrimp on certain days. Some friends even got to swim with a whale shark one Saturday morning. Even on bad days with almost zero visibility and all we see is sand, we still manage to have fun. There is a saying, “A bad day in the water is better than a good day in the office.”

In Tubbataha

Photo by: Anthony Allen

PEOPLE

Paul Drury Occupation: Ignite Fitness & Wellness franchisee, sports specific coach and fitness instructor Nationality: British

In the recent Vertical Run Almas Tower climb and MediaOne Run vertical race, Paul finished 11th and 6th place respectively. Not an easy feat, given the fierce competition these days.

He also won numerous races including the Dubai Holding Vertical Marathon Emirates Towers, the Urban-Ultra Big Stinker hill climb in Ras Al Khaimah over 12km, the 5km category of the 2014 ADNIC Yas Run, and has set a team relay record of 4hrs 42mins for 72km at the 2014 Salomon Wadi Bih. The Salomon and Suunto ambassador, runner and squash player for Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort team, talks more about sports specific coaching, running in the Middle East and shoe science.

What brought you to Dubai?

I used to be a writer and photographer for the national paper in the Cayman Islands. I started travelling the world and ended up in the Caribbean. That was supposed to be a week, then it turned into six years [laughs]. I came out here to have a look and got myself work with Ignite three years ago.

It’s a pretty happening city. The sports industry has taken off dramatically and it’s great because the city needs it. We have such a busy lifestyle here that we need to balance it with a healthy and active routine, and simply to de-stress, if nothing else.

What is your coaching approach?

A lot of my work is one on one with

individuals because I do a whole wide range of stuff. It’s not just personal training; it’s sports specific coaching, injury rehabilitation and lifestyle adjusting. My style of training is all about fun and variety, making it enjoyable and mixing it up so it doesn’t get boring.

That way, you appeal to them mentally first, get on the cerebral side of things and then the body follows. The key is a thorough evaluation first off, to check out where the starting point is and really focus on setting some goals so you know what you are trying to achieve. I’ve been doing this for 23 years now. If you have the experience and the background, you can adapt your knowledge to all sports to produce very sports specific training and preparation.

As a runner, how many shoes have you retired?

Quiet a lot [laughs]. I’ve had issues with my feet because I’ve been racing for so long, beating the hell out of them and putting a lot of miles on them – running, gym and other activities. I need good shoes to look after my feet.

I often go for the top-end ones to really do the job.

There’s a lot more to shoe science, right?

You don’t know the half of it. Some of it is even quite technical for me and I’ve been doing it for a long time. I had to do a lot of research.

For comfort, getting that bigger size is crucial. In the summer time, your foot is going to expand. It expands even when you’re in a plane because you don’t have much blood flow. You live in a country with a hot climate and your foot is going to swell. Sports like squash and running make your foot expand anyway because it’s trying to make a bigger surface for more stability. The shoe size is absolutely crucial. The key is when you’re standing up in a shoe there should be a

space the size of a thumb width in the end.

We’re so used to shoes fitting like a glove, but not in sports shoes, there needs to be a little space for excess movement.

What’s your favourite running spot?

Fossil Rock because it’s not too far from the city and it is stunning. You’ve got that red sandstone, red dunes, and then the mountain ridges. You can do some off-roading there or picnics. If you go further afield, there’s some stunning stuff in Ras Al Khaimah, Musandam and Oman.

What do you like most about your work?

It’s kind of like an honourable gig. You change people’s lives for the better. It’s all about inspiring people and letting them get a lot more from their lives. In a way, it’s like I’m writing all the time because I’m motivating people, being an inspiration and a catalyst. Instead of writing, I’m using my voice but I still have to be creative and be an inspirational speaker. I do miss writing sometimes.

What are your tips for runners?

Running on the soft is key to longevity. If you are going to be running for years and using it as an integral part of your fitness routine, it’s pretty crucial you get off the road as much as you can. It’s the whole concept of the Salomon CITYTRAIL™. There are probably thousands of people who have never been out of the city, never seen the desert or the mountains. At the very least, the CITYTRAIL™ concept is to show people that even in the city, with a little bit of effort, creativity and adventurous spirit there are cool places to run. In races, the main thing is not about the winning. It’s about the adventure, exploring and making it fun. Just being a participant and enjoying the social side as well.

Paul is also organising the Salomon CITYTRAIL™ running group session every Saturday at 8:00 a.m. in various locations. For enquiries and training, contact Paul at drurypaul@hotmail.com or 055 6541913.

LOCATIONS

Get outdoors in the UAE Hiking – A series of articles to help you start or progress your hiking in the UAE

Children, hiking and the outdoors Words By: Sean James

Part 2

Why don’t you…? This was the title of a television programmein the 1980s in the UK. The full title was “Why don’t you switch off your television set and go and do something less boring instead?” and it is still very relevant 30 years later.

This is part two of a series looking at children and the outdoors. Part one highlighted how the current generation of children have already lost contact with nature and the outdoor environment and as a result are suffering in their development. Inactivity is a major problem in society.

It also suggested a number of ways that you and your family can spend more time outdoors as well as a child-friendly hike. This month will look at how camping can benefit your child, the initiatives, organisations and people who are offering opportunities for children to explore and have adventures here in the UAE. Camping Spending a night under the stars is a great way for children (and their parents) to get closer to the natural environment and de-stress.

In the UAE, there are a number of organisations and schools that run programs to do this very thing and overnight stays are always a wonderful occasion. World Challenge, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Outreach Programmes, volunteering and gap years are all fantastic examples of giving your child the opportunity to explore more of the world in which they live.

Stress can negatively affect children’s health in just about every way possible and you may not notice it as they quietly go about work on their laptop of electronic device. Spending Learning to setup camp

time at a camp in the wilderness there is less strain on their mental and physical faculties and this gives rise to an increase in oxygen levels, higher levels of serotonin and melatonin.

The benefits of camping Camp is a great way for children to learn how to do things on their own to develop responsibility. World Challenge runs a number of programs for children and one is a month long that consists of five different phases; Planning and Preparation, Acclimatisation, Trekking, Project Work, Rest and Relaxation.

Children can spend the time in a whole range of international countries such as Kenya, Borneo, Argentina amongst their peers and the local community. Each stage is carefully planned by the students before they leave and in country they are encouraged to “run” the month long experience with guidance from a qualified trip leader and teacher. If you’re not there to remind them about things you will be surprised how quickly they learn. Often these trips camping and travelling are life changing and set the direction for future life pathways.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is another way that children can satisfy the need for adventure. Many schools will participate in this scheme and it is progressive and challenging. Aimed at young people aged 14 to 24 anywhere in the world, children who complete different stages receive National Awards and those who achieve the Gold Award are invited to Buckingham Palace to receive it and also benefit from points that can be used for university entrance.

People making it happen The UAE outdoor community is small and several companies exist to provide children with opportunities for adventure and growth. The people behind them do a vital job and their efforts should be recognised.

Paul Oliver is a well-known figure in the

Repton school out in the Hajar Mountains learning navigation skills

Many skills are learnt around a campfire

UAE and has been in the UAE for 32 years.

He is the CEO of Absolute Adventure and Absolute Adventure Education and a number of other adventure companies. Exploration is in his blood.He operates local adventures and international expeditions for individuals, schools, companies, charities and special interest groups. Mountains are big in Paul’s life and Africa is one of his favourites. He has spent the past 20 years organising expeditions there. Other favorites include Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. He spends a lot of time in Musandam where he also runs school camps.

