#57 June 2015

SHARKS!
PADDLE NATURALLY
ECO-FRIENDLY SUPs
SEA KAYAK SKILLS
#SHELLFIE
KHALED ZAKIS UNDERWATER WORLD
Plenty of
PRODUCTS
FRESHLY PRESSED
MORE INFO INSIDE
TO CHECK OUT
Price
10.00 AED
10.00 QAR
1.00 OMR
Desert Running
CALDERAN STYLE
Welcome to the Jungle
1 ON 1 WITH
CHRISTOPHE TACK
Vol. 5, No. 6
June 2015
www.OutdoorUAE.com
MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
JUNE 2015 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
OutdoorUAE Team
June is definitely getting hotter but

with careful planning we can still get
outside, keep active and enjoy some
adventure.
OutdoorUAE this month is about

diving. Dubai, the East Coast of the UAE and
Musandam has some of the most spectacular
and accessible diving anywhere. Companies with
qualified instructors can offer a whole variety of
courses from taster sessions to multi-day adventure dive expeditions. You can scuba around
Atlantis on the Palm or marvel at the remoteness,
isolation and huge fish in the sea off the Straits
of Hormuz. For a change, take a trip over to the
East Coast and spend a weekend in Fujairah.
Where better to escape the soaring temperatures
than looking at corals and sea life
on the ocean floor.
I have been back from Nepal for a month now.
Already I have got back
into routine here in Dubai.
It is the first summer in
five years that I have not
planned a two-month
escape from the heat.For
the next few months I will
be here. Routine is esSean James
sential in life and provides
Editor
stability.
sean@outdooruae.com
Life in the UAE, especially in the summer can

often seem like living in a goldfish bowl; fast
paced, very intense and no escape. However,
giving your routine a little natural uplift and boost
is always a good idea; especially if like me you
are staying here. What better way than to have a
short adventure in the UAE and de-stress, disconnect and explore somewhere and something
new. Every month we keep telling you the same
message - Get outdoors and have an adventure
either by yourself, with friends or with a group.
You will definitely feel instantly revived.
Watch out for details of presentations around
the UAE about the Everest trip in combination with the partners who have supported us
throughout.
Now is the time not only to try something new
as Ramadam approaches and we have a little
free time but also to plan ahead for the cooler
months.
In the office we are busy planning the Dubai
Off-Road and Adventure Show. It will be in October on the beautiful green fields of Sport City. A
huge success last year, it is an event that is not to
be missed for retailers, exhibitors, tour companies, companies, visitors and adventure enthusiasts looking to give new activities and events a
go. The best time to plan a three-day spectacular
and entertaining event that lasts for three days
is in the summer so make sure you keep in touch
with how to be part of it.
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 A2Z EVENTS
P.O. Box 215062
Dubai, U.A.E.
Tel. 04-447 2030
contact@outdooruae.com
www.outdooruae.com
Cover photo by: Suunto, Conquer New Territory
2015 Outdoor UAE FZE

Vol. 5, No. 6, June 2015
2015 Outdoor UAE FZE

Reg. at Creative City Fujairah
P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.
Keith Perea
Editor
keith@outdooruae.com
Eulogy van Dyk

Editor Qatar
eulogy@outdooruae.com
Linda Turcerova
Sales and Marketing
linda@outdooruae.com
Katherine Caedo Patangui

Administration
kathy@outdooruae.com
Jung Francisco
Designer and Photographer
jung@outdooruae.com
EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS
Marina Bruce
The Desert Diva and
off-road expert
Kit Belen
Our fishing pro
Nico de Corato
Diver and heli rescue swimmer
with Bergamo Scuba Angels
www.OutdoorUAE.com
Facebook.com/OutdoorUAE
Twitter.com/OutdoorUAE
Ivana Chiles
Health coach and outdoor enthusiast
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
Cindy Stadelmann
Equestrian expert
Trace Rogers
SuperTri triathlon coach
WHEN YOURE
DONE READING,
PLEASE RECYCLE!
Get to us on Facebook!
OUTDOORUAE
CONTENTS
26 DUBAI MARLINS
30 RIDING HOLIDAYS
EVERY ISSUE
05 BEST SHOTS
06 EVENTS CALENDAR
38 LIFESTYLE
50 PRODUCTS
62 PEOPLE
71 DIRECTORY
EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS

17 NORTH FACE NIGHT ROCK RUN
18 DMX AWARDS NIGHT
23 GMC TRI SERIES DOHA
36 SHARK ISLAND
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
33 DIVE TRIP TO MUSANDAM
34 THE HONEY BADGER DIARIES
LIFESTYLE
38 WANT TO BE AN AUTHOR?
40 HEALTH POWERHOUSE
OUR EXPERTS
56 PLASTIC RIGS - KIT
58 SWIM AROUND THE PALM - TRACE
60 SLIP FACES - MARINA
63 A WEEK IN MUSANDAM
TIPS + TRICKS
66 MTB EXERCISES
58 KHALED ZAKI
OUTDOORUAE
70 SEA KAYAK SKILLS
BEST SHOTS
Here are the best shots sent in by you for our monthly 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 Guidebook: Stephen Turner, John Kenneth Yee and Juraj Roka. Well done!
To submit your entries, simply email us at competitions@outdooruae.com with the subject Best Shots.
Stephen Turner
Camel sand bath
John Kenneth Yee
I started finding ways to break the back end loose and almost drift the thing sideways.
Juraj Roka
Sunset over the Liwa dunes with two friends,

generations apart.
OUTDOORUAE
EVENTS CALENDAR
Stay up-to-date with the latest events
FEATURED EVENT
Dubai Off-Road
and Adventure
Show 2015
October 29-31, Dubai Sports City

The Dubai Off-Road and Adventure
Show will be back this year with
even more fun and entertainment
than last year. Shops and services will offer amazing bargains and
there will be many activities to try out for the whole family. The
event will take place from 29th to the 31st of October 2015 at the
Dubai Sport City. We are inviting all Off-Road and outdoor clubs
(groups) to take part with a free stand in this community focused
event.
For more information, visit dubaiaventureshow.com
or email us at info@dubaiadventureshow.com
Paddle for the Planet

June 6, Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Dovetailing the World Environment Day

on the 5th of June, Paddle for the Planet is
back this year with bigger surprises! Now
backed by the International Canoe Federation, this years Paddle for the Planet promises more fun-filled activities aimed at raising environmental awareness not just in the UAE but the rest
of the world! Simultaneous water activities will go underway
across the globe from the United States, Australia, Sweden,
Belgium, Holland, South Africa, the United Arab Emirate,
Hong Kong and the Philippines. Events are being organized
by local communities in the UAE with unique events taking
place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
For more information, visit www.paddlefortheplanet.org.
Dubai Desert Road Run

Summer Scorcher
June 6, 6:00 a.m., The Sevens Stadium
Taking place in right in the middle of

summer, The Dubai Desert Road Run
Summer Scorcher is an aptly named
sport event that allows runners to follow
their progress throughout the year and
socialize with fellow runners. The race
takes place several times during the
year, so that runners can keep track of
their progress. It includes a 10km race
for adults and those above 14 years old,
a 3km junior race, ages 6 to 18, and a
3km fun run, which is untimed.
This time around, there will be a 10k race and a 3k fun run
with medals given to all who finish the race. Trophies will be
awarded to the first three men and women in all age categories for the 10k run.
Participants are able to enter a single run or register for as
many dates as they wish.
For more information, visit www.premieronline.com.
6
OUTDOORUAE
Summer Boulder Bash

powered by Five Ten
June 12 and 26, 11:00 a.m., Rock Republic Dubai

Get ready to climb your way towards
a fun filled summer in the second and
third rounds of Rock Republics Summer
Boulder Bash. This honour based event
requires participants to score themselves
to determine who will be the victor across
three categories. The event is open to
climbers of varying skills even first timers
to the world of climbing are welcome! Prizes await lucky winners such as free memberships, climbing gear and of course
tons of quality time with friends, colleagues and family!
For more information, visit
www.facebook.com/rock.republic.dubai.
Saris Summer Solstice 100 Miler

June 19, 9:00 p.m., Al Qudra Cycle Course
Top of the T by Zads Cafe
To keep the energies high over the

summer season why not come and
ride on the third longest day of the
year with a 100 mile century ride on
the Al Qudra Cycle Path. The event
is not a race but more of a timed
group ride on what is also shortest
night of the year in the middle of the Dubai summer. Because
this ride is being held during Ramadan, a take away breakfast
pack will be provided after the event.
Participants set out together at 9:00 p.m. from the Top of
the T and then depending on numbers may split into a fast
and steady group. After each lap participants are advised to
regroup for water and food and then keep going, expecting a
10-minute stop after each lap.
Saris have donated some racks as prizes so the aim of this
ride is to be as visible as possible so pimp your bike and yourself out with anything that glows.
For more information, visit www.premieronline.com.
Dubai Sports World
June 21 August 29, Dubai World Trade Centre

The largest indoor sports event of its
kind! The Dubai Sports World offers
sports enthusiasts all over Dubai a
chance to enjoy their favourite sports
indoors to beat the summer heat!
With one of the biggest indoor playing fields which includes football,
basketball, volleyball, tennis courts
and more. Book a court with friends
and family or simply join in on other
players and have fun playing your favourite sports safe from
the heat of Dubais infamous summer.
For more information, visit www.dubaisportsworld.ae.
NEWS + COMMUNITY
Your Ultimate Travel Buddy:

UB-COOL.com launches in the UAE
UB-COOL.com, the worlds
first online adventure hub, was
launched in Dubai amidst several
global operators from within the
adventure tourism industry. This
game changing platform aims to
capitalise on the growth witnessed
by the global adventure tourism
industry and chose Dubai as its
home base for its launch.
The site offers a wide range of action

filled activities around the world like water
based adventures (such as diving, rafting,
fishing etc.), trekking and hiking, cycling and
biking, desert adventures, winter adventures as well as very cool adventures (which
could be anything from canoeing to sky
diving). International destinations already
include Switzerland, South Africa, Indonesia, Greece, Thailand and many others.
This tourism hub aims to provide travellers

with the most accessible and cost-effective
way of booking the broadest selection of
worldwide adventures. UB-COOL.com is an
innovative and user-friendly platform dedicated to adventure-seekers, young, youngat-hearts and world explorers.
Working directly with adventure providers,
the online booking site provides clear information for each adventure, from prices to
itineraries to travel equipment. Each offering
on the site also provides a brief description, things to bring in the destination, age
restriction, travel time, dates and package
inclusions. Everyone can browse UB-COOL.
coms offerings from their computers, tablets
and smartphones and with just a few clicks
people can book or cancel their adventures.
Medina Ilyassova, the founder of the
website explained why people should join
UB-COOL.com, Adventure providers
directly give us the price and thats exactly
what we post on the website. Several sites
have reviews that are not genuine and we

have ensured that only real people can leave
reviews on our platform. The event was
graced by the presence of Her Excellency,
Maitha Al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary of
Oman Ministry of Tourism.
UB-COOL.com will continue to update
their site with new adventures, so keep an
eye out for it! For more details, visit their
website at www.ub-cool.com.
Record participation
in the first ever
In an exhilarating environment
amidst fun and cheer; Dubais
Al Barari came alive with
The Sand Pits debut obstacle run
on 17th of April.
Conceptualised bearing in mind the aim
of showing people that they are capable of
taking on challenges by working together towards a shared goal; the events debut logged
an impressive 1,100 number of participants
including individuals and groups.
As The Sand Pit Run kicked off, participants
were seen cruising further and overcoming
obstacles with team effort. The only event in

the Middle East thats focused solely on an
untimed obstacle run, the primary intention
was offering a fun event rather than a competition. The entire event was buzzing with
efficient comradeship as Pitizens turned up
in various costumes and realised their true
potential in physical and mental abilities whilst
having fun.
Firas Masri, Co-Founder and CEO of The
Sand Pit remarks that It is encouraging to experience the kind of support and turnaround
we received on our debut event. Our motive
was to devise a bi-annual sports event that is
full of challenges both mental and physical
but at the same time, an event that will make
people achieve it together and not pit them
against each other in competition. A winning streak when achieved with a team effort
always feels more rewarding and conditions
the mind better for real-life situations. We
are happy that participants just let loose and
simply had fun.
UAEs first ever untimed fitness challenge;
runners in The Sand Pit worked together to
overcome 15 obstacles ranging from crawling
under barbed wires, a four meter slide into a
water pit, a run on sand dunes, climbing up a
three metre wall to sliding on ice cold water;
to name a few. With interesting titles, the
obstacles like Sub Zero, Into The Pit, Stride

of Pride, The Ape Dome, Alcatraz etc. were
designed not only to test mental and physical
abilities but also encourage collaboration as
opposed to competition in obstacles like, The
Quarter Pipe, A Friend In Need and Walley to
name a few.
As many as 1,100 men and women alike
participated in The Sand Pits debut while another 250 cheered the event as morale-boosting spectators. Participants were awarded with
prizes for the best dressed individual, team,
best slide Into the Pit and the best selfie!
OUTDOORUAE
Summit Fever
Mount Everest
North East Ridge
and establishing higher camps on the mountain. This final part should have been about
the final days preparing to climb over 8000m
and the freedom of climbing a beautiful ridge
This is part three following my
to the summit looking one way into the beautiful country of Nepal and the other way into
climb to the summit of the
Tibet. Instead I am now back in Dubai.
highest mountain in the world,
Everything changed on the 25th April. Not
Mount Everest.
just for me but the people of Nepal. By now,
we all know about the devastating earthquake
Part one was written a month ago before I
and the long term damage that it has caused
left from Dubai and in part two we spent many
to Nepal and its people. We had been away
weeks acclimatizing, getting to base camp
from Dubai for just over four weeks when the
Langtang Village completely buried after the first earth- first waves struck. We could feel them moving
quake. You can just see the lakes in the foreground
underneath us. Lucky for us we were at base
camp on the north side and our tents were
in the middle of a flat area so rocks that were
shaken free simply tumbled to the side. The
pictures and reports that appeared instantly
on social media showed just how lucky the
north was. No one lost their life on the north.
We were shaken, literally and continued to be
for the next two weeks. It took us that long
to be evacuated to Lhasa and then fly home.
That period was a time of huge uncertainty for
everyone. The aftershocks became a regular
feature of our lives. We remained at base
Langtang Village in the middle of April
camp waiting for the CTMA (Chinese Tibetan
Mountaineering Association) to transport us to
safety. Normally we would have driven back
through Kodari to Kathmandu but the road
was so devastated that we had to go north
to escape. The narrow and winding pass that
cuts through the Himalaya will take months if
not years to reopen.
Words By: Sean James
June
Even after the earthquakes the

Nepalis are thinking of others
As I write this it should be coming up to

summit day. This will be the first time since
1974 that no one has summited Everest. Each
year the weather window that allows people
to climb high is around 20th May so a lot of
the 60 days on expedition is spent waiting and
watching. At all other times of the year it is
just too cold and too windy because of the jet
stream.
The Jet Stream
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the Earths atmosphere. Jet
streams are caused by a combination of the
planets rotation on its axis and atmospheric
heating. The jet stream sits on top of
Everest almost all year long and when it
does the winds at the summit can blow at
over 300kmh and lower temperatures to -60
degrees Celsius. In mid-May each year, the jet
stream moves north causing the winds to drop
and temperatures to become warm enough
for people to try to summit. This is called the
summit window. There is a similar period
each fall in November but it is less predictable.
At the start of this week there was another
7.4 quake on the 12th of May. Even though I
wasnt in Nepal this time, I felt like I was. Social media instantly came alive with reports of
an epicentre around Jhiri - a new one and not
an aftershock. It had been predicted like many
of the 300 aftershocks I had been through. My
Kathmandu airport set up to receive

aid workers and those looking to help
An unexpected visit to Lhasa and the Potala Palace
friends who were still in Nepal reported that

this one appeared more violent than the first
one; luckily it was deeper and the damage to
the infrastructure of Nepal was apparently less
or maybe it was just now old news.
All of our Sherpas had just returned to Kathmandu to be reunited with their families. It
had taken them over two weeks to get home.
They are brave people but even they are
scared. They dont ask for help often but now
the messages I get are heartbreaking. Sherpas
I have worked with over the years are venting
their anguish and frustration on Facebook,
questioning why it was happening to them
and their families again. The young son of a
Sherpa who I have never met uses his dads
account to message me: Lakpa Dendi Sherpa
climber house has been destroyed today in
We featured Jangbu Sherpa in last months
issue. Hes climbed Everest many times
now he and his family are living in a tent
Nepal 12:50 pm by earthquake. So he is still in

here all his small children and wife are feeling
sad. I hope if you can help to him whatever
you can. We are still in very unsafe situation.
Because our village are totally undevelopment country. As we hear in Kathmandu there
is still no government help. I felt helpless.
Back home in Dubai I did not feel the waves
through the ground and the rocks shaking
themselves loose from the mountains as before but the sense of sadness and desperation
is all too real.
What can we do for them? The monsoon
is approaching and their complete families
are living in tents because their whole houses
are lost; others because their houses are too
unstable. Aftershocks are still happening
regularly every day and people are scared. I
still have friends there who are helping with
the relief effort.
Another friend, Jangbu Sherpa was featured
in the May issue. Hes climbed Everest many
times and now he is living with his family in
a tent in Kathmandu. With the trekking and
climbing season effectively finished, tourists
have left Nepal. There are some but nowhere
near the numbers that are expected at this
time of the year. I flew back to Kathmandu and
spent a day in the capital. It had a deserted
feeling. The streets were empty and the world
press has left. Certain districts have suffered
more damage than others and only now is the
true extent of the damage in the countryside
being discovered as aid agencies are able to
get to people. The terrain and lack of roads
makes any movement without a helicopter
very difficult.
One of the areas that suffered was the
Langtang Valley. Only three weeks before we
had trekked through on our acclimatization
stage, spending seven days in the region, we
had made many friends of the caf and lodge
owners. On 25th of April the entire Langtang

Village was buried under a landslide. Over 200
inhabitants and westerners staying there were
lost in a matter of minutes. The pictures show
the total destruction of such a beautiful area.
Back in Dubai everybody wants to help but
the situation is very confusing. Where should
money be directed and to whom? What is
happening with the aid that is there already?
Who do we help first? What do we give? Can
we collect money? Although my adventure
started as a quest to climb Everest this has really turned into something very different.
A huge thank you to all the individuals, companies and organizations that have supported
me, we hope you are following and it inspires
you to keep doing what you are doing. Keep
checking the OutdoorUAE and OutdoorArabia
media channels for more immediate updates.
We would like to thank the following sponsors for their interest and support in what we
do and in particular Everest 2015.GO Sport
and the Millet brand as well as Nite Watches
and Al Mekshah have provided the best
equipment and support possible as well as
numerous others.
If you are interested in visiting Nepal and
getting involved in the rebuilding, they
desperately need tourists to start going back
now more than ever. Although tourism is only
10% of the economy it goes directly to the tea
houses, guides, porters and locals. The hard,
foreign currency is vital to let them start again
and begin providing for themselves. We can
guide you from start to finish in whatever your
goal is. Contact us or join us to find your own
adventure around the world.
If you are interested in climbing high
mountains and even Everest in 2016,
contact us at trips@outdoorarabia.com.
OUTDOORUAE
One of the tea houses we stayed in during
our week in Langtang before the earthquake
One step
closer to
a cleaner
desert
The 22nd of May was an important day for the UAE wilderness as
inaugural CleanDesertDrive went
underway with participants battling it out for rubbish-collecting
supremacy. All teams were positive and showed a great attitude
for collecting as much garbage as
possible.
Once participants began arriving at Ramy

4X4s showroom in Deira, it was clear to the
organisers that people werent coming just
for a drive. Upon their arrival to the stage at
four oclock participants got their race kits
which also came with discount vouchers on
select offroad brands. Each team received
a set of instructions and most importantly,

the GPS coordinates for the checkpoints.
Once kitted out, the teams set off to the first
checkpoint where they deflated their tires
and get their vehicles checked for any precollected rubbish. Game on!
A very positive surprise
With their tires down to 12psi all the participants now had half an hour to get to the
top of Fossil Rock to be signed in at the next
checkpoint. Despite a predictably slow start,
all members of the teams were soon jumping in and out of their vehicles to collect any
pieces of rubbish that they saw. Different
collection techniques shone through the
entire day with teams using various styles to
achieve a common goal.
Some teams on the other hand decided
to play it on the safe side by hugging pylon
track with the hope of finding cans and
bottles caught in the fence whereas other
teams chose to aim their vehicles for the
summit collecting rubbish on the way. With
the all clear signal from the marshals
resounding at Checkpoint Two, the teams
faced just over an hour of gruelling trash
collecting on their way to Checkpoint Three
at Pink Rock. The balance between picking
up rubbish and trying to get to Checkpoint
Three in time was something that was new
for everyone. However, despite the teams
being supplied with four large trash bags, it

soon became apparent that they were not
enough for some teams; people stopped
collecting bottles and cans and instead focused on collecting larger pieces of rubbish.
An abundance of body panels ripped from
lesser vehicles meant that the boots and
truck beds of the participants vehicles were
immediately filled with old tires, bumpers
and even a tonneau cover! The teams true
determination to clean the desert is evident
in the way that most of them didnt manage to get to Checkpoint Three and instead
focused their attention on the bottom of
the Al Faya dune. With this happening all
around, the organisers chose not to include
the timings for the last checkpoint. The final
meeting point was at the 2nd December
Cafeteria where everyone gathered to share
stories of the events of the day and admired
each others piles of rubbish. At the end
of the day, the first place for collecting the
most volume of rubbish went to the UAC
4X4 Club, whilst the winners for the heaviest
amount of trash went to Xtreme 4X4.
Ramy 4X4 is extremely pleased with the
response to the new CleanDesertDrive movement. The task now is to continue with trash
collection and raise awareness. For more
information on how to follow this green initiative follow the #CleanDesertDrive hasthtag
across social media.
DIGITAL ONLINE 2015
EDAs
underwater
PHOTOGRAPHY AND
FILM COMPETITION
The Emirates Diving Association

