The Travel Issue Price: 10 DHS THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST ‘like’ us on Facebook! www.outdooruae.com Get to us on Facebook! Colin takes his moto & camera gear through Nepal A HIMALAYAN MOTO ADVENTURE THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST JOHN GREGORY + + Toby Interviews ULTRA-RUN BADWATER REPORT GOPRO TRIED & TESTED WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM Issue 20, August 2012 A windy adventure through “Eden on Earth” CROSSING KENYA’S CHALBI DESERT
Transcript
The Travel Issue Price: 10 DHS
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
‘like’ us on Facebook!
www.outdooruae.com
Get to us on Facebook!
Colin takes his moto & camera gear through Nepal
A HIMALAYAN MOTO ADVENTURE
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
JOHN GREGORY++Toby Interviews
ULTRA-RUNBADWATER
REPORT
GOPROTRIED & TESTED
WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM Issue 20, August 2012
A windy adventure through “Eden on Earth”
CROSSING KENYA’S CHALBI DESERT
3OUTDOORUAE
The information contained is for general use only. While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been obtained from reliable sources, however the publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in this magazine is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information. In no event will the publisher, its related affiliates or anyone else be responsible for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine.
All contents are under copyrights and may not be reproduced in any kind without written permission.
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
AUGUST 2012 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
On the cover: cruising along side the support vehicles Photo - Petra Rostcil Managing Editor Daniel BirkhoferEditors Kim Perks, Marilena Cilta, Angelo CabreraDesigner James Russell Administration Jane Mesina
Ramadan Kareem!Ramadan. The word comes from the Arabic root “ramida” or “ar-ramad,” which means scorching heat or dryness - makes sense! Much like the heat suffered by the team in the wake of an Air Conditioning failure in July, where we were left sweaty messes for two days… Productivity was low, but we pushed on for good reason! Alas, we should also take note that it is the holy month of Ramadan and there are many reasons to celebrate for those partaking. This means many will choose to make a lifestyle change.
My time here at OutdoorUAE has unfortunately reached its final hurdle. As I look back on the last two years, I can safely say that I have had probably the most fulfilling experience in my career so far. As a designer and a photographer, I have experienced an Outdoor world that was almost unconceivable when I was in this country 10 or so years ago. I have met some fantastic people, tried some exciting new sports and overall, I feel I have left a positive mark on this magazine and the team, so it can strive for the best even if it is without me. I’d like to thank the team and all the contributors that I have met and of course the readers! Without you OutdoorUAE would not be what it is today.
For those of you sticking around, I do hope to bump into you sooner or later as I’ll still be applying my trade here in Dubai. And who knows, maybe I’ll make a contribution as a reader or enter some of the awesome competitions!
All the best,
James.
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CONTENTS
52 T
HE
WIN
DS
OF
KEN
YA
32 GOPRO HERO 2
EVERY ISSUE
EVENT REVIEWS
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
OUR EXPERTS
TIPS + TRICKS
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST AUGUST 2012 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
24 A
DVE
NTU
RE P
HO
TOG
RAPH
Y
20 HIMALAYAN MOTO ADVENTURE
12 TRAILWALKER UK 201216 TURNEFFE ISLAND RESORT20 HIMALAYAN MOTO ADVENTURE24 ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY: NEPAL 26 BADWATER 2012 46 ISLAND OF MONSTERS 52 KENYAN WINDS
05 BEST SHOTS06 EVENTS CALENDAR30 PRODUCTS48 PEOPLE55 DIRECTORY
10 PEPSI FLOWBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP 2012
36 JOHN GREGORY INTERVIEWED
36 AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN GREGORY - TOBY40 FLAT OUT - THE FISHING KIT42 ADVENTURE CHICK HITS THE FRENCH ALPS - TORI44 SUMMER FUN - JOHN
COMPETITIONS11 WANT TO BE A DIVEMASTER? WINNERS ANNOUNCED
50 DIY GOPRO MOUNT
REVIEWED!
ON THE COVER
5OUTDOORUAE
Here are the best shots sent in by you for the monthly ‘Want Fame?’ photogra-phy competition! We had so many entries, so we had to add a couple more because they were so brilliant. Congratulations to the top 3 winners (who each receive Buff headwear and 5 free copies of the magazine) Doris Matlock, Nicolas Largueze and Sep Porter (woof!) Well done!
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST AUGUST 2012 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
BEST SHOTS
Seb Porter
WINNER!
WINNER!
WINNER!
Doris Matlok - Ras Al Khaimah
Nicolas Largueze
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Wadi Adventure They have morning surf sessions from 07.00AM-11.00AM and then reopen for all activities (Rafting, Kayaking and the Airpark) during the evening from 6.00PM till 1:00AM on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, and between 6.00PM-2.00AM on Thursday and Friday. If you don’t surf get in the pool for the wadi wave sessions on Friday, from 6.00PM-2.00AM and if you’re a Lady they have a great ladies night from 6.00PM till 01.00AM. Remember the park is closed on a Monday this Ramadan! www.wadiadventure.ae
Yas Track Day August 9, 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi’s grand racing circuit is opening its tracks to motorsport enthusiasts who would love to burn some rubber on its asphalt raceway where F1 cars gun for the checkered flag. You will be based in the support pits’ air-conditioned garages, with qualified Yas Racing School instructors on hand giving driving tips and light coaching. For more information, visit their website www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Stay up-to-date with the latest events
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST AUGUST 2012 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
EVENTS CALENDAR ++
Ramadan Super Prix Challenge Rounds 3 and 4 August 9 and 16, 10:00 p.m., Al Ain Raceway International Kart Circuit, Al Ain The Ramadan Super Prix Challenge is now on its fourth consecutive year, and has already been inundated with interest and questions from drivers all over the Emirates. So if you’re feeling the insatiable need for some go-karting speed this summer, check the details on how to enter the race through their website www.alainraceway.com or call them on +971-3-7686662.
Spinneys’ Build-Up Ride 1 of 4 August 31, 6:00 a.m. Dubai According to one of its members, this four-month event is held one Friday a month, and it increases in distance each time. They are timed events and the results you achieve in each build up ride are used to “seed” the starters for the Spinneys Dubai 92 km Cycle Chal-lenge. The seeding is to ensure that at the challenge, the starters go off in groups to make things safer and try to have groups of similar ability riding together. For more information, visit www.cyclechallenge.ae or contact them through [email protected]
Q&A ++Got a question in mind? Feel free to air your queries about the great outdoors and the activities we cover by posting your questions on our Fa-cebook wall www.facebook.com/out-dooruae or send them to [email protected] and we’ll respond to them the best way we can!
Throughout the month, we shall also be selecting the most frequently-asked or exceptional questions brought up by you, which will then
be featured in next month’s issue of OutdoorUAE magazine.
Just a reminder: the questions must be focused entirely on the outdoors and the activities that we cover. This is your chance to learn more about the local outdoor scene and is a good opportunity to get informed and get involved!
Experience the fun and adventure of the great outdoors with OutdoorUAE!
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NEWS + COMMENT ++
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Adnic Yas Run Proceeds to go to Operation Smile
Germany’s OutDoor 2012 gets big support from global community
The love for the great outdoors remained unwavered in spite of economic woes, as thousands of visitors and representatives of the industry around the world gathered in the 19th OutDoor 2012 trade fair held at the city of Friedrichshafen in Germany last July 12th to 15th.
According to the organizers, the grand exhibition this year received big figures having been supported by 907 exhibitors, 21,730 trade visitors and 1,019 media representatives from various countries worldwide, and has successfully kept its identity as the most important trade fair of the global outdoor industry amid the financial strife felt by economies worldwide. Rolf Schmid, Mammut Sports Group’s CEO, expressed satisfaction and looked optimistically to the future. “The show went well. Although you can certainly sense some uncertainty in the entire industry right now, we are convinced that this will soon pass and that everything outdoor will remain the mega-trend that it is right now,” He said. Source: OutDoor press site
Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC), along with Yas Marina Circuit, announced on the 31st of July that “Operation Smile UAE” will be the official charity for the ADNIC Yas Run 2012 on the coming 24th of November. 10 percent of the total registration fees from the internationally certified 10km running event will be donated to Operation Smile in the United Arab Emirates. Operation Smile UAE was established in January 2011 in Abu Dhabi and is part of an international children’s charity organization that offers free corrective surgeries to children who suffer from cleft lip and palate. Operation smile UAE has been involved in several of overseas missions in Jordan, Morocco, Philippines, India and China. The charity’s most recent mission in Jordan saw 70 children receive potentially lifesaving surgeries from medical volunteers who travelled from around the world to work with Operation Smile. You can register for the 10km (as an individual or team) or 3km run for children aged between 12 and 15 and 1km run for children aged between 8 and 11. To Register and for sponsorship forms go to: www.adnicyasrun.ae
OutdoorUAE is the official outdoor and adventure magazine for the 2012 Yas Run. We are supporting the event and the charity. We hope to see as many runners in November as possible, and we’ll also be offering some activities and prizes to win during the event!
This month, we heard Outdoor UAE’s Founder and Managing Director Daniel Birkhofer hit the airwaves!
Here at the office, we love any opportunity to inform our readers about what’s going on outdoors each month. So for our fans and anyone interested in listening to us and our contributors natter on through the radio, it is always a plus! Alix Capper-Murdoch (stepping in for Suzanne Radford on Dubai today) was the host of the show on Thursday the 26th of July and as it turned out, this month we heard Daniel Birkhofer being quizzed about how and why he started Outdoor UAE Magazine, alongside special guest Atte Miettinen (our
front cover personality for July) who spoke about his latest experiences finishing the last two peaks of his 7 Summits Challenge. We are on air almost once a month and it’s usually on a Thursday from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Suzanne Radford’s Dubai Today show (Dubai Eye 103.8 FM).
A link to the radio show will be available on our Facebook page shortly, so look out for it to have a listen! www.facebook.com/outdooruae
DISCOVERIES++Each month, we stumble across some useful and well, not-so-use-ful information about all sorts of things to do with being outdoorsy and adventurous. Below we have listed a few relevant things that we have discovered this month AND that are obviously essential to know about when keeping up with the (Indiana) Jones’ of the UAE:
ONLINE: This month, we stumble across RUSH (finally, a group on Facebook for good old-fashioned adrenaline junkies, minus all the drama). This group was put together for the extreme sports community of the UAE and they meet regularly to share epic stories of their adventures and organise new ones. It is not a commercial group and they do not meet to sell products or services so be warned! We recommend joining the group and getting gnarly! Just search for “RUSH” on Facebook and you’ll find them.
FOOD: We have learnt that you can pretty much cook anything on a BBQ. We were checking out some of Weber’s new BBQs and stumbled across their online recipe book. For those brave enough to do some ‘indoor/outdoor’ BBQing, get onto their website and impress your significant others on your next camping trip! www.webergrill.ae (Look for the recipe booklet on their home page), if that’s not enough check out www.wowbbq.co.uk/Recipes
COOL STUFF: The Hornit: The World’s Loudest Cycle horn. Yep, that’s right! We spoke to the inven-tor of this little gadget and he reassures us that it is really, really loud. He’s sending it to us to try out this month. Look out for it in our next issue and in stores come September. www.thehornit.com
FANCY A CHANGE? If you haven’t seen it already, it’s big, it’s green, it’s on Shaikh Zayed road and it’s sustainable. The Change Initiative is UAE’s first sustainable store, so get yourself in there on the weekend and have a look around; they have some great eco-friendly stuff and are online too: www.thechangeinitiative.com
If you come across anything interesting and worth putting in our little monthly column send an email to:
For the most of us, we usually expect marathons to take place under sunny skies on a warm day of spring. Unless you’re a professional athlete whose main job is to literally run for the most of his or her life, you must be very bold, indeed.
But if you decide to run a marathon on a 42-kilometer expanse of ice and snow in temperatures that are as cold as your freezer, you must be something else entirely.
And it’s no surprise that this feedback was what Diarmuid O’ Malley and Neil Munro faced when they told their friends and fami-lies that they will be competing in this year’s Polar Circle Marathon in the 20th of October 2012 in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland,(where temperatures routinely drop to between -10 and - 20ºC during that time of year). These guys seem to be either hungry for the chal-lenge of human endurance, or maybe they were out in the sun this summer for far too long. Either way, we had to find out why they were doing it.
Gladly Diarmuid and Neil are experienced marathon runners and have competed in several events in recent years. They will be entering the so-called “coolest marathon on earth” as the Arctic Xtreme Team – a name that is most fitting.
You two are about to undertake one of the most difficult marathons on the planet. Whose idea was it?
The Cold RunArctic Xtreme Team’s Diarmuid and Neil and the Polar Circle Marathon
Neil: I’ve always had a fascination with extreme weather conditions and each year I always like to achieve something a bit unusual. Living in the Middle East, we get to experience the extreme high temperatures and the thought of contrasting these with spending some time somewhere extremely cold held some real fascination. After a bit of “googling,” the imagery of the Polar Circle marathon really grabbed me. It was easy from then on, just a small matter of convinc-ing myself and Diarmuid that it made sense!
What did your families think when you both decided to run a marathon in a deso-late land of ice and snow? Diarmuid: : Honestly? Mad! But this wasn’t the event that tipped that opinion of me over the iceberg, my wife knew that from day one! And thankfully has always being very supportive and our three kids are fully aware that be me and Neil doing this will make a huge difference for many kids who are far less fortunate that most of us.
To what cause will you be doing this for? Neil: We are raising funds and awareness for the Christina Noble Children’s Founda-tion, dedicated to helping children in need through education, medical care, social opportunities, and job placement in Vietnam and Mongolia. CNCF is a charity that my company, Hertz UAE, have been actively involved with for a number of years. Our specific aim through this run is to support the funding of the Sunshine School for 2013. The school was established in 1991 with just 30 children, now the school educates around 150 children. Due to extreme poverty, some children are forced to drop out of school or have never attended; the Sunshine School enables these poor families to give their chil-dren education. These children would other-wise be out to work scavenging on rubbish sites, selling chewing gum or lottery tickets on the street for up to 14 hours a day. We share a deep understanding of the impor-tance of education in developing countries, and have teamed up as ‘Arctic Xtreme’ to encourage people to help them raise 50,000 USD (about 180, 000 AED).
What are your preparations for the run? Diarmuid: We will be preparing for the marathon by gradually building the mileage up on a weekly basis. I usually build up the one weekly long run by 10% in distance on a weekly basis and look to do at least six 30km+ runs in the build-up. During the week and especially during the summer I will look to mix up my training with some cross training. Training during the summer here can be challenging with the heat so getting out early in the morning is key before the sun comes up. We have already used the “cold room” in Adventure HQ and the initial feedback is that this will be tough as it was minus 19.6 degrees when we were training which will replicate the task we have ahead of us in October.
Has your training routine differed from that of someone training to run a ‘normal’ marathon? Neil: The training routine will be fairly stand-
TREMEARCTIC
-20˚C
+40̊ C
42 k
ard in terms of distances and times. Getting used to the extreme cold will be the real challenge and alongside this we are advised that the air conditions in Greenland will be extremely dry.
How will your equipment differ from someone running an ordinary marathon? Neil: Layers and lots of them will be the key! At the water stops we can deposit excess clothing as we warm up through the race. Our experience from testing the Adventure HQ Chill Chamber has already shown us that it will be crucial to wear good quality layers, lycra leggings, undergarments etc.
Our running shoes will also need to be equipped with ‘Spiky Plus’ anti-slip soles with carbon steel points that are fitted. A bit
Noble inspiration behind the Arctic Xtreme’s polar run:The Christina Noble Children’s Foundation Diarmuid and Neil will be dedicat-ing their icy quest for glory to the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation (CNCF), headed by of course, Chris-tina Noble herself, the inspirational author of Bridge Across My Sorrows. The book recounts her tumultuous life experiences, and how she got on the path to helping out impoverished kids where she found her happiness and fulfillment.
Christina NobleChildren’s Foundation
GIVE A
GERBUY ABIKE
CNCF INTERNATIONAL
The Christina Noble Children’s Foundation is an international partnership of people dedicated to fulfilling a promise to protect and help underprivileged children and those at-risk of commercial or sexual exploitation.
Our two operational centres in Vietnam and Mongolia provide shelter and protection as well as emergency medical care, rehabilitation, educational opportunities, vocational training and job placements. We also engage in suitable development initiatives that benefit the families and wider communities of the children we support.
To date over 600,000 children and their families have been helped by CNCF’s medical, education and social programmes.
CNCF HONG KONG
Hong Kong is the largest international fundraising office. A dedicated group of 40 volunteers and 2 staff work hard to raise awareness and secure funds - minimising our operating costs and maximising the funds that go directly to our projects.
We are immensely proud of our ‘Noble Circle’ of loyal donors who continue to generously support us financially and with services in-kind. As we continue to grow, we look to new partners and opportunities to secure the sustainability of our projects and the future of the children in our care.
At CNCF we pride ourselves in our level of transparency and accountability to our donors, providing 100% confidence and assurance that donor investments are fully protected and correctly administered.
Imagine walking over 3kms a day to school in pouring rain and scorching sun and in fear for your safety. In Vietnam, bicycles are invaluable as a means of transport, enabling a child to ride to school independently and safely. It ensures more regular attendance, saves on bus fare, and affords parents flexibility to work longer and earn more.
The CNCF Bicycle Support Programme was established in 2004 and is open to all children involved in our projects, in financial difficult and living more than 2kms from school. 79 bikes were distributed in 2011 and this year CNCF is looking to raise funds for 110 bicycles and helmets.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE,BUY A BIKE
Ulaan Baatar is the coldest capital city in the world, with temperatures falling below -40C in winter. For the homeless this can be a death sentence.