Paul Oliver says of adventure: “Watching children become self-reliant and confident is wonderful. Many kids are homesick and nervous when they first reach camp. By the end of the week they’re begging us to allow them to stay.”

Camps International is another provider of activities with over 25 permanent camps worldwide. In this region their director is Rhys Jones. You might imagine Rhys has an exciting job but organising expeditions to over 1,000 students from the UAE each year and facilitating travel for a further 3,500 from the region takes a lot of emails, planning and Supporting and looking after your friends

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Outdoor education develops focus and concentration

administration. Rhys is the sort of person you want in control of your children’s outdoor education and can take the worry out of the experience for you. Before he came to the UAE in 2013, Rhys was a highly proficient mountaineer himself and has climbed the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.

He still loves to travel and deep water soloing trip in Oman is a favourite along with Canada, the European Alps and the Lake District in the UK. Rhys has himself stepped outside of the comfort zone many times and says “there’s no excitement living inside your comfort zone.

You have to push yourself to see and do more, and take on challenges.” Now he encourages this in others in a controlled environment.

“Seeing the world is a tremendous privilege and seeing the wonderment of children is very fulfilling. I worked at activity centres in the UK for a few years and always enjoyed watching young people develop and surprise themselves with what they could achieve.”

The Emirates Scout Association is part of the worldwide scouting organisation and is in the UAE. Founded in 1972, it now has over 5,500 members who take part in regional and worldwide Scouting activities. The scout motto is Kun Musta’idan, and is translated as “Be Prepared”. Members undertake community project work in the rural communities around the camps as well as having their own adventure.These are key life skills they learn on all of the trips, and it always gives a great perspective on life compared to how many of us live here in the UAE. Likewise there is a movement for Girl Guides, Emirates Girl Guides Association.

Their first squad was formed back in 1957 to enhance the religious, national and moral education through scouting and outdoor activities.

What can you expect from hiking and camping?

There are many benefits to introducing your Quick checklist route planning

Google Earth screenshot of the route You can download the GPS files here: www.outdooruae.com/downloads/Marchhike2015.zip

children to the outdoors and hardly any negatives.

• They learn to work together • They learn to slow down • They learn to appreciate the small things • They learn new skills • They learn to make new friends • They learn to make their own choices and decisions • They learn to appreciate their parents • They learn to have a good night’s sleep • They learn to appreciate nature and a simplified way of life A camping trip in the UAE can fit into any amount of time. It can be one night, a weekend, a week or more. It can be far away or just out in the desert and you can explore so many different landscapes; beaches, mountains, lakes, high plateaus. If you are looking for ideas of where and what to do, contact www. outdoorarabia.com.

Exhausted After returning from a camping trip, students report better sleep cycles. If you’ve been active all day long, you’ll fall asleep fast. Sleep has an effect on all of your body processes and can reduce inflammation, improve your cardiovascular system and help you stay alert.

The mental challenges involved in outdoor activities often push you more than the physical. What is certain is that with a properly designed and delivered outdoor programme you and your children will be changed for the better for ever. Awaken the adventurer in you today.

adventure programme for you child? There are lots of outdoor activities to choose from for you children. Sometimes it’s difficult to know which one to select. Often it’s best to let the child decide. Expose them to as many different activities as possible. Try a different activity each weekend and see what gets them excited. It will be easy to tell.

Paul Oliver recommends “children’s programmes should be age appropriate. You should build on skills learnt, year on year. As well as the technical skills children learn to be more self-sufficient and confident, they improve their communication and develop a leadership style. They come away with a greater appreciation of our natural environment.”

Hike for March Naturally the hike for this month is one that can be done with young children. It is on the east coast near Kalba and can be combined with some time on the boats in the lagoon or the rental bikes. You get to walk along the beautiful Corniche amongst the local Emirati families who spend a lot of time here enjoying the mangroves.

Learning to have fun without electronic devices

Final advice So what should you look for in an outdoor

Start point

25° 0’18.61”N 56°21’0.58”E

Off-road driving required

No

Distance and time from Mirdif City Centre to start

120km 78min

Navigation on hike

Flat hike along the Corniche

Time required for hike

1-2 hours

Distance

The whole corniche is 2.6km long so there and back is 5.2km

Elevation gain on hike

0m

High point

0m

Grocery / water on hike

No

Possible to encounter a vehicle on trail

No

Suitable for all the family

Requires experience in scrambling, decision making and route finding, especially at night. Nearly all of the track is not undefined, steep and loose rock.

If you are not confident going or starting hikes alone or you just want to have an expert or a group of nice people with you, OutdoorArabia is offering hikes lead by our expert Sean James. outdoorarabia.com/regional-trips

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TIPS & TRICKS

Your instructor will ensure you follow the right path

Getting the best out of the UAE Words By: Sean James

Believe it or not there is a science and a lot of research behind tourism and the tourist industry.

Nice beaches, hiking trails, the position of hotels, tour operators and the supply of transport does not just happen. Countries and regions that have positioned and marketed themselves correctly such as Jordan, Costa Rica, France, New Zealand, Morocco are in our minds as adventure destinations. They have paid attention to the details and benefitted from it.

In the UAE and Oman the natural resource of mountains, desert and wadi is world-class but in comparison to other countries, virtually undiscovered by residents, locals and oversea tourists. There are a number of social/ community groups started by enthusiasts in the UAE that take people out hiking, Learning to climb in a group is fun

Learn some new skills when hiking

At the end of the day, feeling comfortable and enjoying your time outdoors is what matters. Whether you do it in a large group of 10 or 15 people or with a personal guide.

A professional gives you peace of mind and if they are good you will take them again, asking for suggestions for the next, more progressive hike to improve your skills.

What it takes to be a guide It is not necessarily the best climbers or hikers who make the best guides. If you have paid to spend all day with someone, you at least want to enjoy their company as well as learn something.

With many of the qualifications that instructors and guides take, there is a minimum personal standard of performance that is assessed. Whether it is hiking, climbing, yoga, biking, kayaking or sky diving you can expect they have a level of expertise and decision making.

Any keen enthusiast can start a hiking group and take people on an adventure.

kayaking, climbing and exploring here and even overseas. There are also some commercial companies that do similar. As with every business or group the quality of these varies.

This month we are going to look at why it’s a good idea to hire a professional, experienced and qualified guide and what you should look for when making your choice.

Adventure seekers or tourists, be they day trippers from Dubai or week long vacationers from China are classified by tourism planners with labels to help determine their needs and wants. Four of the most popular labels are enthusiasts, dabblers, activity groups and learners. You probably know which one you are. It may be different for a particular activity.

Planners can then allocate a different provision of facility to each category. For example, an expert or enthusiastic hiker in the UAE might be happy planning and preparing for the majority of their hikes and only take a guide on more demanding and difficult trails such as Stairway to Heaven or in preparation for an overseas expedition. A dabbler, i.e. an occasional participant with a busy schedule might benefit from joining a group or taking professional instruction to An instructor will show you the techprogress quicker in say climbing. niques required to be safe in the UAE

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And it is true that experience counts for a lot. However qualifications are a definite benchmark and standard, showing you that your guide has been through a learning period themselves, a training course, a period of consolidation and then an evaluation course.