(EDA) held their Seventh Digital
Online Underwater Photography
and Film Competition recently. The
Awards and Exhibition night opening took place on the 27th of May,
hosted for the second time around
at the American University in
Dubai, School of Architecture, Art
and Design.
The exhibition continues to be open to the
public in the Rotunda Gallery, Building A which
will run from the 28th of May through the 6th
of June. The gallery is open for viewing from
9:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and 2:00
p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Fridays. Interested visitors
are required to present identification at the
Universitys gate to gain entrance.
Digital Onlines main objectives are:
To develop the human interaction within the

underwater environment and highlight the
beauty of its flora and fauna.
To gather information on the number of
underwater photographers in the UAE (both
professional and amateur).
To discover new promising underwater photographers in the UAE.
Digital Online was realised in 2009 by Marcelo Mariozi, a professional underwater photographer who had previously been involved
in the organisation and set up of underwater
photography competitions in his native country
of Brazil. As there were no underwater photography competitions existing in the UAE at the
time, Digital Online was introduced by EDA for
resident photographers to develop a relationship and human interaction with those unfamiliar with the underwater world and environment.
The film category was introduced as an extension to the competition in 2012 to share the
underwater world through motion pictures.
The event; now in its seventh year, has seen
12
OUTDOORUAE
UAE National Photography winner Mohamed Abdulla
a steady growth of underwater photography

participation with the enthusiasm, and passion
stepping up to another level. The event has
attained equal successes in both the diving and
non-diving community who came to support
the participants at the Awards and Exhibition
night.
A stellar roster of judges was present during
last Wednesdays event which included Warren
Baverstock, Jonathan Ali Khan, Christophe
Chellapermal and Nuno S; who are all renowned photographers and filmmakers. The
awarding ceremony was highlighted by the
announcing of Overall Digital Online DSLR and
MILC winner Mohamed Abdulla who garned
an astounding 1,897 points. Abdulla is also the
lucky winner to take home the prestigious UAE
National Photography Award. This win was
followed up by Overall Digital Online Compact
winner Juraj Roka who took miraculously beautiful shots using only a compact digital camera. Other winners that night include Simone
Caprodossi for the Wide Angle category, Iyad
Suleyman for Macro, Ahmed Obaid Alnaqbi
and Sijmon de Wall for Divers for the Environment. Khaled Sultani took home the top spot
for the Video Category with his video giving
justice to this seasons Below the Surface
theme.
A very special guest appearance was made
by freelance Photojournalist, Andy Murch.
Andy is the CEO and Expedition Leader at Big
Fish Expeditions. Andy gave a short presenta-
tion showcasing some of his photography and

shared the unique experiences behind them.
Andys love affair with sharks and rays began
once he learned to dive in early 2000. The
more he discovered, the more he felt the need
to document these moments through photography. As Andy found a lack of information
available on the species he encountered, his
frustration drew him to creating the website
Elasmodiver.com in 2002 where he could share
his personal database of aquatic creatures that
he had put together and show their locations
and best places to dive with them. Today his
database contains more than 10,000 images
between the Ray Field Guide and the Shark
Picture Database.
Andy then went on to become an accomplished and well respected writer and photographer within the diverse scuba press world.
His shark photography has appeared in several
prominent scuba diving magazines around the
world as well as hundreds of book publications
as well as appearing in various multimedia organizations such as the Discovery Channel and
National Geographic.
Commenting on what has transpired during
the awarding ceremony, Mr Essa al Ghurair,
Chairman of the EDA remarks: We celebrate
Digital Onlines seventh year and it continues
to impress and delight our senses! We cannot
thank the American University in Dubai enough
for hosting our event for the second year. It is
a great venue to be in - amongst the university students. I want to thank our generous
prize sponsors who make this a very inspiring
competition to take part in. The collections of
images and videos on exhibition and presented
on the screens are a reminder of the precious
underwater life we must protect if we want the
future generations to see the same treasures
that we are fortunate to see today. In addition
to starting the awards this year, our special
guest, Andy Murch with his showcase of underwater photography was a highlight for aspiring
photographers in our midst.
The event would not have been possible
without the support of the following institutions:
BFC Travel Management, Tourism Malaysia,
Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara and Al
Mahara Diving Center, Zaya Retreats on Nurai
Island and Nurai Dive Centre, Le Meridien Al
Aqah Beach Resort and Spa, Millennium Resort
Mussanah and SeaOman Dive Centre, Canon
Middle East, Lua Lua Diving and Adventure,
The Dive Centre, Nomad Ocean Adventures,
Freestyle Divers, Al Boom Diving, Blue Planet
Diving, MTM Marine LLC, Pavilion Dive Centre,
Divers Down, Dive Rite and Blue Sea Diving.
Mohamed Abdulla
Overall Digital Online DSLR/MILC Winner and
Second Place 100cm Horizontal, Macro
Juraj Roka
Compact 1st Place Winner
Divers for the Environment
Simone Caprodossi
DSLR/MILC 1st Place Winners
Wide Angle
Ahmed Obaid Alnaqbi

First Place 120cm Horizontal
Sijmon de Waal
Iyad Suleyman
First Place 120cm Vertical
Macro
Eyhab al Sinan
Compact 1st Place Winner and
Macro
Noura Alfardan
Best of UAE
Juraj Roka
Wide Angle
Steven Board
Second Place 100cm Horizontal
Best of UAE
David Robinson
Jan Wenger
DSLR/MILC 2nd Place Winner
Wide Angle
Kathleen Ebuen
Compact 2nd Place Winner
Macro
Simon Croshaw
Compact 2nd Place Winners
Wide Angle
Yan Xiong
Best of UAE
Lynette Ferreira
Michel Salsmans
DSLR/MILC 3rd Place Winners
Wide Angle
Stewart Clarke
Third Place 80cm Horizontal
Macro
Philippe Lecomte
Best of UAE
Karen Croshaw
Compact 3rd Place Winner
Wide Angle
John Hager
Compact 3rd Place Winners
Best of UAE
Jayme Rush
Third Place 80cm Vertical
16
OUTDOORUAE
Chris Combes
Third Place 80cm Vertical
Mike Thirlwall
Macro
Run
EVENT REPORT
Words By: Vanda Turcerova
We are a mixed breed of runners: two marathoners, one seasoned all-around athlete, one adult
beginner and an eight-year-old kid
who never ran more than half a kilometre in his life a city boy. What
we have in common is the will to
explore and experience new challenges. That is exactly what this
event was about.
Arriving at the parking, we could already
see disciplined rows of cars parked near the
main area. We spilled out of our car and went
to sign up and receive our packs and race
numbers. You could feel the positive energy
every time a new group of runners left their
car and joined the common start area; excited
adults and children running around, testing
the ground and just being happy to be able
to run in a new environment, fathers and
mothers with their children, gearing up to run
side by side, offer assistance to each other. A
beautiful warm up to a magical run.
As the start hour drew near, the briefing
was held with Pascale from Urban Ultra /
Phish Face, a runner herself. She explained
the rules and particularities pertaining to running at night on a marked trail, and specifics
about the trail we were about to explore.
Geared up with a head torch, North Face
running tee, flask with water (a must) and
optional but recommended, basic first aid kit,
energy grew amongst the crowd. Points were
made about conservation of the environment
we were about to scale so no plastic bottles
were allowed and any trash we made on the
way was on us to take back.
The run started and so we said goodbye
to two of our running buddies who opted to
conquer the 10km run and had a 10 minute
head start. The remaining three of us chose
the sensible five kilometre run and
honestly, I was expecting a whole lot of complaining from my son and so I armed myself
with plenty of negotiation tactics and motivational speeches. The start line was the last of
light we would leave behind, apart from our
flickering head torches now ready to go. Right
before the whistle went off; a fellow runner
asked me nicely if she could borrow one of
my flasks as I was wearing a Nathan two-flask
running belt and everyone had to carry a bottle. I gave her one of mine and wished her all
the best, doubting I will ever find her at the
finish line of close to 500 people. In the end,
she did find me and gave the bottle back. Be
nice and nice will come back to you.
8.05pm came and finally we set off to the
cheers of the crowd we were leaving behind.
We were the last group to go with the shortest distance. I wasnt sure what is waiting for
us ahead; the initial running pool needed
spreading as we started pretty much all at
once. A couple of minutes into the run the
fast ones led the way and I comfortably settled with fellow parents and their kids in tow.
It was interesting to adapt to the specifics of
trail running - your head is down as you need
the light to constantly scan where your foot
will be placed next. At times, we had a nice
flat stretch ahead and kids were challenging
themselves, speeding up as only kids can; at
times we were forced to slow down to almost
a walk, so narrow and bouldered was the path
ahead. My previous worry of possibly getting
lost was instantly gone; reflective markers
were everywhere and as most runners were
on the 5km loop, it was impossible to trail off
in this crowd. At the half-way turn, we refilled
our flasks and nibbled on banana and orange

cuts to refuel before heading back down. My
pep talk at this point consisted of the only
way is down and mega cheers for reaching
the half point. I was so proud of my little boy!
A proper city kid and here he was, running off
with another kid, leaving mommy behind to
watch from a distance.
Light breeze cooled us to a comfortable
level on our way down and as some of us
sped up we witnessed a few accidents too. I
have seen a grown man somersault a couple
of times before he landed, bravely declaring that everything is fine before limping off
towards the finish line. You constantly have to
watch your surroundings; one small misstep
and you could be hopping on one leg with a
twisted ankle towards your car. Trail running
is not a race; it is the enjoyment of beautiful
pristine nature and finding a way to marry
your running style with it. As Marketka put it
it is the first time in her four years of running
that she didnt need headphones to keep her
going.
We all met at the finish line in the end; ankles aching and heart pounding, grinning like
we just won the New York Marathon. In a way,
we did. We came out here not really knowing
what to expect but ready to give it a go and
left stoked at completing the run, exploring
new trails away from city and fostering the
nature running spirit in our amateur runners.
We didnt stay long after that; the fires and
barbeque setting the organizers put up for all
participants were tempting but so was a hot
bath and a cushy bed.
OUTDOORUAE
17
DMX
The DMX Gala Evening

Words By: Mark Ackerman
Photos By: Supplied
DMX Motocross held its Gala

and Prize Giving evening on the 7th
May 2015 to honor all the riders,
supporters, parents, sponsors and
contributors to the 2014/15 season. It was a spectacular evening
held in the Le Meridian hotel with
members of all ages and nations
in attendance. DMX is seeing a
strong revival in member numbers,
support for all ages and a general
community which is tremendously
helping in growing this healthy
outdoor sport.
The event honoured all the classes from
youngest to oldest and everything inbetween with prizes going from the first to
fifth placers in all classes. Special awards
were presented to the following for exceptional performances and also competing
and being part of the DMX Club. Jake
Shipton accepted the award (in absentia)
of Club Champion having scored the most
points and championships for the season.
The Most Improved Rider award was given
to Ashley OConnor for the best improvement in lap times from the beginning up to
the end of the season. The Dirk Donks
All-Rounder award, for best sportsmanship,
personality and all round good guy went
to Adam Ridgeway. Riders Rider was well
earned by Nic Kefford who was a great
sport admired by both the young and old
this season for his flair and speed.
Proud sponsor, Fluor (Global Engineering
Construction Company) really went out of
their way to support DMX and the sport in
general this year. Besides sponsoring really
awesome prizes for all the winners, Steve
Hopkins was also there in person to donate
a massive cheque (financially and literally)
to the club which will go a long way to
supporting the races for the new season. A
massive amount of thanks goes out to Fluor
for all the ongoing support!
Closing out the successful evening, Scott
Kefford, the DMX Club Chairman had the
following to say:
First, I would like to thank our major
sponsors this season - Fluor Construction,

KTM UAE, Organics Cafe and Portable
Shade UAE. With local businesses supporting our club it gives us a strong sense of
belonging to our community here in the
UAE. DMX will once again welcome back
our sponsors for the upcoming season as
well as constantly seek further local support
to bring motocross here in the Dubai to an
international level.
The 2015/16 season kicks off on the 18th
of September with a registration day for all

new and existing members. The club is also
pleased to announce that a new ladies class
will be debuting this season. Next year is
looking at some major track changes, which
will push the competitors and enhance their
riding skills.
If you would like to join the club here in
Jebel Ali or for further information please
follow DMX on their official Facebook page
at DMX (Dubai Motocross).
2014-2015 SEASON:
DMX DUBAI MOTOCROSS CLUB

FINAL STANDINGS
50cc Class Juniors
1st 86
Myles Sexson
2nd 88
Mohammed Bin Laden
3rd 1
Gian Luca Holder
4th 7
Levi Sweil
5th 136
Jack Taylor
50cc Class Cadets
Liam Sexson
1st 31
2nd 6
Craig Theron
3rd 13
Hayley OConner
4th 88
Salem Bin Laden
5th 76
Cedar Colvin
65cc Class
1st 1
2nd 174
3rd 99
4th 11
5th 26
341
308
301
238
230
85cc Class
1st 19
2nd 22
3rd 174
4th 18
5th 15
344
317
270
252
102
125cc Class
1st 5
2nd 73
3rd 22
4th 32
5th 6
Dean Jullien
Darren Berry
Nic Kefford
Tiaan Nolan
Harry Suddards
328
317
259
252
178
Clubman
1st 5
2nd 84
3rd 38
4th 218
5th 88
Clinton Wyngard
Robert Winkler
Ceirion Bray
James Thomas
Abdulaziz Bin Larden
334
248
236
213
194
UV Yurajsinh Kondedeshmukh 342

Ahmed Al Nuaimi
302
Joseph Mortada
257
Sigurd Johansson
202
Ashley OConner
200
Eugenio Barbaglia
Nic Kefford
Abdulla Al Nuaimi
Jasim Al Kubaisi
Hood Al Busaidi
332
320
292
225
207
Masters
1st 15
2nd 13
3rd 11
4th 8
5th 25
Mark Ackerman
Shannon OConner
Janne Tuorhino
Ali Kubaisi
Duncan Crerar
300
299
293
263
231
MX2
1st 555
2nd 1
3rd 23
4th 38
5th 82
Ryan Blair
Ross Runnals
Mohammed Jaffer
Keegan Barnard
Sultan Al Balooshi
317
303
274
235
176
MX1
1st 731
2nd 18
3rd 3
4th 1
5th 50
Jake Shipton
Ben Menzies
Dale Jullien
Ross Runnals
Jinan CD
350
269
267
247
230
Club Champion
Jake Shipton
Most Improved Rider

Ashley OConner
Dirt Donk
Adam Ridgeway
Riders Rider
Nic Kefford
We get in touch with Mr. Ravi Nair, Divisional Head of Liberty Kawasaki
and ask him about his thoughts with regards this season of DMX.
Congratulations on another successful
DMX season! How does this year
compare to the other ones?
It was different in terms of challenges we
faced as a team this year, the team
had to compete with 2015 model bikes
while they had 2014 bikes that have been
through a lot. So it was both a handicap
as well as a challenge for our riders.
What are some of the highlights
for this season?
One great highlight would be that
despite, the condition of the bikes; the
team did quite well to get podium positions in all categories - a unique feat
for older model bikes that have been
through wear and tear.
Were there any difficulties for this
season? How was it managed?
Definitely having the older bikes we
were up against 2015 models which had
several improvements over their 2014
models. Whats amazing is how the technical team managed to keep the bikes up
and running against new bikes.
In your opinion, how has Liberty
Kawasaki fared this year?
In majority of the categories we managed
to get podium positions. So I think we
did a great job both the riders and the
technical team.
How has the team improved in terms
of camaraderie and teamwork?
We have a great fighting spirit. I would
have to say that the courage of the team

showed. With this in mind, I could say
that we have improved a lot especially in
the midst of all the challenges we faced
this year. The team has definitely become
stronger because of this.
What would you say is the
inspiration for the team?
The Kawasaki brand, and the faith and trust
that our riders put in it. The entire world
knows what a Kawasaki is capable of in
terms of motocross and around the globe
Kawasaki remains on top. So the confidence
in the Kawasaki brand inspires the team to
go further.
Out of all the riders in the DMX, who
showed the greatest improvement? And
who do you see has the most potential for
next year?
Ross Runnals who is one of our best riders.
Even though he was off to a slow start,
he managed to secure top spots. Despite
having an injury midway, he remained neck
to neck with the other riders. Another big
improvement worth of note comes from the
85 and 65cc riders. They have all matured
in terms of skill and professionalism. I have
very high hopes for Ross Runnals, Dale
Jullien and Jinan CD, all of whom are great
riders in their respective classes.
Just a fearless forecast: How does
Kawasaki plan on winning the next
season of DMX?
The new bikes for the team have arrived and
all our riders will go through rigorous
training. The entire team will get full

support from Liberty Kawasaki especially
when it comes to the technicalities of the
bikes.
Now that the event has come to a
close, what comes next for Liberty
Kawasaki?
The new season will commence September next year. That gives us some
time to take a break and have a rest for
awhile. Other than that, the team also
has to practice on the new bikes and as
time goes on, we hope to expand Liberty
Kawasakis portfolio.
What can people expect
in next years DMX?
They can expect Kawasaki to be number
one next season.
OUTDOORUAE
19
EVENT REPORT
GMC TriSeries Doha

Qatars First Triathlon Series
Words By: Eulogy van Dyk
Photos By: Dow Photography
Yes, in Qatar we also love to

swim, bike and run!
While only in its second season, the GMC
TriSeries in Doha sold out for all three of
its events in no time! Organized by TriClub
Doha and Aspire, the series drew over 200
participants competing in each of the three
events this winter season.
The series is primarily aimed at beginners
and is a fantastic way to introduce the young
and old to the awesome sport of triathlon!
Hosted in the Aspire Zone in Doha, known
for its top sport facilities and beautiful park,
it creates the perfect backdrop to a wonderful series like this.
There are four race categories to

choose from:
Kids (8-12yrs.) - 100m swim, 2.5km bike,

1.25km run; Junior (+13 yrs. & beginners)
- 200m swim, 5km bike, 1.25km run and a
TRY-Athlon category for +18 yrs. with distances of 250m swim, 10km bike, 2.5km run.
The normal Sprint Distance category for

+18 yrs was comprised of a 500m swim,
20km bike, 5km run and can be entered as
a individual or as team, which many of the
more experienced triathletes entered to
practice their racing or transition techniques
for other bigger triathlons that they compete in around the region.
The swim takes place in the Aspire
Academy 50m pool, afterwards the athletes
did a quick transition to hop on the bike
for the cycling leg of the race where they
did a number of 5km laps in the Aspire
Zone(depending on the race category they
entered). The run also consists of 11.5km
laps, which took participants past some of
the football fields in the Zone; so it is a real
treat and a truly great environment to be
able to participate on these grounds with its
inspiring facilities and awesome surroundings!
The series aims to include the whole
family where almost anybody can participate
due to the various distance options. It was a
great way to get your feet wet (pun intended) in the culture of swim, bike run action.
The route layout was also very spectator
friendly so the whole family can join for the
day and support the athletes as they come
past, which for us as athletes, is definitely a
bonus and creates a great atmosphere!
We were fortunate to witness some great
performances from seasoned triathletes in

this years GMC series. With participants
ranging from young to old, with expats from
many different nationalities represented and
local Qataris competing as well, the series
offers so much more than just a chance to
compete. It created an atmosphere to share
stories and training tips, to build friendships
as well as confidence, and allow for a community to develop around the sport.
The old adage is still true: in triathlon
you are always racing against yourself. The
GMC race series gives you exactly that
opportunity to repeat the same race in the
same conditions, which makes it easy to
measure your progress and improvement.
And even though we were comparing times
and splits, it was still a wonderful sense of
camaraderie and support from everyone
competing. And with such exceptional
organization by the Triclub Doha group,
with marshals pointing out every bend in the
route, it made the entire experience even
more enjoyable.
One of the definite highlights over the
past two years has been the Junior category.
With enthusiastic parents (some of them
competing as well) encouraging the young
ones on, everyone was inspired by the way
these kids gave their all in each race. And
the pure sense of enjoyment was there for
all to see, giving the adults a good boost

and showcasing the sport of triathlon as a
truly inclusive and superb activity for all to
enjoy.
The series enjoyed fantastic support from
race sponsors, which includes Mannai Corporation through the GMC brand;
Aspire Logistics (race facilities); Carbon
Wheels Bike Shop (bike technicians); HMC
(medical support & ambulances); Circle Qatar (exhibition set-up); Trinity (race marshals)
& Dow Photography (race photos) ensuring
every moment is captured. Without these

event partners involved it would just not be
the same, and their support has seen this
competition rapidly expanding in just its
second season.
The third and final event took place on the
25th of April where afterwards, the overall
winners for the series were announced at
the seasons final prize giving awards on the
29th of May.
Be inspired and get your training wheels
ready for the 2015/2016 season!
Yabba-Dabba-Doo! Rock Republics

Summer Boulder Bash
Last Friday, the 29th of May
witnessed the debut of Summer
Boulder Bash which was held in
Dubais Rock Republic a place
where expats and locals alike could
immerse themselves in challenging
wall climbing as the summer heat
settles in on the Emirate.
The first event of its kind in the region,
eager participants of all ages and skill levels
had to face the problems of taking on the
bouldering walls of this facility. Each area presented a certain degree of challenge which
was, despite being difficult, it was extremely
enjoyable. Some seasoned mountaineers and
climbers, others amateur enthusiasts were
also seen measuring themselves up against
themselves, promoting an environment of
self-improvement during the event. Pete
Aldwinckle, partner and manager of Rock
Republic, explains:
Our facility is open to everyone and we
are witnessing more and more beginners
finding love for the little mountains, as we
call boulders; of course experienced
climbers are welcome too and we have
special challenges for them in store. As we

approach summer and most outdoor events
dry up, it was obvious this would be the best
time to put together a series of events for our
members and occasional climbers.
Guida Verschut, partner, adds: We are
very pleased with the turn-out and pleasantly
surprised that a portion of our competitors
were walk-ins. For a center opened a month
short of two years, Rock Republic is getting a
lot of buzz just by word of mouth and so we
run our center as a neighborhood community-style place for everyone to not only pack
in a good workout, but also to enjoy themselves, meet fellow climbers and find new
friends and buddies as well as, naturally, to
keep active.
Of the two hours allocated to the climbers,
most time was spent on the walls, solving
problems (color coded routes with different grades of difficulty) that were assigned
certain points. Climbers were scoring themselves and had a choice of over 100 problems that are currently set up.
I came on the spur of the moment, really.
I have minimal experience and climbed a
couple of times in the past but have never
signed up to anything like this. I should have
felt intimidated by the power here; I mean
some of these guys were pulling off
gravity-defying moves! Instead, the guys of
Rock Republic were really encouraging and
supportive of everyone who came to the
event. One of my friends even got a prize
on the day. We left really stoked and happily
tired says one of the participants.
Summer Boulder Bash

has four more events
in the pipeline; June
12th, June 26th, July
10th and the final
one July 24th 2015
(all Fridays, 11am to
13.30pm). Registraion
is available online,
in person or on the
day of the events. For
more information, visit
www.facebook.com/
rock.republic.dubai
OUTDOORUAE
21
ACTIVITY REPORT
Eco-minded surfer and SUPer!