Give a Ger is an emergency fund run by CNCF Mongolia. It provides families at-risk of becoming homeless or who are living in dangerous or barely habitable conditions with a home. Since 2001, CNCF has distributed 722 gers with 250 of these from HK donors.
The Gift of a Ger does more than simply remove children from squalid and unhealthy living conditions, it also provides a family with a home of their own, security, and confidence for the future.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE,GIVE A GER
Giving children back their childhoodwww.cncf.org.hk
like having winter tyres on your car as we understand!
Do you have any target time to beat in mind? Diarmuid: The target is to be open-minded and see what the day throws at you because if you start thinking too far ahead and start running out of your target race pace when running marathons it normally catches up on you and can greatly acceler-ate the onslaught of the dreaded wall. As far as times go, I don’t think any personal bests will be achieved on the day, we will leave that goal for one of the faster marathon courses like Dubai.
The CNCF helps kids in Vietnam and Mongolia by way of protecting them from exploitation, and ensuring that they have access to basic care and educational opportunities. The forefront of the CNCF’s programs include: emergency and long-term medical care, nutritional rehabilitation, educational and vocational training and job placement. This is accom-plished within the context of the family and the community whenever possible, and always with love and respect for the dignity of each child as an individual.
For their efforts, the CNCF has received various awards and recogni-tions in recent years, and has gained support from various companies, groups and individuals as well.
As mentioned earlier, Neil and Diarmuid will be joining the CNCF cause by entering into the Polar Circle Marathon, and helping the organiza-tion raise 50,000 USD (180,000 AED) for funding of the Sunshine School situated in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City. You can help Diarmuid and Neil with their noble efforts by sending dona-tions to: www.justgiving.com/arcticx-treme and www.virginmoneygiving.com/arcticxtreme. And you can also follow the latest about the Arctic Xtreme through their Facebook page www.facebook.com/arcticxtreme.
10 OUTDOORUAE
Words + Photos: Angelo Cabrera
Looking for good waves to ride- with the Burj Al Arab towering just right above you? The ‘Wipeout FlowRider’ wave machine at Wild Wadi Water Park in Dubai can do just this as it quenches your thirst for some wipeout action with flowboard-ing.
To heat things up a bit further, the water park hosted the Pepsi Flowboard Cham-pionships 2012 from the 12th to the 14th of July, participants included some of the country’s best surfing studs as they showed off their skills with various boards and styles. Whoever gets the top podium in the bodyboard and the stand-up categories will get the chance to fly to Spain and represent the UAE in the International Flowboarding League of the World (FLOW) Championship in September!
The contenders, who hailed from different countries worldwide, had surely prepared for the tournament having executed tricks and stunts that ended in one of two ways: super cool, or a wicked wipeout.
And it was an entertaining watch as the riders performed trick after trick during their respective turns. A ‘Big Air’ over the curling surge of water? Sure. 360-Back flips? No
sweat. As long as they pulled of their stunts clean and mean, the contestants got cheers of acknowledgement from the spectators for doing a feisty move, or a lively jeer from the crowd as they fumbled and were eaten by the rapid waves.
Professional flowboarders Paolo Falconer and Michael Ostler flew all the way from South Africa to judge the competition. The two had also put up a masterly show of superb tricks during their demo ride along with Wild Wadi’s Clair Reid (operations manager and a gnarly flowrider as ) – they even opened and chugged down a few cans of soda as they rode on the rapid waves!
It wasn’t an easy ride for all riders; most of them were still very much prone to get-ting washed up with spectacular wipeouts on several occasions, though they may have made it look like it was easy as pie.
But in the end, Philippines’ Nathan Alpide kept his winning groove and nabbed the top honors in the stand-up category, whereas Emirati flowboarder Moh’d Ibrahim rode his way to first place in the bodyboard category. The two surf riders received a gift voucher each from O’Neill worth 500 AED as well as a fully-paid trip to Mallorca, Spain for the International FLOW Championships!
Many thanks to Martti Fischle and the Wild Wadi staff, and congratulations to the winners as well!
Flowboarding 101 Flowboarding is a hybrid boardsport that has evolved since the 1980s with input from some of the world’s best alternative athletes: Snowboarding champion Terje Haakonsen, bodyboard inventor Tom Morey, surfing superstar Kelly Slater, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, snowboarding half pipe wizard Shaun White and skimboard master Bill “Beaker” Bryan are all on the frontline of flowboarding evolution. This type of water sport makes use some of the aspects of each
boardsport mentioned above and combines them into one. The sport is performed by riding artificial waves called “sheet waves,” which are produced by the WaveLoch Flow-Rider and the FlowBarrel wave machines. These sheet waves are the brainchild of Wave Loch Inc.’s Tom Lochtefeld.The sport starts by simply getting a feel for the flow, while the best riders are able to perform double back-flips, and strapless superman airs.
Source: www.waveloch.com
PEPSI Flowboard Championships 2012
EVENT REVIEW
11OUTDOORUAE
FEATURED COMPETITION
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Note: Prizes cannot be sent to a P.O.Box and must be collected from the Outdoor UAE Headquarters.
The prize will be available only until the 1st of September 2012. If you do not collect your prize by
then or at least have someone collect it on your behalf, we will have to forfeit it to the next contestant
in line.
From the 1st of July to the 1st of August, Outdoor UAE teamed up with
Pavilion Dive Centre to offer one lucky reader a chance to win a PADI Dive
Master course worth 3,000 AED. All the readers had to do was tell us why
we should choose them.
Each entrant was given an opportunity to submit either 500 words and
images, or a 2-minute video. Out of all the entries, the panel here at
Outdoor UAE selected one overall winner. If this wasn’t enough,
we loved the entries so much that a second place and three
additional runner-ups were also selected from all the submissions!
The Pavilion Dive Centre kindly stepped in and offered the 2nd
place winner a 50% discount on their Dive Master Padi course
purchase. The three additional runner-ups also chosen by the
OutdoorUAE Panel will receive meal kits from Light My Fire.
To see the 5 winning entries; have a look on our facebook group:
www.facebook.com/outdooruae
Congratulations to: 1st Prize: 3,000 AED Dive Master Course Provided by The Pavilion
Dive Centre
Gisela Vargas
2nd Prize: 50% Discount off a PADI Dive Master Course Provided
by The Pavilion Dive Centre
Sophia Howe
Runners Up: A ‘Light My Fire’ meal kit from Outdoor UAE
Nevine Kanj, Carl Sall, Rishi Avala
If you are one of the lucky winners listed above- to claim your prize please email:
I am confident that every Out-doorUAE reader is passionate about some natural aspect of their mother country.
Call me biased, but I feel the views over the English countryside from the South Downs on a clear summer day are hard to beat. Standing atop the grassy chalk hills surrounded by a patchwork quilt of fields woven together by gently meandering rivers, sprinkled with picturesque villages, some going back several hundred years, is truly mesmerizing. Unfortunately, the 14th July 2012 was not a clear summer day in the southern counties of England. Far from it in fact, and certainly not ideal conditions for what is a global epic in terms of team challenges.
‘Trailwalker’ has its origins as a military training exercise initiated by Gurkha regi-ments of the British Army some 30 years ago in Hong Kong. Nowadays, Trailwalker events take place in 13 countries around the world to raise funds in support of Oxfam and The Gurkha Welfare Trust, two worthy charities attempting to ease the lives of those in impoverished communities often ravaged by natural disasters such as flood, famine and earthquake. It involves a team of four adventurous souls completing 100km in less than 30 hours.
Now, I hear you say 100km in 30 hours? Surely that’s not too bad, just 10x 10km or 20x around the Sharjah corniche. Now think of it in terms of being approximately 2.3 marathons, across country along rutted tracks in torrential rain and soul-sucking mud, through day and night, with 2,500m (3x Burj Khalifa’s stacked vertically) of cumu-lative ascent. Not so appealing, eh?!
After receiving a cryptic e-mail from a friend introducing me to Trailwalker UK back in December last year, the seed of a chal-lenge for 2012 took root. I set about forming a team and training up for what would be a test of mind, body and soul. My 20 year old nephew Sean, who joined me in Nepal last year, eagerly accepted as did Tracy (also on last year’s trek) and her friend Tom. We would also be fortunate enough to have two noble volunteers, Chrissie and Nick, as our support crew.
After registration at the start point in Queen Elisabeth Country Park near Peters-field on Friday evening, we loaded up on carbs courtesy of the Gurkha canteen and were treated to music from the Queens Gurkha Signals regimental band. The revelry
FOUR PEOPLE. ONE GOAL. 100KM. 30 HOURS.
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go” - T.S. Elliott
looked set to continue; however, an early night was required – big day tomorrow!
So after months of train-ing, hiking in the Hajar mountains during the cooler months and walk-ing the streets of Sharjah at night more recently due to rising daytime tempera-tures, I stood on the start line with my teammates and the realization that the furthest I had walked in one effort was 35km. How far can I go?
My focus returned quickly as the unmistak-able lament of bag-pipes played by three Gurkhas heralded the start of our adventure. 7 a.m., and we were off, with 9.6km to Check Point 1 (CP1). Our strategy was to keep stops brief and to keep moving, to check feet and change socks regularly. However, the infamous British weather had a different plan in mind. It had rained every day in Britain since mid-May, and this day was to be no exception.
Start – CP2, we made good time and were on target for a 24-hour finish. But as we reached CP2, the heavens opened up and we realized the staging area is already a muddy quagmire. No cover or opportunity
to check our feet or change to dry socks, so we simply refueled and pushed on in the increasingly torrential rain.
CP2 – CP4, because of the inclem-ent conditions, support crews could not get into CP3, so after checking in and a brief rest, we pushed on. But just a kilometer or so before CP4, Tracy became light-headed and was struggling to maintain her balance. The medic at CP4 diagnosed a salt overload in Tracy’s system, an electrolyte imbalance that meant her Trailwalker was over and we had lost about an hour determining Tracy’s condition. We later discovered that several
Words: Geoff Patch
Sean, Tom and Tracy
The Start
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Trailwalker UK 2012
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people experienced the same problem, one actually passing out and requiring hospital care.
CP4 – CP7with CP6 being closed to support crew due to the conditions, our final daylight stop was CP5 where we stocked up on water and energy bars. Approximately 7 hours of walking through the night lay ahead and still the rain kept pouring. We had turned the halfway point and mentally I told myself we were on the home run. However, physically, I knew there was still a long way to go.
CP7 – My low point; with 70km covered, and just 30km to go, we limped through the mud into the check-in area hearing the customary welcoming cheers of support from the Gurkhas and Oxfam helpers. I knew my feet were in bad shape. Goretex gear can only do so much, and upon removing my mud-encased gaiters and boots, two egg-sized blisters were revealed on both heels. Chrissie dressed them as best she could while I tried to get some heavy-caliber pasta inside me. Suddenly, I was overtaken by an uncontrollable shivering as the chill of the night settled in, which only abated
after being encased in a blanket and taking some hot peppermint tea onboard. I was soaked to the bone and a change of socks, boots plus dry T-shirt and shorts provided a psychological boost. However, the first few painful steps told me I would need my walk-ing poles from now on and some painkill-ers. I had not come this far to give up and my resolve to finish was strengthened by a quote from Lance Armstrong as I began to get into my stride… “Pain is temporary. It may last a second, a minute, an hour or a year but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” I kept repeating to myself “pain is temporary, pain is temporary”. At least the rain had stopped, for now.
CP8 - CP9 – this turned out to be the most mentally draining leg. Dawn broke just as we reached CP8 and after refueling, we set off. On a fresh set of legs, the 13.8km and the 264m of ascent that made up this section, which would take no more than 2 hours, was to take us over 5. The rain returned at 7 a.m., quickly cancel-ling the motivating effects of the dawn light that had given fleeting comfort. Sean was now suffering badly. Tom, Nick (who had joined us for moral support) and I did our best to keep Sean motivated and moving but as he retreated into his iPod for mental solace, his pace was reduced to a stutter-
ing step-by-step motion. Tom and I were constantly running the numbers through our minds – time, distance to go, pace. We realized our window for completing the chal-lenge was getting tighter and tighter. Our ambitious target of finishing in 24 hours was now a fantasy and finishing within 30 hours questionable.A myriad of thoughts were going through my mind as we slowly approached CP9 (90km mark). Sean would be desperately disappointed if he did not finish, like me, failure does not rest easily with him. ‘Altruis-tic Geoff’ was telling me to pull out at CP9. Maybe this would help him deal with the disappointment, plus my feet were killing me, but ‘Selfish Geoff’ wanted to finish, or more to the point; I did not want to come back next year to settle unfinished business. I knew Tom was keen to finish and the rules stated that at least two team members must continue at each stage – but what about everyone who had sponsored us? How could I face them, betray their support by pulling up just 10km from the finish line because of a couple of blisters? As we took the last agonizing steps into CP9, Sean now sup-ported either side by Tracy and Chrissie, I was undecided. I headed straight for the medical tent and asked the medic to do what he could with the blisters on my heels, which had now burst, the ‘head’ rubbed away revealing raw, sensitive flesh. To my deranged amuse-ment, new blisters had appeared since CP8 – fantastic! Chrissie came in and advised that Sean had reluctantly pulled out, physically exhausted, mentally drained and recognizing that if he continued we would not complete in less than 30 hours. Decision made.
CP9 – CP10 – CP11 (Finish)
10.00am – just 3 hours left to cover 10km. Normally this would be a ‘walk in the park’, but after 27 hours with little rest, our various injuries and more hills to face, we would need to push hard to beat the 30 hour dead-line. I left my pack with the support crew in order to travel light and fast, and counted on there being water at CP10. Fueled by pain-killers, adrenaline and the realization that one final push would see this thing finished, Tom and I set off, accompanied by Tracy who had recovered sufficiently to walk the last 2 sections with us for moral support.
The final section seemed to go on forever; this was a long 10km! On cresting the final hill, the English Channel came into view with the Brighton race course grandstand finish point just a few kilometers away. Not far now but time was slipping away.
As we walked along the course, parallel to the endless white rail of the racetrack on our left, and passed the welcoming ‘500m to Finish’ sign, the sun finally made an ap-pearance, almost mocking us as if to say, “What was all the fuss about?”. With broad smiles on our faces, and the finish-line just 50m away, the same Gurkha bag-pipers who sent us on our way a lifetime ago burst into life and we were welcomed to rapturous applause from the waiting crowd. Crossing the finish line, the public address system
CP2
CP4
CP8
CP5
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triumphantly announced, “Team ‘Trial by Trail’, 29 hours and 10 minutes, well done!” We had completed the Trailwalker UK 2012 challenge!
The fastest team was Queen’s Gurkha Signals A, who completed the course in 10 hours and 54 minutes (disappointed they had not beaten the course record of 9 hours 50 minutes!). The fastest non-military team finished in 12 hours 15 minutes; two amaz-ing feats of fitness under these conditions. Competitiveness is part of our nature but so is being ‘humankind’. The support and encouragement freely given by the Gurkhas and Oxfam helpers at every CP and along the route was incredible. I met so many people taking this challenge for the sole purpose of doing something for others. The team of (forgive me, ladies!) rather ‘robust’ housewives constantly smiling and cheery, the team of guys all in their 60’s doggedly determined to finish, and every member of ‘Joe Public’ who asked themselves, “I won-der if I can do it?”
Trailwalker is undoubtedly an epic chal-lenge but one that every person with com-mitment and willingness to test themselves can complete. Paraphrasing Dean Karnazes, author of ‘Ultramarathon Man’ (a must-read book for endurance fanatics and anyone seeking inspiration to push themselves further than logic dictates) I covered the first 70km with my legs, the next 20km with my mind and the final 10km with my heart. I entered Trailwalker UK 2012 to help people far worse off than me. I finished it to repay the faith and generosity of family, friends and colleagues, and for Sean who never fails to impress me with his spirit. And finally, I did it for myself, to risk going too far, to find out how far I can go.
Personal Stats (397A, Team ‘Trial by Trail’)
Event Stats (Note – worst conditions on record)
100km covered 1901 starters, 77% finished
29 hours 10 minutes 240 teams finished with all 4 team members
~80,000 steps taken186,081km combined distance (equivalent to ~4.5x around the equator)
~7,500 calories burnt Fastest military team – Queens Gur-kha Signals A, 10 hours 54 minutes
4.5 kg weight loss (sadly replaced after a few solid meals!)
Fastest civilian team – Team Jersey, 12 hours 15 minutes
>3500 GBP (~20,000aed) raised by team
Projected money raised for Oxfam & GWT, >1 million GBP (~6 million AED)
Stato-cornerFor more information about Trailwalker, check out www.oxfam.org.uk/Trailwalker and if feeling inspired by our efforts; our online dona-tions page at www.virgin-moneygiving.com/team/Tri-alByTrail. Thanks in advance!
One final comment, to take this opportunity to thank our support crew, Chrissie and Nick, the Gurkhas and Oxfam helpers, everyone who spon-sored us, and most important-ly my long-suffering wife!
Finish Line
Trailwalker Heels - Ouch!
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Under the patronage ofHis Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers’ Club
www.adihex.com
5 - 8 SEPTEMBER, 2012ABU DHABI NATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE
WEDNESDAY 5TH - SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 2012
Celebrating its10thAnniversary
Supported byOrganised bySponsors
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TURNEFFE ISLAND RESORT:
SALTY TROPHY DREAMS IN BELIZEJust off the coasts of the Belizian mainland, in the Carib-bean Sea, Turneffe Islands and the fishing lodge Turneffe Island Resort is situated – and here, some of the best flats fishing in the world can be found. In the following, Rasmus Ovesen takes you to the waters surrounding Turneffe Island, where fierce bonefish, permit, and tarpon strike and throw themselves into heady and brutal fights.