In the UK these evaluation courses are high pressure situations and to be a basic level mountain leader the continuous assessment lasts five days. The time and money spent on qualifications and continuing CPD courses to remain up to date by those working in the adventure industry is often not recovered for a long time.

A guide can help you to progress to wherever you want your mountains to take you, and whatever the level you aspire.

Instructors will take you to unique places

apprenticeship but it is a very good way of accelerating and stimulating your skill levels and ability to do some great climbs.”

Succeed at something you think you couldn’t do

In many countries, instructors and guides are self-employed. However in the UAE getting a business license and therefore insurance to cover yourself and your clients is difficult and expensive. Some operate without the necessary range of requirements and just hope that accidents won’t happen.

Other instructors come under the umbrella of larger companies. A good company should be run by experienced industry staff who know the pitfalls. They will have done their risk assessment and checks and able to talk to you about your adventure experience.

These companies will be able to organise complete itineraries for their clients, arranging transport, camping, suitable trails, climbs, equipment hire and accommodation. So if you are a busy person, looking to maximise your free time in the outdoors, then your first stop should be a suitable guide.

• It will enhance your time in the mountains • They can enable you to achieve your goals with a greater margin of safety • They will pass on some of their experience and advice on climbing, hiking and expertise • You will become a better, safer adventurer

and have a great time in the process • To explore areas you are not familiar with • To quickly achieve specific objectives in the mountains • The hard work of planning and organisation of the adventure is all done by a professional • If you have limited time but want to get the best out of an area • It’s difficult to find a suitable hiking or climbing partner who has the same objectives as you To sum up, the BMG, an association in the UK that sets professional standards for its members has some nice thoughts and put it very succinctly as to why you should hire an appropriately qualified and experienced professional.

“If you are unsure about whether to hire an instructor or guide, think about it this way: most folk are happy to spend hundreds of pounds on equipment yet sometimes lack the necessary skills and experience to get the most out of it. Traditionally, some hikers and adventurers have had a reluctance to use guides and instructors and had an approach to mountain safety that was over dependent on equipment.

Kit is easy to buy but skills and good experiences are hard won. Hiring a guide is not an alternative to a mountaineering

Just like picking a gym instructor or hair dresser, you should choose someone who you feel comfortable with and who gets the best results for you. This may take several attempts but don’t give up if you have a bad experience or the first one is just not right. It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s also unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much, all you lose is a little money.

When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. Common sense says you cannot pay a little and get a lot, although many companies will tell you different. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it’s well to add something for the risk you run.

Considering the nature of the adventure activities you will be undertaking with an instructor you want someone who is trained and assessed to a very high level and has a wealth of experience to base crucial safety judgments on. Adventure professionals work long hours doing a physically and mentally demanding and relatively dangerous job. However they will tell you on some days it is the best job in the world. Most are also willing and want to show you the best days of your lives.

See www.outdoorarabia.com or contact trips@outdoorarabia.com for details of our courses and hikes in the UAE wilderness.

Its much more fun with an instructor

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Mobility stretches by Fitness First purpose, we should be able to cope with anything the day throws at us. Whether it be picking our children up off the floor or running to catch the bus. These simple day to day activities can sometimes become a real struggle. There are seven types of movements that everybody can do, these are called primal movements, they are squat, bend, lunge, twist, push, pull and locomotion (walking or running).

Words By: Ben Press

Our love for the great outdoors has no boundaries, but what about our bodies?

Over the coming months we will be helping you with fitness tips and exercises to keep you in tip-top condition for your outdoor activities, whether that be hiking, mountain biking or rock climbing. But first let’s start with what’s most important, making sure our bodies are fit for life.

Here are five mobility stretches you can do at home or outdoors before an adventure: 1. The Groiner: The groiner is a mobility stretch that helps loosen the hip flexor and glute muscles. Go into a push up positon

Mobility is a word some of you may not be familiar with but in fitness terms it simply means our bodies’ ability to move freely.

The human body is designed to move with

Groiner 1

Walk out 1

3. Deep Squat: Once upon a time we could all sit in a deep squat position. But over time our bodies tighten and without practice we lose the ability. If you cannot sit in a deep squat then find yourself a nice tree to hold onto and sit yourself as low as possible, hold for 45-60 seconds.

4. Walk Outs: To help loosen and mobilise our hamstrings and lower backs. From a standing position reach down until your palms are on the floor, with your legs as straight as possible. Then walk your hands

Groiner 2

Walk Out 2

with your hands at shoulder width under your head, then bring your right foot up beside your right hand and hold there for one or two seconds, slowly move your foot back to the starting position and repeat with the left leg.

Do this continuously for 45 – 60 seconds.

2. Spider Lunge: Spider lunge helps loosen and mobilise your lower back and glutes.

Take a big step forward and drop into a lunge position. With the opposite arm reach down and place the palm of your hand on the floor next to your front foot. Then reach up as high as you can with your other arm, all the time keeping your eyes on the hand in the air. Repeat 10 times on each side.

Walk Out 3

Walk Out 4 out until you are in a full push up position.

Walk your hands back as close to your feet as possible and stand. Repeat 10 times.

5. Bird Dog: Bird dog activates your glutes and core muscles in one movement. Get down on all fours and slowly raise your right arm and left leg until in line with your body.

Hold at the top for one to two seconds then slowly lower. Repeat 10 times on both sides.

Deep Squat

Bird Dog 1 68

OUTDOORUAE

Spider Lunge 1

Bird Dog 2

Spider Lunge 2

Ok so now you are loosened and mobilised for your outdoor adventure.

Just remember if you have any injuries or medical conditions to consult the help of a registered exercise professional before BEN PRESS doing any form of Fitness Manager exercise. Let the adventure begin!

Fitness First Al Manzil

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TIPS & TRICKS

Will my gadget make me go faster?

Words By: Trace Rogers

This month we consider collecting “free” speed or just a false sense of it.

The term: “all gear, no idea” comes to mind when seeing the guy with the sperm helmet sitting in the middle of peloton or overtaking the serious looking girl doing 25kph on wheels that cost the same as my car. Admittedly, these are the clichéd and obvious examples of questionable return on investment on a really expensive gadget. Now let’s look at some of the other “must haves” for triathletes that may not be pulling their weight (or ours) in the faster department.

We use wetsuits and tempo trainers to improve our swimming speed. Of course these will help but the help is limited. Ignoring the importance of good swim technique and

throwing products at your swim for a faster time is not that different from mounting a V12 engine on the rusted chassis of Ford Cortina (circa 1980) and expecting to win a Grand Prix. A struggling swimmer would be better advised to invest in a few one on one coaching sessions.

We use power metres on the bike to train and race in the correct zones. As a coach, I love working with power and I believe it to be very effective. I also like using HR monitors to establish correct training zones and to determine cardiovascular efficiency and improvements. However, I believe it to be far more important to understand your effort levels intrinsically. I know of at least two cases where athletes were working to a race plan based on power and had disastrous race results because in both cases the power metre was giving inaccurate readings. I also recall a seasoned triathlete telling me that she had decided to pull out

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

of an Ironman event with 10km to go based on the fact that her HR monitor was giving off the wall readings. She feared that she was on the brink of a heart attack. I could not help but ask: “How did you feel at this time?” To which she replied: “Oh, the usual tiredness but otherwise fine”. In all of these cases, I have to wonder how the race results would have differed had the athletes ignored the information being presented to them through technology and trusted what they felt instead.