Words By: Tati Coco
Its hard to associate ecofriendly with anything related with

the industry of surf. By factory in
China, shipment by plane, boats are
extremely polluting and noisy; the
material used for shaping boards is
highly toxic. So how can I be an ecofriendly surfer?
There are a lot of kinds of surfers but Ill
choose only two for this writing to get my
point across. The root surfer is this guy
with a van and beard, he drinks, smokes,
does barbecue and surf during the peak
hours. At least he is less aggressive against
the environment. The mid-life-crisis surfer
on the other hand is just totally content with
their life and then bam! The next day they
feel worthless, they need to share up their
lives and quick. So they head out, buy all of
the kit, they are running across the beach
daring David Hasselhoff to give them a run,
they hit the water feeling awesome until
reality hits them and they realize surfing is a
lot harder than it looks. These kinds of people do not mind at all about environment
but at the end they all have a common
interest: surfing!
Nowadays I think that people are well
informed about recycling, alternative nontoxic materials and about the impact of pollution in our lives but they do not act or collaborate to reduce this very insane impact
on earth. Fortunately in my life, I was always
lulled in an eco-minded spirit at home, eating organic food, sorting out the garbage
with organic, glass, paper and plastic and
putting each material in the respective container for recycling. My mum used to buy
non-toxic cleaning products and she made
most of the clothes for my brother and me
by hand. I remember that she used organic
cotton for me as I had sensitive skin. Today
I keep all that as much as I can and I try to
perpetuate this value. At home I try to eat
healthy, non-processed food and organic
vegetables; I use bio-cleaning products;
and walk or bike whenever I could instead
of taking the car. I know that it is not perfect

but I choose to believe that I am doing my
best to help Mother Earth with these little
ways.
As an individual, I am very proud of what
I have done to contribute to the environment, but I would like to take it further
into my interests, surfing and SUP being
examples of them. So I was overjoyed when
I discovered two companies that are already
moving towards eco-friendly materials for
their surf gear; a great sign that sooner
or later, majority of companies in the surf
industry will join in on the movement as
well! Read on and discover how to be an
eco-friendly surfer like me.
I spoke in France with a company who
won the Eurosima Innovation Prize in 2011.
This company called Notox uses greenOne
and greenK technologies to produce boards
and they have an innovative eco-friendly
workshop with air cleaning and decontamination for the whole workspace, use of non
hazardous cleaning products for all the
tools, sorting, recycling and recovery of production waste. The boards are completely
built with vegetable fibres meaning they are
100% recyclable. They replaced fibreglass
with flax fibre and they re-used all the polystyrene waste during the process reducing
the waste by two-thirds.
Around the surf community, we have
also the clothes and gear industry. Today
lots of brands try to care more about the
environment, and create an eco collection
but just a few are 100% eco-friendly. Again
in France I met a company called Lastage.
They are a brand I used to wear since I met
them as I love the spirit of the product.
They respect the environment and fully embrace the eco-friendly concept. They only
use organic cotton from Turkey, boxed in recycled and recyclable cardboard to provide
a sustainable system of recycling.
While these amazing developments are
great, it has yet to reach the rest of the
world. Every time I go to the beach for a
walk or a surfing session, the quantity of
rubbish we can find on the sand or between

the rocks is frightening. A few days ago I
went trekking with a good friend and we
discovered a nice secret spot that is very
beautiful and quiet and beside it was the
beach that looks like a big bin of rubbish
with plastic bottles, bags, shoes, buckets,
bottles of wine and beer all over. It was disgusting and it was very sad to see that just
next to all this criminal scenery there was a
baby seal swimming. I used to travel quite
a lot around the world and I could say with
confidence that there is no clean place even
in the most pure of islands. You will always
find some rubbish or trash from human
presence. Nobody is perfect but we should
help to be more conscientious and teach
our kids, put it in our mind to preserve as
much as we can of this beautiful treasure life
gave us! Each time you go out to the beach
bring with you some trash bags and put it in
a container. You are helping a lot with such
a small action!
ACTIVITY REPORT
The Son of the Desert

Interview with Max Calderan, an Extreme Desert Explorer and Author
of the book La Forza Dentro (soon in English and Arabic)
Words By: Nico de Corato
Photos By: Nico de Corato and supplied
Extreme desert explorer, defined son of the desert, Max Calderan has crossed the most insidious
and impassable sands in the world,
surviving in conditions that are
beyond any known human limits.
Among his several record explorations he
has ran 90 hours without stopping, covering
437km in Oman following the ideal line of the
Tropic of Cancer. Hes ran 360km in 75 hours
across the United Arab Emirates in summer
time with temperatures over 140 Fahrenheit.
Max has pushed his limit over all scientific
studies. Medicine is still unable to give a
scientific explanation to his achievements.
Max Calderan was born in Italy in Portogruaro, Venice on July 1, 1967. A lively child and
attentive investigator, he undertook the path
of young multi-talented athlete successfully,
first from climbing and extreme skiing and
reaching later recognised levels of performance in more than 15 sports.
In 1988 he began his career as a teacher

trainer. He dedicated himself to the study of
the mechanisms that regulate the reactions of
the human body to external stimuli and developed over the years in collaboration with
a leading genetics lab in Europe, a genomic
test that today allows you to revolutionize
the concept of prevention/obtaining results.
His studies have led to his publication in
the scientific journal The Journal of Sports
Medicine and Physical Fitness.
Working for nearly twenty years covering
managerial roles at major pharmaceutical
companies, during this period he deepened
his research in two areas that have always fascinated him: sleep deprivation and defense
mechanisms that regulate the emotion of
fear.
Several years of experience in important
business fields, the management and ownership of holdings in the United Arab Emirates,
an epic sport career, the deviations from the
so-called physical and mental limits, represent only a small part of the background of
the Extreme Desert Explorer, Max Calderan.

We had chance to meet Max during the
Spartan Race, in February, in a very funny
way. On the flight to Dubai he had chance
to read a copy of OutdoorUAE and he found
himself absorbed in an article written by me
and he saw my pictures. Two days after, at
the Spartan Race, he recognized me and we
stopped for a chat.
After a while, knowing one of my dreams
was to complete a full marathon in the desert, he proposed to spend a day together in
the desert Calderan style, I accepted.
During the two hour and 30 minute drive
to Liwa, he had a chance for this interview.
Nico de Corato: Max the first question is
almost popular (I suppose) but also mandatory. How can a person decide to become
an extreme runner? For most of the people
marathon is already an extreme challenge.
Ok you can add the idea of completing a
full marathon in the desert (I like the idea for
example). But you exceed any imagination.
Max Calderan: I always desired to do

something no one else could do, something
considered impossible. I look for a new limit,
something new for everybody. And I found
my way to do that, crossing deserts even during hot summers, deserts you cannot cross by
any kind of vehicle. In such a way, I became
an extreme desert explorer.
NdC: Can you tell us more about the preparation for this kind of challenge? I mean its
not only the mental and physical stress of a
long run, but also the fight with an extreme
environment: sun burn, dehydration, possibility of getting lost or seriously injured without
any immediate medical assistance.
MC: I dont follow training tables or use a
heart rate monitor; I dont get any food supplement. When Im in Italy, among my mountains, I run in shorts and shirtless while the
temperatures are rated at -10 degrees and
then I dive into the icy waters of the streams.
You must have, first of all, a strong physical
condition, not only during your training, but

also in everyday life. If you control your body
in any situation, you can go further: the first
real challenge is to overcome the burdens
and superstructures that normally limit us.
NdC: Which desert is your favourite?
MC: There is no favorite desert, because
each desert offers something new to be discovered. A lot can happen in various deserts.
The experience can be different while in the
Tropic of Cancer and the experience can also
be different in deserts with dozens of dunes
each of them 400 meters high.
NdC: Whats your next extreme challenge?
MC: Nobody went from North to South in the
Lut Desert in Iran, so I trained myself for several years and now I am ready. It is, according to the NASA, the hottest surface all over
the world (70 degrees during the summer
seasons). So next summer, I will discover the
meaning of 70 degrees Celsius
This exploration also creates an opportunity for the Iranian cheetahs and other desert
animals to be saved drawing the worlds attention to their endangered status. Desert exploring is an instrument that can be used to
inform people to shed light on situations that
will help us save our beautiful planet. There
are only 70 to 80 Iranian cheetahs in the Lut
desert, we should preserve and protect them.
The record will be done in November.
The final goal of this desert exploration will
be hopefully in 2016 which is trying to cross
the Empty Quarter desert along the midline
(not along the borders). An area spanning
1000km of unexplored desert.
NdC: Lastly, what advice would you give to

runners who want to start venturing in the
desert?
MC: First of all, bear in mind that you are
approaching an extreme environment, asking
for respect. Its not only a hard run; you need
to use all your senses and body functions to
achieve an exceptional performance. Its not
only about running, its about surviving.
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.
OUTDOORUAE
25
ACTIVITY REPORT
Unity in Strength:
The Dubai Marlins

Interview By: Keith Perea
Photos By: Supplied
Dragon boating is a unique

sport in that it fosters camaraderie
down to the single letter and like
other team sports; the team is not
only a team but also a family. It can
be a melting pot of cultures or as a
medium by which like-minded people could come together and share
a mutual interest.
Summer in the UAE is in the same vein, a

melting pot of water-related activities and it
just so happens that we were down at the
Dubai Marina witnessing the Dubai Marlins

doing their practice rounds. This was where
we caught up with head coach Richelle Mallari, 38, and the rest of the team as they sat
down for a short rest after an intense training
session.
Where does the story

of the Dubai Marlins begin?
It was the common passion of individual paddlers that formed the Dubai Marlins. It was
our vision to promote the sport by means of
developing the discipline through commitment, camaraderie and respect. The team
has grown since we first established it in 2013
with only less than 10 members. Everyone
persevered to be a strong paddler.
In your opinion, how has the team

grown from before up to now?
I think the team has grown not just physically

because of the hours that they dedicate in
training but also emotionally. Dragon boating
can be intense during races and ones ability
to focus and channel all their energy in a
single heat can change a person.
How often do you train with

the team? Any specific training
methods?
We have Land Trainings every Mondays and

Wednesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
aimed at developing our physical fitness.
Water Trainings are held every Friday and
Saturday from 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and it
focuses on developing our form and synchronization techniques.
As a coach, what are the

challenges that you encounter?
It would be maintaining a solid team. As we

say people come and go, so having a solid
team has been very difficult and challenging for me. This sport doesnt only require a
person to be physically strong but another
essential aspect that is needed is having a
strong bond.
How do you inspire the team

to be their very best?
By showing my team the aspects I love about

dragon boating. I think that anyone can do
a lot of things but only a few would have
the drive to be the best at what they do. Its
either you love the sport or not at all.
As a coach, whats your secret

for keeping the team/family
bond intact?
I dont think that this is a secret, all good

leaders know this. Its by respecting each
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OUTDOORUAE
Whats would be the most

memorable moment of the team?
paddler and by being a good example

to the team.
Lastly, what legacy do you wish

to leave behind with the team?
If it ever comes to that, I would like to leave

them with a fierce love for the sport. Dragon
boating is a big part of my life and it has
somehow changed me into the person that I
am. I want my team to experience the same.
WORDS FROM THE TEAM

In your opinion, how strong is the
bond of the team?
Randy Cabrera: I think the bond of the team

is solid. I say it is solid because we shared
each others ups and downs, supporting and
motivating each other to be one team.
Roxy Tandoc: You cannot measure how
strong the bond is, you can only guarantee
that the bond is strong because of the leaders who make the whole team as one.
How does your team come

together during the race day? Are
there any specific mantras or routines that you do before the game
begins?
Kathy Malinab: We come as one, we paddle

as one and we race as one. The briefing and
the exercises we do before the race helps us
to be motivated and focus on one goal and
that is to paddle with all our heart and paddle as if its our last race.
RT: We all gather around and remind each
of our paddlers the reason why we wake up
early to train, the reason why we endure all
the pain and instill in their memory that we
have come prepared.
RC: Before the race starts we always go to
church to pray and give thanks for all the
blessings and strength given to us and ask for
guidance for all of us in our races and keep
us safe. Our members have varied beliefs
but we share each others thoughts in giving
thanks before every race start.
How does the team support

each other?
Cookie Duarte: I always believe in positive

reinforcement, and with the right attitude, a
team will overcome almost any difficulty to
succeed in its goals.
Marj Soriso: We keep on motivating each

other and treat each other with respect and
integrity.
Teams are also synonymous with

families. How does this resonate
with you?
RT: Inside the boat you will forget everything

in this world; all you have are the people
inside the boat with you. These people are
your family because at the end of the line,
they will define you. In this sport, a family
has one beat, one stroke and one heart. We
aim for one goal and we all have to grab it
together as a whole.
Cheryl Po: Being in a 40-feet boat with
21 people you care about fosters a certain
accountability that is quite unique to this
sport. We experience commonality through
the mental anguish, the physical pain, the
triumph & loss. The Marlins have provided
me with a sense of belonging that families
are supposed to bring.
As a team, what elements/

attitudes do you promote?
MS: Being competitive, the willingness to

improve our weakness and turn it into power.
Race like its your last.
KM: The eagerness to become better and
develop self-confidence; To trust yourself
and be able to trust and believe everyone. To
have a strong heart!
CP: Perseverance! There are times when you
get so exhausted and feel that you can no
longer paddle. When you get to that point,
you have to push yourself to the limit because there are other people in the boat who
are counting on you. Every stroke counts, so
you better be determined to finish the race!
RT: Our team went outside the country to

compete. All the other teams were looking
down on us and were laughing because we
are small. During the day of the competition,
we never looked at our competitors while
we were paddling. We paddled hard and
our hunger for victory drove us to the finish
line. We dominated the competition and
gained all the other paddlers respect. It was
memorable not because we were the best,
but because we stood strong when the rest
of the world was in doubt.
Jobi Rafer: I think it would be when the Lady
Marlins placed 2nd in the Creek race last
27th of March. For so long, the coaches have
dreamed of having enough women to put
together a team. Most of the members are
new to paddling and the coaches told us to
just have fun and take this as an experience. I
think this triggered the women to do better to challenge and push themselves more.
How has being with the Dubai Marlins impact your life?
MS: The Dubai Marlins or paddling somehow changed my way of looking at life. I quit
certain habits and it developed my competitive edge.
KM: Big time! The lifestyle I had before is
contrary to who I am now - I am more productive, competitive and focused. And lastly,
I gained so much friends that I can keep as
long as I live.
CP: Ive had three major operations on my
left knee following an ACL injury. I gained
a lot of weight because I lacked the discipline to eat right and the motivation to get
the proper exercise my body needed. That
changed when I got hooked to paddling. I
have now adapted a much healthier lifestyle,
and my outlook on life has changed.
Closing off this story is an adage that team
captain Vanni Mallari, loves to quote: In
unity there is strength.
ACTIVITY REPORT
First Tri
Words By: Maria Conciecao
Photos By: Saul Keens and Jorge Ferrari
Earlier this year I ran a marathon on all seven continents in 11

days, last year I ran an Ultra Marathon on all continents in six weeks.
Ive done all of this and more to
raise funds and awareness for my
charity foundation, The Maria Cristina Foundation who, for the last 10
years, has been providing education
and support to families living in the
slums.
I cant keep doing the same similar things
for my charity because human nature dictates that people will lose interest, whereas
my goal is to create new interest. Some
people see me as an accomplished runner
(trust me, I do not consider myself as an accomplished runner) so if I attempt another
running challenge it might not get the attention I need. So, whats next?
To re-invent myself, again, I am venturing into triathlon, or Ironman to be more
precise. This is a race consisting of a 3.8km
swim followed by 180km cycle finishing with
a full 42.2km marathon run. Its a daunting
task for anybody to take on, but especially
if you cant swim at all and can barely stay
on a bicycle. That was my situation two
months ago when I registered for the race. I
now have three more months to be ready in
Denmark on the 23rd of August.
As soon as I started to get into the details
of the sport, I regretted the whole thing. It
seems so complicated. Running is simple,
you need shoes, shorts and a T-shirt, and
then you just put one foot in front of the
other to start moving. For triathlon, you
28
OUTDOORUAE
need a bike and a whole new set of gear:

shoes, cycling apparel and a helmet are just
the basic requirements. For the swimming
part, besides goggles and a swimsuit I later
found out that a wetsuit is mandatory for my
Ironman race.
Luckily, the Tri community in Dubai is

extremely friendly and helpful, particularly
the people at Tri-Dubai (a group which I
think consists of pretty much everybody
in Dubai who does or is thinking about a
triathlon).
2XU are supporting me with some fantastic triathlon gear, which I am so happy
about as I have always been a huge fan of
2XU for sports clothing. Newton Running
are helping me with their innovative running
shoes, Silverback are supporting me with a
competitive race bike. I have found a great
swimming coach, Kevin Millerick, Head
Coach at Total Immersion Middle East who
has agreed to help me (poor guy, I am such
a slow learner) and I have recently teamed
up with Innerfight for their strength and
endurance training (recommended by many
triathletes). So there are some benefits to
being a poor charity girl, you get help from
some of the best resources available.
The pieces are now falling into place
and so the pressure has started to mount, I
have no excuses; I have to put in the hard
work and deliver results. Im hoping that a
successful Ironman race will lead to even
bigger adventures, maybe some swimming

or cycling challenges so its a very important
step for me.
I have ridden a bike before, a slow,
wobbly ride on a rental bike somewhere in
Europe. I never had a bicycle as a child so
even that experience was a major achievement. Now I suddenly have to deal with a
super-light 22 speed racing bike, which is
probably something similar to learning how
to drive a Formula One race car.
As if that wasnt enough I was shocked
to learn that my shoes had to be attached
to the pedals with special cleats, why? This
is even more terrifying! It means that every
single time I have to stop there was a very
high probability that my feet would remain
attached to the pedals and I would fall sideways and body slam to the ground.
Of course the first time I tried, that is exactly what happened, I managed to unclip
one side only and then slowly timbered
to the other. Any seasoned cyclist will tell
you the countless benefits of these clipless
(as opposed toe clips which were popular before) pedals, such as more efficient
pedalling, more control etc. but it is hard
to appreciate the relevance of it all when
youre lying on the floor and still attached
to the pedals. Fortunately the only damage
done was to my cycling ego.
I was so nervous for my first swimming
lesson, it usually takes me forever to get
into any swimming pool and you would
never get me near the sea. I have never
been able to swim at all, not even float and
if I get anywhere near chest height then
sheer panic sets in. But the first swimming
lesson with Kevin was much better than I
expected, the pool wasnt very deep which
helped a lot and he had me floating face
down, kicking and exhaling underwater in
no time. That first lesson really filled me
with a lot more confidence.
By now youre probably asking why on
earth am I considering a triathlon, especially
a full Ironman, when I am clearly so useless
at cycling and swimming. Well, I had never
ran before I started planning multiple marathon challenges and I had certainly never
been near a mountain when I decided to
summit Everest but none of that means
that its not possible. I like to aim high, life

is short and there is so much to do to keep
the Foundation going.
The training in general started a bit slowly, I was (and still am) learning to swim and
cycle and so I was limited. But now since
I have started to work with Neil at Innerfight, the intensity has started to ramp up a
bit. Right now I have around nine hours of
training per week but its increasing every
week and could be 15-20 hours per week at
its peak. Its tiring, with swimming, cycling,
running, strength and conditioning seemingly working every muscle in my body.
With my work as well, Im struggling to
find enough energy at the moment, so
maybe I need to look into my nutrition to
give me better energy levels. If there were
more hours in the day I would definitely
sleep longer!
Im still not swimming any great distance
or with a perfect technique but I am constantly improving, and Ive been in the sea
for a test swim which I am so proud of, it
wasnt so bad after all.
The cycling still frightens me but Im
getting better and faster. To start with I was
cycling at an average of 15kmh but now Im
up above 25 kmh most days. However this
really depends on the conditions, if its too
windy, or if there are any corners or other
cyclists around then I return back to terrified
mode. I guess its too much to ask for an
Ironman race with one long straight road,
no wind and no other people so Ill just
have to keep putting those miles in to build
up confidence.
I dont even want to start thinking about
the actual triathlons yet; its a whole new
world and language. Planning and practice
is required for the transitions from swim to
bike (T1) then from bike to run (T2). Nutrition will be extremely important for such
a long race (cut off time for this race is 15
hours which sounds a lot but is apparently
much more difficult than it sounds).
There are still many things I dont understand but Im sure that Ill learn along the
way. The ideal situation would have been
to do a few shorter distance triathlons to
build up to the Ironman but unfortunately I
missed the UAE race season, so its looking
like my first triathlon will be the full Ironman.

I still have brick training to look forward
to which is basically training two disciplines
in the same session e.g. Swim/Bike or Bike/
Run. Ive heard two definitions of the term
brick, one is from the manner of stacking
training disciplines on top of each other,
like stacking bricks and the other is from the
feeling you get in your legs being so heavy
like a sack of bricks. Whatever the definition, it looks like my training is just going to
get tougher and tougher. Bring it on!
OUTDOORUAE
29
ACTIVITY REPORT
tales
FROM THE
stables
Family riding in Wyoming
Words By: Cindy Stadelmann and Cosmo
Once it gets hot in Dubai and the

official competition season wraps
up, it is time to wind down at the
stables and take some time off.
It doesnt mean that riding totally closes
down here in the UAE and we dont get a
sniff of hot summer air but we definitely get
some time to stretch. We still do some basic
work throughout the summer but as for any
athlete it is good to let the muscles relax
for some time. Many riders choose to go
abroad for a period of time in the summer.
Some even take their horses along with
them (yes, this happens). Others choose to
leave their beloved creatures behind in the
hands of their stable managers and explore
a different continent onhorseback.
The amount of choice and number of
companies on the internet that offer horse
related vacations is vast and gives you a
totally new perspective on horse riding. First
of all, individuals can go down the track to
improve their riding skills or even begin to
learn horse-riding by going to a stable that
offers specific training courses ranging from
learning the basics to advanced skills such
as dressage, cross country or jumping skills.
The other path you can go, is just to have
a good time on the back of a horse with or
without friends and explore the flora and
fauna of a region or country. Sounds like a
nice summer vacation idea? It definitely is.
I, Cosmos owner, have gone down both
tracks in the past years and I want to share
Learn new skills
with you some insights and my enthusiasm

for this type of vacation. Once you start digging there is just so much choice!
How to decide
A few summers ago I decided to enhance

my riding skills in order to return to Dubai
as a better dressage rider and also allow
Cosmo to learn some new moves. So where
to go? Europe is known for good dressage
skills. So, I started exploring there. Good
weather was important for me, in addition
to a reasonable price. Going south, I looked
at stables in Spain and Portugal and there
was a lot of choice. Many stables offer clinics
with one to two sessions per day giving you
lessons in your selected riding-discipline
Escaping the summer heat in Dubai
tailored to your experience. I found that

there is classical dressage and then dressage using Andalusian and Lusitano horses
that are famous for that area and which you
can see during bullfights. For me, classical
dressage was the one I wanted to focus on.
So, I narrowed my search down. Looking
at various stables, it is important also to do
some research on the experience of the
instructors. Often, the same stable advertises through different internet agencies and
gives varying details on the different websites. Do the trainers have credentials? Yes.
Do they look like they are 20 years old and
almost as many years of riding experience?
Not good. Besides the horses and trainers,
assess what else the facility has to offer and
also with which climate you will be dealing
with. Not all rides are offered year round
and some only offer certain set weeks in
the year. This can often be a very frustrating
factor and unfortunately, you should avoid
being too fixed on a certain date range, as
this will limit your search. There is a bit of
flexibility needed when you are looking for
a specific program and at times spontaneity helps. Maybe your dream was to go to
France but considering somewhere like
Greece or Portugal might offer you just the
right opportunity.
Portugal
My choice in the end was a small stable in

the middle of nowhere in Alentejo in southern Portugal. It was beautiful! They provided
two lessons per day on Lusitanos and other
cross-breeds, theory sessions after lunch, a
pool and amazing scenery. There was not
much more time for anything else but ride,
eat, sleep and relax. It was a great experience to get out, learn with other horses and
meet new people from all over the world
with same interest. I left with what I had set
out to accomplish: enhance my skills and
have some time off from the hustle-andbustle of Dubai.
Get inspired by riding new landscapes
This was one way of approaching a vacation on the back of a horse; now to the
other; exploring the outdoors with your
passion for horses is another way of spending your vacation. Ever thought of riding
though Kruger Park, the Mongolian Desert,
the wine trails in France or cattle driving in
Montana? Some stables offer different hacks
during which you are based at a lodge and
ride out every day from the same location.
Others offer trail rides with lunch breaks in
cafes or picnics, reaching a new destination later in the day, and finishing up sitting
around a camp fire or a nice restaurant with
local cuisine. There are tours that offer horse
riding with wine tasting. There are plenty of
pleasures to choose from. Often you are required to take care of your steed during the
day: grooming, tacking up, and feeding - a
great way to bond with your holiday partner.
In case you want to travel with your two legged significant other who cannot ride there
are options too. Look out for offers that
incorporate programs in parallel to the ride
for a non-riding party. Some stables offer
sightseeing tours, pools, gym and arrange
transportation for your partner to commute
from location to location to join you for the
non-riding sections of your trip.
Preparation
Trail rides can take up to six hours per day,

so I recommend some level of endurance
training before you go on the trip, especially
if you are a beginner. One day of sitting all
day in a saddle might work but if you pursue
those kinds of sessions over a few days, I
can promise fatigued legs (and hinds). Also,
ensure you have well-fitting riding breeches
and underwear. You do not want to have
sores developing from creased jeans or
pants on day one. Bring your favorite riding
pants (and a few more), sunscreen and a
rain coat. Most stables offer riding helmets
but since helmets are an essential item and
need to fit, make space in your luggage to
bring your own.
Any good event organiser will send you a
list of items you should bring or give you details on their website. If they do not, I would
consider this a bad sign and question their
organizational skills. Certainly, you should be
able to pack the basic necessities for riding
for a few days or weeks on your own accord
but a well-organized agency should give you
a list guiding you on what to bring. Enquiring about six day trail ride in the Australian
mountains two years ago, I received a funny
Riding in different environments is stimulating
list that recommended not to bring any

hair dryers but rather to get used to having
greasy hair. Sleeping bags, air mattresses,
wet wipes, tooth brush, spare shirt and
pants; thatll do in the wilderness.
Vermont
Besides dressage holidays, I have also