We’ve been on the ocean - an extensive immensity of flickering azure water – for less than an hour, and already Martin’s reel is screaming hoarsely under the influence of a permit’s agitated escape attempts for greater depths. The powerful fish is struggling to reach the subaqueous shelter of the jagged coral reefs below, and as Martin puts maxi-mum pressure on the fish, the contours of his 10 weight rod depicts a dangerously closed arc against the deep-blue and bottomless sky. During the next fifteen minutes a real dogfight ensues where the two counterparts take turns having the upper hand - and in the merciless tropical heat, the sweat starts trickling down Martin’s forehead, which is in-creasingly furrowed by concern. There is no doubt, however, that the fish is marked by the on-going battle, too. It starts to display signs of weakness, and eventually Martin manages to systematically pull the fish towards the sur-face. Once up along the boat side, the guide firmly grabs the fish’s tail, and a second later we have company in the boat in the form of permit weighing around 25lbs.
It has taken us two exhausting days with transfers in New York and Houston as well as a boat ride from Belize City to get here. But now that we have just landed our first Turn-effe Island permit, all of these hardships are suddenly forgotten. I shoot a series of pic-tures of the muscular fish, which strikes me as something really special with its silvery flanks, lead-grey markings and strong yellow brush-strokes. Afterwards, Martin leans over the boat side with the fish in hand, submerges the fish in the warm water, lets it wrench free and then breaks out in an exhausted smile as the fish disappears into the depths.
The guide is quickly on the search for per-mit again, and I have now taken my place in the front of the boat with the fly rod in a tense iron grip and a mess of loose line at my feet. My vigilant gaze wanders across the distort-ing film of the ocean trying to pierce through to the shadow world below, as the boat zig-
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Words: Rasmus OvesenPhotos: Rasmus Ovesen & Martin Ejler Olsen
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zags forward along the reef’s pronounced depth curve. Suddenly, a massive school of fish materialises like a compelling and ghost-ly mass of gloomy flashes, and a hollowing flush of excitement runs through me. In the same instant, the hoarse growl of the boat engine dies away, and in the sudden acous-tic vacuum, I hear the guide’s agitated voice calling out behind me; ‘11 o’clock, twenty metres, “cast!”
The school is right there along the boat side in about two to three metres of water, but I have understood the guide’s eager orders and obey with mechanical punctuality. The heavy epoxy fly whistles forward through the air prompted by the resolute accelerations of the fly rod, and with a powerful double haul, I cast the fly to an assumed 20 metres. It lands ahead of me with a hollow splash, and a 30-second long eternity follows where the fly simply sinks freely. Meanwhile, the school of fish moves sedately forward with a collision course directly towards the sinking fly. And as
if the voice came from somewhere inside me, I start the lightning quick retrieve just as the guide stammers a quivering ‘strip!’
The fly now struggles onwards and up-wards in the water column at a high speed. When it reaches the boat side, a big permit suddenly turns behind the fly and heads for the deep again - so fast and sudden, that I am completely in shock. I am a trembling mess of nerves as I execute another cast and let the fly sink. This time, I only manage two strips before a massive tug spreads through the line and directly into my soul. The strike is instant and instinctive, and a fraction of a second later the rod is critically bent and line starts flying off the reel at a shocking pace. As if completely contemptuous of the frail mono-filament, I pull against the fish in an attempt to prevent it from reaching the coral reefs further down. The manoeuvre is successful, and a lengthy brawl ensues in the open wa-ter masses. Ten minutes later, I sit in the boat with an incredibly beautiful lead-coloured
permit with big twinkly eyes and leathery skin in my arms - a fish which the guide estimates to be around 25lbs. We have hardly got start-ed and already we have each caught a trophy permit on the fly. We can hardly believe our luck! The guide isn’t set on letting us rest on our laurels, though. He already has the mo-tor in gear ready to take us to the next spot. Now the time has come for the bonefish and tarpon.
In the evening, as we sit in the dining hall at the charming and atmospheric Turneffe Is-land Resort and eat a dinner worthy of royalty, we can look back on a hectic and exciting day of fishing. Everything has happened really quickly, but as the evening progresses, our experiences slowly settle. We have stealth-fished for bonefish in knee-high water on the immense flats, observed terrifyingly big barracudas hunt destitute schools of prey, caught an enormous sting ray on the fly, and cast a rolling tarpon in the mangrove tidal channels. We couldn’t have asked for more, and this is just the start. Ahead of us, we have five days of intense fishing, and even though the weather ends up radically impacting on where we can fish, lots of exciting experi-ences await us.
The darkness thickens and a hoarse whis-per can be heard in the palm trees as we walk along the beach back to our incredibly cosy cabana. Tomorrow’s fishing will take place mainly on the inside of the protective coral reefs, but we have no clue about this yet. We are busy getting into bed and falling asleep, because the guide will be waiting for us in the marina at eight o’clock in the morning - ready to fire up the engine and take us out on new fishing adventures.
Our second day of fishing arrives, and we now learn the true extent of how challenging flats fishing can be. The winds have picked up during the night, but there is still relatively calm water to be found on the inside of the porous coral reefs, that demarcate the flats and the now roaring ocean. In the forthcom-ing days, we find massive schools of bone-fish here - schools consisting of more than a hundred fish, and we now fully concentrate on catching a few weighty individuals. The bonefish, however, aren’t gullible or rash, and it isn’t until later that we understand that only the right combination of cold-blooded and correct fishing strategy, lively flies, and caution will lead to results. The first couple of times that we find ourselves in the middle of the massive schools of nervous fish we are nowhere near cold-blooded enough, how-ever, along the way we find the necessary composure and stoicism. On the best days, we each land and release a good handful of fish in very shallow water - fish that deliver lightning quick and panicky runs across the rugged corals. Needless to say, we only land a modest percentage of the fish, but each of them is something really special. With their chrome and compact frames, their contrasted scales, discrete charcoal flank stripes and big, expressive eyes these charming speed racers are completely irresistible.
One fish on the flats, however, is faster than the bonefish - and that’s the barracu-da. It quite simply has to be faster than the bonefish, because it has a propensity for the
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taste of bonefish meat. Every day, we see big, ominous shadows of barracudas patrol-ling near the schools of bonefish, and every now and then we experience frenetic terror attacks where bewildered bonefish are cut in half in violent explosions of water, sea foam and blood. (Thinking about it, is seems pretty evident why the bonefish is a fairly nervous being).
We soon discover that just like the bone-fish, the barracuda has a sharp eye and a sceptical mind. We have brought along both big streamers and wire traces, but the barra-cudas don’t throw themselves haphazardly at our flies. Only the most convincing flies are capable of fixing the barracuda’s gaze, and only the speediest retrieve will trigger a take. We manage to hook several of these flats terrorists, and especially one of them, a fe-rocious 20lb+ fish, has etched itself onto my memory. Just like a ghost, it appears out of nowhere in the wake of a school of bonefish, and it takes the big pulsating streamer with the greatest self-confidence and superiority right before my feet. I strike the fish hard, the fish is hooked and all of a sudden all anchor-age of time disappears and crumbles away inside me. In a matter of what feels like a split second, the startled fish has jumped a metre high out of the water three times, and soon after the fly line disappears followed by the majority of the backing. When the fly reel’s tormented snarl finally comes to an end, the fish is more than a hundred metres away, and I can now begin the laborious work of pur-suing the fish and make up for lost ground. Fifteen minutes later, when I sit there on the flat with the huge, streamlined barracuda in my arms, a surge of euphoria and infatua-tion rushes through me, and for some time I have completely forgotten both bonefish and permit. For the remainder of the day, I leave the light bonefish equipment in the boat, and stalk more of these bestial assassins.
We still have unfinished business with Be-lize’s most prominent game fish, however -
the elusive tarpon. This will be the focal point during the coming days of fishing.
The Mangrove Tidal Tunnels is our primary hunting preserve for the last couple of days, and we fully commit ourselves to catching one of the staunch silver kings that hold in these waters. Especially at high tides, the tarpon surge through these lush, deep, tidal channels and even though the season is a bit premature, we see several fish hunting here. Landing one of them proves difficult, howev-er, not least because we have severe difficul-ties getting used to the radical shift in strike technique which is required to hook one of these bony-mouthed fish. Nonetheless, we manage to hook up with a decent handful of fish, that reply with metre-high jumps and ir-resistibly powerful runs that expose the back-ing in a matter of split seconds.
One of these tarpon takes the fly resolutely as I fish it cross current close to the edge of the mangrove. I set the hook with a couple of powerful tugs on the line, and in that same instant a silvery fish of about 90lbs erupts in an elegant metre-high jump and shreds the silence as it plunges into the water again with a deafening splash. The fight is on, and dur-ing the next 10 minutes, I put maximum pres-sure on the gear. The fish is strong as hell but not invincible, and in the end I have brought the muscular fish up along the boat side, and the guide grabs a hold of the leader with the fish in reach. The triumph seems within range, but suddenly this crucial moment turns into a nightmare. The fish wrenches free of the guide’s eager grip, my rod suddenly flexes to the cork and a loud snap follows as the rod breaks in two just above the handle. The fish mobilises its last reserves of power and push-es deeper into the water with great force. The harm is done, and even though I manage to bring the fish to the boat once more with the now hopelessly amputated fly rod, the battle concludes with the big fish casting off the fly. And that is as close as we get with the tarpon!
All must come to an end, and after five days of intense fishing, it is time to rinse off the salt-stained gear one last time and pack up. Meanwhile, we can look back at a trip with lots of intense fights, exciting stealth fishing for bonefish, big red snappers, garfish, jacks,
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rainbow runners, barracudas, a supplemen-tary permit, and more than a handful of wast-ed chances of landing a tarpon. The sea has been rough the last couple of days, but at the same time it has been generous with its abun-dant riches. We have seen playful dolphins, curious sea turtles, nurse sharks on the prowl, mill wheel-sized rays, and not least grassing manatees. The fishing has been world class, but as we head out of the Turneffe Island Resort marina bound for Belize City we have been blessed with much more than just the fishing. We have been enriched with a grand overall experience - one of those experiences where the fishing, the nature, the company, the service, and the settings amount to some-thing greater than the value of the individual components.
FACTS ABOUT TURNEFFE ISLAND RESORT: Turneffe Island Resort is a Belizian luxury lodge situated on its own little idyllic island in the Southern part of the greater complex of coral and mangrove islands called Turn-effe Islands. The island houses around 30 guests who are housed in beachside apart-ments and cabanas. Aside from the housing facilities, the lodge consists of a main build-ing with a cosy dining hall, an outdoor pool area with its own terrace and bar, as well as a marina.
The setting, service and the food is fantastic, with a relaxed and open-hearted atmosphere. About two-thirds of the visitors on the island are there to dive and snorkel on some of the exceptionally beautiful and fascinating diving sites in the area. The rest are typically there to fish, and they are in good hands. A total of eight passionate and highly professional guides work at the lodge, and they know every single flat, every mangrove tidal current, and every reef in the overwhelmingly big and geographically chaotic island-complex as if it was the back
of their laborious hands. Between them, they have around 200 years of experience guid-ing, and most of them have been born and raised on Turneffe Islands, which has given them an enormously shrewd understanding and appreciation of the whole ecosystem.
Typically, you’ll leave for the flats at eight o’clock in the morning right after break-fast. You’ll then fish until five o’clock in the afternoon both wading and from the cool and practical boats. This means that you have about nine hours of flats and open water fishing every day, and this is more than enough to try out different spots and different fish. One week’s worth of guided fishing including housing at the resort, costs 2,550 US Dollars in the high season, and it includes delicious lunch packages and cool drinks, so that all you need to worry about is catching that highly-prized trophy fish. As a supplement, you can book some night fishing, which is a great idea if you want to target tarpon as to a large extent, they are night-active.
The season stretches across the whole year, since permit, bonefish, and barra-cuda can be found on and near the flats year around. However, if you want to go full-hearted for a grand slam, or if you are a sucker for tarpon, the period from mid-May until the end of September is the optimal time to visit the lodge. The average size of the fish is impressive, and every year 200lb+ fish are caught.
For more info, check out www.turnef-feresort.com. Here you can find up-to-date prices for housing and guiding and book your own trip.
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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Words + Photos: Colin Handy
As with all motorbike adven-ture trips, the excitement starts long before the actual trip. The planning that goes into packing for such trips would put some military operations to shame (Especially for me when it comes to my camera equipment!).
But the bags were packed in good time and within the airline’s weight restrictions, which is not an easy task when motorcycle equipment and camera equipment are involved in the same luggage! All I had to do now was wait for the departure day!
The last few days passed quickly and departure day was here soon enough.
Personnel travelling from Abu Dhabi made it to Dubai in good time and we were on our way to Delhi. The plan was we would have a few days in Delhi before meeting up with the rest of the guys and heading north to pick up our motorbikes for the adventure.
The few days spent in Delhi were not wasted. A fascinating cultural experience to say the least! What an amazing city. It was such a busy place, with an array of differ-ent people, vehicles, sights and sounds; it looked like a living definition of organized chaos! We had also previously decided that being this close to Agra and one of the won-ders of the world, it would be a crime not to go and visit the Taj Mahal. With only five
hours travel with just two hours to get there, and five hours return- worth it? In a word, yes! The Taj Mahal itself is indeed an engineering master-piece, it meant different things to different peo-ple, but in the end, had we not gone to see it, we would have regretted it for sure. I, for one, was glad to have made the trip to see it in its entire splendor. (Arriving at 05:30 certainly helps you enjoy it more!)
Our time in Delhi drew to a close and it
was time to get on the train and head north to Chandigarh, North India, where we would begin our Himalayan Moto Adventure.
We arrived in Chandigarh and went straight to our lovely hotel for the traditional ‘meet and greet’ with the rest of the adven-turers who would be joining us for the trip. The night was a great start to the adventure with some traditional Indian food, lots of conversations about our various biking back-grounds before Nelson (The organizer of the trip, details at the end) told us all it was time to go and pick our bikes, already prepared and fully fueled for the morning!
Now for those of you who ride, this will need no explanation. But for those of you who don’t, I feel I have to elaborate a little. When you ride a motorbike, you become a part of it, you put your trust in it, and you complete it! For the next two weeks this machine is going to take you to places few have ever been. For all of us, the bike is the adventure! So the selection of your bike is a key moment in the whole experience; once you have the keys in your hand, the adven-ture clock has begun.
I could continue and list the days of the trip chronologically with nice route guides and mileages done, etc. But this would be far too a clinical approach and would not do any justice to the adventure as a whole. (And probably take up half of this publication!) So, I shall do my best to summarize the 14 days from start to finish in a manner that I hope could explain the feeling of undertaking
Riding the mountain
The Icon that is The Taj Mahal
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such a trip of a lifetime.We set off through the busy traffic of
Chandigarh, keen to get out of the town and onto the less busy roads, ‘the road less travelled’. It didn’t take long! Soon we were amongst the greenery and non-tarmacked roads we had longed for. They did not disap-point. In fact, throughout the whole trip, every corner was a photographic opportuni-ty: the scenery was already epic and this was only the beginning, (I stopped counting how many times my breath was taken away from me on Day 2!)And I’m not talking about the altitude, (though I will, just for a moment). We were to ride on the highest motorable road in the world, over 18,000ft AMSL
(Above Mean Sea Level) This kind of height cannot be tackled in just one day.
Nelson prides himself with an impecca-ble safety record for his tours and as such, each day of the trip is designed to get you accustomed and acclimatized to the altitude. Every day we climb a little, and then descend to a hotel or campsite for the even-ing before repeating the same routine next day, staying a little higher each day than the last. And every night, like a doting parent, Nelson would gather the riders together and issue an altitude medicine tablet, and ensure each one is taken properly. It was this kind of regard for detail that ensured the safety of each and every one of us.
Anyway, back to the ride. As we contin-
ued towards the Himalayas, the terrain did become more challenging. We encountered rivers, sand, gravel, broken tarmac, occa-sional potholes, snow, ice and a combination of each and every one of the above. Rest assured we were on an adventure; it’s what we wanted to do, and do it we all did, well, nearly all of us. You couldn’t expect every-one to make it upright throughout the whole trip; the law of averages say that someone is going to fall off and indeed, there were one or two spills! Thankfully, nothing too serious, but some riders took to the support vehicle for the remainder of the trip. I myself did enjoy a little airborne time on the Royal Enfield, no mean feat I assure you! But it was my own fault that I had become complacent
The adventurers
A few days in Bike Repair Shop, Indian Style
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and got no less than I had deserved! No injuries other than to my pride (And a good wake up call to boot!) The Royal Enfield? Not so much as a scratch! She started on the first attempt and carried on as if nothing had happened.
Again, the law of averages states there will be breakdowns, and there were. But nothing stopped any of us reaching the goal for each particular day. If your bike stopped working, you waited for the last rider, the safety sweeper (Nelson) and he would check you and the bike, give you his bike and then would wait for the support truck and mechanics to do the necessary repairs be-fore catching up on us again. The next stop would never be too far away; a cup of tea, or “Chai”, is a very welcome beverage when you’re riding. At that point your original bike
would be returned to you and you carried on. The breaks were plentiful, always a hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.
Each of us could stop whenever we wished for a break, or in my case, a photo opportunity! And stop I did.