There seems to be method in the madness of turning our backs on technology. It is rumoured that elite marathoners training in a remote part of Kenya have only ever seen one HR monitor. The only use that they could find for it was to use the HR strap as a washing line and yet we see them kicking our highly technologically advanced butts in every foot race.

So, do we ship our HR monitor straps over to Kenya as a goodwill gesture? Do we break the internet whilst advertising the sale of our once highly coveted get-faster-gadgets? I’m not suggesting this at all. I believe there is a place for technology but before buying, ask yourself the following: Are my limitations due to technique or lack of technology?

Do I understand my own effort and comfort levels enough to know when to override the information being presented to me? In the absence of said gadget can I still produce the results? Depending on your responses, go old school or go shopping.

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

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

UAE DIRECTORY General Sports Equipment Megastores

Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, +971 43466824; The Beach on JBR, Dubai: +971 44304419; Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 24456995, www.adventurehq.ae Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +971 42839392 Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +971 43253595; Abu Dhabi Mall: +971 26454595; Bawabat Al Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 25868240 InterSport, Dubai Times Square Centre: +971 43418214 and Dubai Festival City: +971 42066581,www.intersport.ae Peiniger BMT Est., CBD, Khalifa Street, Yateem Optician Bldg., Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 26262332, www.peiniger.org Sun and Sand Sports, most shopping centres, +971 43504444, www.sunandsandsports.com

Adventure tours and desert safaris

Alpha Tours, Off #512, 5th Flr., Al Qwais Bldg., Al Ittihad Road, Deira, Dubai, +971 42949888, www.alphatoursdubai.com Dadabhai Travel, SR 1&2, GF, Gulf Towers, Oud Metha Rd. Dubai, +971 43885566, www.dadabhaitravel.ae Desert Rangers, Dubai, +971 43572200, www.desertrangers.com Desert Road Tourism, Office 503, 5th Flr., Al Khor Plaza, Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com Dreamdays, First Floor Rm. 107 Ibn Battuta Gate (Offices) Sheikh Zayed Rd., +971 44329392, www.dreamdays.ae Dream Explorer LLC, Shop no # 9, Plot # 312-504, Al Musalla Building , Mina Bazar, Bur Dubai, +971 43544481, www.dreamexplorerdubai.com Dubai Relax Travel, National Towers: Churchill Tower Suite #614, Business Bay, Dubai, +971 44221776, www.dubairelaxtours.com Element Fitness, Dubai, +971 502771317, www.element-fitness.net Explorer Tours, Umm Ramool, Dubai, +971 42861991, www.explorertours.ae Gulf for Good, Dubai, +971 43680222, www.gulf4good.org Gulf Ventures, Dnata Travel Centre +971 44045880, www.gulfventures.com MMI Travel, Mezzanine Floor, Dnata Travel Centre, Shk Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43166579, www.theemiratesgroup.com Net Group, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, +971 26794656, www.netgroupauh.com Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 42628889, www.opdubai.com Rahhalah, Dubai, +971 44472166, www.rahhalah.com Vera City Tours, Downtown, Dubai, UAE, +971 556100414, www.veracitytours.com

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OUTDOORUAE

Wild Guanabana, Dubai, +971 567954954, www.wildguanabana.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Fishing, Camping, Kayaking, & Adventure Club, +971504920860, mohammed.almahrouky@gmail.com

Air

Ballooning Adventures Emirates, Dubai, +971 42854949, www.ballooning.ae Dubai Paragliders, www.microaviation.org, +971 552120155 or +971 552250193 Jazirah Aviation Club, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 6139859, www.jac-uae.net Seawings, Dubai, www.seawings.com Sky Dive Dubai, Dubai, +971 501533222, www.skydivedubai.ae

Boating & Sailing

Manufacturer Al Fajer Marine, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43235181, www.alfajermarine.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK border Musandam, +971 72682333/+971 504873185, www.aljeerport.ae Al Shaali Marine, Ajman, +971 67436443, www.alshaalimarine.com Alyousuf Industrial, LLC, +971 43474111, www.aym.ae, yamboats@alyousuf.com Elite Pearl Charter, Saeed Tower 1 office # 3102, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE, +971 43889666, www.elitepearlcharter.com Gulf Craft, Ajman, +971 67406060, www.gulfcraftinc.com Distributors and Dealers Art Marine, Shed Nr. 31, Jaddaf, Dubai, UAE, +971 4324061, www.artmarine.ae / www.artmarinechandley.com Azure Marine, Dubai, +971 43404343, www.azuremarine.net Luxury Sea Boats, Dubai, +971 505589319, www.luxuryseaboats.com Macky Marine LLC, Dubai, +971 505518317, www.mackymarine.com Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +971 65576818, www.nautilusyachts.com The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae UAE Boats 4 Sale, Dubai Marina, +971 44471501, www.uaeboats4sale.com Western Marine, Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +971 43039744 Equipment Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Deira, Dubai, +971 42263220 Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43808616 / +971 553899995, info@bluewatersmarine.com, www.bluewatersmarine.com Extreme Marine, Dubai, +971 43992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +971 559299111, +971 42828255, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Rineh Emirates Trading LLC, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43391512, www.rinehemiratesme.com Repairs and Maintenance Extreme Marine, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +971 43992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1, Al Quoz, +971 43391512, info@rinehemiratesme.com, www.rinehemirates.com SNS Marine, JAFZA Techno Park, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 501405058, info@snsmarine.ae, www.snsmarine.ae The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae Cruise Operators Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi, +971 26665491, www.marinaalbateenresort.com Al Marsa Travel & Tourism, Dibba, Musandam, +968 26836550, +971 65441232 Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite the British Embassy, +971 43994994 Bristol Middle East, Dubai Marina, +971 44309941, www.bristol-middleeast.com Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.captaintonys.ae Delma Industrial Supply and Marine Services, Al Bateen Jetty, Abu Dhabi, +971 26668153, www.delmamarine.net Eden Yachting, Dubai Marina,

YAS

+971 504586171, www.edenyachting.com Emirates Yachting, Dubai, +971 42826683 El Mundo, Dubai, +971 505517406, www.elmundodubai.com Four Star Travel and Tourism, Dubai, +971 42737779, www.fourstartravels.net 4 Yacht Arabia, Shop No. 5, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, 800 92248, www.4yachtarabia.ae Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +971 92449888, www.rotana.com Ghantoot Marina & Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 529933153, www.ghantootmarina.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971 558961276, +971 503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com JPS Yachts and Charter, Room 225, Emarat Atrium building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43437734, www.jpsyachts.com Khasab Divers, Oman, +971 567255889, khasab.diver2@gmail.com Khasab Musandam Travel & Tours, PO Box 411, Khasab, Musandam, +968 93350703, info@tourkhasab.com Khour Shem Tourism, Oman, +968 26731919, www.khourshemtours.com LY Catamaran, Dubai, +971 505869746, +971 566506683, www.lycatamaran.com Marine Concept, Dubai, +971 559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26503600, www.noukhada.ae RAK Marine LLC, Ras Al Khaimah City Hilton Marina, +971 504912696, +971 72066410 Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats Rental, Dubai Marina, +971 42951011 Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Smoke Dragon Of London Yacht, Abu Dhabi International Marine & Sports Club, +971 507011958 / +971 504546617 Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +971 42573084 The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111, www.the-club.com The Yellow Boats LLC, Dubai Marina Walk – opposite Spinneys, Intercontinental Hotel Marina, +8008044, www.theyellowboats.com Marinas Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, Abu Dhabi, Breakwater, +971 26815566, www.adimsc.com Abu Dhabi Marina, Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area, +971 26440300 Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam +971 72682333 / +971 504873185 www.aljeerport.ae Al Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman, +968 24534554, www.almoujmarina.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE, +971 42394760-61, www.cruiseindubai.com