vacationed in Vermont a few years ago, trail
riding in the woods in the hopes of seeing
some moose. The stable had a hotel on the
premises with beautiful views down into a
valley that filled up with fog in the evening. On the first day, the stable manager
assessed our skills based on a questionnaire
we had been asked to fill and further questions at the stable. Here it was interesting to
see that riders, normally used to riding in a
closed ring and potentially super confident
and highly skilled turn into very insecure
people when in a different environment.
Riding out in the open is very different. The
horses are fired up and keen to go. Any
fear shown by the rider is recognized by the
horse. It is best to consider your experience with horses in the outdoors and ask
for a horse in accordance to that. If you do
your daily rides from one location, you can
mostly swap horses over the days to come.
If you are unsure, better to start off with
something easier-going and work yourself
up. I was matched with a fun little black and
white pony that was zippy and an absolute
pleasure to ride. We were split up in
different ability groups and team leaders

took us out on different paths in the forest
and hills. Come rain and hail, these horses
went anywhere: over rocky terrain, water
and slopes. Normally, I like guiding my boy,
Cosmo, and helping him where to step,
choosing the easiest path for him. But these
horses knew what they were doing. They
cruised up slippery rocks, where I didnt even
want to walk. It was best to leave them alone
and enjoy the ride. Throughout the stay, I
learned that to avoid any bruising at the bottom of the hoofs the farrier had put plastic
plates between the soles and shoes that
ensured no sharp corners of bigger rocks
could do damage. Any horse with bruised
soles will be lame for a while, in pain and out
of business for some weeks. These kind of
riding vacations are definitely something you
will never forget and will probably make you
look for other adventures on horseback. The
number of offers is growing year by year.
A riding holiday can be suitable for all
levels of riding abilities and might even
allow a spouse to get a sneak peek into the
pleasures of riding. Plus its a great way to
explore another country whilst getting out of
Dubais summer heat. During these trips it is
certainly fun to go with a group of friends if
not with family. Going on your own will also
be exciting and enjoyable and you get to
meet new, likeminded people. But above
all you will spend time with one of your
favourite and loveable creatures.
OUTDOORUAE
31
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Adventures
from the sky
Long-haul
Words By: Monica Antal
The life of an aircrew will revolve

around long haul flights. Some love
it and some hate it. 14 hour flights
through the middle of the night.
Endless layovers, disorientation and
your body not knowing what time it
is. However, long haul flights with
Etihad do allow me to explore some
amazing places around the world.
This month I have been to South
America, London, Canada, and
Kuala Lumpur, in fact towards all
corners of the planet.
What is it about long haul that inspires
fear in passengers and crew alike? Is it
simply the time frame that gets passengers
worried? Are they anxious about being at
41,000 feet in a pressurized metallic tube for
such a long time?
For the cabin crew it is not only a claustrophobic reaction, or the long period spent
in the air, it is also the effect that flying has
over the body.
Your body while flying goes through many
changes. Many times, after a flight I might
feel bloated, dehydrated, and my body enters a state of fatigue that you cant explain
no matter how many hours of sleep you get
in-flight.
Bloating
Whenever you fly, the liquids and gases in

your body expand as the cabin is pressurized at a maximum of 2400m (8000 feet). As
a result of cabin pressure, the first sign will
be the fact that on an ultra-long haul flight
you might have to loosen your belt. It is certainly not the aircraft food, or the myth that
circulates about it, that this food will make
Buenos Aires
Machu Picchu
you fat. It is simply, the difference of altitude

that your body reacts to.
There is no immediate solution to prevent
that from happening, but the good news is
that even if you feel bloated after landing,
that feeling will disappear within 24 hours.
The only thing you can do to reduce this
symptom and try to maintain your tummy
in a feel-good state is avoiding fizzy drinks.
Although champagne, beer, soda water etc.
is readily available it will produce a sensation
of discomfort if consumed systematically. So
avoid it on long haul flights.
Dehydration
Even if you are not thirsty, dont forget to

drink. Fluids are essential. You will notice
that your lips get dry and so does your skin.
Thus, my recommendation for any traveller
is to hydrate internally and externally. Drink
as much water as possible, and also use
some moisturizing products for your skin.
Moisturizing facial sprays are extremely useful on long haul flights, but as an alternative
you can wet a towel and leave it over your
face for couple of minutes.
You can avoid dehydration by keeping the
consumption of caffeine and alcoholic drinks
to a bare minimum. Caffeine will dehydrate
you, and alcohol will alter your perception of
the quantity of fluids that your body needs.
If you are consuming alcohol in-flight, bear
in mind that your body will react differently,
and if it usually takes you two bottles to get
tipsy, you might get the same effect after
having just one. So remember, whenever
you have a glass of wine, ask also for a glass
of water or two.
Fatigue
On a long haul you might get the regular

quantity of sleep you are used to but still
wake up feeling lethargic and slow. This is
again the effect of cabin pressurization and
the fact that oxygen saturation in-flight is
dropped by up to 25%. That is still a safe
level for your body and mind to function in,
if you are not flying ultra-long haul flights
regularly. There are some health concerns
for crew related with overspending time at
altitude, but studies focus more on radiation
levels rather than hypoxia (induced by the
lack of oxygen).
To combat fatigue in-flight, you need preflight rest, so try to catch couple of hours of
it before you fly. Unless you are travelling on
a private jet, you never know who might be

seated next to you, and how loud they could
snore.
If you feel fatigue or restlessness throughout your whole body, take a walk, or do
some stretch exercises in the plane. Even
rotating your ankles slowly a couple of times
will help.
At your destination you might have to
cope with jet-lag. The time difference between one place and another might be the
most fatiguing factor of your trip.
My advice: Balance your level of excitement of being on a holiday and your rest
time. For any difference in time zones
greater than 4 hours, your body needs a
minimum adaptation of 3-4 days. To combat
fatigue at your destination and maintain
an optimal level of energy, try to consume
fruits and vegetables, and also include in
your diet the base products from your daily
diet. Indulge gradually in the cuisine of each
country and give your body the opportunity
to adapt to change.
Enjoy your trip, be safe and energetic;
wishing you the most wonderful memories,
straight from the sky.
Peru
Monica Antal is originally from Romania and

has been living in Abu
Dhabi for 5 years. She
currently works as aircrew for Etihad Airways.
The UAE is a world hub
for the aviation industry.
These are her adventures from around the
world as nights and days merge into one
and she seeks out adventure in the UAE
and far flung places.
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Overnight dive trip

to Musandam, Oman
Words By: Richard Steward
In April this year, I was privileged

to be invited to an overnight diving
trip along the Musandam Peninsula
in Oman.
The Musandam Peninsula is absolutely
stunning. The contrast between the overwhelming mountains that seem to drop
and disappear into the stunning blue sea is
breathtaking.
We drove from the UAE to Dibba, Oman
where we boarded a traditional dhow boat.
From there we cruised up the peninsula to
our first dive spot called Octopus Rock. It is
named after an octopus because the rock
formation looks like octopus legs underwater,
you may need to use your imagination here.
From what Ive been told however, is that this
is one of the best dive sites in the area, and it
lived up to expectations. There were so many
colourful reef fish that didnt take any heed
of us and literally swam all around us. This
was the first time Id seen so many lionfish

swimming in the open water. Near the end of
the dive my crazy and super fun dive partner,
Felicitas and I, saw a huge stingray, without a
doubt the biggest one Ive seen to date.
That afternoon our skipper anchored close
to shore and allowed us some chill out time
where we jumped off the boat, some of us
pin dropping, others back-flipping and one
person, in particular, face planting not once,
but twice! In the evening, we had a braai
(BBQ) on the beach with some well deserved
cold drinks and some roasted marshmallows
around a bonfire. We all ended the day in
perfect fashion, sleeping under the stars on
the top deck of the boat.
The next morning after a very fresh morning swim to wake up, we geared up for our
second dive at a site called Ras Marouvi another beautiful dive location with a plethora
of reef fish and multi-coloured coral. It was on
this dive that my dive partner, again Felicitas
showed me the joy of diving upside down.
Yes, you read right. She spent most of the
dive upside down while she observed the

coral and fish below. I still do not know to this
day how she does not get a head rush but
admittedly, after trying it, I got quite addicted
to swimming upside down too.
Our third and last dive was at a site called
Ras Sanout. This was a drift dive, and although the current was fairly strong it was
very enjoyable. I quite enjoy drift dives as you
dont need to put much effort in, just relax
and go with the current. My weekend diving
was capped off when we saw a turtle, a sea
horse, and two large squid.
Our trip was organised by one of the funniest guys Ive met, Julio Corredor. This was the
first time I have met him, but Im sure it wont
be the last! Julio is a member of the Rotaract
Club Jumeirah Dubai, and part of our fee to
come along on the trip was donated to three
employees of Le Meridien Hotel Fujairah who,
unfortunately, lost their homes in the recent
earthquake. So once again, thank you, Julio,
for arranging such an incredible trip and at the
same time organising to help others in need.
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
The Honey Badger

Episode 14:
The End of the World
Destination: Kaokoland, Namibia
Diaries
Words + Photos By: James and Mira Raley
We left the Cunene River Lodge

with an adventurous route planned,
and followed the river westwards
towards Epupa Falls. It was a slow,
occasionally challenging and scenic
drive, and having left our campsite
in the afternoon we had to find a
place to camp for the night after
a few hours. There were Himba
villages dotted along the riverbank
every few kilometres and we were
not surprised to see the children
galloping towards the car shouting
Sweety! and Money!
The Himba are a fascinating tribe. They
seem largely unaffected by the rest of their
countrys development, and continue to live
in mud huts covering themselves in Okra
clay and living off subsistent farming and to
a lesser extent, tourism. They reminded us
of the many tribes around Lake Turkana in
Kenya, but were a lot friendlier and we did
not see a single firearm, which was novel.
We stopped to say hello to a few of the
children along the track and Mira offered
them pancakes which were left over from our
breakfast. They had never seen pancakes
before and we had to show the children that
they were food. Some were more impressed
than others.
On one occasion we were giving some
sweets to young two girls when their father
came running over. We considered jumping in the car and running off, but decided
to stay to see what he wanted. He asked
us to take a look at his sons badly cut foot
so James pulled out the first aid kit to see if
he could help. We could not do much more
than clean the wound and give them some

disinfectant. Trying to explain that he should
keep it clean and apply disinfectant twice
a day was an amusing challenge, but they
were delighted and invited us to stay the
night.
It was a privilege to spend the night with a
Himba family, and it was good to feel entirely
safe and undisturbed amidst a local tribe.
Mira helped the girls collect some water,
and we showed them a few toys on the car
before settling down for the evening.
The next day we said our goodbyes and
thanked the family with a photo from our
little printer before heading to Epupa Falls.
We arrived at the falls at midday and found
a campsite directly overlooking the main
cascade. The spray cooled us down and the
view was tremendous. We found a guide to
take us around the falls and discovered that
they continue for some distance downstream
with a number of subsidiary falls on the

Angolan side. Whilst not as big as Victoria
Falls, we found them equally impressive and
there were far fewer tourists competing for
the best views.
Realising that we had some distance to
cover before the next fuel stop we decided
to buy a jerry can from a very helpful local
guide. At $45 for 20 litres it was not cheap,
but it was necessary for the adventures that
were to come. We also stopped at a local
school to top up on water from their borehole.
Our next stop was Van Zyls Pass, which is
one of the more notorious 4X4 routes in Namibia. It is far off the beaten track and links
the Marienfluss Valley with the rather flatter
central planes of the country. It gets its name
from the Dutch explorer who weaved his way
through the mountains in the 1920s with a
few hundred Himba and a Model T Ford.
We were glad to have a Land Cruiser to

get us over the rocks, as the views into the
Marienfluss were awe-inspiring. Some sections of the pass were extraordinarily steep,
but the car bounced along quite happily in
low range first gear. It took us just over two
hours to get through 10 or 15 km, but it was
great fun. The pass ends at a yellow oil drum
where we added our stone to the cairn which
marks the finish.
With five hours of daylight left, we decided
to traverse Marienfluss and explore Hartmanns Valley. It was remarkably similar to
the valleys in Omans Hajar Mountains, but a
little greener. The Marienfluss is best known
for its fairy circles which were featured in
David Attenboroughs Africa series. No one
knows for sure why they exist, although the
local Himba believe that it is due to the ants
sheltering from the floods in these areas
during the rainy season. Unfortunately due
to the poor rains this year they were difficult
for us to spot. Nevertheless, the view over
the valley as we dropped in from Hartmans
Valley was breathtaking.
We ended the day sharing a bottle of
spirits with the Swiss couple Ryan and Sarah
who run the delightful Camp Synco next to
the Cunene River. Be sure to take a bottle of
Ardbeck with you if you ever visit and you
can be certain of a warm reception from the
friendly couple!
At this stage we had gone as far north as

possible and were starting to run low on fuel
and food. Ryan and Sarah kindly gave us an
Oryx steak to keep us going and we prepared to leave in high spirits. Until, inevitably, we noticed that the front diff was leaking
again. Worse still, as James tried to top it up
he threaded the filler cap, so we had to settle for whatever oil was left inside it.
We headed south bordering the Skeleton
Coast National Park and James could not
resist a little dip into the park. We followed
the Khumib River towards the Atlantic Ocean
and it took a few minutes before Mira realized that we had deviated from our planned
route. After a brief dispute we continued until we saw the sea having sighted numerous
oryx and a couple of cheetahs along the way.
We had a wonderful lunch in the cooling sea
breeze before returning to the reality of a
leaking diff and empty fuel tank light.
We finally made it to Purros where we
planned to buy another jerry can of fuel. On
arrival at the community campsite we met a
group of tired looking men. They had walked
16km from the car which was stuck in the
Hoarusib River to the South. After they kindly
offered to provide some fuel James agreed
to go and see if he could help. It turned out
that the group were the crew from a wellknown Afrikaans TV Programme called Leef
Jou Reis with Gerrie Pretorius.
It was clear that they knew their stuff when
it came to 4X4 adventures and they were
tackling some of Namibias more challenging 4X4 routes as part of their new series on
responsible overlanding. The river still had a
lot of water for this time of year and they had
been caught in thick mud in one of the crossings. After pulling them out with the winch
James politely obliged by also getting stuck
in the same place as we progressed upstream (although I am sure that they would
have a different story). We walked all the
other crossings amidst the lion spoors which

dotted the riverbed.
Despite our fairly thorough exploration
of the Himbas homeland, Mira was disappointed not to have found an Ekori. An
Ekori is a type of leather veil which Himba
brides wear on their wedding day. We had
seen one at Epupa Falls and decided to try
to buy one. However, whilst the Himba are
only too glad to sell necklaces and bracelets,
they are understandably less inclined to part
with their Ekoris. Therefore, with a full tank
of fuel from Sesfontein, we took a significant
detour back up to Opuwo in search of this
rare piece of jewellery. Whilst Opuwo was
disappointing, we continued north until we
found another friendly Himba village. After
a few hours sitting and talking to the women
and children, they eventually agreed to sell
us one. So, with a delighted Mira, we started
the journey south again towards the public
section of the Skeleton Coast.
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 videos:
Website: www.thehoneybadgerdiaries.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/
pages/Honey-Badger-Diaries
Instagram: @thehoneybadgerdiaries
OUTDOORUAE
35
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Words + Photos By: Darryl MacDonald
Five hundred and fifty kilometres

off the coast of Costa Rica lies a
small island that is literally the stuff
of legends. Cocos Island, a National
park and UNESCO World Heritage
Site is steeped in pirate history. If
the stories are true, some of the
most famous pirates in history
have used this remote land mass
to hide their bounty.
With over 200 waterfalls pouring out
beside the coconut palms and over the sheer,
volcanically forged cliff faces, it is believed
that this ancient looking place inspired
Michael Crichtons book, Jurassic Park, and
has also been suggested to be the inspiration behind Robert Louis Stevensons book,
Treasure Island. But Cocos also has another
secret. The waters surrounding the island are
rich in nutrients fed by deep water counter
currents. These nutrients provide an environment which attracts a broad spectrum of pelagic species including rays, dolphins, whales
and, the reason most people go, sharks!

On assignment in December, I spent seven
days aboard the Undersea Hunter dive boat
exploring this underwater lost world. The
entire trip was one exciting and memorable
moment after another leaving me wanting for
more. However, there are two dives in particular that still remain clear in my mind and
are telling examples of how wild Cocos still is.
On day four of our trip, we visited Alcyone,
an underwater sea mount discovered by

Jacques-Yves Cousteau. We were told by
our guide that this was one of Cousteaus favourite sites, and we quickly discovered why.
Upon arriving at the site the mooring buoy
was found to be several meters underwater,
pushed diagonally by the ripping current that
passed through the area. Descending down
the line, I was reminded of images from various television shows where the character is
holding on to a telephone pole in a hurricane
with their body blown perpendicular to the
ground, flapping in the wind like a piece of
cloth. I was quite certain that if I released
the line, I wouldnt be able to swim fast
enough to reach it again. Hand over hand;
we pulled ourselves down the 27 metre drop
until we reached the top of the underwater
sea mount. At the bottom, we slowly moved
into the current towards the edge of the
mountain top to get a better view. What I
witnessed next was perhaps one of my most
memorable dives in over 20 years of diving
(3000+ dives). I heard the dolphins before
I saw them, a pod of about eight to 10 bottlenose dolphins working in unison to corral
a massive shoal of bait fish directly over us. It
began slowly with several passes but quickly
turned into a full-on assault. The noise and
commotion caused by the bait ball quickly
attracted a large school of hammerhead

sharks to the area. The hammerheads joined
in the hunt only for a brief period before
being frightened off by an even larger school
of oceanic black tip sharks. This was the
first time I had seen this particular shark up
close and was memorized by their speed and
agility. I have known since I was young that
sharks were one of the oldest and most efficient predators on the planet but watching
this scene unfold in front of me left no doubt
in my mind. As the bait ball began to shrink
several other participants showed to finish off
the lingering shoal. A few bulky Galapagos
sharks, some of the hammerheads that could
be seen in the distance rejoined the hunt,
the odd silky shark and many of the white tip
reef sharks that were previously lounging on
top of the sea mount were enticed to join the
hunt. Looking at my dive computer, I realized
it was already time to begin our ascent. In
what seemed to be the blink of an eye, the
dive was over and we headed reluctantly
back to the boat still buzzing with the excitement over the spectacular scene we had just
witnessed.
Our night dive was another unique experience that only the rich, pelagic environment
around Cocos could offer. Upon arriving
at the dive site on our first night dive, the
moon had yet to come over the horizon so
we were surrounded by sheer darkness. Like
me, several others on the boat had a fair
bit of experience in shark diving and were
comfortable in the waters here. But it seemed
that when it came to night diving, we were
all a little reluctant to be the first ones in the
water. So after a few minutes of hesitation, I
pushed myself towards the edge of the boat,

waited for the captains permission and rolled
back into the black water below. Arriving
near the sandy bottom, I could see several
white tip reef sharks and large trevally cruising intently in and out of the coral patches
looking for their next meal. Several small
fish could also be seen tucked away, hiding motionless under the overhangs in the
coral in fear of being spotted. As the rest of
the group arrived, it appeared the sharks
were attracted to the lights and soon there
were several hundred reef sharks swarming
the coral below us. Occasionally one would
find a meal and the swarm would turn into a
frenzied ball with loud snapping and crunching sounds as the sharks tried to pile into
the reef to get a, piece of the action. We
followed on top of them watching the hunt.
I moved away from the group in order to
have less light interfering with my photos and
planted myself in a spot with a good vantage
point where I could capture the sharks as
they filed through the reef. One of the reef
sharks managed to capture a parrot fish and
again the frenzy began but this time something else appeared out of the darkness. The
first thing I noticed was the size. This shark
was at least three times the size of the other
reef sharks, and then I noticed the distinctive stripe pattern across the animals back.
Tiger Shark! It came in quickly and circled
once before moving off again into the darkness. I hastily headed back to the group in
order to make our guide aware of what I just
witnessed. Several others in the group saw
me making the sign for tiger shark, and soon
the majority were scanning the surroundings
paying little attention to the hunting reef

sharks below. Our group quickly became a
tight formation as we searched for the animal
I had just seen. Suddenly, a larger Galapagos
shark very casually swam past us from behind
and headed into the crowds of reef sharks. It
quickly became obvious that this animal was
looking for a meal and the reef sharks were
on the menu. Within less than a minute of
his arrival all of the reef sharks disappeared
and our guide motioned that it might be a
good time to end the dive. As we completed
our safety stop, all lights were on the bottom
watching the Galapagos shark circle, looking
for a snack. When we surfaced, we were all
once again thrilled and amazed with what
had just witnessed but it was also obvious
that we were all a little reluctant to be the last
person in the water either.
Cocos doesnt have much for coral, the
surface is generally quite rough and it rains
more often than not. Underwater the visibility usually isnt spectacular and the currents
can be strong, even treacherous at times and
the diving is difficult but it still remains as one
of my favourite dive destinations. There are
few places left in the world as wild as Cocos
which give me a greater appreciation for
what it is and what it represents.
OUTDOORUAE
37
LIFESTYLE
Ever wanted
to be an author?
For many, being an adventure or

travel journalist would be a dream
job. Travelling the world, writing
about exotic places, suspicious
characters, exciting adventures and
then finally returning home to show
some amazing pictures in a sold
out evening presentation. But is it
all that glamorous? And is it all that
easy?
Nearly everyone who reads this magazine has had an adventure or wants to be
involved in one. If you are reading this magazine it is likely that you are pretty obsessed
with the outdoors and adventure. But what
happens when your passion and obsession
turns into something that could also provide
a living? Does the creativity still flow when
you have deadlines? Is the way that you
experience your own adventures still the
same when you know that you will have to
document and write about it in the future?
This month we are going to challenge you
to share in words your own adventures in the
form of a short story. There are no prizes or
awards, simply the reward of being able to
share your adventure or travel experience
with others. No one style is correct and we
dont claim to be literary masters, so to help

you, we have sought out some advice to
provide a framework for your writing.
Your piece can be about anything and we
will publish online what we consider outstanding. Subjects could be anything from
overseas, events, competitions, challenges,
adventures involving auto, water, mountains,
and desert. The list is endless.
There are many excellent short stories and
the modern short story structure emerged
from oral storytelling traditions. Many short
stories formats are versions of narratives,
parables and fables. Very short stories are
often called flash fiction and can be as little
as 300 words.
Probably one of the best is Rudyard Kiplings 1894 collection entitled The Jungle Book it is a collection of short stories
using animals to impart moral lessons to its
readers; Ernest Hemingways The Snows of
Kilimanjaro is a perfect example of a short
story, being only a few pages long.
Short stories are unique and different in
that they have to stand alone. If you plan
your writing ahead they can even come
together into a collection of stories that
could have even more range and depth than
a novel.
While there are no hard and fast rules for
writing a great short story, here are a few
suggestions that can help give your writing
that extra flourish.
Write about making new friends
Tintin and his adventures
Planning
Consider the genre that you want to use.