As we rode deep into the Himalayas, the roads were all but busy; a few trucks, an oc-casional bus and a few taxi drivers taking the less adventurous souls to the highest road in the world were all we had for company. I had to refrain from stopping around every cor-ner; after all, I did want to reach the top! But rest assured, you will never see scenery quite like it. From flat open plains to tight twisty roads with sheer drops just inches from the side of the road; from lush green valleys to tarmac so smooth it was as if it was brand new. With glacier-like ice with lakes so blue
and clear – they were simply awe-inspiring.Of particular note was the Spiti Valley.
Jaw-dropping scenery with some of the most amazing roads on the planet. One particular stretch of road was just never ending hairpins, climbing up the side of a mountain towards our lunch destination. I think I must have stopped more than a dozen times to take pictures; Nelson, the last rider as always, was more than happy with my stops. He always caught up with me and completely enthusiastic that I was continu-ously stopping for photo opportunities. His aim was that we all enjoyed the adventure, absorbing the scenery, and soaking up the atmosphere. At no point was there ever any rush to the next stop. A refreshing outlook to have, and highly recommended.
The people we met along the way were amazing too; always a friendly smile and a wave greeted us as we went by. Children rushed to see us and waved like mad and some even dared to get close enough for a few high-fives as we went past. (I always obliged by sticking my hand out, and slow-ing down of course!)
Throughout the days leading up to the highest point, there was never a dull mo-ment, a cliché, yes, but so true of this whole adventure. Before we tackled the final climb, we were in a town called Leh, and we had a welcome rest day from riding. We explored the town, monasteries and browsed the local markets before an early night for the big day ahead.
By no means the final, but the most meaningful of days was the ride to the highest road, Khardungla- 18,380ft AMSL. This stretch of road was wonderful; rocky, smooth, river crossings, icy, bumpy, steep, and twisty, to name a few of the terrains en-countered. Soon we stopped climbing and crested on top of the pass.
We did it. The highest motorable road in the world, Khardungla.
We all stopped to take it in, hugs, shake hands, and took pictures. We knew we had
Bikes again, tea stop! My bike
Epic scenery Some of our adventurers
A nice road
achieved something quite special and not only that, but we had done it on motorbikes! The Royal Enfield is probably one of the best bikes, and only one of the few in the entire world that could have done it so effort-lessly. Indian built, British design – a great combination.
Our time to go came and instead of returning the way we came, we continued onwards (but downwards!) to our campsite for the night. We all slept well that evening,
safe in the knowledge that tomorrow, we get to ride to Khardungla again! It was a real bonus, and what great planning, we not only reached the highest road in the world, but we did it twice! (Now how many adventures do you know that do that!?)
If you ride a motorbike, it’s simple – You Have to Do This Trip! (If you don’t ride, I’d strongly recommend taking your test!) You won’t regret it.
For details on the Himalayan Moto Adven-ture, please contact – www.vistaadventures.comWords and Photographs by Colin Handy (For more photos, please visit - www.snappuccino.smugmug.com
Khardungla, the goal achieved We did it!
24 OUTDOORUAE
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
Adventure PhotographyDestination: Nepal!
When planning my latest trip to Nepal, I realised that this would be the fourteenth time to my favourite destination on Earth. I was quite shocked that I had been so many times, but was still full of excitement and anticipation; not only because I was going to meet up with some old friends I hadn’t seen in a while, but because I was going for an altogether different reason than my previous visits – this time, professional photog-raphy was on the agenda.
On this trip, I teamed up with one of the UAE’s best photographers – Leo Edwards, of Leo Edwards Photography. Initially an unlike-ly partnership to some, we quickly realised we had a common passion for the beauty of the Himalaya. I love to climb it while Leo loves to capture it. In many ways I was very jealous of Leo’s skills. His ability to create timeless memories of the world could only be matched by my “shoot from the hip” ap-proach to documenting my treks and climbs. Needless to say my photographic evidence didn’t inspire Leo with much confidence for our adventure.
To my surprise, Leo still agreed to join me despite my best efforts to put him off with the photographs I showed him from my previous trips. From the first moment of our whirlwind, four-day trip, Leo was surrounded by inspiration. Without even wanting to check-in to our hotel, we met my business partner in Kathmandu, Nima Lama, who whisked us off to Pashupatinath – One of the world’s most important Hindu Shrines, celebrating Lord Shiva. This was a bit of an eye-opener for the Nepal first-timers on our trip, as nowhere else in Kathmandu is the culture shock more stark. Pashupatinath is an incredible explosion of Hinduism where we were met by Sadhus - wandering holy men who live off alms and perform extreme acts of self-denial to improve their spiritual well being. In exchange for donations, we were able to get some incredible shots of them living in the grounds of this holy shrine.
After several hours wandering in Pashu-patinath, we broke for lunch before heading somewhere altogether different. Boudhanath is one of the world’s largest Buddhist stupas, and the spiritual centre of Nepal’s Buddhist Tibetan population. The site offers a Zen-like
experience to tourists and pilgrims alike, and it is common to see the pilgrims circling the stupa (clockwise, as is customary) on their hands and knees, in order to make the journey harder for themselves, and therefore
more rewarding. As twilight fell on our first night, we managed to get beautiful photo-graphs of the stupa itself, as well as Tibetan street sellers and pilgrims taking it all in at one of their most important sites. We were
Words: Matt Farr Photos: Leo Edwards
25OUTDOORUAE
greeted with open arms by the monks of the surrounding monastery and it felt good to be back amongst familiar faces.
Day two saw an early rise and a short trip to the domestic air terminal, where we would get to fly on one of my favourite routes – along the spine of the Himalaya in a Jetstream 41 – for those of you who are not plane savvy, that’s a tiny plane with a couple of propellers attached. Unfortunately, being the monsoon, the mountains were com-pletely hidden behind cloud, but the journey was fun nonetheless, with the cabin crew preparing the usual coke in a plastic cup and earplugs to drown out the noise of the turbo props. My excitement always grows as I approach Pokhara, as I see the place as the Chamonix of the Himalaya, perhaps only lacking the five-star spas and the odd Ferrari or two. Pokhara is Nepal’s second city, and you’ll be able to start some of the world’s most amazing treks from here, as well as go paragliding, zip lining (plummeting off a mountain attached to some wire cable – not as dangerous as it sounds!) and whitewater rafting.
But we weren’t here for that, this time. Leo was keen to see a more rural side of the country and none of us were disappointed. As if by magic, within two hours of arriv-ing in this great place, the clouds parted and we were treated to a stunning view
of Machapuchare, or Fishtail Mountain in English.
Machapuchare is one of Nepal’s sacred mountains. At 6,997m it is not the highest, but it stands alone, thrusting straight out of the foothills in majestic splendor. It’s no sur-prise that the Nepali people revere it. It has been attempted in the past, but no one has ever managed to summit, and these days it is completely off-limits to any alpinists.
Pokhara seemed to be the city that kept on giving, because on our way back to our hotel, we were driving past wave after wave of rice fields, and as July is prime planting season, the farmers were out in force. Not to miss an opportunity, I asked Nima if he could ask some of the farmers if they would mind being photographed (no photos on our trip were taken without express permis-sion of those involved) and after facing no resistance, we lugged our equipment over the mud walls separating field from field to capture the incredibly hard work the farmers engage in day after day.
We spent our third day trekking and get-ting great shots and footage of the many paragliders on Sarangkot, a beautiful look-out point to see the wonderful Annapurna Panorama. The monsoon kept us guessing though, allowing us brief glimpses of the mountains. The rest of the day was spent driving back to Kathmandu from Pokhara
on one of Nepal’s “highways.” This highway consisted of a two-way road winding through the Himalayan foothills, tracing the mighty Trisuli River, a major whitewater rafting destination.
Matt Farrwww.mountainquests.com
Photos by Leo Edwards: www.leoedwardsphotography.com
26 OUTDOORUAE
Badwater 2012Race Report PART 1 by Cath Todd - Dubai-based, 2XU-sponsored athlete.
Badwater Ultramara-thon: is acclaimed as ‘the toughest foot race on earth.’ Af-ter running it, I would definitely agree. It was the hardest race of my life, the most gruelling and the only time in my life that I actually got a glimpse of what hell would be like. And it wasn’t pretty.
The Badwater ultramarathon is a single-stage 135 mile (217km) road race through Death Valley, California, which starts at the lowest point in the USA, 282 feet below sea level, to the finish at Mt.Whitney Portals which is up Mt. Whitney at 8,360 feet above sea level. The original series of the Badwater 135, which was first held in 1977, had run-ners go all the way to the top of Mt Whitney, which ends up off-road and a very steep climb to get to the top. However, it was adjusted to go to Mt. Whitney Portals which is on road and a good place to finish (I could not imagine the rest of the climb to the top of Mt. Whitney and am in awe of those who had in the early years of the race achieved this feat).
To qualify in applying for Badwater, you must finish at least three 100 mile, single-stage running races, or the Brazil 135-mile race. Other races such as adventure-racing, iron man races and other ultramarathons also help your application. Of those that ap-ply, 45 runners that have never run Badwater before are selected, as well as 45 veterans (those that have run it previously). Another 10 runners are selected at the discretion of the Race Director. U.S. citizens and inter-national runners can apply, but from the pool of applicants, 100 ‘lucky’ persons are chosen.
Death Valley, California, 15th July 2012: we arrived at the race registration in Death Valley the day before the start of the Badwater race. My crew consisted of three friends: Molly Sheridan and John Vigil, both
100+mile runners from Las Vegas, and Darryl Chiles, a 100-mile runner from the UAE. Molly had run Badwater previously and John had crewed 3 times before. It was Darryl’s and my first Badwater experience. The regis-tration took only about 30 minutes, but you could feel the excitement from the runners and crew, and you could also feel the heat. It was a ‘cool’ year, with temperatures below 120F (48C), but it was a different type of heat than what I was used to in Dubai.
I had trained out in the heat in Dubai, running in 40C+ temperatures to get ac-climated to hot weather and although it was very tough, I didn’t mind it, and I felt ready to race in the heat. But the heat in Death Valley was intense. It was a searing heat, one that pierced the skin. As I would discover the next day, it was like someone was burning your skin with a laser with no reprieve.
We lined up for the race registration and some friends from previous races were also there. Ray Sanchez was there for another Badwater run. Mario, the race director from the Brazil 135, was there to crew, with a warm welcome and smile from ear to ear. Chris Kostman, the Badwater race director, was there to welcome each runner to the race. Molly, Darryl and I bought a white, long-sleeved Badwater shirt at the registra-
tion, as these would come in very handy for the race. After a group photo by the pool and a team photo with Dean Karnazes, we headed to the only open restaurant for lunch in our hotel at Furnace Creek Ranch, which was buzzing with runners. I had some time away from the crowd as I started to get a little more nervous leading into the race. When we got to our room to unpack, I dis-covered I had left all my medical kit at home in Dubai. Thankfully, Molly and Darryl had some spare kits, which were the essentials that I would need. We spent the afternoon securing the race magnets onto the car, get-ting the supplies sorted and having a bit of rest in the room. We had a good solid dinner and got an early night’s rest.
We woke relatively early at around 6 a.m., and were able to get ready for the race start with relative leisure since we were in the third and final wave of runners at 10 a.m. The first wave started at 6 a.m., and the sec-ond followed at 8 a.m. We headed over to have breakfast and then went across in our team van to the race start. I was very nervous leading into the start. I still had the remnants of a cold I had been trying to shake for two weeks before Badwater, and I could still feel it in my blocked ears and throat. I had only done light exercise in those two weeks in an attempt to shake the cold, but unluckily, it had lingered and was still there for the start. As we drove to the race start, we passed those 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. start group runners. Everyone was well covered in white and at the time I could not understand why people would cover up, thinking it would be better to wear less clothes – cooler. I soon found out why this was so. The sun was just too intense.
At the start, I spoke with Ashley Walsh who blogs on UltraChicksUnite. I chatted with some Florida-based runners, including Chris Roman. I met Mario again, and all 10 a.m. runners then had a group photo.
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
27OUTDOORUAE
We were each weighed before the start. So, with ten minutes until the start time, we all formed a line across the asphalt and waited for Chris Kostman to announce the start of Badwater 2012. With a click of the ‘start’ on the Garmin, I was off – running on that white line.
It was a fast start for a run of that distance; with most of the top runners in that start group, thepace was very quick. The first leg of the race from Badwater’s starting line to Furnace Creek (where we had stayed the night before) felt quick and okay, although it was hard to breathe. Each breath was coming through a sheet of phlegm (yuck, I know) at the back of my throat. The heat made it worse. I was running the first section faster than planned, but it was a struggle to breathe. I could only stomach sweet drinks and sweet food. I was taking on a lot of aqualyte (and continued to do this all of the race, although it became more and more watered down as the race progressed), as well as juices and fruit (watermelon and pineapple were awesome). My crew were great and stopped frequently as they were
passing me fresh bottles of aqualyte, dows-ing me with water, handing me fruit and a selection of juices.
After the first 10km, Molly suggested I put on my long-sleeved white shirt as I was getting too muchsun exposure and she was right. Long sleeves were the best option. Getting dowsed constantly with water was essential. Other runners had crews with sprayers and although John had suggested this, I had not thought it necessary until I started to run. In hindsight, long, thin white pants, a long, shaded hat, and a sprayer would have helped.
From the start of the race until Stovepipe Wells, which was around 42 miles (c. 60km), I struggled and did not feel good. The breath-ing problem was the worst of it and I never felt comfortable during this section. The in-tensity of the sun and the heat was also hard to take. Starting at 10 a.m. was not a nice or easy introduction to the heat of the day. The 8 a.m. start would have been better. However, I still made reasonable time within this section, but it was a struggle.
A lot of runners and/or crew stopped to refuel, etc. in Stovepipe Wells, and it was just before this aid station that we started passing runners from earlier waves. After Stovepipe Wells, I got a blister and quickly pierced and covered it. After a short time running on it, it was okay. As the evening set in and as I progressed up the hill, I started feeling nauseous. A strong head wind set in and my stomach felt bloated and unwell. During this night section for the first time in my life, I went across to my crew vehicle and said I felt sick and needed to sit down, and immediately started projectile vomiting…three times. Everything came up and I was in tears. I felt unwell and had never thrown up on a race before so it came as a big shock. I didn’t know how I would keep going and felt faint and tired, as well as shaky. I couldn’t take anything in except sweet things and this had made my stomach go awry. Molly sug-gested I take on a shake and John agreed.
They gave me an Isagenix shake made from a packet with water added; it was like a meal in a drink. It was the only thing I could digest and it helped give me sustenance and get me back on the road. I was back walking up that long, long hill with that strong head wind for about an hour, then I grabbed Darryl’s arm and started throwing up again. I had to take time-out again to sit down and ended up lying down in the van. I was also cold and shaking then so my crew covered me in jackets/towels/sleeping bags. I felt like I couldn’t go on and was weak. After about 20 minutes, my crew were trying to give me different things to eat for some energy. After a bit of food and alternating between the shake and diluted aqualyte, I was back on the road, chugging on to the top. During the time I was lying in the van, apparently no runners passed: it seemed like everyone was taking a time-out.
After what seemed like an eternity and being very sick of the wind, we finally made it to the top. By then Darryl was making the best snack (something that I could chew and digest – all other salt-based foods I just couldn’t chew or swallow, it was too dry). He was making avocado on Doritos/crisps. I was back to running after the top of the hill, after Towne’s Pass, and felt much better as I had regained energy, running down the hill towards Panamint Valley. This part was deceptive because you could see the aid station, but it was a long, long way away. My crew kept stopping and handing me fluids/avocado-delights as I passed and very often, so for them it was tough as they were not resting. They were doing a great job of keeping me going. The distances were very twisted in my mind. Whilst my crew were saying one distance, I was adamant it was a different one. After a long, long downhill run, we finally ended up in Panamint Valley, where we began another uphill. Darryl paced me for a while here during which Molly and John refuelled the car and got some sup-plies. To our delight, they had bought soup and to Molly’s disappointment she had got herself an ice cream that was off.
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT MONTH!
28 OUTDOORUAE
FUJIFILM INTRODUCES THE TOUGH AND SOCIAL NETWORK FRIENDLY FINEPIX XP170 TO THE UAEFeatures Include Shooting at 10 Meters Underwater and Below Freezing Point Weather Conditions
Fujifilm announced the launch of the FinePix XP170 - the latest edition to the tough XP series. The FinePix XP170 offers ex-treme photo taking capabilities, whilst enabling high quality images to be shared on social media platforms on the spot.
The FinePix XP170 has the Wireless Im-age Transfer function which means you can connect to AndroidTM smartphone/tablet or iPhoneTM/iPadTM with the camera and upload high-quality images to social networking sites as soon as a picture is taken. The amaz-ing picture quality of the camera means that friends, family and followers can see exactly what you’ve been shooting.
Keitaro So, General Manager, Fujifilm Electronics Imaging Division, MENA said, "We have noticed that adventurous people who indulge in outdoor activities love photographing their experience. The FinePix XP170 is perfect for them as it can sustain different climates and conditions and allows for easy sharing of photographs on social media networks.”
He added, "Image quality of the FinePix XP170 has also improved as we believe the essence of a good image is clearly captur-ing unique experiences. We are sure to get a positive response from not only adventure sports enthusiasts, but families as well due to the durability of this camera."
Tough design for the great outdoors The solid build, rubberized coating and riveted metal handgrip make this the tough-est FinePix yet. Underwater photographers can dive twice as deep with a FinePix XP170, compared to the FinePix XP50, which means they can keep shooting to depths of 10m. Walkers, bikers and extreme sports enthusi-asts will be assured that the FinePix XP170 can survive the drops and knocks. If you like to take pictures of skiing, snowboarding or any other sub-zero activities, the FinePix XP170 will keep functioning all the way down to –10°C. Plus the camera is dust and sand proof, meaning you can take pictures at your favorite beach or when tackling the great outdoor wilderness, you don’t have to worry about the sand clogging up the camera.