Dubai Creek Marina, Deira, Dubai, +971 43801234, www.dubaigolf.com Dubai International Marine Sports Club, Dubai Marina, +971 43995777, www.dimc.ae Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +971 43627900, www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com Dubai Maritime City Harbour Marina, Dubai, +971 43455545 Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai, +971 43941669, www.dosc.ae Emirates Palace Marina, Abu Dhabi, +971 43388955 Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar, +974 44948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com Fujairah International Marine Club, Fujairah, +971 92221166, www.fimc.ae Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Marina, Al Bateen, Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26666888, www.intercontinental.com Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Marina, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 48145555/5029, www.jebelali-international.com Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar, +974 55843282, www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman, +968 24737286 (ext 215), www.marinaoman.net Pavilion Marina, Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +971 44068800 The Pearl–Qatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar, +974 4965801, www.ronauticame.com Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club, Umm Al Quwaim, +971 67666644, www.uaqmarineclub.com Dragon Boat Groups Dubai Dawn Patrol Dragon Boating, Dubai, +971 508795645 (Michael), www.dubaidawnpatrol.org Dubai Diggers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, pier next to 360, Dubai, +971 501547175 (Nick Hando), www.dubai-diggers.com UAE Dragon Boat Association, +971 507634008, www.dubaidragonboat.com

Camping & Hiking

Equipment Blingmytruck.com, +971 505548255, www.blingmytruck.com Gulf Camping, Dubai, UAE, www.gulfcamping.com Jack Wolfskin, Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi, +971 24437802 Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43951113 Tresspass, 2nd floor above ice rink, The Dubai Mall, +971 43398801 Tour Operators Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, www.adventure.ae

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

Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959428, www.arabiatours.com Libra, +971 559228362, www.libra-uae.com Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba, +971 50336046, www.sheesabeach.com

Caving

Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +968 24543002, www.holiday-in-oman.com Oman World Tourism, Oman, +968 99431333, www.omanworldtourism.com

Climbing

Equipment 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, +971 43466558, www. barracudadubai.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi +971 24437802 Services Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, www.adventure.ae Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Dorell Sports Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, +971 43065061, www.climbingdubai.com E-Sports UAE, Dubai, +971 42824540, www.esportsuae.com The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111, www.the-club.com Information UAE Climbing, +971 506456491, www.uaeclimbing.com

Mountain Biking & Cycling

Equipment/Dealers Bikers JLT, Unit H6, Cluster H, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE, +971 526221888, products@allbikers.net Cycle Sports, Shop No. 1, Al Waleed Bldg., Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 43415415, 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, +971 43805228 Peak Performance, Mall of the Emirates,

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OUTDOORUAE

Dubai Mall, Dubai, +971 43413056 / +971 43308023 Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1, +971 43255705, www.probike.ae Rage Shop, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Festival City, +971 43369007, www.rage-shop.com Revolution Cycles, Shop G05, Apex Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, +971 43697441, www.rcdxb.com Ride Bike Shop, Dubai Mall, Festival City, Oasis Centre, Mirdif City Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43750231, www.ridebikeshop.com Sportz Unlimited, Sheikh Zayed Road & Jebel Ali, Dubai, + 971 43388644 Tamreen Sports LLC, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26222525, www.tamreensports.com The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Dubai, +971 505528872, www.thecyclehub.com Trek Bicycle Store, Seih Al Salam, Al Qudra Road, Dubai, +971 48327377, www.trekbikes.ae Trikke uPT, Dubai, +971 45081202, +971 556096757, www.trikkeme.net Wolfi’s Bike Shop, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43394453, www.wbs.ae Operator Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, +971 506259165, www.adventure.ae, info@adventure.ae Clubs Abu Dhabi Tri Club, www.abudhabitriclub.com Cycle Safe Dubai, Dubai Autodrome www.cyclechallenge.ae Dubai Roadsters, www.dubairoadsters.com

Diving

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +971 43444468 Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, Dubai www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Blue Waters Marine, +971 42232189, Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi, +971 26710017, www.gulfmarinesports.com Premiers for Equipment, Abu Dhabi, Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, +971 26665226, www.premiers-uae.com Scuba Dubai, Al Barsha, Al Khail Road, Dubai, +97143414940, info@scubadubai.com Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com Diving Centres Al Boom Diving (equipment), Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, +971 43422993, www.alboomdiving.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam, +971 72682333, www.aljeerport.ae Al Mahara Dive Center, near Muroor St across from main bus terminal, +971 26437377, info@divemahara.com, www.divemahara.com Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72226628, +971 502428128 www.arabiandiver.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Coastal Technical Divers, glenn@coastaltechnicaldivers.com, www.coastaltechnicaldivers.com Deep Blue Sea Diving, International City, Dubai, +971 44308246, www.diveindubai.com Desert Islands, Sir Bani YAs Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 28015400, www.divemahara.com Divers Down, Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah Hotel Resort & Spa, +971 92370299, www.diversdown-uae.com Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi, near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444, www.edc-ad.ae Euro-Divers Oman, Muscat, Oman, +968 95035815, www.euro-divers.com Extra Divers Ziggy Bay, Oman, Musandam, +968 26735555, www.extradivers.info Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Freestyle Divers, Dubai, Al Wasl & Dibba, Royal Beach Hotel, +971 43944275,

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

www.freestyledivers.com Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa - Al Aqah Beach, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +971 92449888, www.rotana.com Global Scuba Dive Center, Civil Aviation Club, Oman, +968 99317518, www.global-scuba.com Khasab Divers, Oman, www.khasabdiver.com Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Moonlight Dive Center, Madinat Qaboos, Oman, +968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +971 503289642, www.holiday-in-oman.com Neptune Diving, +971 504347902, www.neptunedivingcentre.com Nomad Ocean Adventures, www.discovernomad.com, +971 508853238, Dibba, Oman Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman, +968 24284240, www.omadivecenter.com Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai, +971 44068828 Scuba Oman, Oman, +968 99558488, www.scubaoman.com Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com Scuba UAE.com, +971 502053922, www.scubauae.com 7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan, +971 92387400, www.7seasdivers.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +971 50784 0830, www.bsac406.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Sky &Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005, www.watersportsdubai.com The Dive Shop, 34G, European Center, Green Community, Dubai, UAE, +971 48135474, www.thediveshopdubai.com Clubs Atlantis Underwater Photography Club, Dubai, +971 44263000 Desert Sports Diving Club, Dubai, www.desertsportsdivingclub.net Emirates Diving Association, Diving Village, Al Shindagha, Dubai, +971 43939390, www.emiratesdiving.com Filipino SCUBA Divers Club (FSDC), Dubai, UAE, +971 566952421, www.thefilipinoscubadivers.com Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +971 507840830, www.bsac406.com