This could be a novel, fiction, non-fiction,
romance, comedy, tragedy, epic, satire. Concentrating on one style may be easier and
less confusing for the reader and writer.
Think of a strong title.This can be one of
the most difficult parts of the process. Often
the title appears from nowhere at the end or
part way through your writing. However an
eye catching or provocative title will make
people continue to read.
If you are looking for ideas stick to what
you know and have experienced. At the start
of your writing, use past adventures and the
knowledge you have built up.
Every story has a beginning, middle, and
end. Plan this ahead - write down ideas,
characters, plots, conclusions etc. in the form
of brainstorming cloud diagrams.
There are many ways to structure your
story. A linear structure starts with a beginning, climax, and resolution. However, there
are many other ways to structure a story. One
such example is William Faulkners A Rose
for Emily which begins with the end and
ends with the beginning.
In a narrative that is called in medias res,
the story opens with the dramatic action and
can contain flashbacks to previous events. It
usually starts at the height of the action. You
Use verbs for motion and action
Use an experience to write a short story
stick in your memory. Spend some time

looking for quotes that inspire you.
Read other peoples work a lot and try to
identify what makes it special for you. Jot
down their techniques and try to use some.
Describe flavors with adjectives
can use this technique based on how you

want to proceed with your story.
Keep focused. Consider what your motivations and core message are for producing
this piece and dont overload your plot with
other distractions. Short stories are less complicated than novels and this is the refreshing
thing about writing them. Often you start
to write a short story and find that you have
drifted away. Cut out and save the additional, unnecessary material for another time.
Decide what viewpoint you are writing
from. There are a number of points of view
that you can choose to write from. Sometimes a unique, unexpected voice can provide the most compelling, focused experience of the central story.
Starting to write
One of the most difficult things about writing is actually getting started. So just write
as much as you can think of and in whatever
order. Computers allow easy editing and
formatting of text so you can come back to it
often and re-order thoughts and text.
For a short story, start as close to the climax as possible to draw people into reading
further. A longer novel can spend a longer
time developing characters and plots but a
short story must pack an immediate punch.
There are a number of ways to give yourself inspiration. If you are someone who has
many ideas and struggle to write them down
quick enough thats great, but sometimes we
need a little extra help and inspiration. Next
time you go out hiking, climbing, biking or
kayaking in the outdoors keep a journal.
Write down things that you notice or that
inspire you. Take it everywhere you go or fill
it in immediately after you have finished. Any
format of note taking could lead to ideas
later.
If you dont like carrying a notebook, some
people take a camera or their phone to
record special moments or points in the narrative that can jog their memory later when
they come to write. Revisiting these pictures
or searching for images on the internet can
put you in the writing state of mind.
Think about what people have said to you
and the conversations that you have had that
Advanced writing
Once you have got into the swing of writing you will want to look close at the actual
structure and composition and grammar.
Here are a few points to take note of that
could really give your writing a flourish.
Verbs really make a sentence come alive
and carry the action to the reader. Verbs
such as did, went, saw or felt are
a bit dull. Try to add some vigor to your
piece with a variety of verbs such as accomplished, skipped, gazed or experienced. Dont overdo it and make sure they
fit into the tone of the piece. Online thesauruses are good but dont get carried away.
Active or passive? Most sentences are active and the person or thing doing the action
is the subject of the sentence. For example.
The boys loaded their kayaks onto the
Jeep. The boys are the subject and doing
the action. In a passive sentence the kayaks
were tossed around by the waves, the
waves are the subject and doing the action.
Adjectives also add spice to writing. Dont
overuse or go crazy with the thesaurus again.
But try to use a variety and look for different ones. Dont feel like there is a need to
include an adjective before every noun.
Sometimes, adjectives are redundant and
only use them if them if they are understandable and add something.
Figurative language can be used occasionally for effect. Metaphor and simile are examples and can focus attention on something
specific. The moon shone over the Empty
Quarter like a bright, new diamond.
Dont over or under-use punctuation.
Tell the story of your weekend hike
Punctuation is very powerful and can change

the meaning of a sentence, intentionally or
unintentionally. Try not to have more colons,
semicolons, dashes and exclamation marks
than actual words. Use exclamation points
sparingly and not more than two or three per
100,000 words. Most people dont talk like
that.
Grammar is difficult and complex. Dont
get too worried about it as most writers
break the rules anyway. As your experience
grows dont be afraid to even push your
boundaries and play with the rules. But
know why youre breaking the rule in the first
place.
So this month when you go out on your
adventure in the UAE, try to look at it
with the eye of a writer. Each time you do
something, write a short 300 word piece and
come back to it at the end of the month.
See what you like, edit it and send it in. We
would love to hear about it and so would our
readers.
Short stories really have no fixed length
but keep your story to approximately 1000
words and email to sean@outdooruae.com.
If you are really talented, try a flash story and
tell us your adventure in 300 words or less!
Conversations can be used as a narrative in a story
OUTDOORUAE
39
LIFESTYLE
Health
Words By: Ivana Chiles
Powerhouse
This month I have been away

from Dubai and regenerating my
energies in the United States. A
break is always welcome and to
combine a vacation with my husband with lessons from California,
exploring Highway 1, discovering
the latest discoveries in holistic health and learning how your
wishes and positive attitude can be
powerful is the perfect getaway.
I was overjoyed when I finally got a confirmation, that my 10-day holiday request had
been approved. I was travelling to California,
the Golden State with a purpose - to explore
the area between San Francisco and Los
Angeles, hiking and running. The highlight
would be the Longevity Conference, a threeday seminar at the end. The organiser, David
Wolfe, is one of Americas most recognised
raw food experts and biggest superfood specialist. This is his signature event. I have been
keen to meet him in person for the last two
years and have been a follower of his teachings all the time. Davids bubbly personality
and passion for what he is doing is simply
contagious and I have been buying recordings from his previous conferences to extend
my knowledge with valuable information not
accessible anywhere else. This was going to
be awesome!
Everything is big in America. Driving from
San Francisco to Los Angeles on Highway 1
reminds me of Cornwall a land with a magnificent and beautiful coastline stretching for
hundreds of kilometres which we explored in
the next few days. The Monterey pines with
rounded tops competing for sunlight, tall cypresses that smell divine, varieties of coastal
shrubs, grassy meadows and an incredible
wildlife where deer was not uncommon. This
was an amazing road trip and I hoped to
experience a lot a welcome break from
the approaching summer in Dubai. We were
quite happy to just drive through and sleep
in Capitola, which was a very friendly and
Baby avocadoes from food stall along the road
Stunning coastline outside San Francisco
Trail run in Los Padres National Forest
peaceful locale.
Somehow everything is bigger than what
we are used to. This included the food portions. We ordered our first dinner and very
quickly realised, that from then on, we will
happily share the starter portion and it will
feed us both comfortably. A young American
couple sitting close by to us did not seem to
have a problem consuming their individual
extra-large portions of supersized steak with
chips and a creamy pasta dish. No wonder
they are three times bigger than us! Apparently not everything in California is au
natural.
The hiking is magnificent here. We started
off with a visit to the Forest of Nisene Marks
State Park, because missing out connecting
with the huge redwood sequoias was just
Californian artichokes
out of question. The devastating earthquake

which had swept away some parts of this
area away still seemed evident, so are the
extensive fires that plagued California almost
two years ago. Yet there is good news;
nature nearly always finds a way to recover
and looking at those thick green young trees
finding their way up towards the sky, was
extremely refreshing. We ended up hiking
a 20km loop, and in order to save time we
found ourselves running down most of the
return trip. It was a stunning and winding
downhill path that was both steep and slippery (surely it is not a coincidence that they
call it the Big Slide Trail). It was utter paradise
for my trail running husband who skipped
his way down it. Our energy was renewed by
the new scenery. Then it was time to drive to
Abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables
Carmel Valley Lodge where we had hopefully booked a very serene and quiet room
amongst the vineyards. This really was a total
break from the UAE.
We fell in love with this place from the very
first moment we walked into the beautiful,
boutique style hotel. Perhaps it was not coincidence that we were told, that the owner,
Mr. Kim, will be personally preparing our raw
vegan breakfast the next morning. It was
almost like they knew that the purpose of this
journey was to get to LA for the Longevity
Conference. Strangely, while booking this
place, we never noticed anything mentioned
about raw or vegan food.
We could not wait to meet Mr. Kim. This
cheerful 71-years old man greeted us with
a warm smile and a youthful energy. We
clicked instantly. Over breakfast we had a leisurely conversation about raw food, its benefits to our health, juicing and blending and
of course, exchanged our opinions. Mr. Kim
who is also an amazing writer and we were
both given copies of his poetry collection.
When David Wolfe took the stage a few
days later at the opening of the conference he spoke with the same language and
enthusiasm. Why do we always think it is
too late to start something new, blaming it
on our age? Mr. Kim had given us the same
message. We were left with our mouths
open when this man started talking about
his future plans to extend the hotel, organise
retreats and his efforts to teach his clients
to change their lifestyle and eating habits.
Perhaps we should all rethink our lives, stop,
take a deep breath and follow our passion.
His passion was hard work and food. As you
know, I believe food is the most powerful
tool to change our health and life and this
was being reinforced even more strongly to
me in California.
We left this place feeling content and satisfied and ready to explore more of California
and enjoy more coincidences.
Further along the coast, we did another
delightful drive, stopping for a short hike in
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve to enjoy
the seals and otters. We were instantly drawn
to some orange velvety stuff on the rocks
and trees along the trail. It was green algae
and its orange colour comes from carotene,
a pigment which also occurs in carrots.
Truly inspiring breakfast with raw foodist Mr. Kim who is over 70 years old
Coincidentally, David Wolfe later gave a long

session on colour pigments in nature and life.
I finally figured out why Americans tend to
be so loud and you can hear them approaching from a long way off. Here is the explanation. We have noticed that many of the
parks here have mountain lions or cougars.
Encounters can be an unpleasant experience,
therefore there are signs all over Californian
parks encouraging hikers to make lots of
noise and not to surprise mountains lions
who could attack. It makes me rethink my
solo adventures in other parts of California,
when I always hike alone and respect the
nature by being quiet. Although going alone
might also be the reason why I tend to come
across rattlesnakes all the time.
Bixby Bridge is one of the tallest single
span concrete bridges in the world and our
next short stop. San Simeon welcomed us
with an incredibly suffocating smell of mating
elephant seals. Hundreds of these creatures
line up along the coast and their growling is
unmistakable. They have a habit of tossing
sand on their bodies with their flippers which
was entertaining. Despite the smell, we spent
almost half an hour watching them trying to
find their way to the ocean while making others angry. Occasional fights and injuries are
common at this time of the year.
Moonstone Beach is simply pure magic
and was next on the list. A short walk on
the shore hoping to find some moonstones,
accompanied by curious pelicans did not go

too well. We were forced to run back to hotel
as the weather changed and it was freezing
cold.
The Paso Robles vineyards in San Luis
Obismo was another beautiful trail run and
we are all happy again. We went for a short
stop for a healthy lunch in Apple Pie farm
where we stocked up on stylish souvenirs and
had a chat with a lovely waiter whose wife is
coincidentally, Czech like me.
Solvang with its charming European architecture, Los Olivos, San Ynez and rolling hills
is a wine country and is simply magic. We
were enjoying our drive with the roof down
and I know that these moments will stay in
my heart forever. A short visit to yet another
gorgeous vineyard in Fess Parker and we are
ready to take a rest in our hotel. That evening
we headed for the healthiest and most delightful dinner of organic produce on this trip
yet. I am instantly connected with this place
as I am reading the chefs motto on the wall:
I aim to find the best ingredients and try
not to spoil them. While California certainly
does not lack fast food chains, it lacks good
quality restaurants. I was glad, that we had
used every opportunity to buy freshly picked
baby avocados, tomatoes, peppers and even
giant artichokes. Strawberry self-picking is
something we loved about California and the
range of produce is outstanding.
We spent our last day of outdoor adventures before the conference in Los Padres
National Forest it played host to dramatic
mountains with sweeping views across Santa
Ynez Mountains and Santa Barbara from
Gaviota Peak and it made us feel sad for a
moment having to leave land of plenty. But
at the same time excited about the conference, starting the following day.
The Longevity Conference
For the next three days, we were left speechless after each talk that we attended. Each
session was full of incredible information.
Happiness, love, positive thinking and the
incredible amount of energy shared among
2000 people is hard to describe. It is something you have to experience yourself.
Earthing Theory
Elephant seals in San Simeon
The founder of the Earthing theory, Clint

Ober, had grounded (pun intended) most of
the chairs in the room. A few years ago Clint
OUTDOORUAE
41
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, running in the forest among the trees fast recovering from a devastating fire two years ago
addressed one of the planets most neglected healing energies and explained
his theory of how disconnection from the
earth affects our health. Being grounded
improves sleep, decreased stress levels,
faster healing and improved overall health.
Grounding refers to connecting to the earth
electrically. The earth is a massive reservoir
of negatively charged electrons. Without a
connection to this reservoir, the cells in our
body are unable to balance the positive
charge. The simplest way to get grounded
is to go outside and walk bare feet, touch
the ground with your hands (gardening) or
simply buy a set of Clints grounding pillow
covers or bed sheets. Miraculously, I won a
set of silver grounding pillows in the raffle.
Luck is still with us as my husband, Darryl
wins a Berrybreeze ozonator a few minutes
later and the whole audience is shocked.
This machine, which you place on the top
of the shelf in your fridge, kills pesticides,
fungus, germs, mold and harmful bacteria
living on your fruits and vegetables. I swear
it works and my only regret is, that I did not
buy this little thing for the whole family and
all friends as a Christmas present!
Hair colour and fillings
When I was checking out my hair in the

mirror during our drive here, I thought I
needed to colour my hair. A few hours later
I was introduced to the latest discovery in
hair dyes. Hair colour so natural and pure,
that it is actually considered treatment. It
has the power of restoring your grey hair to
the original color you were born with. Eight
ingredients mixed together, no ammonium;
in fact you can lick the excess off your
fingers. I am left impressed and at the same
time absolutely thrilled, that the problem
of the most toxic ingredient we release into
our environment - hair dyes, has finally been
solved! When I came to proudly show my
new hairdo to the inventor next day, the
green chemist Dr. Warner was so impressed
that he wants me on the stage the next day!
David Wolfe held several sessions on
colour pigments. He claims that they are
much more powerful than any minerals or
vitamins. We were introduced to a rainbow
of colours and learned how to naturally
42
OUTDOORUAE
recognize how to heal ourselves. There was

also information on stem cells - the future
of the medicine. Although illegal in most
countries until now, the stem cells from your
own bone marrow can be injected into your
blood stream in order to regenerate and
repair ill cells. There are hardly any risks involved, as you are using your cells and there
is no danger. If there was, they would not be
accepted by your body.
We also learned about holistic dental
care presented by Nadine Artemis. I am
having a free mercury test done, as I still
have few amalgam fillings. The first thing I
will do in Dubai after coming back is have
all of my fillings removed. My conventional
dentist is shaking his head, but my decision
is final. I was convinced by the evidence in
California.
Dave Asprey, the founder of Bulletproof
Coffee and Diet claims, that drinking his Bulletproof Coffee mixed with MCT, a coconut
oil derivative and grassed unsalted butter
will free you from food cravings and increase
your energy and mental focus. Sounds interesting and we are currently giving it a try.
We learned about detoxifying the toxins
and chemicals we are exposed to with
infrared sauna. It breaks up and neutralizes
toxins and acids, even removes heavy metals, kills bacteria and parasites. As appealing
as it may sound, we are not ready to carry a
sauna on the plane back to Dubai.
Ron Teeguarden, Americas top Chinese
herbalist gave an impressive talk and it left a
deep impact on me. I was patiently waiting in a queue to have a 10-minute chat
with this gentleman. He is in demand and
devotes time to every individual interested.
I left with a bag full of precious products,
including Reishi Mushrooms. I will be taking
them religiously hoping to awaken my inner
power naturally.
Dr. Lissa Rankin presented one of the
most powerful speeches and her best-selling book, Mind Over Medicine is something we should all read. Her latest book,
The Fear Cure reveals how to cure your
body by overcoming your own fears. I feel a
strong connection with this humble lady as
she is signing her book for me insisting, that
she knows me.
I left the Longevity Conference loaded

with information, which will change my life.
We simply need to slow down and reconnect with our body and mind and listen to
it. Dont ignore any signs, because they are
there for a reason. A healthy lifestyle is a
long process and does not happen overnight. It should be a fun way of life and have
nothing to do with pain and suffering. We
just need to be open to it and willing to try.
As I sit on the plane to Dubai 2 days later,
I look forward to making my own green juice
and home cooked meals, where I take control of all ingredients and know where they
come from. I appreciate the fact that Dubai
gives us choices and that we have access
to quality food and ingredients, if shopping consciously. I found that very hard in
America. The land of plenty has far too few
people on a healthy path and I very much
hope, that it will change before it is too late.
Beautiful garden shop and restaurant.

Full of inspiration for my garden in Dubai
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.
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.
Habitually healthy
10 Workout Tips to Maintain
During the Month of Ramadan
Words By: Sam Sayadan
Soon Ramadan starts for more

than a billion people in the world
and many of them are workout
enthusiasts. Here are some ways to
observe Ramadan without compromising your fitness goals!
1. Dont Stop Working Out
The first and most important tip comes right

at the beginning: dont stop working out.
Your body maintains muscle mass as long as
it feels its needed. When you stop exercising, it will slowly build back what it feels is
unnecessary luggage costing extra energy.
Even though you may not make gains in
muscle mass during Ramadan, you can at
least preserve what you have if you keep your
schedule up.
2. Adjust Intensity
In your regular schedule you are able to do

huge amounts of weight when you do bench
presses. You can handle 90lbs curls without
batting an eye. But if you usually do your
workouts in the late afternoons and then try
the same intensity during Ramadan it wont
work. On a typical Ramadan day you have
fasted for eight to 10 hours and a busy day
is behind you. Under those circumstances
pulling off your usual intensity is very hard to
do. There is nothing wrong with you here:
your carbohydrate reserves are depleted and
carbohydrates are what let you work out intensely. So go a bit lower with your intensity.
What you want to do is either adjust the
weights you are using or the number of reps.
If you want to stay with the weights you
normally train with, do fewer repetitions and
lower the weight. If you want to lower the
weight right from the beginning, then pick
one that under the circumstances of the fast
allows you a maximum of 12 15 reps.
3. Protein Timing
If you normally follow the rule of having

several small doses of protein over the day,
you of course cant do that during Ramadan.
But if you manage to have a meal in the
mornings, before fajr and of course the larger
ones in the evening and have some protein in
both, you will at least somewhat made up for
it. Protein in food is absorbed much slower
than protein from powders and will stay with
you for quite a bit of time.
4. Carbohydrates in the Morning
Another reason for a morning meal is that

you can not only have some protein at that
time, but also carbohydrates. And as carbs let
you work out with intensity, as we said above,
loading up some of them in the mornings
should counter a lack of carbs

during the day. If you are used to having a
pre-workout meal, this wont make up entirely
for it, but it should help tide you over.
even 14 hours, but do exercise some selfcontrol. In the evenings, get that protein we
talked about, but keep an eye on the calories
you consume.
5. Adjust Workout Times
9. Ramadan Is Tougher In Summer
This should work especially well if you can

adjust to having your workouts within a
couple of hours of this morning meal, as your
carbohydrate reserves will then be quite high.
If your workouts take place after a long day of
fasting, you might feel rather drained.
6. Workout When it Feels Best
However, many people of course cant simply

go and do their workouts when they would
be most beneficial, especially during Ramadan. A bit of flexibility might help: Instead
of doing your workouts during your normal
times, do them when you have time and feel
energetic. A workout done when you feel you
have the energy and can do it with intensity is
better than a workout you squeeze in and do
hurriedly, just because in theory your energy
reserves would be better.
7. Get Enough Fluids
When talking about nutrition, we also

shouldnt forget about getting enough fluids.
However, during Ramadan you cant drink
when you are thirsty. Therefore Ramadan is
one of the few times where the advice is to
load up on fluids pre-emptively, before thirst
takes place. Especially for us living in hot
climates this is rather important; even more
so, when you want to do a workout during
the day.
8. Dont Go All Out in The Evenings

Strangely enough, despite Ramadan being a
month of fasting, a good number of Muslims
actually gain weight during that month. Because as part of the spirit of Ramadan, large
spreads are served in the evenings and more
than makes up for what was lacking during
the day. Of course, its rather easy to overeat
when you went without food for 10, 12 or
Finally, dont forget that Ramadan is more

difficult to follow in summer than winter,
because during summer daylight lasts much
longer, you will have less time to eat and
drink and also get less sleep. Therefore,
during the years where Ramadan takes place
during summer, as this year, be prepared that
you may not be able to put out the same
workout performances you get when Ramadan takes place in winter.
10. For Those Who Dont

Fast During Ramadan
Please remember that many people around

you are devout to their faith and Ramadan
is a great test for them and their families to
continue what may be a regular work and
life routine for you. We encourage everyone
to be more vigilant of our habits of eating,
drinking, smoking and of course the level
of expectation we have from those that are
observing their fast. Actually the month of
Ramadan is a great opportunity for many to
reflect on their own habits and use the time
to optimize their routines.
During the Holy Month of Ramadan, The
Cycle Bistro will offer paleo take-away meals
from 2:00 p.m. and will be joining in on the
evening Iftar with dinner after sundown until
10:00 p.m. daily. For more information visit
facebook.com/thecyclebistro.
The Cycle Bistro
GPS location:
Latitude:
N 25 02.792
Longitude:
E 055 14.384
Phone:
04 425 6555
OUTDOORUAE
43
Dive Listings 2015

For the June issue of OutdoorUAE, weve put together a comprehensive list of diving
centres and shops based in the UAE and beyond for you to look at.
aquatic life and combination of fish
and coral reefs will delight all underwater photographers and marine
naturalists.
DIVE MUSANDAM
The true treasures of Oman
lie hidden beneath the surface,
where the vast panorama explodes into a complex symphony
of colors and corals. The warm
water draws large schools of
manta rays, whale sharks, seahorses, turtles and shoals of
tropical fish darting amongst huge
coral reef gardens. This wealth of
Dive into the waters of Dubai, Oman

and beyond to discover a whole other
world of sunken shipwrecks and exotic
sea creatures. From scuba diving for
beginners, right the way through to
courses for professional dive
instructors, The Pavilion Dive Centre at
Jumeirah Beach Hotel has the
expertise to make sure your
experience is everything you hoped.
Diving Courses
The Pavilion Dive Centre is the first
PADI (Professional Association of
Diving Instructors) 5 Star Career
Development Centre in the United
Arab Emirates.
Tel: +971 4 406 8828
Email: divecentre@jumeirah.com
44
OUTDOORUAE
Oman contains some of the most biologically productive seas in the world, it lies
at the southeastern corner of the Arabian
Peninsula between latitudes 16 and 27 n. It
is in the middle of three different seas; the
Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf opening onto the Indian Ocean. It
enjoys a tropical climate with water temperatures between 20 c in winter and 35 c
in summer and has an amazing variety of
aquatic life.
With over 100 dive sites to choose from
around Musandam alone, there is something
to offer everyone, from the beginner to the
more experienced diver. Even the non-diver
can experience close encounters with reef
fish, turtles, dolphins and whale sharks, so
no one goes home disappointed.
World class diving, superb scenery, great
Our company Scuba Marine Marine

Equipment has accomplished in
establishing itself strongly across the
UAE by providing top-notch marine
equipment and a reliable service to
our valued customers.
Also we as a diving equipment
providing company market a wide
range of marine products which
content our customers.
Tel: +971 2 6446211
www.scubamarine.ae
entertainment and international resort

facilities - Oman has all the right
ingredients for a perfect diving holiday.
Ocean Boats Diving Centre will provide
you with the finest services available in
one of the top ten dive destinations of
the world.
Tel: (+968) 99558488
Email: divemusandam@gmail.com
www.divemusandam.com
Sheesa Beach Dive Centre is your

marine expert in the Musandam. We
specialise in private and sharing day
and overnight diving and pleasure
safaris, PADI dive courses and all from
our fleet of eight dhows. Beat the heat
in summer on our air conditioned,
catered live aboards and relax in the
cooler months on our double deck
dhows. Our customised speedboats
will transport you to the furthest
reaches of the Musandam as well as
the more local sites quickly and
efficiently.
Tel: +971 50 3336046
www.sheesabeach.com
Under the Wave:
The Pavilion Dive Center

at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel
With its striking wave-like

design, the Jumeirah Beach Hotel
is one of Dubais most instantly
recognisable structures, sitting
next door to the iconic Burj Al Arab
and in the heart of the coastline.
As a five star family resort, the
Jumeirah Beach Hotel is famed for
its sheer wealth of facilities, including over 19 restaurants and bars,
floodlit tennis courts, five swimming pools, Sinbads Kids Club,
Wild Wadi Waterpark and a beautiful private marina.
The Pavilion Dive Center
The Pavilion Marina at Jumeirah Beach Hotel

offers an aquatic environment and perfect
setting for the resorts Pavilion Dive Center.
The Dive center, which was the first of its kind
in Dubai, offers scuba diving and snorkeling
classes for beginners, all the way through
to courses for professional dive instructors.
Offering unmatched experiences, the Pavilion
Dive Center allows clients the chance to
discover a whole new world of sunken shipwrecks and exotic sea creatures within the
waters of Dubai, Oman and beyond.
Diving Courses
The Pavilion Dive Centre is the only PADI