What’s more, the Fujinon 5x wide optical zoom lens comes with a water repellent coating to prevent water droplets spoiling your shots and even the battery/memory cover comes with “Double Lock” for ulti-mate protection from the elements.
Share the experience with easy image transfer to social media networks
With the FinePix XP170, fast image upload to social networking sites no longer means low quality pictures. The camera can be connected with any AndroidTM smartphone/tablet or iPhoneTM/iPadTM via the simple download of the “FUJIFILM Photo Receiver” free app to their device, which includes easy to follow instructions to get them quickly connected.
To start uploading, users simple push one button and the images can be transferred to AndroidTM smartphone/tablet or iPhoneTM/iPadTM ready for uploading to social network-ing sites.
Great pictures made easy The FinePix XP170 isn’t just simply built to take the most extremes of what life can throw at it. The FinePix XP170 is a high qual-ity picture-taking machine that is designed to deliver superb results time after time.
That process starts before you’ve even pressed the shutter release, with improved start up and focusing times over previous FinePix XP models ensuring that you’ll never miss a shot. The 2.7-inch LCD is also now brighter than previous models and has an anti-reflection coating that makes it easy to compose images, even when you’re in bright sunshine on the beach.
Available in two colors: orange and blue. Fujifilm FinePix XP170: key features
lent to a 35mm camera) with water repellent coating
• Waterproof to 10m• Shockproof to 2m• Freezeproof to –10°C• Dust/sandproof• Wireless Image Transfer (For any
AndroidTM smartphone/tablet or iPho-neTM/iPadTM)
• Full HD movie capture and underwa-ter movie mode
• High speed movie ― 80/160/240 fps• Continuous shooting ― max 12 frames
(3/5/10 fps)• Improved 2.7-inch LCD with anti-
reflection coating• Double Look for the battery chamber
cover.
29OUTDOORUAE
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30 OUTDOORUAE
PRODUCTSA round-up of quality products available right here in the UAE
BURTON LIL BUDDY 350AED
Available at: Burton shop in Dubai Mall . Tel: 04-434-0675
It is a Stereo. It is a Cooler. In other words it is awesome. This buddy can load up a 12 pack and it also comes with speakers and extra pockets for
your stuff on the beach or camping or on the street.
MAUI JIM-SUGAR BEACH 732AED Available at: Adventure HQ,Staduim, Studio R and all leading opti-cal stores Ultra Lightweight Fameless technology, tough nylon temples with patented Color boosting Polarized Plus 2 Polycarbonate lenses.Maui Jim Eyewear has 100% UV protection and reduces glare by 99.9%.
SARIS BONES THREE BIKE RACK 729AED
Available at: Adventure HQ
The Bones trunk racks have an adjustable arch based design that fits on the back of most cars including those with spoilers. Built in Madison
Wisconsin in the USA it’s a tested statement of style, design, convenience and durability. It is constructed of 100% recyclable plastic making it the
strongest most environmentally friendly rack on the market. The injection molded legs will never rust and can support three bikes with ease, sepa-
rating them at different levels so they won’t rub or touch during transport. With ratchet straps, vinyl coated hooks and articulated rubber feet it is
easy to install and ensures nothing gets damaged during transport.
Also available in a 2 Bike Version (629 AED) and an RS Premium Version (1299 AED)
NOLAN N104 HELMET 1480AED
Available at: Al Yousuf Motors Showrooms
The all new N104 is, indeed, the helmet
designed by the most demanding motorcyclists for the most careful ones. It was designed,
developed, tested and engineered by a team of specialists who are passionate motorcyclists,
before being engineers, designers or techni-cians.
REDUCED FROM 1850AED
SHERPA ADVENTURE GEAR - KARNA POLO SHIRT 145AED
Available at: Adventure HQ, Times Square
There are plenty of reasons to love this shirt. The classic button placket along with the wick-
ing, stretch fabric not only looks good, it performs. Moisture wicking and breathable, this stretch fabric polo with stands sweat and summer showers to take you anywhere you want to
go in style. Fabric is breathable, soft, absorbent and stretchy. Set in sleeve design to avoid chafing when carrying a pack. Fabric: 67% Cotton, 31% polyester, 2% Lycra. Available in a
large pallet of colors, 5 colors for ladies and 4 colors for men.
GOPRO DIVE HOUSING 240AED* Available at: Al Boom Marine, Beyond the Beach Stores, Rip Curl Stores, Adventure HQ, GoSport and other stores *Might currently be out of stock until mid of August in some stores Maximum Sharpness Underwater. The Dive Hous-ing’s flat glass lens allows for maximum photo and video sharpness underwater in all resolutions, free of vignetting. Waterproof to 197ft / 60m, the dive housing is ideal for diving, snorkeling and any underwater filming scenario. www.gopro.com What’s Included: 1 Waterproof Dive Housing (197’ / 60m) 1 Protective Lens Cap, Assorted Mounting Hardware
32 OUTDOORUAE
Every industry has its super heroes, and for me the GoPro from the very beginning was always the best action camera available in the market. But like every super hero, the GoPro had its weaknesses: what kryptonite is to Superman; is what under-water filming is to the GoPro – until now…
It was some years back when a friend of mine (a professional video producer), visited me in Dubai for his holiday. He brought his DSLR with him to try out filming with it. Very soon, the UAE and using a DSLR for filming developed into an obsession and more and more equipment was bought over the short stay. Soon he had a large setup for the DSLR which, although can deliver excellent quality, found its limits in size and robustness.
In online platforms, we were already read-ing about some very new, small, yet good (in regards to image quality) cameras. After some research, we knew we would need a GoPro! Unfortunately at this time, the GoPro was not as popular as it is now; it was only until Al Boom Marine took over the distribu-tion did people start to notice it. Since my friend only stayed for a limited time, there was no chance to order it from the US, so we had to go to a store which was stocking only 1 camera and bought it for more than double the price it would have been in the US. Knowing we had paid such a high price turned our excitement down and we were just hoping that the 2,500AED, which is still a very low price compared to any kind of professional or semi-professional equip-ment like DSLRs, will be worth it. We made
A real hero and its ‘Kryptonite’
PRODUCT REVIEW
OutdoorUAE tests the GoPro Hero2
some test recordings in the desert and were directly amazed what this little camera was capable of.
Since that day, a love developed between me and this little hero, and I was happy to see that over the next few years there were more and more like-minded people around the world and finally, also in the UAE.
But not everything was perfect with the Hero 1.
First of all, you should not forget that when you buy a camera which is half the size of a pack of cigarettes and at a very low price, to compare it with a semi-professional system like a DSLR (e.g. 5D Mark II) would not be fair and out of context. The GoPro will certainly not win a design price and does not look as expensive or exciting as any other camera, but it’s simply what goes on inside and its capabilities, which matter the most. As form follows function, the camera is really reduced to the minimum.
Another difference is that there is no viewfinder or TFT, which might be strange for most people, but usually the GoPro is meant to be fixed statically somewhere; so that there is no need for it. Anyhow, there is an endless list of accessories available to use with the GoPro now in almost any situation and location (as well as an additional tft screen).
The codec of the video files isn’t the best, but still good enough to combine with the footage from high-end systems. The wide-angle lens provides a nice perspec-tive (the GoPro Hero 1 has only one wide angle setting and is fixed; see the table for comparison) and in daylight, it also has a nice and sharp image. The autofocus and auto aperture also works well and fast. In low light, these good abilities get lost and the images are more or less not useable anymore. But usually, most outdoor activities are done in broad daylight and the GoPro
does this perfectly. This is the main thing the GoPro can do simply and effectively and is like no other camera!
The ways and opportunities to mount the camera are countless and open completely new and amazing perspectives. The water-proof (up to 60m) casing protects the cam-era not only from water but also from other impacts (we literally ran the GoPro over with a car in the desert - no harm! Check the video on our YouTube channel) and for the Middle East, it protects the camera from the resident killer of all fragile technical equip-ment like DSLR’s: dust and sand! This rugged little thing had only what a rough hero needed to survive a hazard-ous environment. I’m not unwise and very familiar with all kind of cameras, but using the menus and how to set them in the GoPro Hero1 is very un-user friendly, especially if you don’t take the time to learn the codes on the display, you never know what settings you are using. This resulted at least for me in some wrong settings and messed-up recording.
Apart from this – the GoPro housing is waterproof up to 60m! Did you ever check how expensive even the cheapest underwa-ter housing for a camera is? So this opens up an opportunity for scuba divers to film the underwater world at low cost – that’s the theory.
I tried the GoPro several times underwa-ter and was never satisfied, the autofocus
33OUTDOORUAE
did not work and the whole recording was blurred. The low light situation also put the quality further down. All the mounts I could find also didn’t work properly, so the whole underwater thing was, for me, a complete failure.
So far, the GoPro Hero 1 had some con-
tras, but still enough pros to deserve keep-ing my love for it. Over the past year the first edition of the GoPro found its way into the market, but was hard to get hold of, now with the second edition out; easier to find and with more accessories, it is certain that this little hero will be conquering the UAE in
no time.On first instance, without checking the specs, you can probably tell that there is no difference between the latest and the first model. But upon taking a closer look at it, I found a real hero! See the table below:
FEATURES HD HERO2 PROFESSIONAL HD HERO ORIGINAL The Opinion*Price in AED 1395 Outdoor, Surf or Motorsport Edition NOT AVAILABLE IN UAE
IMAGE QUALITY
Lens 2x Sharper SharpYes it’s true, the lens and the auto focus works much better with the Hero2, this alone is worth paying the additional to get the latest model.
Low Light wProfessional StandardThis doesn’t say much with professional and standard, but rest assured also here the functionality and image quality of the Hero2 is improved. But still, the camera is not made for low-light scenes.
PHOTO – FEATURES + FOV
MEGAPIXELS11, 8, 5 MP wide (170º) FOV medium (127º) FOV
5 MPIn my opinion, this is not so important and I never use the camera to take pictures – the GoPro is made for video and that’s also the only thing I use it for.
MODES
Single 10 photos in 1 sec TimeLapse every 0.5, 1, 2, 10, 30,60
Self-Timer
Single 3 photos in 1 sec TimeLapse every 1, 2, 10, 30, 60 Self-Timer
These are some special features most of us will never use and are very secondary for any decision. (Still, the GoPro might sometimes be the only solution because other cameras would not survive).
VIDEO – RESOLUTION + FOV
1080p
1920×1080 wide (170º) FOV
medium (127º) FOV narrow FOV (90º) FOV
30fps
1920×1080 wide (127º) FOV 30fps
FOV is the field of view, meaning, the angle (width of the image you are recording). I really like that you now have a choice in full HD to choose the angles. This leaves a lot of room for creativity in recording your video. I’m not a big fan of the 170° which is almost a fish-eye perspective; in my opinion, the image is too distorted.
Comparison: This table is from the official GoPro website. The third column will show you what I think about it after we tested both cameras.
Left: GoPro Hero 1 with standard housing Right: GoPro Hero 2 with dive housing
Left: GoPro Hero 1 with standard housing Right: GoPro Hero 2 with dive housing
34 OUTDOORUAE
960p
1280×960 FOV Wide (170º)
48fps 30fps
1280×960 FOV Wide (170º) 30fps
Not really a format I use, I usually stick to Full HD or 720p, which are the most common standards.
720p
1280×720 Wide (170º) FOV 30fps 60fps
1280×720 Wide (170º) FOV 30fps 60fps
Unfortunately for 720p it’s recorded only in wide angle, which is not suitable for all situations. But you can record in 60fps, which is double the amount of normal video; meaning, you can play it as slow motion in half the speed without any interpolated frames. In my opinion, the image quality is a little better than in full HD and the playback is more fluent.
WVGA
848×480 Wide (170º) FOV
120fps 60fps
848×480 Wide (170º) FOV 60fps
Actually, this format is too small to use for proper video production and therefore I would never use it – but the frame rate of 120 of the Hero2 is so tempting that it might find use from time to time. The frame rate equates to a slow motion of a quarter of the speed.
USABILITY
User Interface Language based interface 3 digit code interfaceThis is truly exceptional. I hated the old interface with these secret codes. The Hero2 is now much easier to use and understand, even though there are still only two buttons.
LED Lights 4 (on all sides) 1
All little details but big improvements – the Hero2 has 4 LED (Front, Back, Top, bottom) indicates that you are recording. Because the only LED indicating the recording is on the front of the camera, all my videos with the hero1 started and ended with someone looking into the lens.
InputsMini-HDMI port, Composite port, USB, SD, HERO port, 3.5mm External Stereo Mic port
Component port, Composite port, USB, SD, HERO Port
The Hero2 has HDMI now, which is great to directly connect the camera to your HD TV. And also, the microphone plug might be useful in some situations.
Battery Life (in 720p/60 mode) 2.5 hrs 2.5 hrs Same
Simultaneous record + charge when plugged into USB power source
Yes Yes Same
COMPATIBILITY
Wi-Fi BacPac + Wi-Fi Remote
Wi-Fi Remote Control Wi-Fi video preview + playback Wi-Fi streaming to web Camera control via smartphone, tablet and computer app
Wi-Fi Remote ControlThe whole Wi-Fi thing is super interesting and we will look further into it – I think the verdict is anyhow clear, the Hero2 is worth the extra money for more than one reason.
Other GoPro BacPacsLCD BacPac™, Battery BacPac™, 3D HERO®System, Wi-Fi BacPac™, Wi-Fi Remote
Let’s put it all together.Firstly, and most importantly, the Hero2
has a better image quality and also more choices in resolution and frame rates, which is a huge improvement. Second most important for me is the new menu; it makes the handling of the camera much easier and therefore even more enjoyable. Thirdly, there are small other useful improvements like more LED indications that the camera is recording, as well as additional connections like a microphone and HDMI. So the Hero2 is a must-buy and it’s worth spending some money even if you already own the older Hero1.
Apart from the camera improvements, it’s so much fun to find new accessories and solutions for filming. When, where and how to use the GoPro; which applies to all of its models.
(Read more about this and how to use the GoPro underwater on page 50.
My conclusion:I loved the first GoPro even with it weak-
ness, but the Hero2 and its new accessories - like the underwater housing - have taken the infatuation to a new level.
What are the shoes for my girlfriend are GoPro accessories for me! As mentioned on the packing: I ‘Wear it. Mount it. Love it.’
To be continued!
35OUTDOORUAE
36 OUTDOORUAE
An interview with
By Toby Foord-KelceyJohn Gregory is the original pioneer of rock climbing in the UAE and long overdue for some attention in this magazine.
More than half the routes in the current UAE climbing guidebook are his work. He is also an inspiration for all of us who are reluctant to acknowledge age as an issue in outdoor sports. How old is John? When I asked, he referred me to a quote from the legendary American mountaineer Fred Beckey, who has been climbing continuously since the 1940s: “I tell the chicks I am a slightly haggard 39 and leave it at that”. It is probably not giving too much away to note that John actually clocks a major round number this year (which you can guess from his answers below). When I bothered John for this interview, he was much more interested in discussing fu-ture projects on the RAK cliffs and in the big caves of Oman, than in reminiscing what had been, there is no sign of him slowing down! When and where did you start climbing? I started climbing around 1961 in Derbyshire on the local gritstone crags and then moved onto the limestone crags. From there, it was the usual progression for that time to move onto the bigger crags in Wales, Lake District, Scotland and then to the Alps.
What specifically got you into climbing, was it a school or club thing or did you just start doing it because the cliffs were right there? I was living in Sheffield when I started climbing, so a great place to be lo-cated. I can’t remember exactly what got me into climbing but from recollection, I think it was an article in the paper or a magazine I read at school and when I got home for the summer holidays, I was really keen to find someone to take me out. In the end, it was the friend of a friend who took me out onto Gardom’s Edge. I was immediately hooked
and began reading all the books I could about climbing and mountaineering, even though I was only able to go in the holidays. Once school was out of the way and I was earning some money, all the spare cash went on ropes etc. I dragged -in a few friends and none of us had much of an idea but we survived and progressed from there.
In 1968 you made the first ascent of The Fortress1 in Patagonia as part of a British expedition. How did that come about? Had many British climbers been to Patago-
1there’s a great account here: http://www.zen68262.zen.co.uk/patagonia-fortress.html
OUR EXPERTS
Traverse from Wellenuoppe - Obergabelhorn - Zermatt, Switzerland 1971
John leading a route at Trident Gorge, Wadi Shahah, RAK. November 2011
37OUTDOORUAE
nia at that time or were you pioneering? Not many other British climbers had been to the Paine area before, apart from the Towers of Paine expedition. There had been some Italian parties as well. Basically, it was just a group of friends from the Sheffield area who got together. There was a lot of typing of letters asking companies for food, equip-ment etc. and it took quite a long time to organize. I think I had about six months off work in total. We only paid in 10 pounds each and the rest came through the Mount Everest Foundation funding and a free pas-sage out to South America. We had some sponsorship from the Sheffield Telegraph who made quite a bit of money selling pho-tos to other papers, which they passed onto us. We lost most of our equipment as a lot was left on the mountain due to continuous bad weather.
Did you consider any big expeditions after that or did work take over your life? After the Fortress, the only other expedition was to the Karakoram to try the Ogre. We were unsuccessful due to some bad weather, problems with porters and probably a lack of previous Himalayan experience. A good trip though, and we went out and back overland in a three-ton ex-army Bedford.