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +971 43444468 Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000,

Distributor of awesome outdoor brands

Is looking for

Experienced outdoor buyer

across all activity spectrum(water, land, adventure travel, climbing) Email: vanda@globalclimbing.com www.globalclimbing.com

www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558, www.barracudadubai.com Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43808616 / +971 553899995, www.bluewatersmarine.com Challenging Adventure, Wadi Al Bih Ras Al Khaimah, +971 561060798, contactus@challengingadventure.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com Operators Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, www.adventure.ae Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah, +971 43422993 Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72434540, www.alhamramarina.com Al Mahara Dive Center, Downtown Abu Dhabi, +971 501118125, www.divemahara.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE, +974 4 2394760-61, www.cruiseindubai.com Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing (Al Wasl Passenger Yachts and Boats Rental LLC), Airport Road, Al Owais Building, Dubai, +971 42394761, www.cruiseindubai.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, +971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Barracuda Diving Centre, Fujairah International Marine Club, +971 9222558 Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi, +971 26594144 Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.captaintonys.ae Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai, +971 53244550, www.funbeachsports.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971 558961276, +971 503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26811900 Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Nautica 1992, Dubai, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26503600, www.noukhada.ae Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Soolyman Sports Fishing, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971 508866227, www.soolymansportsfishing.com Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +971 42573084, www.summertimemarine.com Xclusive Yachts, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +971 44327233, www.xclusiveyachts.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Camping, Fishing & Kayaking Club, mohamed.almahrouky@gmail.com Dubai Surfski & Kayak Club, Kitesurfers’ Beach, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai, +971 554986280, www.dskc.hu

General Sports Equipment Distributors

Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha 800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai +971 43467751, www.800sport.ae Flip Flop Arabia, flipme@flipfloparabia.com, www.flipfloparabia.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Goal Zero, +971 509128353, www.goalzero.ae Highbury Trading, Dubai, UAE, www.highburytrading.ae Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi, +971 44437802 Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com PORTABLE SHADE UAE, Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600, www.portable-shade.net Sakeen General Trading, +971 47094224, www.sakeen.ae Sport in Life Distribution, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Khor, Dubai, UAE, +971 42896001, +971 42896002, info@sportinlife.ae, www.sportinlife.ae Tresspass, The Dubai Mall 2nd floor above ice rink, +971 43398801

Horse Riding

Equipment Al Asifa Horse Equestrian & Requisites Trading, Al Khawaneej 1, Dubai, +971 554733110, www.asifa.ae Black Horse LLC, Abu Dhabi, +971 26422237, www.blackhorseuae.com Bonjour Equestrian Supplies, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Kho, Dubai, UAE, +971 42896001, +971 42896002, info@bonjourequestrian.com, www.bonjourequestrian.com Cavalos Equine Care and Supplies, 16th Street, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi, +917 22222433, www.cavalosuae.com Emirta Horse Requirement Centre, Sheik Zayed Rd, Dubai, +971 43437475, www.emirtahorse.com Equestrian Clubs/Centres Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500, www.adec-web.com Al Ahli Riding School, Al Amman Street, Dubai-Sharjah Rd., +971 42988408, www.alahliclub.info Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com Al Jiyad Stables, Behind Dubai International Endurance City, Dubai, +971 505995866, info@aljiyad.com, www.aljiyad.com Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +971 44274055, equestrian.centre@alsahra.com Desert Equestrian Club, Mirdif, Dubai, +971 503099770 / +971 501978888 Desert Palm Riding School, Near Al Awir Road (going to Hatta-Oman), Dubai, +971 43238010, www.desertpalm.peraquum.com Dubai Polo Academy, Dubai, +971 508879847, www.dubaipoloacademy. com Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, Arabian Ranches, +971 43618111, www.poloclubdubai.com Emirates Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +971 505587656, www.emiratesequestriancentre.com Ghantoot Polo & Racing Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +971 25629050, www.grpc.ae Golden Stables Equestrian Club, Al Khawaneej, Dubai, (Nouri) +971 555528182, www.goldenstables.ae HoofbeatZ, located just inside the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai,

+971 501810401, www.hoofbeatz.com Mushrif Equestrian and Polo Club, Mushrif Park, Al Khawaneej Road, Dubai, +971 42571256, www.mushrifec.com Qudraland Community, info@qudraland.com, www.qudraland.com Rahal Ranch, Al Wathba Racing Area, Abu Dhabi, +971 566127914, www.rahalranch.com Riding for the Disabled, Dubai, lessons@rdad.ae, www.rdad.ae, Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club, Sharjah, Al Dhaid Road, +971 65311188, www.serc.ae Racecourses Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500, www.adec-web.com Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +971 25629050, www.grpc.ae Jebel Ali Racecourse, off the main Abu Dhabi - Dubai Highway (Sheikh Zayed road) beside the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, +971 43474914 Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse, Al Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +971 43270000, www.meydan.ae Sharjah Racecourse, Al Dhaid Road, Sharjah, +971 65311155, www.serc.ae

Jet Ski Dealers

Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +971 559299111 / +971 42828255, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com

Motocross & ATV’s

Dealers Al Badayer Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, +971 507842020, www.albadayerrental.com Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor, +971 43200009, sales@alshaalimoto.com. www.alshaalimoto.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Golden Desert Motorcycles Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai, +971 551532550, www.goldendesert-dubai.com Just Gas It, Hatta Rd., Al Aweer, Dubai, UAE, +971 509192394, www.JustGasIt.net KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42, +971 4323151, www.ktm.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Polaris UAE (atv’s), Ras Al Khor, Nad al Hamar Road, Al Ghandi Complex, Dubai, +971 42896100, M4, Sector 13, 10th Street, Mussafah Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +971 25555144, www.polarisuae.com Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1 Dubai, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai, +971 48321050, www. wildx.ae Equipment Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental), Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43470270, www.sandstorm-motorcycles.com Sebsports, Dubai, Al Quoz Industrial Area 3, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com 2XWheeler, Motorcity Dubai, +971 44548388, www.2xwheeler.com Wild X, Dubai, Um Al Ramoul Industrial Area, +971 42852200, www. wildx.ae Workshops and Services Moto-X and Quad, PO Box 476214, Dubai, UAE, +971 50 6169727, www.gasgasmotos. me

Motorcycling

Distributors and Dealers Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, www.aym.ae/yamaha Ducati, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +971 25535771, info2@ducati.ae, www.ducati.ae Duseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43476712, www.dusejamoto.com Harley-Davidson, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +971 25540667, hd.auh@harley-davidson.ae, www.harley-davidson-abu-dhabi.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 42822144, www.libertykawasaki.com Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex, Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor, +971 42896100, www.polarisuae.com Tristar Motorcycles, +971 43330659, www.tristaruae.com Workshops and Services Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, +971 43678700 www.dubaiautodrome.com Emirates Motorplex, Umm Al Quwain, +971 67681717 2xWheeler Adventures, Dubai, +971 44548388, www.alainraceway.com Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, www.yasmarinacircuit.com