(Professional Association of Diving Instructors) 5 Star Career Development Centre in
the UAE. PADI certifications are recognised
worldwide and give access to diving adventures all over the planet. From entry-level and
childrens diving courses to professional dive
instructor training, the Pavilion Dive Centre
has over 30 PADI courses to choose from. To
make things even easier, the center also has
dedicated instructors who train in English,
German, French, Russian, Arabic and more.
The center also has PADI e-Learning courses,
helping clients develop their diving

knowledge wherever and whenever suits
them, and enables them to take the plunge
to open waters as quickly as possible.
About PADI
PADI certifications are recognised worldwide

and in most countries will allow the holder
access to dive with free will. With PADIs revolutionary diver e-learning system, becoming a diver has never been so easy. As the
worlds most popular entry level certification
and best recognised, the PADI Open Water
Course offers a quick and easy way to learn
new diving skills. Once certified as a PADI
diver enthusiasts can develop their qualifications by enrolling on an additional 30 PADI
courses. PADI courses consist of knowledge
development, skill development and practical
application. Gaining a PADI certification is
fun, safe, flexible and extremely rewarding.
All courses can be scheduled to meet busy
lifestyles or fit into leisurely beach holidays.
Never before has it been so convenient to
learn to dive.
Discover Scuba Experience
A fast and easy way to get started as a Scuba

Diver is to take part in Jumeirah Beach
Hotels Pavilion Dive Centers PADI Discover
Scuba Diving experience. The centers diving
professionals will introduce you to the basics
of scuba diving in a safe and controlled
environment within the hotels extraordinary
range of facilities. During the experience you
may dive directly into the sea from Jumeirah
Beach Hotels beach in shallow, clear water
or begin in the hotels choice of pools. The
center has a wide range of courses as well as
collaborations with disabled divers international, Jumeirah Tawasul and Rescue courses.
Scuba Shopping
For all your gear, the Pavilion Dive Centre also has an official retail boutique with
SCUBAPRO diving equipment, accessories,
snorkels, diving computers and more.
For more information, please contact us:

Friday to Monday:
08:00 to 18:00
Tuesday to Thursday:
08:00 to 22:00
Telephone:

+971 4 406 8828
Email:

divecentre@jumeirah.com
Dive Listings 2015

BLUE PLANET DIVING
Dive trips
Kids programs
PADI courses
EFR and other safety training
PADI certification programs
Equipment sale
Special events
Annual group trips
Water sports
Founded in 2004, Blue Planet Diving
started out as a small dive centre in Ajman. Since 2008, we have been based in
Dibba, at the Holiday Beach Motel.
Let us help you discover the beauty of
the ocean, its inhabitants and its mystery.
From classes and excursions to special
events hosted by our experts, were here
to connect you with the sea.
Our Instructors can teach and give you
Daily dive trips to Fujairah, Musandam,

Dubai wrecks and World Islands plus
Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
with centralised bookings office.
Three fully stocked dive shops with
equipment from Aqua Lung, Apeks
and much more. Dedicated workshop
catering to most well known brands.
Five Watersports centers.
Tel: +971 4 3422993
Email: abdiving@emirates.net.ae
www.alboomdiving.com
lessons in English, Russian, Polish and Arabic

languages.
Never been to the ocean? Dont worry!
Blue Planet Diving works with new divers
and swimmers, and clients of all ages. Weve
taken families on full snorkel trips to Dibba
Rock, and also helped certify couples in
SCUBA before they left for their honeymoons. Let us help you prepare to enjoy an
adventure like no other.
Were outfitted to help you make a splash.
At Blue Planet Diving, we know about the
amazing connection that can occur when
man goes underwater and explore a whole
new world. Let us guide you in that amazing
journey.
The UAEs first dedicated technical

dive center. Coastal Technical Divers
focuses primarily on technical training
in both open circuit, side mount and
rebreathers.
We offer courses by UTD, IANTD
and TDI. the worlds leading technical
dive agencies. Located at the Fujairah
International Marina and Yacht Club
Latitide 25 7 39.7 (25.1277) north
Longitude 56 21 30.5 (56.3585).
Tel: 97150 8696707
www.coastaltechnicaldivers.com
Our staff of certified PADI instructors

can help you move from novice to advanced skills, keeping you safe all along
the way.Sign up today.
Learn to SCUBA dive with us!
Tel: +971 50 1652280
www.blue-planetdiving.com
Located on the RAK border to the

Musandam, Oman, Al Jeer Port offers the latest marina facility in RAK.
The complex consists of a 266 berth
marina for sailing yachts, large luxury
yachts and private leisure vessels. The
port also handles general cargo and
livestock.
As a modern port, we are committed
to continual investment in the quality
of our facilities and the sustainability
of our services for future generations.
Contact us to become part of this
thriving port environment.
Tel: +971 7 2682333
www.aljeerport.ae
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Dive Listings 2015

Gulf Marine Sports is one
of the oldest shops in UAE.
Established in 1998 and based
in Abu Dhabi we distribute
a wide range of snorkeling &
diving equipment. G.M.S offers
an extensive range of diving
equipment and professional
services, and is considered one
of the best freediving shops &
spearfishing equipment in UAE.
We carry a wide range of the
most reputable and leading brand
names. In addition to all above,
G.M.S is a PADI Swim School Instructor Center, Padi Emergency
First Respond Center, and Life
Guard Training Center.
The dive centre located in Dubai at

DIMC and also THE Dive Centre,
Sandy Beach.
PADI 5 Star IDC Centres.
We offer the full range of PADI
Courses from learning to dive, to becoming a PADI Instructor.
A dive centre that prides itself on the
quality of our Instructors, the quality of
the training. But more importantly you
will feel part of the dive family the moment you walk into THE Dive Centre.
Tel: +971 55 9985806
Email: jason@thedivecentre.ae
www.thedivecentre.ae
Our facility includes:

Hydro test for tanks
Tank rental
Tank filling
Padi materials Supply
Equipment service
Scuba Gear sales
Under water Spearfishing Products
Diving Mask Prescriptions Lenses
Free Diving courses
Swimming instructor courses
Contact:
Tel: +971 2 6710017
Mobile : +97150 4467956
Email: info@gulfmarinesports.com
www.gulfmarinesports.com
Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi Outlet,
P.O. BOX 32945
BSAC 406 is a diving club based at

the Sharjah Wanderers Sports Club,
affiliated to the British Sub-Aqua Club
and catering mainly for expats. We run
dives on most weekends to various
local wreck sites with occasional trips
over to the east coast.
Our diving is mostly self-sufficient
and we meet Tuesday evenings to plan
our next trip.
Tel: +971 50 7840830
www.bsac406.com
Arabian Divers and Sportfishing

Charters have over two decades of
experience on the Arabian Peninsula.
We offer a One Stop Shopwith
On Site facilities, and PADI P.I.R.R.A
Resort.
We do daily Sightseeing Boat Charters, Big Game Sportfishing, Scuba
Diving and Snorkeling Charters.
Our marina chandlery retails Scuba
Diving, Sportfishing and Boat Equipment.
Tel : +971 50 6146931
www.fishabudhabi.com
OUTDOORUAE
47
CONQUER NEW
TERRITORY
The all-round dive computer

comes out in two new editions
Suunto was born in 1936 when Finnish orienteer and engineer Tuomas
Vohlonen invented the mass production method for the liquid-filled compass.
Since then, Suunto has been at the forefront of design and innovation for sports
watches, dive computers and sports instruments used by adventurers all over
the globe. From the highest mountains to the deepest oceans, Suunto
physically and mentally equips outdoor adventurers to conquer new territory.
Suuntos headquarters and manufacturing plant is in Vantaa, Finland.
Employing more than 400 people worldwide, Suunto products are sold in over
100 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corporation along
with its sister brands Salomon, Arcteryx, Atomic, Wilson, Precor, Mavic and
Nikita.
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OUTDOORUAE
The Suunto D4i is now available in two new colors to

guide divers on their underwater adventures.
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.
With the pink edition, it gets a splash of color. Its 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.
The Suunto D4i is already available in black, white, blue
and lime. It features a soft silicone strap, ensuring maximum comfort as well as a superb fit and is designed to suit
the needs of everyday divers for every diving occasion.
Suunto D4i Novo
Suunto EON Steel
The redesigned Suunto D4i comes in a range of fresh colors and

with an all-new soft, comfortable silicone strap for that perfect
fit. Lightweight and packed with handy features like freedive
mode and optional wireless air integration, its got everything
you need wherever your diving may take you.
Suunto introduces its next generation

dive computer. The intuitive Suunto EON
Steel combines advanced technology
with customizable features and display to
clearly show what you need. With heavyduty housing, a stainless steel bezel, and
user updatable software, The Suunto EON Steel will
dive with you for years to come.
Customize With Features And Suunto
Customdisplaytm
Wide-Angle Suunto Brightseetm Color Screen
User-Updatable Software
The Great All-Round Dive Computer

2,645.00 AED
4 Modes Incl. Freediving

Light Weight
Optional Wireless Air Integration
Suunto Tank Pod
Wireless Tank Pressure Transmitter

For Suunto Eon Steel
1,395.00 AED
Easy Pairing
Multiple Tank Pressure Readings
Robust Digital Communications
Technology
The Suunto Tank POD is a wireless
tank pressure transmitter that allows
you to view current tank pressure with
just a glance at your wrist. The robust
digital communications technology
brings not only improved stability but
also new features such as multiple
tank pressure readings.
Explore More - Full Customization

4,850.00 AED
Suunto DX Silver Titanium
The Ultimate Watch-Sized Dive Computer

5,995.00 AED
The Suunto DX, built on the award-winning Suunto
D9tx, is the ultimate tool for
open-circuit and rebreather divers. Its the very first
of its kind to feature CCR compatibility. The
premium design and materials, combined with
the new superior Suunto Fused RGBM, make
it the must-have instrument for your dive
missions and everyday adventures. Are you
ready to conquer new territory?
For Rebreather And Open
Circuit Diving Incl. Trimix
Titanium Case With Sapphire Crystal Glass
Suunto Fused RGBM
OUTDOORUAE
49
PRODUCTS
A ROUND-UP OF QUALITY PRODUCTS AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE IN THE UAE
Jobe Impress Comp Vest

(2 in 1)
Price: 495 AED | Now: 395 AED
Available only at Al Yousuf Motors Across UAE

Specification:
This comp vest boasts added flex panel, making it feel like
youre barely wearing a vest! AND its reversible, so its like 2
vests for the price of 1! Wear it grey on one side or orange on
the other! Choices, choices
PARAKITO protection roll-on
89 AED
Available at Adventure HQ, Go Sport, Golf House and many

more retailers (store locator at www.mapyr.com)
Number 1 natural prevention against mosquito bites,
PARAKITO protection roll-on offers a very unique combination: natural ingredients, patented technology, with an
extremely easy use.
Formulated for infested areas, it is delivered in
a roll-on, enabling fast and precise application
on body and face, without spreading. On top
of being dermatologically tested, its efficacy
was proven to be up to 5 hours against tiger
mosquito.
PARAKITO is the solution to stay protected
from insect bites when doing outdoor activities.
Suunto DX Silver Titanium
The Ultimate Watch-Sized Dive Computer

5,995 AED
Available at Adventure HQ, Stadium, Modells,
GO Sport and Al Boom Diving
The Suunto DX, built on the award-winning Suunto D9tx, is
the ultimate tool for open-circuit and rebreather divers. Its the
very first of its kind to feature CCR compatibility. The premium
design and materials, combined with the new superior Suunto
FusedTM RGBM, make it the must-have instrument for your dive
missions and everyday adventures. Are you ready
to conquer new territory?
For rebreather and open
circuit diving incl. trimix
Titanium case with sapphire
crystal glass
Suunto FusedTM RGBM
Ohana - Men
195 AED
Available at GO Sport, The Dubai Mall

Our wet sand principle A bare foot sinks slowly into wet sand.
All at once it cups the heels and fills the arch while the toes
splay out. In this brief moment an entire design philosophy is
born. This is the inspiration for unparalleled fit from OluKai.
VEGAN FRIENDLY
Our vegan friendly footwear offers the durability, traction and
support you expect from OluKai while using 100% high quality synthetic materials, 0% animal products.
WATER RESISTANT
Lightweight, quick drying, breathable and durable materials
built for in and around water.
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Anywhere Aloha?
RUAE
OLUKAI FLIP FLOP

Words By: Rachael Bruford
Flip flops, sandals, thongs,

slippers...whatever you call them,
theres no denying that this popular
footwear is ideal for life in the UAE.
Their versatility means that they are as
much at home on the beach as they are at
the mall. I know Ive had my fair share of
moments when Ive been grateful that Im
in my trusty flip flops as Ive unintentionally had to cross a patch of rubble or sand
whilst trying to navigate my way on foot
around parts of Dubai. As somebody who
struggles to walk on even the smallest of
kitten heels, I practically live in flip flops
when Im not barefoot or in my running
gear. Theyre the ideal footwear to take
with you when travelling to warm climates,
being lightweight and flexible, and a perfect complement to most casual outfits.
Having said all of this, buying the correct pair is important. Ive gone through
many in my time, from expensive designer
brands to incredibly cheap replicas. All
of them have met with a sticky end after
a while; one pair floated down the Nam
Song River in Laos, never to be seen again,
whilst another pair were stolen only to be
rescued and lost hours later. Most of them
have gradually worn away or fallen apart
in the street, leading to some very embarrassing hopping round Business Bay on one
occasion.
Having never heard of the OluKai brand,
I was intrigued by the fact that this Hawaiian based company had tested their flip
flops on 450 lifeguards from the Hawaiian
Lifeguard Association. Furthermore, the
wet sand principle, that OluKai has developed, was something I was keen to try
out. A luxury lifestyle brand that promotes
its footwear through an Anywhere Aloha campaign, OluKai places an emphasis on quality materials and handcrafted
details - something that cannot be claimed
by most flip flops.
Taking my coral and black Ohana pair out
of the box, I could tell immediately that this
brand was already a step up from my usual
choice. Straight away I noticed the thicker
sole with arch support, and the durability of
the materials. The upper consisted of soft
leather with a neoprene backer, meaning
that the top of my foot was not chafed
when the first tentative steps I took in them
turned into a 40 minute walk. Similarly, the
area between my toes was not irritated at
all.
In the past Ive always been concerned
about how flat this type of footwear is.
Theres usually no support whatsoever,
particularly on the arch of the foot and the
heel. A fairly thin piece of foam does not
offer much protection, and I was becoming
concerned that years of wearing something
unsupported might have started to affect
my feet and gait. With these flip flops, I
finally feel that I have found something

that allows me to be relaxed and light on
my feet whilst receiving that all important
cushioning and support.
After a while of walking with the Ohana,
I realised that these OluKai pairs delivered
on their promises my heel felt properly
protected in the heel cup, which cradles
the foot and minimises side to side movement. The anatomical arch support system combined with the soft material felt
comfortable that you could almost imagine
the massaging sensation of wet sand under
your feet. It was actually therapeutic to
walk in them, and having been to Hawaii
a couple of years ago, I definitely had that
Anywhere Aloha feeling.
The shoes are lightweight, quick drying
and built for being around water, which is
perfect for people in the region who enjoy
an active lifestyle. The outsole consists
of non-marking rubber and edges that
provide grip on wet surfaces. I can certainly
imagine them being reliable on boat ramps
at the marina.
Its easy to see why OluKai is the official
footwear brand for Hawaiian lifeguards.
Not only are they comfortable, they are
also stylish and durable when taking part in
a range of activities. Even more impressive,
a portion of the proceeds from the sale of
the shoes goes to support the Hawaiian
Lifeguard Associations junior program.
I adore my Ohanas and plan on wearing
them for a long time to come, whether Im
camping, getting ready to SUP or even just
nipping to the supermarket.
OUTDOORUAE
51
PRODUCTS
Ohana Women
195 AED
Available at GO Sport, The Dubai Mall

The classic Ohana is your go-to choice for simple everyday style.
UPPER
Water-resistant synthetic nubuck leather with an ultra soft,
quick-drying jersey knit lining and neoprene backer.
FOOTBED
Anatomical compression moulded EVA midsole with a soft
ICEVA drop-in foot bed for both comfort and support.
OUTSOLE
Non-marking rubber or gum rubber outsole with razor swiped
edges for grip on wet surfaces.
FEATURES
Soft nylon toe post and a laser-etched logo. Style supports our
Ohana Giveback Program.
WATER RESISTANT
Lightweight, quick drying, breathable and durable materials
built for in and around water.
Mexico Sunset Seakiss

Reversible Bottom Surf Bikini
290 AED
Seakiss surf protection hamsa beads

80 AED
Available at www.seakiss.me
The Mexico Sunset Surf Bikini is inspired
by the dramatic intensely coloured sunsets
in Mexico. With a mix of bright pink and
orange, this bikini will get you noticed
both on the beach and in the water. It
offers practical support with a crossover design at back to take the tension off the neck, built in bottoms
that reverse to a bold bright orange
block colour for a mix and match
look with non-removable padding, bottoms with drawstring for
a secure fit and reverse to a bold
bright orange block colour for a
mix and match look.
Seakiss Swimwear is designed in
Dubai and made for all water sports by
an Australian female surfer. Designed to stay on and avoid bikini
malfunctions in either high intensity water sport or just partaking
in simple beach leisure activities: Seakiss has you covered!
Spare Air
Seadoo Seascooter Dolphin
Available at all stores of Adventure HQ
Available at all stores of Adventure HQ
The preferred choice of Recreational Divers

3 cubic feet of air
Tank finish in Neon Yellow for safety
Easily refills from your own SCUBA tank with included refill
adapter (patented)
Easily attaches to your BCD, including holster and safety leash
Small, hands-free, nearly neutrally buoyant
Breathe on demand regulator No complicated instructions
Completely
redundant
back-up
miniature SCUBA
system
Faster than buddy
breathing and easier
than an octopus
For family fun in the pool, at a very attractive price, the SEADOO SEASCOOTER DOLPHIN packs thrust for a speed
of up to 2mph/3.2kmh in a very compact, lightweight design.
With safety features including protective grilles, auto shut-off,
dual trigger control and positive buoyancy, the DOLPHIN is a
must for every child, or child at heart.
1,300 AED
52
OUTDOORUAE
1,500 AED
Extremely lightweight and compact design, weighing only

12 lbs/5.4kg
Safety features including safety grille, positive buoyancy,
auto shut-off, and dual trigger operation.
Up to 1.5 hours of runtime with normal use
Fully waterproof construction
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RUAE
Hydrating on a hike with Aqualyte
One of the benefits of living in a

connected society is that we are
provided with a huge amount of
information that allows us to make
sensible decisions on aspects of our
lives. Often it seems there are too
many.
Theories based around nutrition and
hydration in the sporting world are no
exception. There are just so many and with
so many different opinions and suggestions
how do we make sense of it all?
What is undeniable is that to enjoy an active lifestyle you must consider what you fuel
your body with and also when.
Good nutrition and hydration will enhance
your performance in the outdoors. Even
more so now we are entering the extreme
period of a UAE summer. The last few
months I have been testing three products
in extreme conditions; Aqualyte, MuleBar
and GU. I was lucky enough in April and
May to be climbing Everest and to take a
range of these products with me. Now in
June and being thrown straight back into
the sandpit they are helping me to get back
into my regular training schedule of cycling
around Al Qudra and running along Beach
Road.
So what follows is a brief summary of all 3.
Aqualyte (made in Australia)
Dehydration will effect anyone who participates in exercise over 60 minutes of a high
intensity or in warm conditions. Drinking
plenty of fluids before, during and after
exercise is very important. Water is a suitable drink, but adding a low sugar, HYPOTONIC fluid and electrolyte replacement
like Aqualyte has distinct advantages. Apart
from the great taste, which is all created by
natural flavours, it is easy on the stomach
and because of its unique composition it is
rapidly absorbed by the body. There is no
feeling of bloating as it doesnt stay in the
stomach as long as other drinks. Gastrointestinal problems are common if you participate in endurance events and Aqualyte has
fewer calories and is less acidic than many
making it a healthier alternative. Additionally
it is gluten-free, has no artificial sweeteners

and has appropriate levels of glucose to
sustain your energy levels.
Follow AqualyteSolution on Facebook
flavours. Apple Strudel was awesome.