What brought you to the UAE originally? The company I worked for in the UK opened a factory in Ras Al Khaimah and asked me if I was interested in working in the UAE. In 1981, I accepted the job for two years but just stayed on for a couple more and that sort of just rolled over until here we are today.
What was the road from Dubai to RAK like in those days? The road from Dubai to RAK was a dual carriageway, but no road markings and no lights. Despite that it was still an easy drive as there were no speed bumps, no traffic lights and not so much traf-fic. It was possible to get to Dubai Airport in around one hour.
Was it as easy to travel as it is now? Could you get to places like Khasab, Muscat, beyond Muscat easily? I guess the borders were easier but the roads worse? Travel-ling around the UAE in the eighties never seemed to be a problem. Obviously there are a lot of new roads but there was a lot less traffic. The road to Khasab was gravel all the way from the border, but reasonably well graded. Wadi Bih was rough from start to finish and very slow going. It was only when they started to put down the asphalt to the border that we began the develop-ment work. There were no border controls at either end during the eighties. Oman was less developed and a lot more gravel but we didn’t really start going down there until the nineties, apart from work trips to Muscat.
You did your first new routes near RAK in the mid-80s then stopped for a while. I re-member you saying that you were put off by the appearance of the rock initially and were busy with young family. Was there a specific "aha" moment when you decided the climbing was actually worthwhile? The first climbs were in 1984 with an American guy called Jan Smith who was working in Ras Al Khaimah. He had some equipment, including friends, which I had never had before. We climbed on Sentinel and also Aini Wall, some of the rock was okay but generally quite loose, not just individual pieces but fair sized, semi-detached pieces. Certainly, the first impression was not great and there was no incentive to go out again. When the kids were a bit older, we used to take them out during their holidays and do a bit of bouldering. In 1995, I set up a rope for them on Roadside [in Wadi Qada’a] and afterwards thought that if the rock was given a good clean, there was potential for some decent routes. So Dee and I then started to clean and climb, clean and climb from crag to crag until most of the areas, especially Wadi Bih, were well developed. The cleaning and climbing continues until today.
You put up several hundred routes inside Wadi Bih that became inaccessible to most people because of the new border rules. How did you feel about that? Yes, a pity about all the routes that are presently out of reach in Wadi Bih as there are over ten well developed crags with some excellent lines and a number of long multi-pitch routes. A lot of the fun was in developing the climbs and the satisfaction of doing a lot of the ex-ploration work. You never know how events will turn out and hopefully the border will be opened again. The routes will always be there for climbers in the future.
Toby Foord-Kelcey is the author of “UAE Rock Climbing”, the first printed guidebook to UAE and Musandam climbing. More details can be found at www.redarmadapublishing.com.
From 3rd Sella Tower - Sassolengo, Italy 1968
Breithorn - North Face - Zermatt 1964
Frendo Spur - Aiguille Du Midi Chamomix 1971
38 OUTDOORUAE
Are there any first ascents here that you feel particularly proud of? Either because they were big leads at the time, or the quality was so exceptional, or some other factor? There are no climbs that really stand out apart from perhaps, the longer routes, which were very satisfying as there was a certain commitment and a lot of satisfaction from a long day out in the mountains. Also, there was the satisfaction on many routes of choosing a particular line that looked vague-ly possible and then, only after a good clean, turned out to be climbable and well worth the effort. Starlight Express on Celestial Wall in Wadi Bih would be a good example. If it was possible to take photos down the length of some routes before cleaning, and again afterwards, they would not be recognizable in some places.
There are routes that I always enjoy climb-ing but I seem to get the pleasure out of just climbing and the general feeling of movement on the rock, regardless of the grade. It’s not just about the climbing but the people you are with, the feeling of where you are climbing and having a few drinks at the end of the day.
I used to make a note in guidebooks of routes I had done and with whom, but not for a long time. Even with new routes I don’t write them up for ages and only get round to naming them sometime later. At Transi-tion [John’s latest cliff development in Wadi Shahah] I suppose there are around sixteen routes already climbed, and some more are cleaned but not climbed. So far, I think about two have names! People often ask me the name of a route but I have to check in the guide, although I can remember most of the holds and gear placements.
I sometimes worry that RAK and Fujairah will end up quarrying all of their mountain terrain to feed the cement factories. In your experience here, have you seen any awareness of that emerge from the people in charge of these decisions? Ie that they need to balance industry against environ-ment. There are a lot of quarries in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, but none of them so far have encroached into the climbing areas. There is still a lot of mountain for them to go at and some will probably close at some stage when their reserves are exhausted. I
1st Ascent - The Fortress - Patagonia 1968
Frendo Spur 1971North Ridge - Aguille Du Peighe - Chamomix, France 1964
have not heard of any discussions between the extractive industry and the environment apart from dust control and general pollution by the local environmental departments. The UAE has not yet reached that stage.
Your climbing has been amazingly accident-free, especially considering the loose rock and the number of hours you must have spent out there. But I think you have had a couple of close calls. Can you describe them? Any lessons learned? Yes, fortunately no serious accidents, maybe not pushing hard enough. We were brought up at a time when falling off was not such a good idea as there were no harnesses, very limited gear in the way of protection, and belay devices etc. The closest exposure to serious injury was through objective dangers, particularly stone fall. During the course of my first Alpine route, northeast face of the Piz Badile, we were subjected to an enor-mous amount of stone fall that threatened to wipe us off the face and the cliff was constantly hit by rocks of all size, and the smell of cordite was heavy in the air. During that ascent, we survived an overnight electri-cal storm high on the face and afterwards, a perilous journey back over a glacier in a
white out. You can control the safety margins of the actual climbing part, but against rock fall, avalanches, etc. you are completely at their mercy. No particular close calls in the UAE, apart from the occasional rock and a bad fall onto my back when a piece of gear came out.
Apart from accidents the other two things that seem to end climbing careers eventu-ally are training type injuries (fingers, shoulders, etc) or loss of motivation. Do you have any tips to offer on keeping go-ing as a climber? As you say, the two main reasons people would stop climbing would be lack of motivation and injury. Well, moti-vation is never a problem if you have plenty of choice of routes and climbing venues and you are prepared to travel around. It’s a bit limited in the UAE compared to other coun-tries, but you can always use your holidays to discover new areas. For me, being here in the UAE, there are always new routes to be worked on but there are lots of places in other countries that I would still like to visit.
Regarding injuries, you never know what problems you will face in the future. I have a number of friends from the sixties who are still climbing regularly, but others have had to cut back or even stop because of injuries or bad health. I never enjoyed training for climbing and never did very much and don’t do any now. I don’t particularly like climbing walls or bouldering and much prefer to climb routes. You probably get to know your body as you get older and learn what is not good for you and climb accordingly. I wouldn’t like to think of a future without climbing, mountaineering, and ski touring, etc. It gives you a focus in life, along with a balance of other activities.
Available at: Adventure HQ in Times Square Center, Go Sport in Dubai Mall, IBN Batutta Mall and Mall of the Emirates
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Accessories | Cookware | Washgear | Security
Global Climbing
40 OUTDOORUAE
Fishing the flats in the dead of summerWords + Photos: Kit Belen
The summer is in its peak and with weather soaring close to 50°C, fishing is not only hard in the sweltering heat, it’s quite a challenge to make a fish bite at times.
Scouting for the next season Last weekend was one of those trips that you get excited about and know that what-ever the outcome may be, you’ll walk away with something you keep for the winter’s fishing season. The summer may be too warm for everyone’s taste; however, scouting new ground to fish in when the winter comes is part of your success story.
A few friends and I scour the whole coun-try for spots that have potential. We do this so we don’t have to waste time in the winter months to look for spots.
Looking for spots is like treasure hunting.
You really don’t know what you’ll find until you hit pay dirt. The fact of the matter is, even if you know what you’re doing, there will be times when you have to “crack the code” again in new spots. I normally carry a few lures and flies with me that would give the highest probability of catching fish. How-ever, on exploratory trips, I make it a point to carry as much as I can so I can determine which ones the fish will take. I am a huge fan of soft plastics and make it a point to carry a few varieties with me when exploring new spots.
A few years back, I fell in love with flats fishing. I never thought it would be so com-plicated! From finding the spots, to the lures and methods you have to use to be suc-cessful, I have found that no flat is the same,
even if it’s just a few kilometres from each other. The same species of fish will behave somewhat differently.
Finding fish in the flats Tidal flow has a lot to do with the feeding time of the fish in the flats, even if conditions in one flat are perfect, it could be the worst possible time for another that’s just a kilometre away. There are flats which are completely dry in the low tide and totally submerged in the high tide. These places are home to different species of crustaceans, squid, cuttlefish shells and smaller fish that larger fish feed on, while other flats are only submerged in the highest of tides. With this in mind, it would be a good idea to make
OUR EXPERTS - THE FISHING KIT
Fly Fishing - something I love doing in the flats!
Casting around ledges and drops no matter how small they are is a good way to find fish
Having a buddy around helps you cover the area and having different fishing styles, you can also cover different methods
Soft plastic lures are a staple in my fishing kit.
a log of the tides when you are going out exploring. Also, take note of what fish you catch, the lures or bait used and the time of day. When it proves to be a successful day, this would most likely repeat itself down the line when you spot a similar tide, then you can go back to the spot and enjoy the same experience.
Gear and Tackle The advancements of the gear and tackle we use have changed so much in the past few years. From the rods we use, down to the line and hooks, things are getting more high-tech, yet the fish in the flats remain a mystery, and are still win-ning the battles.
In years past, light tackle has been ne-glected, often referred to as “newbie tools” since these would be the first rod and reel that kids would get to use. With the advent of braid and smaller reels being beefed up by manufacturers, it is now possible to go really light without compromising line capac-ity, power and casting distance. The newer mid-end reels are also mostly made with an aluminium body and don’t flex under the pressure of a braided line, so you now see more people buying top-shelf reels in the 4,000 and lower sizes. Matched with an ap-propriate rod, these are one of the weapons you use in the flats.
My choice is a reel in the 2,500 size and a rod that’s at least 6 feet (183cm); it has more
than enough power to bully fish in the flats, with a reel spooled with an 8lb (4kg) braided line and a small jig with a soft plastic tail in the business end which completes the fish-ing machine.
If you want to go fly fishing, a 9 weight fly rod with a floating line is a good starting point. It might be a bit too heavy for experi-enced fly anglers, but if you are starting out, a 9 weight will help you punch through the wind. Standard flats flies such as the “Crazy Charlie”, “Gotcha” and “Clouser minnow” will all work. The most important thing to remember is to match the size of the forage the fish are feeding on. Flies in hook sizes 4, 6 and 1 and dressed in white, pink and tan material are good starting points.
Make use of the summer to find spots, and you won’t have to waste fishing time in exploring probable spots during the winter fishing months. Don’t give up on a spot though, as you might just be fishing it in the wrong tide. Keep your eyes open for activity and when you do hit pay dirt, ask yourself, would you share your treasure with anyone else?
A typical July day in the UAE is akin to playing, working and training in a pre-heated oven with little or no respite from the incessant high temps and humidity so post Nepal, I returned to Dubai for little over a week before escap-ing again … this time, to the marvellous crisp, alpine air of the French Alps.
The plan? Fly to Zurich, hop over to Geneva, meet my old Dubai train-ing buddy and dear friend, Veronica Rivera, hire a car, try not to get lost before leaving the confines of the airport, drive to Val D’Isere, stay in a bijou hotel, talk non-stop, eat fab food, drink fine wine and run a little race called the Ice Trail … well, I perhaps exaggerate when I say ‘lit-tle’. Starting and finishing at altitude, over 65km of very technical terrain
and over 5,000m ascent, never mind the biting cold of the glacier renders it far from a walk in the park. ‘But,’ I thought, ‘how hard can it really be, especially when surrounded by hordes of cute French men?!’
The reality? We had a marvel-lous weekend as expected but the race was astronomically brutal. This year was only the second event so we could find little info about it before-hand. The website was in French as was the briefing and despite my having once been fluent, technical jargon combined with being far too rusty these days, meant that little was absorbed from either.
On the morning of the race, we rose at 2.30am and got to the race start in time for the 4am gun. Then began what we anticipated would be a nine-hour race. How little did we know! The first big ascent took us from Val D’Isere all the way to the top of the Grand Motte, the highest point for skiers in the area. It was tough from the start so needless to say, we were drenched in sweat and when we then hit the glacier … everything froze, as did we … our water, snacks, clothing, every bone in our shivering bodies … just putting on my Yak Traks took nearly
half an hour as I had no sensation in my fingers. The snow was knee-deep in sections, the visibility less than a metre, temperature -18c and the snowstorms relentless. Unfortunately, Veronica was taken off the course with onset hypothermia. It all seemed a far cry from the prevailing temps of the desert.
Perhaps in hindsight, we should have taken a hint from the very name of the race?!
There followed hours and hours of mammoth mountains and possibly the most technical terrain I have ever encountered. 250 started the full distance and less than 140 finished. My predicted time turned out to be five hours short … I took 14 hours in the end yet I still got the third spot on the podium.
We chatted afterwards about our greatest takeaway from the race and decided it was this: RESEARCH. Research, research, research!
Had we known just how tough the conditions would have been and how technical the terrain, we would have made very different kit choices. I had done my usual and spent more time ensuring my ‘all in’ gear was perfectly colour coordinated in place of con-sidering its technical specifications.
Likewise, whether you’re a skier or a climber, a runner or a cyclist, a water baby or an adventure racer, reading and registering via the website is just one part of the equation. Digging up previous race reports and searching for past competitor blog posts, viewing image galleries and checking out race forums or social media pages … all will leave you with a good, solid idea of what to expect and how best to prepare.
I know I get emails all the time via www.fitchicksandfastwomen.com from runners asking questions about races I’ve done and I consider a comprehensive reply as my con-tribution to the ever growing global running community.
The aftermath? As I type this, I am sur-rounded by scented lavender and glorious vines on the lawns of the beautiful Chateau Rigaud in Bordeaux. There is nothing like a bit of post-adventure R&R and as I’ve often said, rest and relaxation is all the more rewarding when preceded with a bit of hard work. Having said that, when holidaying with the Leckie family, there’s never a quiet moment to be found! I’ve escaped for a few fabulous runs amongst the perfectly pruned vines and the never-ending fields of sun-flowers which has made the Ice Trail seem nothing like a far distant memory already. In it’s place, the sense of achievement that only pushing yourself to new limits can bring. Priceless!
Happy holidays wherever they may find you…
Love Tori x Writer, runner, blogger & Adidas athlete.
Ice trail Tarentaise Trail map
Snowstorms on highest point of race
Post-race Race Route 1
Flythe
Key Features:• The power of an 18 with the turning of a 12• Exceptionally lightweight• Based on the proven Park platform• Two strut design• Amazing low-end• Superior water relaunch in light winds• Includes 10m extension lines
The Fly goes in virtually no wind and is incredibly fun to ride. Its exceptionally light weight is primarily the result of removing the center strut. In doing this, the center section of the canopy performs like a spinnaker and generates incredible power in light wind. The Fly uses the Park’s proven easy-handling design, which gives it superior turning ability, but it incorporates more overall sweep, which helps the Fly relaunch in marginal wind conditions.
There are not many places in the world where, by sunrise, the temperature is already above 30°C, and by 9 a.m. it has crept into the 40’s! And, there are also not many places in the world where the riding is as awesome and easily accessible as here in the UAE.
This puts those of us that are passionate about our riding in a bit of a tight spot during summer. We want to ride, but riding when it is +45°C is no longer fun, no matter how passionate you are. Most riders quit by the end of May and some “die-hards” still ride once or twice in June. Only fools (like myself) continue to ride during July and August…
Playing in the sand… Here are some tips and suggestions to those who dare to ride during mid summer.
1. No more long distance (cross country) rides!! During winter, most of our rides are 100km or more, for the day. In summer, we reduce to a maximum 50km. Also, we change our routes and, at all times, being close to a road. The reason is to reduce the
time it will take to get a vehicle f tor an in-jured rider. (We had an incident about three years ago where it took us more than two hours to get help to a rider with a broken leg. (No GPS and far from the road.) Not fun when it is 45°C!!)
Early Birds… 2. “The early bird gets the worm.” Well, there are no worms, but we start the ride by sunrise. Typically we meet at 5 a.m., kit-up in the dark and by dawn, we are off. This again insures the temperature is manageable dur-ing the ride....
3. WATER: No one to ride unless he has a full hydration pack. Don’t think the standard 50oz (1.5L) hydration pack is enough. During winter, I have been on long rides and occa-sionally emptied the 50oz. In summer, I ride with a 100oz (3L) CAMELBAK and regularly empty it within two hours. I also drink at least one “POCARI SWEAT” and 500mm of water before I start the ride.
Looking at the bladder of a 50oz VS 100oz, you decide… If you forgot your hydration pack at home, rather don’t ride. Three of us once ran out of water in Oman during September. By the time our water had run out, we were still 50km from the nearest town and it was 45°C. If we were to have had an accident/incident at the time, things could have gotten nasty. I promise you it is not a joke and since then I am rather paranoid about having enough water with me.
OUR EXPERTS
Words: John Basson
45OUTDOORUAE
4. GPS and mobile. This is standard equip-ment on all rides and if you need help, having a phone, and able to give your exact position, can save a lot of time.
We had an incident sometime back where one quad broke its steering arm and we could not repair it. It was during May and the temperature in the low 40°C. We spent almost an hour attempting different repairs, and eventually Patrice called it time out as we were all drinking our water and going nowhere. We plotted the position, left the quad in the desert (Lifting Jerome on one of the other quads) and returned the following day with a new steering rod. If we did not have GPS, it would have been interesting trying to find the quad.