Off-Road

Dealers Bling My Truck, +971 503634839 / +971 505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com 4x4 Motors LLC, Shk. Zayed Rd, Dubai, +971 43384866, www.4x4motors.com Liberty Automobiles, Dubai, 800 5423789, www.libertyautos.com Repairs and Services AAA Service Centre, Al Quoz, Dubai, UAE, +971 4 285 8989, www.aaadubai.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744, www.icon-auto.com Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2, Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600, www.mebarauto.com Off Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43392449, www.offroad-zone.com Saluki Motorsport, Dubai, +971 43476939 www.salukimotorsport.com Equipment Advanced Expedition Vehicles, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971 43307152, www.aev.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Bling My Truck, +971 503634839 / +971 505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com Heartland UAE, Al Mafraq Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +971 567231967, www.heartlanduae.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744, www.icon-auto.com Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2, Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600, www.mebarauto.com Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai, +971 48321050, www.wildx.ae Yellow Hat, Nad Al Hamar, and Times Square Center, Dubai, +971 42898060, www.yellowhat.ae Tour Operators Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971 43034888, www.arabian-adventures.com Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 42628889,

www.opdubai.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club, www.ad4x4.com ALMOST 4x4 Off-Road Club, +971 507665522, www.almost4x4.com Dubai Offroaders, www.dubaioffroaders.com JEEP Wrangler JK Fun Club, suffian.omar@yahoo.com, www.jk-funclub.com ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com

Running

Clubs ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi, www.abudhabitriclub.org Abu Dhabi Striders, admin@abudhabistriders.com, www.abudhabistriders.com Al Ain Road Runners, Abu Dhabi, +971 504188978, alainroadrunners@yahoo.co.uk Mirdif Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.info Dubai Creek Striders www.dubaicreekstriders.org

Stand up Paddling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Ikönic Brands, Suite 509 Düsseldorf Business Point Al Barsha Dubai, UAE +971 506874178, info@ikonicbrands.com Kitesurf Dubai, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqueim and Jumeirah 3 +971 505586190, www.kitesurfdubai.ae Pearl Water Crafts, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, +971 553749398, www.pearl-watercrafts.com Picnico, Jumeirah Beach Road Opposite Sunset Mall, Dubai +971 43941653 Surf Dubai, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971 505043020, www.surfingdubai.com Surf Shop Arabia, Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai, +971 43791998, www.surfshoparabia.com UAE Kite Surfing, +971 505626383, www.ad-kitesurfing.net Distributors Kitepeople Kite & Surf Store, International City, Dubai, +971 504559098, www.kitepeople.ae Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Operators Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan. com Dubai Kite Surf School, Dubai, Umm Suqeim Beach, +971 504965107, www.dubaikitesurfschool.com Duco Maritime, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi, +971 508703427, www.ducomaritime.com

OUTDOORUAE

73

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

OMAN DIRECTORY Adventure tours and desert safaris

Bike and Hike Oman, PO Box 833, Ruwi, Postal Code 112, Oman, +968 24400873, www.bikeandhikeoman.com Dolphin Qasab Tours, PO Box: 123, P.C. 811, Khasab City, Musandam, Oman, +968 26730813, www.dolphinkhasabtours.com Go Dive Oman, Capital Area Yacht Club (CAYC), Sidab Muscat, +968 99289200, www.godiveoman.com Nomad Tours, PO Box: 583, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Oman, +968 95495240, www.nomadtours.com Oman Trekking Guides, PO Box: 917, NIZWA, Oman, +968 95741441, www.omantrekkingguides.com

QATAR DIRECTORY Adventure tours and desert safaris

Al Mulla Travels, PO Box: 4147, Doha, Qatar, +974 44413488, almullatrvls@qatar.net.qa Alpha Tours, PO Box: 13530, Doha, Qatar, +974 4837815, info@alphatoursqatar.com Al QAYED Travel & Tours, PO Box: 158, Doha, Qatar, +974 44072244, www.alqayedtravel.com Arabian Adventures, PO Box: 4476, Doha, Qatar, +974 44361461, www.arabianadventureqatar.net Black Pearls Tourism Services, PO Box: 45677, Doha, Qatar East Marine, West Bay, Doha, Qatar, +974 55200078 E2E Qatar Travel and Tours, PO Box: 23563, Doha, Qatar, +974 44502521, www.e2eqatar.com Falcon Travels, PO Box: 22031, Doha, Qatar, +974 44354777, www.falcontravelqatar.com Gulf Adventures, 29, PO Box: 18180 Qatar, +974 44221888, www.gulf-adventures.com Net Tours Qatar, PO Box: 23080, Doha, Qatar, +974 4310902, www.nettours.com.qa Regency Travel & Tours, +974 4434 4503/4718, www.regencyholidays.com Qatar Adventure, PO Box: 13915, Doha, Qatar, +974 55694561, www.qataradventure.com Qatar Desert Gate, Doha, PO Box: 18496 Ad Dawha, Qatar, +974 55594016, www.qatardesertgate.com Qatar Inbound Tours, PO Box: 21153, +974 77451196, www.inboundtoursqatar.com Qatar International Tours, PO Box: 55733 Doha, Qatar, +974 44551141, www.qittour.com Qatar Ventures, Doha, Qatar, +974 55776679, www.qatar-ventures.com

Clubs

Cycling, Running & Triathlon Doha Sailing Club, Katara Beach +974 44439840/+974 55649995 www.qmsf.com Qatar Chain Reaction, www.qatarchainreaction.weebly.com

MARCH 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Dukite, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqeim, Dubai,+971 507586992, www.dukite.com Kite Fly, Dubai, +971 502547440, www.kitesurf.ae Kite4fun.net, Abu Dhabi, +971 508133134, www.kite4fun.net Kitepro Abu Dhabi, Yas Island and Al Dabbayyah, Abu Dhabi, +971 505441494, www.kitepro.ae Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Shamal Kite Surfing, Umm Suqueim Dubai, +971 507689226, astrid@shamalkitesurfing.com, www.shmalkitesurfing.com Sky & Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005, www.watersportsdubai.com Surf School UAE, Umm Suqeim Beach and Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai,+971 556010997, www.surfschooluae.com Watercooled, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, Dubai, +971 48876771, www. watercooleddubai.com Water Cooled, Watercooled Sports Services LLC, Hilton Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 26395997, www. watercooleduae.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle, www.abudhabisup.com

UAE SUP www.uaesup.com

Diving

Omanta Scuba Diving Academy, Al Kharjiya Street, Al Shati Area, Muscat, Oman, +968 97700564, www.omantascuba.com Oxygen Diving and Adventures, PO Box: 1363 PC130 Alazaiba, Muscat, Oman, www.o2diveoman.com Seaoman, PO Box: 2394, RUWI PC 112, Oman, +968 24181400, www.seaoman.com Sub Aqua Dive Center, Hilton Salalah Resort, PO Box: 699, Salalah 211, Oman, +968 99894031, www.subaqua-divecenter.com

Equipment Al Marsa Musandam, PO Box: 44, Dibba, Sultanate of Oman, +968 26836550, www.almarsamusandam.com Al Sawadi Beach Resort, PO Box: 747, Barka - Al Sawadi, Oman, +968 26795545, www.alsawadibeach.info Diving UAE & Oman, www.dive-uae-oman.com Euro Divers CAYC Oman, Marina Bandar Al Rhowda, PO Box: 940, Muscat, Oman, +968 95035815, www.euro-divers.com Extra Divers Musandam, PO Box: 498, PC 811 Khasab, Musandam, Oman, +968 99877957, www.musandam-diving.com Global Scuba LLC, +968 24692346, www.global-scuba.com Moon Light Dive Center, P.O. Box: 65, Madinat Qaboos, Muscat Oman, +968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com Oman Dive Center Resort, PO Box: 199, Medinat Sultan Qaboos, Oman, +968 24824240, www.omandivecenter.info Qatar Sandstromers, +974 77775207 / +974 77776634, www.facebook.com/ QatarSandstormers Velostar Doha, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/587539064642288/ Doha Bay Running Club, www.dohabayrunningclub.com TriClub Doha, www.triclubdoha.com