Within the bar there is a mix of carbohydrates mainly derived from brown rice syrup
that ensures increased energy absorption
and improved endurance. Other ingredients
are composed of a mixture of high, medium
and low GI ingredients so that energy is
released gradually rather than in a big burst.
@MuleBar
GU (made in the USA)

Product testing high in Nepal
MuleBar (made in the UK)
Whether you are kayaking, doing a yoga

session or hiking outdoors in the UAE, the
main sources of energy that are used in your
body are fat and carbohydrate. The problem
with our carbohydrate stores are that they
are limited and need replacing constantly.
Hiring a SUP and paddling around the Burj
Al Arab for 90 minutes will significantly deplete your glycogen reserves. To feel on top
of the world its important to refuel, before
during and after any activity outdoors.
On Everest I took a selection of two types
of MuleBar. The Energy bars, for use during
hiking and the Protein bars with 20% protein
to have at the end of the day. All MuleBar
products are 100% natural, organic & they
taste great. The Energy bar has seven
GU was the original energy gel and started

back in 1992 so they have a long history of
innovation and research. Their mission has
always been to provide products that deliver
benefits to hydration, energy and recovery.
This is done via complex and simple carbohydrates, essential amino acids, lactic acid
buffers, and antioxidants. The GU range includes gels, drink mixes and tablets, chews,
and electrolyte capsules but my favourite is
the GU Roctane gels as they contain extra
amino acids. During a long training session
or a race they feel like rocket fuel in your
body.
@guenergylabs #guforit
Ive found that by using a combination of
these products, the worry and decision
making about what was is going to work
for me, improve my performance and also
what is going to be kind to my body has
been removed. I can simply concentrate
on enjoying being outdoors whether in
the UAE or further afield.
These products are available from all major
retailers and sports stores across the UAE.
PRODUCTS
Multiday Pack UBIC 40 - Women
Multiday Pack UBIC 60+10 - Men
Available at all GO Sport Stores
Modern mountaineering backpack for women, designed for

adventure and innovative function and design.
Modern mountaineering backpack for men, designed for

adventure and innovative function and design.
Characteristics:
Two buckle lid, storm collar, compression straps, two zipped
pockets, external gear holders
Zipped front pocket
Side stretch pocket
Side zipped cargo pocket
Extra net pockets
Variloop SystemTM compatible
with carrying all alpine and base
camp equipment
Rain cover
Zipped pack-base
compartment
Extra straps
Lady Foam LighterTM
Thermo-moulded back with
stretch fabric and 3D mesh
Characteristics:
Removable, expandable two buckle lid and access zip,
storm collar, compression straps, two zipped pockets, external gear holders
Zipped front pocket
Side stretch pocket
Side zipped cargo pocket
Net pockets
Variloop SystemTM compatible
with carrying all alpine and base
camp equipment
Rain cover
Zipped pack-base compartment
Extra straps
Adjustable Foam LighterTM
Thermoformed back with stretch
fabric and 3D mesh
Size and Weight:

40L
1.280kg
Size and Weight:

Height: 43 / 53cm 60 + 10L
1.8kg
Switch Low GTX - Women
Switch Low GTX Men
Modern womens boot designed for fast hiking and rapid

elevation change in the mountains.
Modern mens boot designed for fast hiking and rapid

elevation change in the mountains.
High-traction, lightweight, breathable and fluid

Millet A.F.C.TM wraparound structure
Low-cut upper in structured 3D mesh
Totally waterproof, breathable, GORE-TEX membrane
Precise lacing: eyelets + straps
Reinforced stone guard
EVA midsole with arch stabilizer and dual-density damping
Memory-shape hygiene insole with heel hold cup
Vibram Alpine LTK outsole
LADY ALPINE LTK FIT / LTK FLEX
High-traction, lightweight, breathable and fluid

Millet A.F.C.TM wraparound structure
Low-cut upper in structured 3D mesh
Totally waterproof, breathable, GORE-TEX membrane
Precise lacing: eyelets + straps
Reinforced stone guard
EVA midsole with arch stabilizer and dual-density damping
Memory-shape hygiene insole with heel hold cup
Vibram Alpine LTK outsole
ALPINE LTK FIT / LTK FLEX
Weight:
335g
Weight:
380g
595 AED/QAR
64.700 OMR
849 AED/QAR
92.300 OMR
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OUTDOORUAE
775 AED/QAR
84.200 OMR
849 AED/QAR
92.300 OMR
Available at
Instagram: @almekshah
Facebook: www.facebook.com/almekshah
Mobile:+971 55 4005441
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Nite

Watches, 100 luxurious MX10s have been
created to commemorate this historic
event. These MX10s carry the same features as the famous watch but with elegant
lines all over.
Only 100 pieces of this model

have been created to celebrate the
10th anniversary of Nite Watches.
Night View
Luxuriously styled with a highly polished Black, Gold

and Steel PVD cases and individually engraved with
a unique serial number, these outstanding Limited
Edition models have been produced to commemorate
this important milestone, allowing loyal customers to
purchase a special piece of Nite Watches history.
The original MX10-001 has outstanding military heritage and was issued to British Special Forces, carrying
its own prestigious NATO stock number.
After ten years of proven reliability and development,
the MX10 is worn by thousands of discerning watch
enthusiasts around the globe and is widely recognised
as our signature watch.
MX10-100B
#nitewatchesuae
Night View
Night View
MX10-100G
MX10-100S
OUR EXPERTS
The 4 soft plastic rigs

I use most often
Weightless soft plastics can be useful when you are

fishing very shallow water, it is one of my go to rigs
when the fish are very skittish.
Words By: Kit Belen
I recently spoke to a few guys that
were very interested in soft plastics but

were clueless on how to start going about
them. I was a little bit confused because
there is practically no way to fish soft
plastics the wrong way.
However, I do understand that the soft
plastic jungle is not an easy place to navigate; there are thousands of designs, shapes,
scents, sizes and come in a few thousand color
combinations. How to rig them is also another
headache, there are jig heads and special
hooks that fit one lure type but are too big or
too small, there are weighted hooks and how
about rigging the odd shaped ones like the
Berkley Gulp Alive Crab?
There are people who express their frustration because they have been using it for some
time and have not caught anything yet, and
gave it up because they dont work or say
its all hype. There are those that say soft
plastics are only for shallow water, and that if
they could find a way to fish them in deeper
water, it would be such a cool thing to try out.
Things to remember
Dont give up. If you find yourself not catching fish, chances are, you are not fishing the
right place, or targeting the right fish.
Take the time to go on YouTube and learn
how to put the lure on the hook straight.
There are three predominant tail types, the
curly tail, paddle tail and straight tail the
curly tail is used for slow speed presentations,
the paddle tail for medium speeds and the
straight tail for fast presentations.
Use the lightest weight you can to get to the
bottom.
Using braid as your main line enables you
to cast farther and get down deeper and because of the reduced stretch that braid gives
you, you tend to feel even the slightest takes.
Scented soft baits like the Berkley Gulp baits
Soft plastics can

be a bit overwhelming to the
uninitiated and
how to get them
to work properly is a common challenge.
I stopped using jigheads for my swimbaits and

favor these weighted hooks as I feel that they
make swimbaits move a bit more naturally
Probably one of the most under utilised rigs in saltwater soft plastic rigging, the sliding sinker rig is your
ticket to fishing deep and casting far.
can be fished like non-scented plastics or

fished off the bottom like live or dead baits.
The Rigs: Jig head
Using a jig head has become the standard

rigging used in saltwater fishing. There are a
number of styles and sizes; all of them share
the basic design and function. It makes casting easier and gives the soft plastic a very
natural motion. The weight is at the head
of the lure, which gives it a diving action when
worked through the water column. When you
jerk the rod tip, the jig head gives the soft
plastic a darting motion.
Most, if not all, soft plastics can be rigged
with a jig head. The size of the jig head
dictates the distance you can cast as well as
the depth you can reach I have used nearweightless jig heads for very shallow presentations (for bream and grunter) and heads as
heavy as 4oz (113 grams) for tuna and dorado.
Weighted swimbait hook
In more recent years, swimbaits have become

popular and there was a need to present
a soft plastic swimbait with a more realistic
swimming action on the fall, this means the
time when you let your reeling stop and let
the bait freefall (a move that usually triggers a
strike from a following fish). With a weighted
swimbait hook, the lure has a more lifelike, forward sliding movement than one rigged with
a jig head which seems to just plummet down
immediately. This matters a lot on pressured
fish that are almost always very finicky. When
the lure slides down and forward, it also has a
nice subtle wobble to it, much like an injured
fish trying to head down to the bottom. This
rig is perfect for swimbaits, but will also work
well for long and slim lures such as jerk shads.
These are just some of the instances where a

weightless rig would outperform any other rig.
I remember finding a place recently, where the
breams are hugging close to shore and were
very alert of the surroundings, the splash of
the weighted jig landing even at 10 metres
away spooked them enough to stop them
from hunting the shallows and they immediately went on a beeline to the safety of deeper
water. After a few hours of trying to figure out
how to coax them to bite, I finally found the
solution with a Gulp Alive Crab weightless rig.
Sliding sinker rig
This is another rig that sees a lot of use in

freshwater but dont seem to get a lot of
attention from the saltwater crowd big oversight. The sliding sinker rig is probably one of
the most versatile rigs there is for soft plastics.
If you need to cast far or fish deep, this is the
ticket. You can go fancy and use a bullet sinker
and make a weedless Texas rig or add a
swivel and a long leader to make it a Carolina
rig. I mostly use a round sinker and it works
well for me. These rigs are what I mostly use
with the Berkley Gulp Alive soft plastics. I fish
it almost like I fish natural baits I just cast
them out and reel it in slowly with very long
pauses in between. This enables me to cover
a lot of ground in the process.
As I mentioned earlier on, there is hardly a
wrong way of using soft plastics, in fact, they
work as soon as they hit the water, and I have
caught a lot of fish that way a fish intercepting the lure on the drop, just after the lure
lands their tails start moving as soon as they
hit the water!
The list of fish that can be caught on soft
plastics is exhaustive. Basically, any fish that
would eat bait would almost always bite a soft
plastic as well. The main thing to remember
when using lures is quite straightforward
they wont catch fish if you keep them in your
box, you have to tie them at the end of your
line and use them.
Till next tide change,
Kit
Weightless rig
There are a few instances that require the use

of a weightless rig. There are times when you
dont need to cast far and the fish are feeding
on top, there are also times when you are fishing in shallow areas where the fish are more
likely to get spooked with a weighted lure.
There are quite a few rigging options for
soft plastics - I favor the simple ones that
have worked for me over the years
I rig straight tails and curl tails on the old stand by - the Jig head.
Our fishing pro who shares

his experiences and erpertise with OutdoorUAE
through his regular column.
thefishingkit@gmail.com
OUR EXPERTS
The Day that Three

Swam Around a Tree
Words By: Trace Rogers
To call Kieran Ballard-Tremeer an accomplished musician would be an understatement of note (pun intended). She has
played with the most famous in the world
something that for most of us would
always remain a lofty dream. It therefore
comes as no surprise that she would take
on that which most of us would never
dream of: completing a 14.5km swim
around the Palm Jumeirah.
The Inspiration: Kieran wanted to do something to raise awareness of water safety. Sadly,
far too many (and mostly) children die from
Tobias, Kieran and Mitch
drowning in the UAE and in all these cases it

would be avoided if they could swim. This
swim was a recce for future events that will
raise funds to change that. Nakheel the
company behind the Palm development were
quick to back Kieran and her fellow swimmers
with this venture. They ensured that they got
all safety support that they would need.
The more personal motivation for Kieran
to attempt this is quite bizarre. Kieran is an
amazing swimmer yet she is terrified of swimming in the open water. Doing this meant
moving way beyond her comfort zone.
The Swimmers: Kieran was joined by two
other swimmers Tobias Frenz and Mitch
Kennedy.
Tobias comes from an amazing endurance
background and used this swim as practice for
his Arc to Arc challenge which involves swimming the English Channel. It also includes a
139km run and a 289km bike ride. I will give
you a minute (as I needed a few myself) to
digest that.
Mitch is 18 years old and a very strong
swimmer. Completing this swim makes him
the youngest person to have achieved this.
Kieran in action
His motivation is simply Life is short and you

only get one shot. So make it worth it and look
back knowing you took every opportunity that
came up and had fun.
The Experience: It took the swimmers
between four hours and 20 minutes and four
hours and 50 minutes to complete the swim.
They swam some of Dubais most prestigious
and iconic hotels. During the swim, they were
accompanied by dolphins and cormorants
something Kieran was grateful to find out after
the time.
The Highlights: This experience has taught
Kieran that it is possible that what you fear the
most can become your passion and that it is
important to plan for your future but live life
one moment at a time.
She was also greatly overwhelmed by the
amazing support from volunteers, friends and
family.
Now that the ground (or more accurately
water) has been broken, Kieran will take this
to the next level of creating events to support
her water safety campaign. Watch this space
to see how you can get involved!
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QATAR EXPLORER
Capture
Qatars
underwater
treasures
on camera
Khaled Zaki with his professional underwater camera
Underwater photography
specialisation course
Words By: Eulogy van Dyk
Photos By: Khaled Zaki
Scuba Diving is a fast growing sport all around the world! It is

social, adventurous as well as an
educational activity. More and more
people treat it as a lifestyle where
they can go out explore nature and
relax under the water. Just think
about the time you spend underwater with no traffic, no mobile
phones, just you, bubbles and the
beautiful marine life!
Nudibranch
Khaled Zaki, a Master Instructor, underwater photographer, film-maker and marine

consultant has been an active diving expert
in the country for over 15 years says, What
you can see underwater in just 10 minutes
is more than you can see by spending 10
days in a forest!
Qatar Scuba Diving in a Nutshell:
The country might not be listed under the

top 10 scuba dive sites in the world but this
small nation can definitely offer you a great
scuba diving experience. Be it starting your
scuba diving adventure here by getting
certified or further your development in
the sport by doing advanced or specialty
courses, Qatar will have something special
for you.
One must remember that the peninsula
is surrounded by the heavy saline waters of
the Arabian Gulf, which makes the marine
life and activity vary to some extent compared to other countries that are directly
connected to the Indian, Pacific or Atlantic
Ocean. Good weather conditions such as
sunny skies, tranquil waters with great temperatures and very little current ensure that
the reefs are easy accessible, which makes
it a user friendly experience.
Dark Butterfly Fish
Mimic Bleny Fish
Qatar scuba diving sites are mainly manmade wrecks or shipwreck dives with some
natural reef in the inland sea and offshore.
The best time of year for scuba diving is
March, April and May. During the hot summer months the rising water temperatures
attracts jellyfish, which make it not ideal but
still possible to scuba. October is marked
as the start of the season, which lasts
until February and you will also find many
westerners visiting Qatar for a scuba diving experience to escape their cold winter
months back home.
Learn How to Capture

it on Camera!
If you love spending the time under water

with the fish in the sea, you might also
Pale colored gulf dotty-back
Starfish
like the idea to learn how to capture these moments so it can last for a lifetime! This is possible
by completing an underwater specialty course
(combined with lots of practice), and where would
a more suitable place be than right here in Qatar
with its favourable weather conditions.
There are three main types of underwater
shooting namely, Sports & Recreational, Environmental and Military or Industrial. To start this
experience you need to learn how to dive, complete a specialty course, buy equipment and gain
experience.
The digital underwater photography course
consists of theory and practical sessions with the
practical sessions being the most important. You
will also need to have a few open water dives
under your belt to ensure you are comfortable underwater and ready to take the next step to dive
with a camera in your hands.
The practical sessions, done in a swimming
pool, are the key ingredient for success because
you will soon notice that objects underwater appear much closer and bigger than above, an important factor that you need to take into consideration from the start. This affects the equipment
you plan to use; for example, the type of lens and
lights. The colours of objects also start to change
when you submerge under the water depending
on the depth you are at, the subject distance, the
weather and surface conditions and adding a filter
to your lens can help you overcome this problem.
As a diver you need to have:
Good buoyancy and airway control is essential as mentioned above it comes with experience.
Exceptional navigational skills you need to
know your way underwater. Yes, you do still have
to dive in a group, but one obviously wants to
Two divers around a wreck in the golden beach, Qatar
avoid all the unnecessary bubbles around you and

you naturally tend to wander off when captured in
the moment (pun intended).
Knowledge of fish behaviour with repetitive
practice but also doing some research on certain
species you will soon realize what to do and not
to do when approaching or finding that special
underwater creature. Also, take note that the
bubbles that form when breathing out play a role
when doing that snap shot!
Practice makes perfect! Dive a lot, but remember, Take only photos, leave only bubbles to
ensure we conserve the environment.
There are various options for underwater
photography equipment and it all depends on
your budget and what is your goal or reason for
photography is. Will it just be a hobby or do you
want to start a business and sell pictures?
It is possible to use something as simple as a
GoPro and nowadays they even have underwater
casings for your iPhone. However, to really take
this specialty further you need to think about and
do research on different cameras, light systems
and strobes. There are also other advanced
equipment that can improve underwater photography such as silent rebreathers MK6/MK7 and
DPV Underwater Scooters.
Khaled Zaki is an
underwater
photographer & filmmaker recently conducted an underwater
photography workshop at the Katara
Culture Village for the
Qatar Photography
Society, showcasing the dream-like underwater world that makes this unique activity
so popular courses such as these help
create further interest not only in diving and
photography, but also creates environmental awareness and oceanic conservationism.
Combining his unique skills as a qualified
dive instructor, as well as exceptional underwater photographer, Khaled has developed
a distinctive course that will be a wonderful
next adventure for the underwater enthusiast.
If youre feeling ready to add something extra
to your diving experience, then this might be
just what you are looking for.
Taking a #selfie under water
OUTDOORUAE
59
OUR EXPERTS
Singing Sands
and Slip Faces
Words By: Marina Bruce
Photos By: Marina Bruce, Amro Abu Kuhail and Mark Bromfield
Here in the UAE, the prevailing wind

is from the North, meaning our dunes are
formed mostly in an east-west configuration, some to over a hundred metres in
height. The point where the build-up stops
and loose particles of sand start to flow
over the top is called a slipface. Love
them or hate them, high slip faces are
a common feature in the dunes of the
UAE, particularly in Liwa, so if you are a
budding offroader its important to learn
how to navigate them carefully and under
control.
I always suggest to offroaders that you go
over the top as slowly as possible you can
always speed up on the way down.
Unless you are an advanced driver with
many slip faces under your belt, it is best to
go straight down - the reason being that the
weight of your engine will pull the car to the
foot of the slip face.
It can be tempting to jam on the brakes
once over the top but this is not advised
when you press the brake pedal, your front
brakes are applied a split-second before the
rear ones, causing your front wheels to dig

into the sand. In extreme cases this kneejerk reaction could even cause your car to
roll head over heels.
If you must slow down, then gently tap
the brake pedal. Or, if you need to come to
a full stop quickly then pull on the handbrake this will apply the brakes to the rear
wheels only. It does tend to shorten the life
of your handbrake cable but thats a small
price to pay if it prevents a mishap!
If you feel the rear of your car kick-out to
the side, which is common with short wheelbase cars, you should never apply the brake
as this exacerbates the situation if your car
ends up at 90 degrees to the bottom of the
slip face there is a high chance of a rollover!
The best way to correct a rear slide is to
gently tap the accelerator the tiny burst of
power will pull your car back on to a straight
line. On your first few slip faces this is
counter-intuitive but with a little practice you
will soon master the manoeuvre.
When navigating a slip face, your car is effectively riding an avalanche of sand; if you
come to halt near the bottom, the river of
sand will bypass you!
If you are the leading car try to work out
what will meet you at the foot is it sabkhah, soft sand or a gravel mound? Is the
run-off gentle or is it a sharp angle? Gentle
run-offs on a sabkhah can be met with more
speed than if you hit a gravel mound. At the
top, if you are aligned with a tree, a lake or a
huge pile of stones, it may be worth asking
the next car to give you a pull-back. Im
often asked how do you know whats over
that crest and I have to tell my passengers,
I dont its a surprise!
In Arabian Sands, explorer and author

Sir Wilfred Thesiger writes about the singing
sands. These can be set off by a camel or
even a man walking but the best effect can
be had when a few 4X4s hit a high and dry
slip face. The singing sands are not particularly tuneful but they really roar when a car
triggers them and you can feel the vibration
of tons and tons of sand as it makes its way
to the bottom. Not every desert has this
phenomenon, but it is commonly heard in
Liwa where the particle size and sand composition create perfect conditions. Definitely
one for the UAE bucket list!
The largest slip faces can be found in
Liwa, where they are up to a 110 metres
from top to bottom lots of brochures talk
about drops of 300 metres in the UAE but
this is not the case; the top of many dunes
are 300 meters above sea level but the
ground below is 170-200 metres above sea
level too.
Practice on small slip faces first the theory is the same but the consequences will
be less severe if you get it wrong. Our team
always take new drivers out to Al Hayer or
Sweihan before heading to Liwa.
Guide
Book
OUT NOW!
2nd Edition Advanced Off-Road Adventure Routes

The Second Edition of Mike Nott's Off-road Adventure Routes
UAE & Oman is a further expansion of the initial book and
provides a bird's eye view of off-roading in both the UAE and
Oman. The second edition comes with expert technical advice
chapters for both novices and veterans as well as five additional
routes and updates on eight original tracks for a total of 21
routes!
This thorough examination of UAE and Omani off-roading
comes at a competitive price of only 99 AED, other than that, it
also comes with a CD that contains GPX route files which can
then be uploaded on your personal GPS.
Both convenient and informative - This is the ultimate guide for
going offroad not only in the UAE and Oman
but also across the Middle East.
You can order the book online now for
99.00 AED + free shipping ( within UAE only )

www.outdooruae.com/guidebook
PEOPLE
Christophe
Mowgli Tack
Occupation: Full-time Kiteboarder
Nationality: Belgian
Age: 22
The summer season has began

and residents of the UAE are coming up with unique escape plans to
beat the heat that the country is
known for. Be it the easy way of
travelling to another country, or
taking a plunge deep along the Middle Eastern coastline, it is a season
where people get creative just to
stay away from the heat.
This is where kiteboarding comes in; and

what better way to kickstart kiteboarding in
the region than with a master class with renowned kiteboarder Christophe Mowgli
Tack who hosted a kiteboarding workshop
in Abu Dhabi last month. We catch up with
him and learn more about this spirited millennial.
How did you first get into the sport?
I got into the sport thanks to my two older
brothers. We were always into skateboarding and slowly moved to surfing and then
to kiteboarding. They are the ones who introduced kiteboarding to me. It must have
been around 2003.
How would compare yourself
to when you were just starting
to where you are now?
Its been a long road to the top. Im definitely not the same person I was 10 years
ago. One thing didnt change - and that is
my inner drive to succeed.
How often do you train?
Off the water, I train about half an hour,
focusing on training muscles I dont often
use and strengthen the parts of my body
that get loads of impact (knees and shoulders) I also stretch, every day twice. On the
water I just try to do all my tricks and then
I focus on perfecting some tricks or making

my lesser tricks better. On the water I ride
about 1.5 hours every day .
Are there any other sports
that you are involved with?
I really love wakeboarding and cable. Also
surfing makes me smile a lot! Id love to get
involved in paragliding one day!
Interesting nickname, could you
share with us its provenance?
I used to be the youngest kiteboarder at
my local beach - skinny, long arms and
always had long hair. They started naming me Mowgli from The Jungle Book and
it just stayed... Now most people call me
Mowgli [laughs].
In your opinion, how is the UAE
kiteboarding scene and what can
be done to improve it?
The scene is there and way bigger than I imagined. I had a lot of fun riding with all the
locals. They made the best out of the little
wind we have and I love that. I heard there is
a kiteboarding federation starting up in UAE
and thats great news. Hopefully the federation will start with more competitions and
events, as well as safety guidelines. It would
help the sport get to new grounds!
What do you love most about your sport?
Being completely free you can do
whatever you want with kiteboarding. Jump
high, go fast, make nice turns, do some
unhooked tricks like wakeboarding I think
its about the freedom and the many options kiteboarding has.
Whats your most challenging
kitesurf to date?
The most challenging thing I tried in kiteboarding was the Red Bull Ragnarok. Its
a race over 100km with snowkiting (which
is on snow instead of water). The wind
dropped so I couldnt continue but the
20km I did was already very challenging,
loved it!
Do you see yourself continuing

in the sport years from now?
Absolutely! Ive been passionate about the
sport since I was 12 years old. Im more and
more on the business side of kiteboarding
too (With an online shop and a kiteboarding school in my hometown). So hopefully
I can make it grow into a full size business
one day.
What comes next for you? Are there any
other events that you are preparing for?
Im currently in the US, practicing for the
Triple S invitational event. It is my first
time here and Im very excited! It will be a
competition on features (rails and kickers).
Similar to cable competition or snowboarding competition but something completely
new and exciting!
Lastly, where do you
dream of kitesurfing?
Id love to go kite in Alaska. Ive seen
some pictures and they looked absolutely
amazing. I would love to have this experience once in my life. It would not be to
train freestyle, but just to cruise around and
enjoy!
LOCATIONS
Get outdoors in the middle east

Hiking A series of articles to help you start or gain progress your hiking in the region
A week in Musandam
Words By: Sean James and Andy McNae
Staycations are more and more

popular now. A staycation is where you
actually choose to spend your holiday time
closer to home.
Nowhere is a staycation more suitable
than the Arabian Peninsula and particularly
the Musandam area. We spend tens and
thousand of dirhams flying to South America
in search of something or braving the pesky
Australian flies to find a big lump of rock in
the middle of a desert when in reality you
could just pack the Jeep with camping gear
and head out into the some of the best
wilderness areas in the world right at your
doorstep
Dubai and the Middle East, especially
over the winter, is perfect for adventures
and a week is never going to be enough to
cover everything in this region. There are
so many adventure activities to take part in
that you will be wondering why there are not
more people here... Over the next couple
of months we will look at the opportunities
available in both Musandam, Northern Oman
and further south in the Hajar Mountains near
Muscat. We will even give you an example
Taking a boat to play with dolphins
Around every headland is a surprise village
itinerary; a fun, adventure-packed seven days

that will rival any adventure holiday that you
have ever had.
Musandam
Musandam, or the Norway of Arabia as it

is called, is one of the great unspoilt destinations of the Middle East. This remote part of
Oman is characterised by rugged, inhospitable mountains reaching up to 2000m. They
drop steeply into the sea where the bays or
khors are as clear as crystals with pristine blue
ocean waters lapping these Middle East-
ern coastal fjords. The dramatic landscape

contrasts hugely with the surrounding desert
regions of Musandams oil-rich neighbours
such as the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain. Similarly, development here is well behind that of
the fancy glittering cities of the modern Gulf,
reflecting a refreshingly simple existence for
the people who make this part of Oman their
home. From Khasabs impressive fort, the
dolphins and spectacular marine life to the
Bedouin trails, wild climbs and narrow roads
carved into the mountains, there is a sense of
how unique this remote part of Arabia really
Stop your boat anywhere for lunch
is and how steeped in the local history it is.