5. Try to keep it moderate!! This is the most difficult “rule” to stick to, but probably the best rule to ensure your safe return. Ride to enjoy and not to impress. The advantage of summer riding is of course the lack of other riders. The Dubai area has many riders in winter. And as every group is on their own mission, there is always the possibility of opposing traffic crossing a dune at the same point.
Beautiful, clean & smooth dunes… Less riders also means fewer tracks and thus, smooth riding. All the popular high dunes are clear and awesome to ride. If you are content with getting out of bed at 4 a.m., the summer riding is honestly not that bad. You can easily enjoy an hour or two’s ride and be back on the trailer by 7:30 and back home before the rest of the family even got out of bed.
Go For Gold and Ride Safe. John Basson.
46 OUTDOORUAE
After many years of fishing and exploring the coastal and inshore waters of Oman, catch-ing some excellent fish and having some great adventures, we finally found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. A few years back, we started doing some exploratory trips to Hallaniyat Islands in Southern Oman, and what we found was quite staggering –, an island lost in the past and inhabited by Jurassic-sized fish!
We set up our charter operation and boats 30 miles offshore on the main Hallaniyat Island. We originally based ourselves on the mainland in Shuwaymiyah, but with the long open ocean run everyday out to the island and bad weather hampering the crossing on occasions which had become a safety issue, we finally set up our 10- bedroom lodge on the island with our own marina, water and fuel facilities, in addition to a 70ft traditional Dhow bringing fuel and supplies
to the lodge every 2-3 days from Salalah which ensures fresh food and supplies. This remote island is a truly an amazing place and setting, with the bonus of being about 1km from some of the best fishing waters in the world for the infamous and powerful Giant Trevally (GT).
We fish from two Seamaster 37ft Center Console boats with twin 4- stroke 225HP Yamaha engines, and fully rigged with safety and navigation equipment. Local Omani captains, who have excellent knowledge of the culture, history, sea and seasons, skipper the boats. The trips are also guided by spe-cialist expat sports fishing guides that have grown up with sports fishing; so a perfect harmony and mix between local and interna-tional knowledge and experience.
The season starts in September at the end of the Khareef (monsoon) winds and runs through to end of April when the
Khareef winds start again. This is one of the reasons why fishing is so good here, as no one can fish the waters around the islands for 4 to 5 months of the year. The 2,500m+ deep-water and strong currents that wash the islands bring in a continuous stream of fish that come to the islands to feed in the shallow waters, which are abundant with smaller fish and food, The huge number of whales, dolphins and turtles are also proof of the abundance of food and harmony of this remote place.
After fishing the islands for the last two seasons, we have come to realize that local is definitely better in this case. We have fished all over the world and can comfort-ably say that Hallaniyat Islands is one of the top destinations for sport s fishing anywhere on the planet. Initially, we set up the opera-tion to target monster GTs which we have caught up to 70kgs, which is close to the
Words + Photos: Nick Bowles
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
A rare triple hook up of monster GTs with International clients Luke, Peter and Jakob
Team picture of all the crew Omani, Egyptian, South African, Bangladeshi and Happy Japanese clients The legendary Japanese fisherman Mogi-san battling another monster.
47OUTDOORUAE
present World Record. But over the last few seasons, we have found excellent fishing for amberjack (AJs), yellowfin tuna, grouper and lots of varieties of trevally, kingfish, wahoo, billfish etc. We are still finding and catching new species almost on a weekly basis.
Fishing in this remote part of Oman is definitely an adventure and something that will stick in your memory with the endless desert landscapes, to the harsh beauty of massive, rocky mountains dropping directly into the ocean. But it is the big, apex preda-tors cruising the drop-offs and shallows of the islands that make the Hallaniyat Islands a very unique and special place.
For more information on fishing the Hallaniyat Islands or Musandam Oman come into our specialized Fishing Shop in the Dubai Garden Center off exit 42 on Sheikh Zayed Road. We also have full ranges of Popping, Jigging, Spinning, Offshore and Flyfishing Tackle. Or visit our Facebook www.facebook.com/oceanactive or website www.oceanactive.com for more information.
Charter Destinations:+ Dubai, UAE+ Fujairah, UAE+ Musandam, Oman+ Hallaniyat Islands, Oman*+ Maldives + Seychelles + USA
*Limited 2012/2013 charters still available.
For your once in a lifetime chance of a 50kg+ GT contact Nick or Jon at Ocean Active.
Check out our shop at the Dubai Garden Center for a full range of imported GT fishing equipment.
Ocean Active www.oceanactive.com
OA quarter page ad.indd 1 29/05/2012 11:01
Holding Jakob’s 65kg monster GT
Good friend AJ and myself with another awesome GT Kegan and Sami with 2 monster Amberjack (AJ) caught jigging
48 OUTDOORUAE
best foundation for progression of any sport and the comradery here is second to none, so I would not be surprised if we see a world champ out of Dubai yet!
What was the biggest competition that you have participated and won in? I have been competing for many years now and have won my fair share of competitions over the years at our local Durban Wave-house. This includes quite a few events which allowed me five star trips to Dubai to come and experience your amazing city and showcase the sport. The biggest event I have ever taken part in was last year’s world
Paolo FalconerPEOPLE
Name: Paolo Falconer Nationality: South African Age: 28
What’s your passion? I am passionate about a few things! Life for starters, living each day to the fullest and never sitting restlessly wasting time that could be spent in the ocean surfing or spear fishing or at the dam wakeskating or at the Wavehouse flowboard-ing or snowboarding or riding my motocross bike. I am also passionate about my occupa-tion; I am a partner at an interior design firm specializing in resort and lifestyle design. I love creating and design an environment and assisting in bringing the creation to fruition.
How long have you been doing the sport? I have been flow boarding now for about 10 years, almost 11 actually!
How did you get hooked? I grew up as an avid surfer and action sports enthusiast I watched all the action sports programs I could get on TV when it was not possible for me to be outside. I was watching Transworld Sports and their coverage of what was then the Swatch World Flow Tour. This was an invitation only event where the extreme sport’s big tag names such as Kelly Slater, Tony Hawk and Terje Haakonsen where invited to compete on this all new invention designed by Tom Lochtefelt. I was imme-diately hooked with the idea of being able to surf a perfect wave all day if I wanted, and the notion that I could combine all my board sports into one was mind-blowing! So when Wavehouse Durban was being opened I was there with my nose pressed between the fences watching progress with eager anticipation! When the doors opened and the professionals came for the opening event, I was there with my money in hand to be one of the first members of the public to ride the wave! Back then, you had to qualify by riding the FlowRider for two hours before you could ride the barrel, so I did, and never looked back!
You’ve been visiting the UAE these past few years – how would you assess the appreciation of the sport here? Flow boarding, being a very new sport, has not had the coverage of most other new sports because it is quite exclusive in terms of use, there are only a handful around the world and so progress has been slow globally. Having said that, Dubai has come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years and watching the eager aspiration of the local crew is inspiring for me. There is a very tight community of riders here that is the
flow boarding champs. This was held at Durbans Wavehouse which is unique in that is home to the only double point break in the world, both a left and right point break joined at the middle. So for me this was the first true world champs because people who have a right or a left point break only could compete on a level playing field. I managed to finish 4th in the world there over all which has qualified me as an entry into the next world champs to be held in Spain at a new Wavehouse Mallorca.
What is it that you love most about the sport? I love that it combines so many different board sports with water allowing a very versatile medium to learn and push the boundaries of new tricks that have never been done before! It also brings together a vast array of board sport enthusiasts who I love hanging out with! My kinda people!
Tips for those who would like to get into it? The best advice I can give to anyone who is keen to get involved is just have fun! If you make your way down to a wave you are most likely interested in the same thing that the other people who are their to ride are inter-ested in and you will naturally make friends who you will then hang with and grow in the sport with! Go ride and have fun!
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Name: Ahmed Al Ameri Nationality: UAE
This month, we take a detour from our Off-Road ways and sample some of the high-octane world of motorsport, as we get up-close and personal with the Emirati nation’s drift hero, Ahmed Omran Al Ameri.
The Abu Dhabi-born driver grew up with a great passion for fast cars. Ahmed recalled how his love for race cars was brought about, which has seemed to have run in the family.
“When I was 15 years old, I started to have a big passion for motorsport, and actu-ally at that time my older brother, he had a nice Toyota car. It made me thinking that, when I grow up and have my own license, I’ll be very happy to have and drive his car,” Ahmed recounts in detail.
“During that time, I also loved Japanese sports cars. And when I finished high school, I was given the option to study in the United States or in Japan. So for sure, I chose Ja-pan, “He added.
In 2002, Ahmed moved to Japan to pur-sue his economy and business management studies in the Asian capital of the world’s largest car manufacturers, Tokyo.
The country was also a known hub of motorsport drifting, which came to popular-ity sometime in the 70’s.
Throughout his seven years in Japan, Ahmed developed his instinctive passion for cars even more as he took the race tracks. Ahmed was hitting the fast lane before he took on the masterful art of drifting, as he competed in several races.
“I was interested in motorsports in gener-al. I started with the quarter-mile drag race, and after that I went to enter time-attacks, super laps, and in 2005, I started drifting,” Ahmed said, recalling his early racing days.
Being exposed to the graceful art of drifting, the Emirati driver sought knowl-edge from some of the most important drift masters in the country until he was very well versed with the driving style.
And in 2008, after acquiring the necessary skills, Ahmed returned back to his homeland. But at that time, he had to work his way hard as the appreciation for motorsport drifting had yet to gain popularity.
In 2008, I came back to the UAE, it was bad luck for me as there were no proper organizations and places to do drifting,” He said.
“Then I made the decision to build my own car for myself. Then in the end of 2010, while I was driving my car in the morning and listening to the local radio, I heard the announcement for the Formula Drift at the Yas Marina Circuit that was to take place in
PEOPLE
Ahmed Al Ameri
Feb. 2011,” Ahmed sharply recalled.“ I was in a hurry to take my phone and
take the number at the end of the announce-ment, I called the number, they made me talk to four or six guys until I finally reached the main organizer, who was also the one in-charge of the SSK Drift Challenge, and he told me ‘Ahmed, you are too late. We are already in the top 16,” he continued.
“And I said, “Please!” then I told him everything I what I have been doing and ex-plained to him everything about my passion, until finally, he said okay,” the Emirati drifting star added.
“so, the top 16 has opened up a 17th spot, with that being me, and then I made it to the top eight, the organizer got very impressed with me and asked me, “We have been organizing drifting challenges since 2008, where were you?” I told them, I never
heard about it!” He exclaimed. Ahmed steadily paced his way through
the top of his game as he entered in several local competitions that sprouted around the country.
And in 2011, he got his big break when he won in the first Red Bull Car Park Drift UAE selections. From there, things went up-hill for Ahmed, especially when he grabbed titles in the Drift UAE competition, where he proved his worth as the country’s “Drift King.”
Ahmed is currently the two-time champion of Red Bull Car Park Drift UAE and now leads the newly-formed Toyota Emirates Drifting team.
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TIPS & TRICKS
How to build a GoPro rig in 10 minutes for only 50AED
Do it yourself!
If you have read the article about the GoPro or own one, you should know about all the advan-tages and disadvantages (read page 32) of having one of these little heroes.
As a hobby diver and passionate photog-rapher I always wanted to use my DSLR or any other camera underwater. For DSLRs, underwater housings are simply too expen-sive, so much so that I never considered buy-ing one. The other alternative was to buy a smaller system for underwater photography, which was always a consideration. But since the appearance of the GoPro and being the proud owner of one, it was clear that it could be used as an underwater photography or video camera during a dive. The basic pack includes everything you need to go under-water with, BUT unfortunately you will face different problems.
The first one is addressed in the other article – the autofocus – which is now solved with the new housing; the second problem is also solved with the new version ‘The Hero2’. But there is still one more problem remaining – where or how to mount the GoPro whilst diving to get good and steady recordings.
Until now I couldn’t find a mount in the long list of accessories available for the Go-Pro which would work well underwater.
1. The first thing I tried was the most ob-vious solution; to strap the camera to the head with the straps coming with the camera – generally I don’t think mounting the camera to your head is a good solution because the head move-ments are too extreme. As soon as you review your first recordings, you will recognize how much you move your head, this is so bad that you might get dizzy watching your recordings. The other problem for scuba diving is that you will always have the bubbles of air from your regulator passing through your image. This might be nice in some cases but if they are there all the time, it’s very disturbing.
Secondly you can try holding the cam-era in one hand. I saw many GoProer’s using a rod with the GoPro attached to the end of it. This is actually a nice solution because you can change the perspective and even take recordings
of yourself from some distance (de-pending of the length of the rod). But in my opinion the recordings are still not steady enough.
The solution: I was looking for a light rig which I could hold with both hands in order to make steady and stable recordings whilst keeping the point of interest in focus and
at a central point. As mentioned in the introduction, you will find hundreds of ac-cessories for the GoPro but I didn’t find any mount which would work for me and what I needed, until now….
The mount is simple and seeing all the self-made rods for the GoPro I decided it’s time for some German engineering. It took only a
The ingredients.
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All the images (video) where taken at Atlantis the Palm on the ‘ULTIMATE DIVE’
Guests can enjoy the Ultimate Dive in the amazing 11 million litre Ambassador Lagoon. This once in a lifetime experience includes two 30 minute dives in the depths of the lagoon, enjoying and exploring the ancient ruins and species of the Arabian Gulf. Guests can also experience the thrill of feeding the rays by hand. Refreshments and full Arabic Mezze is included in the AED 2500 dive package. Full equipment is provided. Visit www.atlantisthepalm.com for more info.
few minutes in a hardware store to find some parts which would become the base for my mount.
What you need: 2 x paint rollers (about 15AED each) 1 x metal rail (usually used to connect piece of wood, ideally rust free, zinc, or stainless steel 10 AED) 2 x stainless steel bolts and nuts (10AED)
The whole building process is very easy and done within 10 minutes.
First of all you need to remove the metal arm, which is holding the roller from the handle. This is the most chal-lenging and time consuming part; you will need to twist and turn the arm until it gets loose so you can turn it 360°. Then you need to pull and continue turning the arm until it comes free. Depending on the rollers you buy, this can take some time and effort. After you have separated both handles check if the bolts you bought fit through the hole and if they are long enough to be fixed with the nut inside the handle. Now take the metal rail and put the bolts through the already existing holes and bolt them to the handles. I was very lucky with my choice since the parts fit together per-fectly (Harris roller from Speedex + 10” mending brace zinc from ACE).
The only thing left to do now is glue one of the GoPro mounts to your rail and you are ready to go. Of course you can improve the rig with additional ac-cessories like a karabiner to clip to your BCD or you can mount some underwa-ter torches to the rail with some rubber straps.
You can find a short video of these instructions as well as a testing of the mount and GoPro underwater hous-ing on the OutdoorUAE YouTube channel www.youtube.com/outdooruae
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A pioneer crossing of Kenya’s Chalbi Desert using nature’s wind power!
The Chalbi, Kenya’s largest desert, has been crossed many times, but never using nature’s power of wind. The shear re-moteness of this desert was what motivated our quest to be the first to cross its 90km by means of land kiting.
Land kiting is considered an extreme sport, so combining a crossing of this mag-nitude was a sure way to feed our hunger for adrenaline and our pioneering spirit!
Part of this adventure was the journey get-ting to the desert, and the journey getting back, as the love of our country so great, we wanted to see and show as much as we could on the way!
Our first day’s drive was a short one, only three hours on good roads to our first stop at Che Shale Bay north of Malindi town. It is always nice to arrive and meet up with our good friends Justin and Isabelle, who joined
our expedition in their Land Rover.Three days of final route planning, gath-
ering of supplies, and most importantly, fine-tuning the kites, land boards, and land buggy was imperative. The sweeping bays north of Malindi, lined with huge golden sand dunes, are perfect for land kiting as the surface is very similar to the desert, offering us an ideal place to test our gear and make final tweaks.
Birth of a new Sanctuary in Kenya Heading north through the flat low-land areas lining the banks of Kenya’s largest river,
the Tana, we arrived at the Hirola Antelope Sanctuary. The sanctuary was gazetted to save one of the world’s most endangered antelopes that only exist in this small part of the world. Here, we meet up with two friends, Gwilly, heading the sanctuary, and Jamie who would be guiding us to Kampi Ya Simba in Kora Park through Panya (Swahili for ‘rat’) routes the next day. The evening was set for a great ‘sun downer’ by the river, tagging and releasing various catfish species while sipping red wine.
It rained the entire night, but we all slept comfortably protected in our tents. Next morning, a quick cup of coffee and a couple hard boiled eggs, and we were packed and ready to hit the road. Ahead of us lay 100km of ‘Black Cotton’ soil, which turns to one of the most difficult muds to drive through in the world when wet. We set off as happy as boys in a toy shop, each of us with ear-to-ear smiles as we ploughed through the terrain. We had to stop only once to dig a car out and we made the 100km in four and a half hours!
Visiting Kora’s new project The golden sunlight reflecting off the mas-sive boulders surrounded by wild African
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Words: Boris Polo Photos: Boris Polo, Isabelle Quesada, Petra Rostocil
Buggy. Credit: Isabelle Quesada
Getting unstruck in the desert. Credit: Isabelle Quesada
Black cotton on route to Garissa Credit: Isabelle Quesada
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bush was astonishing. Arriving after dark at Kampi Ya Simba, a camp George Adamson had set up as a base to rehabilitate and re-lease lions in that area due to their declining numbers as a result of poaching.
George Adamson was killed by poachers in 1989. Since then, the poachers have had free reign, and as a result there are very few animals left, and only one lion in the whole park.