General Sports Equipment Megastores

Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +974 44822194; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +974 44569143; Ezdan Mall, Qatar: +974 44922827, www.galaxysportqatar.com GO Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +974 44631644; Villaggio Mall, Qatar: +974 44517574, www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar Sun & Sand Sports, City Centre Mall, Qatar: +974 44837007; Dar Al Salam Mall, Qatar: +974 44932973, www.sunandsandsports.com

Boating & Sailing

Equipment Regatta Sailing Academy, Katara Beach +974 55503484 www.regattasailingacademy.com Distributors and Dealers Speed Marine, Speed Marine, Museum Road, PO Box: 9145 Doha, Qatar, +974 44410109, www.speedmarinegroup.com

Horse Riding

Equestrian Clubs/Centres Al Shaqab, PO Box: 90055, Doha, Qatar, +974 44546320, www.alshaqab.com Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, Racing and Equestrian Club, PO Box: 7559, Doha, Qatar, +974 44197664, www.qrec.gov.qa

Diving

Equipment/Centres Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street (near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar, +974 44435626 Doha Sub Aqua Club, Doha Sub-Aqua Club, PO Box: 5048, Doha, Qatar, +974 66304061, www.dohasubaquaclub.com

Water Parks

Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, +971 44260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dreamland Aqua Park, Umm Al Quwain, Emirates Road, +971 67681888, www.dreamlanduae.com Wadi Adventure, Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, +971 37818422, www.wadiadventure.ae Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai, +971 43484444, www.wildwadi.com

Other leisure activities

Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, + 971 25588990, www.adgolfclub.com Al Tamimi Stables, Sharjah, +971 67431122 \ +971 44370505, www.tamimistables.com Blokart Sailing, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +971 556101841, www.blokartme.com Children’s City, Creek Park Gate No.1, Dubai, +971 43340808, www.childrencity.ae Dolphin Bay Atlantis, Dubai, +971 44260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park Gate No. 1, +971 43369773, www.dubaidolphinarium.ae iFly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +971 42316292, www.iflyme.com

Stand Up Paddeling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding

Equipment, Operators Kiteboarding Oman, Sawadi Beach, PO Box: 133, PC 118, Muscat, Oman, +968 96323524, www.kiteboarding-oman.com Oman’s Kite Center, +968 94006007, www.kitesurfing-lessons.com

Extreme Adventure, PO Box: 33002, Shop 3, 4 Ahmed Bin Ali Street (Bin Omran), Doha, Qatar, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +974 44631644; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +974 44517574, www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar Pearl Divers, PO Box: 2489, Doha, Qatar, +974 44449553, www.pearl-divers.org Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2, PO Box: 11538, Doha, Qatar, +974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com Qatar Scuba Center, 187 Al Mansoura Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 66662277, www.qatarscubacenter.com Q Dive, Souq Al Najada cnr of Grand Hamad and Ali bin Abdulla Str.; Al-Odeid Aisle numbers 129-132, +974 55319507, www.qdive.net World Marine Centre, PO Box: 6944, Doha, Qatar, +974 44360989, www.worldmarinecenter.webs.com Pearl Divers, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 4444 9553, www.pearl-divers.org Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2, PO Box: 11538, Doha, Qatar, +974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com Qatar Divers, Marriott Hotel Marina Near Old Airport, Ras Abu Aboud Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 44313331, www.qatardivers.com Qatar Marine, Go Sport City Center West Bay, PO Box: 16657, Doha, +974 553199507, www.qatarmarine.net Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 66662277 / +974 44422234, www.qatarscubacenter.com Qdive Marine Center, PO Box: 16657, Doha, Qatar, +974 44375065, www.qdive.net World Marine Centre, Old Salata Street, near the Qatar National Museum, Doha, Qatar, +974 55508177

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting Equipment, Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +974 66724828 Al Mamzoore Marine Equipment,

Sadiyaat Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, +971 25578000, www.sbgolfclub.ae Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Sharjah, +971 43999005, www.golfandshootingshj.com SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of The Emirates, +971 44094000, www.skidxb.com Spacewalk Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, +971 24463653, www.spacewalk.ae

Health, Safety & Training

Safety Lessons Marine Concept Yacht Charter & Sea School, Rania Business Centre, Dubai, +971 559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Safety & Leisure Training Middle East, Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 44502418, www.sltme.com Sport and Health Centres Bespoke Wellness, Dubai, +971 553724670, www.bespoke-wellness. com Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +971 2406 9404, www.originalfitnessco.com Orthosports, 5B Street, Jumeira Beach road, Dubai, +971 4355060, www.orthosp.com The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, +971 44370570, www.physiocentre.ae

Camping & Hiking

Tour Operators Safari Desert Camp, PO Box: 117, Postal Code 421, Bediyah, Ghabbi, Oman, +968 99310108, www.safaridesert.com

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Az’Zaha Tours, +968 99013424, www.azzahatours.com Water World Marine Oman, PO Box: 76, Muscat, 113, Sultanate of Oman, +968 24737438, www.waterworldoman.com

Boating & Sailing

Manufacturer Saphire Marine, PO Box: 11, Post Code 118, Muscat, Oman, +968 99877243, www.sapphire-marine.com PO Box: 6449,Old Salata, Doha, Qatar, +974 44444238, almamzoore@qatar.net.qa Extreme Adventure, Shop 3,4 Ahmed Bin Ali Steet, Doha, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa Fish World, PO Box: 1975, Doha, Qatar, +974 44340754 State of Qatar (QatarSub), Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +974 4431234, www.stateofqatar.com Operators Paddle Qatar, +974 55490895, www.paddleqatar.com Entalek, +974 3023 3207, www.entalek.org

Motocross & ATV’s Dealers

Qatar Adventures, Barwa Village, Building # 9 Shop # 11, Doha, Qatar, +974 77700074

Stand Up Paddeling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding Equipment, Operators Fly-N-Ride, Ras abu Aboud, Doha, +974 33117089, www.fly-n-ride.com Flo Kite School, Westbay, Doha, +974 55041039, www.flokiteschool.com Kitesurfing Qatar, +97430179108, www.kitesurfingqatar.com QSUP, Qanat Quartier, Costa Malaz, The Pearl-Qc, Doha, Qatar, +974 66602830, www.qsup.me

Cycling (Road & Off Road)

Bike Servicing, Equipment Carbon Wheels Bike Shop, Al Maha Center 10, Salwa Road, Doha, +974 44419048, www.facebook.com/CarbonWheelsQTR Flash Bike Shop, Mesaeed New Souq, Shop C.06, +974 6600 9116, www.flashbikeshop.com Skate Shack, Salwa Road, South Doha, +974 44692532, www.skate-shack.com Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, +974 44822194; Villaggio Mall, +974 4456 9143; Ezdan Mall, +974 4492 2827, www.galaxysportqatar.com; Sportswell, Salwa Road, South Doha, +974 40165155 / 40165156

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