Musandam is a wild place where hidden
khors are guarded by stark ridges, where
dolphins play beside the dhows as they
drift over busy reefs, where ospreys circle
overhead, and where history is etched into
every disputed channel and distant island.
For anyone looking for adventure in a far off
land or even close to home this is the place
for you. The unique landscape of Musandam
could have been made with adventure in
mind. In the sea and in the mountains, world
class activities come together in an amazing
setting.
Musandam
Adventure Safari
This is an example of a tour that could be

done over seven days. Obviously it could
take longer. It is suitable for anyone and no
experience or particular skills are necessary.
Some fitness might be helpful as it will allow
you to experience a fantastic variety of adventure activities. It also exposes you to the
very special culture and history of Oman and
to relax in splendid surroundings.
Day One: Arrive in Khasab and explore the
town and Old Fort. Khasab does have an airport with regular flights but most people will
drive their own vehicles. If you are coming
from Dubai, expect four hours and a border
Google Earth screenshot of the route

You can download the GPS files from our website www.outdooruae.com in the downloads section
crossing with passport control. After the

border the spectacular road hugs the coast
passing deserted, golden sandy beaches
and small villages before cresting the high
headland at Al Harf and dropping down to
Khasab. The few hotels here get fully booked
at weekends and some have spectacular
Cliff jumping
Old map showing the khors in Musandam and Telegraph Island
64
OUTDOORUAE
locations overlooking the bay. Alternatively

take a right turn onto the trails and find
a wonderful camping spot on the Al Harf
Plateau. From here you can see the whole of
the Musandam Peninsula and even Iran on a
clear day. Khasab has all the basic amenities
including a large supermarket so you can
stock up here.
Day Two: Because of the lack of development here and no artificial light sources you
will see a huge sky full of stars and planets
during the night. Today is a good day to explore further out into the peninsula by taking
a traditional Arab dhow. Musandams fjords,
known locally as khors are unique and special
and packed full of wildlife. Khor Ash Shamm
is only an hour from Khasab Port and here
you can snorkel amongst the fantastic corals,
kayak lazily around the dhow and wonder at
the swooping birds around Telegraph Island.
After a lunch of fresh fruit, hummus and
flatbread aboard the dhow, the captain drops
us at the foot of a rocky climb. 15 minutes
later we have reached the lowest point in the
peninsula and are staring out at the other
side and a completely different body of
water. To finish the day, we are dropped at a
Stunning wildlife
remote beach camp site where we will spend

the night under those stars after enjoying a
beach BBQ.
Day Three: At first light, the embers of the
fire are raked over and the flames ignite
again. Coffee and breakfast is taken in the
early light with a million dollar view. Just
behind the beach there is a trail that leads upwards for a couple of hours for a spectacular
view over the landscape. It is the perfect hike
before the planned rendezvous with the boatman and a return to Khasab and your vehicle.
Day Four: There is no time to spare and
after stocking up on provisions and maybe
a fresh juice or smoothie the next stop is
the Mountain Road. This steep and winding
4X4 trail passes a fascinating variety of old
villages and mountain huts before reaching
the green oasis village of Al Sayah. Al Sayah
has the dramatic backdrop of Jebel Harim,
Musandams highest mountain complete with
a military observation station on top. Continuing up the road to the Jebel Harim plateau,
the altitude touches 1600m and the evenings
are cooler. The views are stunning and camping is the best option to experience both sun
setting and rising on the landscape below.
There are several hikes and mountain bike
trails from here even one that takes you
to the village at the top of the Stairway to
Heaven. Peering down the steep cliff you can
see the UAE at the bottom and wonder where

the route goes.
Day Five: The day starts slowly as we wake
amongst the mountains to perfect silence.
The valleys and peaks appear as the sun rises
and the next drive is equally spectacular to
the once sea-locked coastal town of Lima.
Only recently has the track been built through
the mountains. A rugged car, confidence and
belief are required to tackle this testing drive.
Down on a good track from the Harim plateau
and onwards to the Rowdah Bowl, passing
the infamous checkpoint at Wadi Beih that
blocks the transit of expats to Ras al Khaimah
and even Dibba. After Rowdah, the new trail
climbs before dropping suddenly through
a steep valley and the flat bay of Lima. On
route, stop at some of the pullouts for short
hikes up to rocky summits close to the track
Sea and mountains
for even wilder views. Lima is another oasis

with a beautiful bay in which to swim and kayak. A mountain bike is a good option to get
around the widespread village. Facilities are
few but that is the appeal. A local restaurant
serves biryani when its not prayer time. The
beachfront curves around boarded by golden
sands as the palm and mountains peek form
behind. You will feel blessed as you set up
your tent for the night whilst the tourists on
the dhows pass by on the way back to Dibba
and Dubai.
Day Six: It is the penultimate day but we
still have some exploring to do; a day in the
mountains or a day at sea? A boat along the
east coast is ideal, pausing to visit the white
rocks and Sanaat Cave whilst looking out
for the dolphins that frequent this coast. At
times we jumped in and swam, clambered
or climbed along the coast checking the
rock pools and cliff jumps. All day, there are
local fishing villages hidden from civilization
from which boats power out of in search of
the daily catch. We ended up at the back of
a stunning khor on a wide sandy beach with
probably the best view in the area. After exploring the village and taking tea we trekked
along the beach, passing abandoned houses,
a mosque and a graveyard until we are looking back at the village from a rocky headland.
Here we enjoyed lunch before dipping in the
waters and heading back to the boat for the
ride back to Lima. It is difficult to imagine that
we were just over the ridge in Khasab a few
days ago when the adventure started.
Day Seven: The final day and we have to
head back slowly. It is time to return to Dubai.
There is so much to do in Musandam that a
second and third trip is necessary to fill in the
gaps. Maybe a long weekend will help.
A hike for June
Quick checklist route planning

Start point
26129.02N561520.67E
Off-road driving required?
No
Distance and time from Mirdif to start
180km 150min + time to cross the UAE / Oman border
Navigation on hike
Easy route finding with a limitless number of possibilities
Time required for hike
2 - 3 hours
Distance
4.1km
Elevation gain on hike
275m
High point
149m
Grocery / water on hike
No
Possible to encounter a vehicle on trail?
No
Suitable for all the family?
The start and end can be a little steep for very small children
This hike takes you to the beautiful area

overlooking Khasab, Musandam, Oman and
the stunning headland towards the Peninsula.
Its a 20 minute scramble to get up the initial
slope but from then on, its stunning walking
near the coast and the old villages. You could
combine this hike with your seven days in
Musandam.
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
If you would like to join a guided hike with OutdoorUAE please contact us.
OUTDOORUAE
65
TIPS & TRICKS
Get in the zone
In this series of articles looking at

how you can get stronger on your
mountain bike we take a peek at different zones; heart rate or training
zones to be precise. In this series
we look at core strengthening and
major muscle exercises for you to
follow.
Roadies will tell you how much their lives
have changed after spending 6000 AED on a
power metre and following strictly, religious
routines when they go out riding. Have you
ever asked a rider who has a power metre
attached to their bike if they want to go for a
ride? Before they commit to hitting the trails
with you, they need to know how long the
ride is, how much ascent, how fast and then
they need to go and check if its ok with their
coach. They might have a big race in a couple
of months and dont want to overdo it.
On the whole mountain bikers are a bit
more relaxed and just tend to go out and
ride. Sometimes the ride takes a bit longer
and you come back smashed. Sometimes
its a bit shorter and you manage to get back
in before midday and the sun toasts you
66
OUTDOORUAE
because you have an important brunch back

in Dubai. If you go out mountain biking with
someone stronger, you try to keep up. If
youre in a big group of mixed ability in the
mountains and on the trails, you might end up
taking a lot of pictures or chatting a bit more.
However there are advantages to using a
systematic approach and it is important to understand the basics of fitness and how to improve it. Power metres are great and provide
benefits, but for the general mountain bike
rider the technology is not completely there
yet. So this month we shed some light on how
to adapt an approach into your off-road riding
that is considered a bit old school and a bit
out of date.
Heart Rate Zones VS Power Metres
Using heart rate zones to improve your

mountain biking is possible and although on
the whole superseded by power metre training, it can still be relevant, cheaper and a less
fussy. Power metres are notoriously difficult to
get for mountain bikes. Once you have one,
you have to keep it correctly calibrated and
protected against the constant knocking and
bumping on a mountain bike. You also have
to understand the key to improvement is
analyzing and collecting the vast amount of
data they produce. Power metres are available for mountain bikes but if you cant afford
one, understanding the subject matter below
will also help you become a better rider. So
this is not an article about whether heart rate
or power metres are best for mountain biking
but rather to offer a simple training plan for
those who are interested in discovering a bit
more about how to improve on their mountain bikes
Key terms
Maximum Heart Rate
All the zones that you will exercise in are

based on your maximum heart rate. Once you
have calculated your own, everything else will
fall into place. Maximum heart rate can be
effected by many things, such as sickness, the
weather etc. which is why power metres have
become more popular and reliable. Producing
around 350 watts of power is the same on any
day of the week.
To measure your Resting Heart

Rate
Take your heart rate first thing in the morning

lying in bed before you get up. You can do
this either with an electronic device and chest
strap or manually with your fingers. Do this
every day for a week and record it. Its

important to ensure that youre well rested
and not ill or under any stress when recording.
At the end of the week you can calculate your
resting HR average. As you get fitter it should
drop.
To measure your
Maximum Heart Rate
Many people calculate their maximum HR by

using the formula of 220 minus their age. It
can be close but not completely accurate and
is really too general. For example all 44 year
olds will not have the same max HR. So to be
as accurate as possible, there is a physiological test that you can do yourself. You should
be reasonably fit and capable before doing
this test. It is ok to do this test on a section of
road rather than a dirt trail.
Warm up thoroughly for at least 15 minutes.
On a long, steady hill, like the start of the
Roadsters Hatta ride. Start off fairly briskly
and increase your effort every minute. Stay
seated and keep increasing the speed until
you cant go any faster. At this point get out
of the saddle and sprint as hard as you can for
15 seconds. At the end of the 15 seconds you
will have your max HR. If your electronic device has recorded it automatically thats great,
if not do a manual check immediately.
A point to note is that your max HR on a
bike will be much lower than it is when youre
running because the bike is taking some of
your weight. Also it is worth rechecking your
max HR every few months to see any differences.
The Zones
So now that you have your max HR, all the

training zones can be calculated automatically. Get out to your calculator (or search the
internet)
Zone One (60-65% of Max HR): For long,
easy rides, to improve the combustion and
storage of fats.
Zone Two (65-75% of Max HR): The basic
base training zone. Longer rides of medium
stress.
Zone Three (75-82% of Max HR):
For development of aerobic capacity and
endurance with moderate volume at very
controlled intensity.
Zone Four (82-89% of Max HR): For simulating pace when tapering for a race.
Zone Five (89-94% of Max HR): For raising
anaerobic threshold. Good sessions for 10
and 25-mile time-trials.
Zone Six (94-100% of Max HR): For highintensity interval training to increase maximum
power and speed
How to use these zones
Now you know what zones are unique to you,

you can go about planning a personal schedule. To be rigorous and stick to an individual
plan requires complete discipline which is
where you see riders constantly watching their
data. If you do, you will probably see very fast
results but most of your riding will be alone.
When you do a mountain bike ride its
important to look at the overall results from
that ride as well as the detail. Many websites
will allow you to upload the data if you have
recorded it. From this you can see not only
what your average heart rate was but also any
peaks and troughs.
For example if you intend to do a two
hour ride in Zone Two and want to keep the
average heart rate the same throughout, you
need to find a trail without any hills or steep
sections that might produce spikes or dips.
Some simple training sessions
These are examples of typical sessions that

you could follow on your mountain bike. You
will need to have calculated your max HR and
then the relevant percent.
Fat burning slow and easy
One of the benefits of mountain biking is that

your body shape will change and your body
fat percentage will drop naturally. You can
encourage quicker results by staying in the
zone that optimizes fat burning. Surprisingly it
is fairly low and you must stick to it.
Three hours at Zone Two
Fat burning fast and hard
HIIT or high intensity interval training has become very popular recently as it can be done
in a short period of time and because it hurts,
it feels like you are progressing.
These sessions will build fast twitch muscles,
speed and burn incredible amounts of body
fat during and after. A typical session will take

less than an hour.
15 minute warm up
4-6 max effort sprints (Zone Six) of 30 seconds with a 4 -5 minute recovery between
each sprint
10 minute warm down
Build endurance
In mountain biking, endurance is the ability

to keep going. Normally, any ride that is over
two hours and where you need to eat could
be considered as requiring endurance. You
may have heard people talk about LSD or
long steady distance.
To build your endurance it is good to do
two endurance sessions a week if you have
time such as these below.
3-4 hours at Zone Two

2 hours at Zone Three
If you get bored riding for three to four hours
at the same heart rate, you could give a 10
minute burst at Zones Three to Four every
hour.
Recovery ride
A recovery ride is really what is says. Nearly

everyone overtrains and can suffer plateaus
in performance and injuries. Keep in mind to
make your hard days very hard and the easy
days very easy. Using this principle, make sure
you have at least one rest day per week and
another day that is a really slow recovery ride.
1 hour at Zone 1
Dont forget that most importantly you should
enjoy your mountain biking. Mix the different
types of sessions above to give you variety
and see which ones you like the most. There
are many different approaches and training
plans. Keep trying and changing. The 80/20
is a simple one. 80% of your riding should be
easy (around 77% of max HR) and 20% at high
intensities. Maybe you will discover hidden talents within your mountain biking. If its all too
confusing, nearly everyone has an opinion on
different training methodology. Talk to friends,
read internet discussion forums and seek out
advice from an expert you trust or is qualified.
The more you talk about it, the more you will
understand and be able to make your own
decisions and be a stronger rider.
OUTDOORUAE
67
Fitness for Mountaineering

Words By: Mark Poolan
Photos By: Jung Francisco
Mountaineering is not just

about getting up and down a mountain.
Being a mountaineer you are considered
to be an endurance athlete.
With this being said, you must have the
endurance (heart and lungs) and motor
fitness (strength and balance) to trail all
day at different intensities and different
surfaces to get you to the peak.
Without this, your body will struggle to
make it and you will not enjoy the mountaineering experience. Building endurance,
strength and balance within your body will
make the journey a lot more pleasurable and
you can enjoy the experience and the amazing views you will get during the trek. These
are six fundamental exercises which will help
you achieve greater strength and endurance.
Exercise 3: Polling Pull Downs
Polling is a huge part of mountaineering

as they support you both up and down the
hike. In this exercise we are going to mimic
the movement pattern of polling on two
different planes using resistance bands. Start
with your knees bent and in an upright position. Activating your latissimus dorsi, Pull the
resisted bands down by your side hold at the
bottom for two seconds then return to the
starting point. Repeat this same process but
come to the left and right hand side of the
body. This will make you strong in multiple
planes.
Exercise 4: Body Weight Squat
Exercise 1: 20min Cardio

at 70% Max Heart Rate
(Hill with Weighted Backpack)
This is essential for mountaineering. Working at 70% of your maximum heart rate will
improve your cardiovascular fitness. Put the
treadmill on incline/gradient level 10 and
walk for 20min. Also when doing this exercise, remember to add 25/30% of your body
weight into a back pack; by doing this, it will
make it a lot harder but more functional to
mountaineering.
Put your feet shoulder width apart with your

toes pointing out slightly. Initiate the movement from the hips and drop down with your
bum ensuring your weight is kept through
the heels and your knees dont go past your
toes. Go as deep as possible to ensure that
good form is kept throughout and return to
the starting position pushing through your
heels.
Exercise 6: Single Leg Balance

with Ball Rotation
Exercise 2: Prone Cobras
Lie prone with your forehead touching

the floor and your palms facing the floor.
Activate your erector spinae and bring your
chest and shoulders off the floor until maximum range of motion is achieved. During
this motion twist your hands out so that your
thumbs are pointing towards the ceiling.
By doing this, this will also activate your
trapezius and rhomboids. Hold at the top for
3 seconds and return to starting point.This
great way to strengthen your back muscles.
Exercise 5: Lunge onto BOSU
Start in an upright position. Put one foot

onto the BOSU and drop the back leg so it
just touches the floor. The key in this is that
you do not lunge over your toes and the
actual movement is in the trailing leg. Just
remember: STEP onto the bosu, STOP the
forward leg lunging and DROP the trailing
knee STEP, STOP and DROP. This exercise
is great for strength, endurance and stability
of the hips, knees and ankles.
Simply stand on one

leg and raise your
hanging leg to 45 degrees from your torso.
Add a weighted ball
and rotate this clockwise under and around
your leg. Single-leg
balance training
teaches you to isolate
and strengthen specific
balance muscles while
improving your reaction time. This exercise
will also help in foot
and ankle alignment MARK POOLAN
and lower the risk of Fitness Manager
Fitness First Al Manzil
injury.
TIPS & TRICKS
Sea kayak skills
Basic turning strokes

Words By: Steven Bennett
Last month we looked at the

forward paddling stroke and why it
is important to develop an effective
technique. This month we are looking at two basic turning techniques
namely, edging the boat and the
sweep stroke.
Firstly we need to look at the turning
characteristics of different boats. All kayaks
will want to turn and this turning ability is
dependent on the design of the boat. Essentially, the longer and narrower the boat, the
better the tracking ability, this is the ability
for the boat to stay on a straight line, and
the harder it will be to turn. The shorter and
wider the boat the worse the tracking ability
but the easier it will be to turn. Another factor to consider is the rocker of the hull. This
is the curve of the hull from the highest point
in the bow and stern to the point in the hull
where it is flat. The greater the rocker the
more manoeuvrable the boat will be. Sit on
tops and many touring kayaks will therefore
be more manoeuvrable due to them being
generally shorter and wider and possibly a
greater rocker. True sea kayaks will have better tracking ability but will also have reduce
manoeuvrability due to them being longer
and narrower with possibly a reduced rocker.
Now lets take a look at turning with edging first. The hull of a sea kayak is symmetrical along the long axis. This is to enable the
boat to travel in a straight line. Edging the
kayak, tilting the kayak to one side, changes
the shape of the hull in the water and this
change in shape alters the flow of water
around the hull. The result is the kayak will
turn to one side. Edging the boat to the
right and it will turn to the left. Edging the
boat to the left and it will turn to the right.
Edging: Notice that the torso is still upright.
In practice it works like this. To edge your

boat to the right raise your left knee whilst
lowering the right. This will raise the left side
of the boat and lower the right. During this
process, arch the midsection of the body to
the left to allow the torso to remain upright.
This will enable you to remain in balance.
The kayak will now want to turn to the left.
Edging the boat to the left will have the opposite effect.
Edging can be done whilst conducting
a normal forward paddling stroke and can
produce a long, graceful turn. It can also
be done to enable the kayak to remain on
course. However, doing this for long periods
of time can be tiring, which is where a skeg
or a rudder becomes desirable. Edging is
not possible using sit-on-tops as they have
Sweep stroke 1: The boat is edged and the blade is immersed fully level with the feet.
no cockpit to grip with your knees.

For a tighter, more aggressive turn we can
use the edging technique with another basic
turning stroke, the sweep stroke. The sweep
stroke is where the paddle is swept out in a
semicircle to one side of the boat. The effect
is to turn the boat to the opposite side of
the stroke.
Like a great many paddling strokes the
power for the stroke comes from the torso
and not the arms. To begin, the torso is rotated and the paddle is placed forward level
with your feet. Keeping your hands low, and
with a slight bend in the lower arm, the body
begins to unwind and the paddle is arched
out away from the boat in a semi-circle with
the paddle extending as far from the boat
as is comfortable. The body continues to
unwind until the blade is about six inches
away from the rear of the boat. Ensure that
you stop the stroke at this point because if
the blade touches the hull at the rear it can
capsize the kayak. During the turn the boat
is edged on the same side as the stroke.
To bring the paddle back to the starting
point, the torso is rotated back and the rear
of the blade skims the surface of the water
for support and balance. Once you have
completed the turn, level out the boat and
continue.
These are the two most common turning strokes used in sea kayaking and like all
strokes they take time to master, so get out
and practice.
Happy paddling.
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
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 Tonys, 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,
+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
Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +971 44068800

The PearlQatar 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
YAS
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,
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
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,
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
www.adventurehq.ae
Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai,
Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558,
www.barracudadubai.com
OUTDOORUAE
71

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
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
+971 43459900, www.adventure.ae
www.adventurehq.ae
Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.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
Micahs Bike Shop, Warehouse no.4
6th St. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +971 43805228
Peak Performance, Mall of the Emirates,
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
Wolfis Bike Shop, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
72
OUTDOORUAE
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
Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43390621,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Blue Waters Marine, +971 42232189, Dubai,
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
Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931,
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,
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
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,
Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment,
Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai,
+971 43444468
Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
Road, +971 43468000,
Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd,
+971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha
Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931,
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,
Challenging Adventure, Wadi Al Bih Ras Al Khaimah, +971 561060798,
contactus@challengingadventure.com
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai,
Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre,
+971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com
Operators
+971 43459900, www.adventure.ae
Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach
Summer
Boulder
BaSh
5 EvEnt LEaguE
29 th May
12th June
Round 3 - 26th June
Round 4 - 10 th July
Round 5 - 24th July
Round 1 -
Round 2 -
FuRthER dEtaiLs
and REgistRation
inFo coming soon
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
Barracuda Diving Centre, Fujairah
International Marine Club, +971 9222558
Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26594144
Captain Tonys, 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
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

Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free: 800-ADVENTURE,
www.adventurehq.ae
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
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai
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
Powered by
www.facebook.com/rock.republic.dubai
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,
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,
www.libertykawasaki.com
Motocross & ATVs
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
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,
Polaris UAE (atvs), 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
Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai,
+971 48321050, www. wildx.ae
Equipment
Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza 503,
Dubai, +971 42959429,
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

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,
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,
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
Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha
Bling My Truck, +971 503634839 /
+971 505548255,
info@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,
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,
Al Masaood Marine, Dubai,
Iknic Brands, Suite 509 Dsseldorf
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
Surf School Arabia, +971 556010997,
www.surfschoolarabia.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
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
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
OUTDOORUAE
73

Childrens 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
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
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
+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
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
www.kiteboarding-oman.com
Omans Kite Center, +968 94006007,
www.kitesurfing-lessons.com
Stand Up Paddeling, Kite

& Surfing, Wakeboarding
Boating & Sailing
PO Box: 5048, Doha, Qatar,

+974 66304061, www.dohasubaquaclub.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,
+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,
+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
66724828
Al Mamzoore Marine Equipment,
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
Diving
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.
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,
+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
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,
Qatar Chain Reaction,

www.qatarchainreaction.weebly.com
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
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,
Add your free listing to the

74
OUTDOORUAE
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
Equipment, Operators
Kiteboarding Oman, Sawadi Beach,
PO Box: 133, PC 118, Muscat, Oman,
+968 96323524,
Fishing & Kayaking
Equipment
Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting Equipment,
Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +974
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
AzZaha Tours, +968 99013424,
www.azzahatours.com
Water World Marine Oman,
POBox:76,Muscat,113,Sultanate
ofOman, +96824737438,
www.waterworldoman.com
Manufacturer
Saphire Marine, PO Box: 11, Post Code 118,
Muscat, Oman, +968 99877243,
www.sapphire-marine.com
Motocross & ATVs

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
ONLINE DIRECTORY
Price: Dhs. 6,999
CONQUER ROCK AND SAND. DOUBLE SCOOP FATTY.

Expect to be riding terrain previously not explored on a mountain bicycle! Fat tyres provide excellent traction in all terrains such
as sand and rocks. Float over your local terrain and remain comfortable while the large air volume soaks up the bumps.
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Opening Soon: The Avenues Mall, Muscat, Oman
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