The camp has now been rehabilitated by Tony Fitzjohn (George Adamson’s assistant) and Jamie Manuals (our guide in the area). And within two years, the plan is to start reintroducing the first lions of the project.
The sounds of the African night, as we lay under the stars, were invigorating. A dawn wake-up call of tens of different species of birds energized us for our morning bush walk and a leisure afternoon of fishing by the river. In this area of the Tana, there exists an elusive, little-documented fish called The Gi-ant Somali Catfish, our ultimate trophy catch.
The rods were out, and the arduous wait-ing game had commenced. “I’m in, I’m in,” called Alex, who was fifty meters up river from us. Sure enough, he had something big on his line! Alex, a professional safari guide and veteran of numerous expeditions, thought at first he might have a croc and not a fish. Only after pulling it into shore did we realise what it was! After marvelling at the sheer size and good looks of The Gi-ant Somali Cat Fish, we released it back to freedom.
A ‘paradise’ to be experienced Two days later after passing through
Meru National Park and Isiolo, we entered Marsabit National Park which turns from hot, flat desert down below, to lush rain forest in the hills above, which is created by mist and not rainfall. We set up camp on the edge of Lake Paradise, a crater lake which has been dry for the past two years as a result of poor rainfall in the area. Instead of being full of water, today Lake Paradise is full of elephant, buffalo, and zebra looking like a colony of ants in the distance. Taking in the sights and sounds of this forest is exceptional - a true Eden on earth!
We’d been driving for half an hour head-ing down to the outskirts of the Chalbi Desert when suddenly, Lovet (our team mechanic and support driver) screamed in fear as he was answering nature’s call! He had just put his foot two inches from a Puff Adder! A bite from one of these bad boys could spell disaster for us, with the nearest
hospital storing anti venom being a long four-hour drive away. The whole team was freaked out, and got our adrenaline pump-ing for a good while.
What we had all come for! The desert winds were howling, and it was time for Justin (Land buggier) and me (land boarder) to rig up and start our crossing at-tempt. It was what we had all come for! With our adrenaline still pumping from the snake drama, and the winds gusting 12 to18 knots from the east, we set off on what would be a four-hour arduous down winder. The surface was extremely flat, but very deceiving as the top layer was one inch of soft dusty red soil.
We were three-and-a-half hours into the crossing, and were cruising literally ‘into the sunset.’ The vastness of the desert is so barren and inhospitable, but yet the parched red soils under the orange colours of the set-ting sun were stunning. What a treat it was to be kiting out here!
Suddenly disaster! We had almost arrived in Kalacha, our halfway point through the desert, when the Land Rover support vehicle conked out. Lovet was quick under the bon-net to see what was going on. ‘Oh bugger’ were Lovet’s words to describe that the tim-ing belt had busted!
The crossing had to be continued, and we were not going to quit now – no way! We had commitments to our sponsors, and
Finding our barings in The Chalbi. Credit: Petra Rostocil
Lovat trying to find the problem. Credit: Boris Polo
Close call with the puff adder. Credit: Boris Polo Day 2 of the crossing. Credit: Isabelle Quesada
54 OUTDOORUAE
our drive to accomplish what we came to do was overwhelming. Fifty kilometres were left to go, so the next morning at day break we would set off with two support vehicles following us.
The evening was a relief! After a four-hour cruise on our last day, we had completed our 90km desert crossing in two days. Sitting in a natural ‘swimming pool’ (a stream from a fresh water spring), sipping on wine, we re-laxed, secure in the knowledge that we had accomplished what we came to do!
Quick visit to the spectacular Jade Sea Now heading to Lake Turkana, the largest permanent desert lake on earth, we were on our long journey back home. The lake is familiar territory for Alex and myself, whom back in 2006 were part of a team that were the first to kitesurf on the lake’s western shores. The lake is notorious for having the world’s single largest Nile crocodile popula-tion, with the largest single specimen ever being recorded at a mere 28ft in length! Unfortunately this time, we would not kite on the lake as we only spent half a day there, and also thought this was a good excuse, as our fear of crocs had grown in five years!
The lake is also known as the Jade Sea, because of its remarkable, almost incan-descent colour of water. As we toped the last set of rocky, lifeless hills, it was hard to comprehend how this inhospitable place is
in fact the ‘cradle of mankind,’ where the earliest evidence of human presence has been found.
A short one-night stay, camping on the shores of the lake, and we were off for a 250km drive heading south. Climbing from 300m of altitude to 2,500m on steep and intensely rocky tracks, we were heading to the Laikipia Plateau at an average speed of 10km/hr.
Special Mugi Mugi, in the heart of Laikipia, is a magical place! A private 46,000 acre rhino sanctuary situated on the top of the plateau is full of all of Kenya’s animal species.
We were kindly invited to camp in the sanctuary by a friend and veteran ranch manager, Claus Mortensen. If you know how hard it is to keep rhinos alive in Africa, and protected from poachers, you can appreci-ate Claus’ work. The sanctuary has electri-fied fencing, making it a secure home for the rhino, with gaps to allow other wildlife to move in and out. There are a total of 26 rhinos at the moment. We spotted five of them on our first game drive!
Lovett and Chrissie, having been part of our team the whole way, would now be our
hosts at our last stop, Lake Naivasha, where they own and run a stunning camp site.
They were finally home, but we still had another 700km to go!
We spent four very leisurely days at Camp Carnelley’s, fishing, eating, drinking and sleeping, before we embarked on our long drive back home to Diani Beach, on the south coast of Kenya.
Diani Beach, one of the most pristine white sand beaches in the world, is where we live and run our surf and kite centre; H2o Extreme.
With special thanks to our sponsors: Havaianas, Dakine, Von Zipper Sunglasses, Sand Storm Keny
Giant somali cat fish. Credit: Petra Rostocil
Mugi camp. Credit: Isabelle Quesada
Show boating. Credit: Petra Rostocil
Happy to be heading down to Baringo. Credit: Boris Polo
Team photo at Mt. Lolokwe. Credit: Isabelle Quesada
Justin on final tests before the desert. Credit: Petra Rostocil
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DIRECTORY
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Where can you buy us?
DUBAISelected Choithrams, Spinneys, Carrefour and Al Maya supermarketsIn all good book Stores: Books Plus, Jashanmal, Borders, etc.Selected SupermarketsSelected ENOC & EPCO Petrol Stations
800 Sports - Sheikh Zayed RoadAdventure HQ - Sheikh Zayed Road, Times Square CentreBarracuda Fishing Shop - Sheikh Zayed RoadCircle 8 – The Dubai Mall Dubai Garden Centre - Sheikh Zayed RoadGo Sport – Ibn Battuta, Mall of the Emirates, Mirdiff City CentreGo Sport The Dubai MallIcon Auto – Al QuozK2 Shop - Dubai MallKTM - Sheikh Zayed RoadLeisure Marine/ Beach Street - Jumeirah Beach WalkMasaood Marine - Sheikh Zayed RoadOcean Active - Sheikh Zayed Road
Picnico - Jumeirah Beach RoadProbike - Al Barsha Sand Storm Motorcycles - Al BarshaSebsports - Al QuozSurf Shop Dubai - Al BarshaWolfi’s Bike Shop - Sheikh Zayed Road
ABU DHABISelected SupermarketsIn all good book Stores.Selected ADNOC Petrol stations
Arabian Divers and Sports Fishing Charters - Al Bateen MarinaDesert Garden CenterResort Marina - Al Bateen MarinaSports Direct - Khaladiya MallThe Club - Abu Dhabi Tourist Area Go Sport - Bawabat Al Sharq Mall
Other EmiratesSelected SupermarketsIn all good book StoresSelected ADNOC, ENOC & EPCO Petrol Stations
QatarGo Sport - TBC
ComplimentarySelected Dive CentresSelected Hotels Concierge and LobbySelected Universities and SchoolsDubai and Abu Dhabi Airport launchesAbu Dhabi Airport Duty Free - distribution standsFirst and Business Class of Etihad flights
Al Maha Resort Dubai (in hotel rooms)Aloft Hotel Abu Dhabi (in hotel rooms)Al Jeer Marina - Ras Al KhaimahDubai AutodromeDubai DolphinariumDubai Polo & Equestrian ClubSharjah Paintball & Shooting CentreSofitel Hotel Dubai (in hotel rooms)The Palace - Old town (Spa)Wafi, The PyramidsUmm Al Quwain Marine Sports Club
You will find the magazine in more than 800 locations across the UAE, here are some of the most popular locations. Ask in a supermarket or local grocery store close to you and you will have a good chance of finding our magazine on the shelves.
Please note this is just a selection of some of our distribution locations, in case you want to know a location near you contact us.
All previous months issues are available on www.outdooruae.com in the magazine section tab, in the online viewer free of charge.
56 OUTDOORUAE
Festival Marina, Dubai, Festival City, +97144498400, www.igy-festivalmarina.comPavilion Marina, Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +97144068800Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club, Umm Al Quwaim, +9716 766 6644, www.uaqmarineclub.com
Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba, +97150336046, www.sheesabeach.comDesert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971-42959428, www.arabiatours.com
CavingMuscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +971503289642, www.holiday-in-oman.com
ClimbingEquipmentGlobal Climbing, +97156126245 Dubai Investment Park 1 www.globalclimbing.comAdventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +97143466558, www.barracudadubai.com Jack WolfskinMirdiff City Centre Dubai, (04) 2840228Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi(02) 4437802ServicesAbsolute Adventure, Dubai, +97143459900, www.adventure.ae Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square
Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +97126429995, www.alshaheenme.comArabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.comDorell Sports Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, +97143065061, www.climbingdubai.comE-Sports Dubai, Dubai, www.e-sportsdubai.comThe Club, Abu Dhabi, +97126731111, www.the-club.com
CyclingEquipmentCycle Sports, Dubai, Al Barsha1, +97143415415, www.cyclesportuae.comMichas Bike Shop, Warehouse no.4 6th st. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +9714 3805228 Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha1, +97143255705, www.probike.aeRage Shop, Dubai Mall, +97144343806, www.rage-shop.comRide Bike Shop, Dubai Mall, Festival City, Oasis Centre, Mirdiff City Centre, +97143750231, www.ridebikeshop.com Tamreen Sports, Abu Dhabi, +97126222525, www.tamreensports.com VELO & Oxygen, Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi+97125566113, www.funridesports.comWolfi’s Bike Shop, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97143394453, www.wbs.aeClubsAbu Dhabi Tri Club, www.abudhabitriclub.com Cycle Safe, Dubai Autodrome www.cyclechallenge.aeDubai Roadsters, www.dubairoadsters.com
Diving Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai+97142894858, www.alboommarine.comAl Masaood Marine, Dubai, SheikhZayed Road, +97143468000,www.masaoodmarine.com Blue Waters Marine, +97142232189, Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi, +97126710017, www.gulfmarinesports.comPremiers for Equipment, Abu Dhabi, Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, +97126665226, www.premiers-uae.com Diving Centers
7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan, +97192387400, www.7seasdivers.comAl Boom Diving (equipment), Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, + 97143422993, www.alboomdiving.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam+971 7 2682333 or +971 50 4873185www.aljeerport.aeAl Mahara Dive Center, Downtown Abu Dhabi, +971501118125, www.divemahara.comArabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al Khaimah, +97172226628, +971502428128 www.arabiandiver.comArabian Divers and SportfishingCharters, Al Bateen Marina Resort,Abu Dhabi, +971506146931,www.fishabudhabi.comAtlantis Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai, The Palm Jumeirah,+97144263000, www.atlantisdivecentre.comDeep Blue Sea Diving, Dubai, International City, +97144308246, www.diveindubai.comDivers Down, Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah Hotel Resort & Spa, +97192370299, www.diversdown-uae.comEmirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi,
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THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST AUGUST 2012 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST AUGUST 2012 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
58 OUTDOORUAE
MotorcyclingDistributors & DealersAl Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, www.aym.ae/yamaha/Duseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143476712, www.apriliauae.comLiberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +97142822144, www.libertykawasaki.comPolarisUAE, Al Ghandi Complex, Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor, +97142896100, www.polarisuae.comTristar Motorcycles, +97143330659, www.tristaruae.comWorkshop & Services2xWheeler, +97144548388, www.2xwheeler.com Dune Bike, Dubai, Al Khail Road Alweer, +97143272088, www.dunebuggyuae.comDuseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143476712, www.apriliauae.comGecko Motors, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143413550, www.gecko-motors.com Seb Sports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1Dubai, +9714 3393399, www.sebsports.com
MotorsportsAl Forsan Resort, Abu Dhabi, +97125568555, www.alforsan.com
Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, www.dubaiautodrome.comEmirates Motorplex, Umm Al Quwain, +97167681717Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Off-Road ManufacturerBlingmytruck.com, +971505548255, www.blingmytruck.com LRC Off Road Engineering, Dubai, +971553198526, www.lrcoffroad.comRepair and servicesOff Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz, +97143392449, www.offroad-zone.com Icon Auto, Dubai, +97143382744, www.icon-auto.comEquipmentAEV, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +97143307152, www.aev.aeCar Max Off Roading AccessoriesRas-Al Khor, Al Awir, Dubai, UAE +971 4 3204214, 055 8485868www.4x4dubai.com Icon Auto, Dubai, +97143382744, www.icon-auto.com Saluki Motorsport, Dubai Tel: +971 4 347 6939 www.salukimotorsport.comWild X Adventure Shop, Dubai, Um Al Ramoul, +971509029800,
www.wildx.ae Yellow Hat, Dubai, Festival City, www.yellowhat.aeTour OperatorDesert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971-42959428, www.arabiatours.com Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +97143034888, www.arabian-adventures.comOasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +97142628889, www.opdubai.comClubs Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club, www.ad4x4.com Filipino Off- Road Club, www.forac.ae ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com
RunningClubs ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.orgAbu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi, www.abudhabitriclub.orgMirdiff Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.com
Stand up Paddling, Kite & Surfing, WakeboardingEquipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai+97142894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, SheikhZayed Road, +97143468000,www.masaoodmarine.comLeisure Marine Beach Street, Dubai, The Walk JBR, +97144243191www.leisuremarine-me.com Picnico04 3941653, Jumeirah Beach Road Opposite Sunset Mall, DubaiPearl Water Crafts, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, +971553749398, www.pearl-watercrafts.comSurf Dubai, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971505043020, www.surfingdubai.comSurf Shop Dubai, Dubai, Al Raha Bldg, Al Barsha 1, +97143990989, www.surfshopdubai.comUAE Kite Surfing, +971505626383, www.ad-kitesurfing.netDistributorOcean Sports FZE, +971559352735,www.kitesurfsup.com Kitepeople Trading Llc+971504559098, www.kitepeople.aeOperatorAl Forsan Resort, Abu Dhabi, +97125568555, www.alforsan.comDubai Kite Surf School, Dubai, Umm Suqeim Beach, +971 504965107, www.dubaikitesurfschool.comKite Fly, Dubai, +971502547440, www.kitesurf.aeKite4fun, Abu Dhabi, +971508133134, www.kite4fun.netNautica1992, Dubai, +971504262415, www.nautica1992.aeShamalkitesurfing, Umm Suqueim Beach – Dubai, +971507689226, www.shamalkitesurfing.comSky &Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +97143999005, www.watersportsdubai.comSurf Adventures UAE, Dubai, Al Barsha1, +97143990989, www.surfadventuresuae.comSurf School Dubai, Umm Suqeim & Al Barsha, Dubai, +97143990989, www.surfschooluae.com Watercooled04 887 6771, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.watercooleddubai.comClubs
Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle www.uaesup.com
Water ParksAquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, +97144260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dreamland Aqua Park, Umm Al Quwain, Emirates Road, +97167681888, www.dreamlanduae.comWild Wadi, Dubai, +97143484444, www.wildwadi.com
Other leisure activitiesAbu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, + 97125588990, www.adgolfclub.comDolphin Bay AtlantisDubai, +97144260000, www.atlantisthepalm.aeDubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park Gate No. 1, +97143369773, www.dubaidolphinarium.aeIfly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdiff City Centre, +97142316292, www.iflyme.comSadiyaat Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, +97125578000, www.sbgolfclub.aeSharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Sharjah, +97143999005, www.golfandshootingshj.comSkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of The Emirates, +97144094000, www.skidxb.comSpacewalk Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, +97124463653, www.spacewalk.ae
Health, Safety & TrainingSafety LessonsMarine Concept Yacht Charter & Sea School, Rania Business Centre, Dubai, +971559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.comSafety & Leisure Training Middle East, Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +97144502418, www.sltme.com Sport & Health Centres The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, +97144370570, www.physiocentre.ae
A lean, mean, touring machineThe XP 18 Spyder is identical to the proven, decked XP 18 in all aspects but the cockpit. The XP 18 Spyder enjoys all its characteristics. It’s fast and stable while highly maneuvrable. The XP 18 Spyder has exceptional glide, consuming mile after mile with little effort.
The combination of both speed and stability makes the XP 18 Spyder truly unique. With its open cockpit, it is one of a kind!
www.point65.com
Point 65 kayaks are available at GO Sport stores in Dubai: The Dubai Mall, Level 2 | Qatar: City Centre Doha, 2nd Floor
Magnus de Brito - using highly advanced hydrodynamic design technology, combined with experience and extensive testing - has managed to create a unique craft that is faster than most, while comfortably stable even in the roughest conditions.
Like GO Sport on: facebook.com/gosportqatar
Like Point 65 Kayaks on: facebook.com/Point65Kayaks
Watch the film about XP18 on: youtube.com/Point65TV
Paul Rosenqvist paddling XP18 Spyder , off Sandhamn, Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden
