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The Magazine and Online Portal for Outdoor Activities in the U.A.E. and the Border of Oman. Visit: www.OutdoorUAE.com
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First Prize: Khasab Dhow CruiseKhasab Divers sponsored a one day Dhow cruise for you and up to 8 friends. Cruising through the amazning �ords of the Musandam mountains the experience of a lifetime.More info: www.khasabdiver.com
Third Prize: Surf Lessons Dubai Surf School sponsored surf lessons for beginners including rental of equipment. Enjoy the warm gulf waters and ride on a wave. More info: www.surfschooluae.com
500 AED Voucher Second Prize: Masaood Marine sponsored a 500 AED shop-ping voucher. Choose from a wide range of marine equipment, water sports gear and clothing. Check Al Masaood Marine Show-room or their website for the full product range. More info: www.masaoodmarine.com
TreasuresTreasures
3
Editorial
In Print:Managing EditorDaniel Birkhofer
Senior EditorBogdan Oanele
EditorChantel Parise
Marketing Gina Vaduva
In Print & Editorial
First of all - Thank you, for taking one of our Magazines and for reading it. If you want to find more informa-tion, check out our website and discover the U.A.E. at www.OutdoorUAE.com.
Everybody remembers those nice and uncomplicated years when we were young and went to school. The teachers asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up: Fire Fighters, Astronauts, Doctors, Adventur-ers. In my dreams I was one of these daredevils who was dragged from one adventure to the next. By the time you get older, your aspirations become more realistic and your dreams move more and more into the background. The adventurer of my dreams is a character which will never exist or survive in the real world. But why we shouldn’t keep striving towards our dreams? Why we shouldn’t try to realize at least some parts of our dreams? Dreams are a great, posi-tive and motivating force! Why not start using and ap-plying them to our lives and the real world?I asked myself all of these questions and couldn’t find an answer - why not? This was the birth of the idea: ‘OutdoorUAE’. Realizing one’s ideas and dreams is never easy, but with enthusiasm and a good plan, you can and will succeed. I strongly believe in this attitude: The only thing which can stop me from succeeding is myself.Since moving to Dubai and the birth of the idea, al-most four years have passed, and I made the final de-cision to go through with my plan one year ago. Today I have the proof that realizing one’s dreams is possible. There have been a lot of sacrifices, relapses and risks along the way, for myself as well as the rest of the team. We have come so far and hope you will support us and allow our dreams to really come true -- making OutdoorUAE a success. Read the Magazine, visit the website, involve yourself and give us feed-back or even contribute yourself, by writing some-thing or sending us your favourite photos.
Outdoor UAE is not simply the realisation of personal dreams, Outdoor UAE is a community, a commu-nity which is closely con-nected in support of each other. Share your knowl-edge, your experience, meet new people and ex-
perience the adventures which awaiting you right in your own backyard – our collective backyard, here in the UAE. We see our role in this community as the connecting hub and we will provide this service for free – no member fees to use the website, and even the Magazine will be distributed for free.I know as well as you, that we may never be the ad-venturer of our childhood dreams - but we can still have those adventures after work and on the week-ends. So get your butt off the couch and get out! You will be surprised how much the U.A.E. offers.I look forward to meeting you somewhere in the desert, on the mountains or in the sea.
Enjoy the Magazine, enjoy life and thank you all!
Daniel Managing Editor OutdoorUAE
Additional Note:This is the first issue of the Magazine and the website has only been online for a couple of months, therefore we are still looking for events, clubs, shops and everything related to outdoor activities. If there is any information which you can’t find or you have the feeling we missed something, please let us know. We are working hard on it, to provide as much information as possible, absolutely free. Feel free to contact us at anytime if you have a question - as my grandfather said: “There are no stupid questions only stupid answers!” – hesitate to question or comment at [email protected] or call us at 04-3233701
Graphic & DesignRES Media
For advertisement & distribution enquiries contact:Tel: 04 32 33 701Fax: 04 32 33 [email protected]
Published by:RES MediaP.O Box 215062Dubai UAE
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.
© 2010 RES MediaIssue #I , 02/2010
4
ContentIn Print & Editorial
Content
Event Schedule
Myths vs. Truths - Diving
Product Check
Event Reviews
Bull Fight
News & Notes
Reader Photos
Surfing
People
Tips & Tricks
Rock Climbing
About OutdoorUAE.com
Locations
Route
Desert Balloon Adventure
Commercial Contacts
3
4
5
7
11
12
13
15
16
18
19
20
23
27
28
29
30
34
Content
Myths vs. Truths about Diving - P. 7-9
DMX Race Series - Event Reviews - P. 124x4 Recovery - Tricks - P. 21
Desert Balloon Adventure - P. 30-34
Climbing in the UAE - P. 23-25
Surfing in the UAE - P. 18
5
Event Schedule February/March
Event Schedule
Climbing in the UAE - P. 23-25
Date: Event Name: Location: Info & Contact:
Thu 18. Feb 2010 -
Fri 19. Feb 2010
Abu Dhabi Jet Ski Race Abu Dhabi International Marine
Sailing Club
www.dimc.ae
Thu 18. Feb 2010 YAS V8 400 Yas Marina Abu Dhabi www.atcuae.ae
Fri 19. Feb 2010 RAK Half Marathon Ras Al Kaimah www.rakmarathon.org
Thu 18. Feb 2010 -
Fri 19. Feb 2010
Horse Race Meydan Racecourse, Dubai www.emiratesracing.com
Fri 19. Feb 2010 Motorcross UAQ Round 6 Umm Al Quaim Motorplex www.motorplex.ae
Sat 20. Feb 2010 Dubai Traditional Dhow Sailing Championship
22ft
DIMC www.dimc.ae
Sun 21. Feb 2010 Horse Race Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Abu
Dhabi
www.emiratesracing.com
Sun 21. Feb 2010 Al Maktoum Sailing Trophy DIMC www.dimc.ae
Tue 23. Feb 2010
every week
Bike Training Rides - Dubai Roadsters Nadd Al Sheb www.dubairoadsters.com
Thu 25 Feb 2010 -
Sat 27. Feb 2010
Abu Dhabi Yacht Show Yas Marina Abu Dhabi www.abudhabiyachtshow.com
Fri 26. Feb 2010 Horse Race Jebel Ali Racecourse www.emiratesracing.com
Fri 26. Feb 2010
every week
Bike Tour - Dubai Roadsters Dubai or Hatta www.dubairoadsters.com
Fri 26. Feb 2010 Motorcross DMX Round 6 Jebel Ali Motorcross Track www.mydubaimotocross.com
Sat 27. Feb 2010 Dubai Wooden Powerboat Race Mina Seyahi www.dimc.ae
Sat 27. Feb 2010 Abu Dhabi Traditional Rowing Race Dimc www.dimc.ae
Sun 28. Feb 2010 Horse Race Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Abu
Dhabi
www.emiratesracing.com
Thu 04. Mar 2010 -
Sat 06. Mar 2010
Wakeboarding Festival Abu Dhabi Corniche www.wakestock.ae
Fri 05. Mar 2010 Fujairah Traditional Rowing Race Fujairah International Marine Club www.dimc.ae
Sat 06. Mar 2010 Abu Dhabi Traditional Dhow Sailing Grand Prix
(43ft)
Abu Dhabi International Marine
Sailing Club
www.adimsc.ae
Sat 06. Mar 2010 2nd UAE BIATHLE CHALLENGE 2010 Le Meridien Mina Seyahi, Dubai www.biathleme.org
Sat 06. Mar 2010 -
Fri 12. Mar 2010
Dubai Polo Gold Cup Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club www.dubaipologoldcup.com
Tue 09. Mar 2010 -
Sat 13. Mar 2010
Dubai International Boat Show Dimc www.dimc.ae
Thu 11. Mar 2010 UAE Wooden Powerboats Championship Abu Dhabi International Marine
Sailing Club
www.adimsc.ae
Fri 12. Mar 2010 Zoggs Super Sports Tadpole Gala 2 Safa School, Dubai www.supersportsdubai.com
Fri 12. Mar 2010 -
Sat 13. Mar 2010
Xcat World Powerboat Series - Heat1 Abu Dhabi International Marine
Sailing Club
www.adimsc.ae
Sat 13. Mar 2010 President Cup Traditional Dhow Sailing Race 60ft Abu Dhabi International Marine
Sailing Club
www.adimsc.ae
Sat 13. Mar 2010 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon Abu Dhabi www.abudhabitourism.ae
Thu 18. Mar 2010 -
Fri 19. Mar 2010
Abu Dhabi Jet Ski Race Abu Dhabi International Marine
Sailing Club
www.adimsc.ae
Thu 18. Mar 2010 -
Sat 20. Mar 2010
Dubai International Horse Fair DICC, Dubai www.dwtc.com
Fri 19. Mar 2010 Mina Mile - Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Open Water
Sea Swim - Race 3
Dubai www.supersportsdubai.com
Fri 19. Mar 2010 Free Syle Driving Umm Al Quaim Motorplex www.motorplex.ae
• You can find more events and detailed information online at www.OutdoorUAE.com
• Please send information about events to: [email protected]
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7Myths vs. Truths - Diving
Scuba diving (like all adventure sports) is surrounded by
myths and commonly accepted “reasons” of why this sport
is too boring / difficult / expensive etc for the normal person
to take up. Most of the myths are untrue, some are partly
true and none of them is reason enough to stop any inter-
ested person from escaping from the hum-drum of normal
life and entering a world that often goes unseen and unex-
plored by most people.
Don’t let these common misconceptions hold you back!
Join us in the wonderful underwater world, enter a new
realm of experience and start to live!
Myth: “Diving? - that sport is for safe, boring, old people”
Truth: If you think scuba isn’t extreme enough for you,
you’re not seeing past the first step. Sure, a lot of people
never go beyond puttering around in nice, calm water, look-
ing at nice, calm fish. However, if you get the right training
and equipment, you can get radical with this sport. Try div-
ing down 120 metres onto a sunken World War 2 submarine
off the Fujairah coast. It will be you who will be shaking
from the adrenaline rush, incoherent and exhausted, thrilled
and high as a kite - not the elite band of middle-aged divers
who have tagged this wreck as “theirs” and dive it regularly.
Need more? Ever hand-fed a shark? Explored the far reach-
es of a flooded cave? Chased a 200 kilo fish through the legs
of an offshore oil rig? Gone inside the rusting hallways of
a sunken ocean liner? Swam beneath the polar ice caps?
These are just some of the experiences that divers (and only
divers) get to have. But you’ve got to build up to it, check
your ego at the door, and take the first step (earning your
Open-Water certification) before you start talking like the
Big Boys.
Myth: Diving is only for people who live near warm water,
I will leave here soon / eventually and will not be able to
dive again.
Truth: There are few things that rival the experience of
being suspended weightlessly in warm, clear tropical wa-
ter while floating effortlessly along a colourful coral reef.
Unless, of course, it is the experience of drifting through
a California kelp bed with a pod of sea lions. Or exploring
the amazingly preserved ruins of a wooden shipwreck in a
Swiss Lake. Or diving with sharks in South Africa, or seeing
Sea Lions underwater off the British Coast, or... the list goes
on and on.
No matter where you live “back-home”, chances are there’s
a popular dive site somewhere nearby. Don’t believe me?
Just ask anyone with the red and white “diver down” flag
on his car. Lakes, quarries, rivers, flooded mineshafts - al-
most anywhere there’s water, you’ll find divers. Each of
these sites provides its own unique dive experience and a
chance to get started in the sport and to continue diving.
Not every dive site is for every diver, but scuba diving is
not just a sport, it’s also a lifestyle and a very social activ-
ity. So even if your “back-home” dive sites do not sound all
that inviting, get started in the welcoming warm waters of
the Indian Ocean, make new friends and know that “back
home” your new sport will open more doors, opportunities
and friendships to you.
Myth: There are sharks in the ocean and they eat divers.
Don’t try to deny it--I saw “Jaws” and “Open Water”
Truth: Don’t tell Hollywood, but the factual record on
shark vs. diver is pretty dull: Sharks just don’t make a habit
of munching on divers. In fact, except in certain conditions
and environments, they don’t even stick around when
divers get in the water. Let’s look at it from the shark’s
Myths vs. Truths 10 reasons why you should not learn to scuba dive!
Photo by: Leo Virgo
Scuba DubaiThe best in the UAE
The diving equipment experts. We know more about diving equipment. Buy from the best, buy from Scuba Dubai
The diving equipment experts. We know more about diving equipment. Buy from the best, buy from Scuba Dubai
Tel: 04 341 4940Fax: 04 341 4960
Freephone: 800 scuba
Deep down you want the best!Deep down you want the best!
Pho
to b
y: L
eo V
irg
o
8
point of view. You’re out cruising the depths, when out of
nowhere this noisy, bubble-blowing pack of creatures that
looks and moves like nothing else in the ocean, drops into
the water and starts flashing lights (i.e., camera strobes) at
you. It’s got to be the shark equivalent of Close Encounters.
The first thing most sharks do? Turn tail and run. It used
to be that divers could go their whole lives without ever
seeing the beauty and majesty of a shark up close. Today,
carefully managed encounter dives (from cage diving with
great whites off Australia to hand-feeding reef sharks in
the Bahamas) abound, and there is no better way to gain a
true understanding of these amazing creatures than to see
them up close.
Myth: You have to be a really fit competitive swimmer to
be a diver
Truth: It is true, ultra-fit, competitive swimmers make great
divers because they’re comfortable in the water and they’re
in great shape, but if the logic of this myth were true, then
only professional footballers would play football. Diving is
an active sport and the better shape you’re in, the easier it
will be, but any healthy individual with at least an average
fitness level can do it. This myth is most likely fuelled by the
fact that there is a basic swim test at the start of scuba les-
sons. You’ll need the endurance to swim about 200 yards
nonstop, but there’s no time limit and it’s not a race. The in-
structor also needs to know that you have basic water skills
and are comfortable submerging your face in water. That’s
it. And when you consider that there are divers from age
eight to age 80 who have passed this gruelling test of physi-
cal ability, it’s pretty clear that anyone with an activity level
above that of a chronic couch potato can do it. So, get off
the couch and get diving!
Myth: Diving is a male macho sport that is not female-
friendly
Truth: This might have been true, back in the 1950s when
American TV showed “Sea Hunt” with men of steel like Mike
Nelson (played by the late, great Lloyd Bridges) who were
out there spearing fish with their bare hands and rescuing
damsels in distress. Only it wasn’t really true then, either.
The lovely Zale Parry, the actress who played the damsel,
was one of the most accomplished divers on the set. And
when Sports Illustrated decided to feature the young sport
of scuba diving in its May 23, 1955, issue, it was Zale Parry
who made the cover, not Lloyd Bridges.
It is true, however, that men have always participated in
the sport more than women, but the gap has been clos-
ing steadily since the 1980s. Today, the male/female ratio is
roughly 60/40 and everyone from equipment manufactur-
ers to tour operators offers products specifically for female
divers. And there’s no glass ceiling to this sport - there are
female instructors, dive-masters, boat captains and resort
Myths vs. Truths - Diving
Myth: I have to buy a ton of gear just to learn
Truth: Scuba is a gear-intensive sport, but you only need
three basic items to start lessons (a mask, a snorkel and a
pair of fins). These are personal gear items and they need
to fit well for you to have a good time, so it’s worth buy-
ing them even if the dive school / instructor provides the
equipment for the course. All the other gear is available to
rent, usually at a discount rate to students, and often the
use of the more complex equipment is included in the dive
package price. Once you are a full-fledged diver, you will
ultimately want to purchase your own gear. It will be tempt-
ing to max out the plastic and buy everything at one time,
and if you’ve got the room on your credit cards, go for it. But
most beginning and intermediate divers continue to make
use of rental gear and acquire their own items one piece at
a time.
9
owners. Look at me – I’m a woman, I’ve dived more than
most men, own a dive business, my most powerful con-
tacts at most of the diving equipment manufacturing
companies are women. Diving is a great sport and a great
business for women to be in.
Myth: Diving will make my ears hurt
Truth: This one’s true - but only if you don’t equalize the
pressure in your ears as you descend. That’s one of the first
things they teach you to do in scuba lessons. It’s called
the Valsalva manuever and it’s really easy: Pinch your nose
and blow gently against your nostrils until you feel relief.
Try it. See? It’s so easy.
Myth: Certification is way too expensive
Truth: Only true if you never go out and do anything! Check
the price for a decent dinner, movie tickets for two, throw
in some popcorn, after-movie coffees and you’ll have spent
DH 370 easily. So, how does that compare to scuba? De-
pending on who you learn with, the average certification
class runs between DH 1,750 and DH 2,200, or
just a few of those dinner-and-a-movie dates. In return, you
get an all-access pass to a world of aquatic adventure, not
to mention a great new lifestyle you can brag about at the
office. Go on: Compare the cost of scuba lessons to almost
anything and you’ll see it’s a bargain, especially compared
to golf green fees, ski lift tickets and the cost of that home
gym collecting dust in your guest room.
Myth: I can’t dive. I have asthma.
Truth: Why not get a second opinion? Your Doctor is prob-
ably a great General Practitioner, but not a Diving Doctor.
GP’s are a very cautious bunch and often don’t understand
the sport of diving, so if you ask about scuba with regard to
a specific medical condition, their likely answer will be the
safe one: “No”. But before you let a lifetime of adventure slip
away, you should get a second opinion from a diving doc-
tor. Dr Horst Kafer of Dr Akel’s Clinic on the Beach Road is a
diving doctor and can give you a second opinion. You may
be surprised to find the answer is: “Yes, you can dive safely.”
In just the past 10 years, for example, asthma and diabetes
have gone from being absolute disqualifiers to conditional
ones. In both cases, if the condition is carefully monitored
and controlled, and the patient can tolerate physical exer-
cise, the pool (and the sea) is usually open.
Myth: Snorkeling is just as good as scuba diving
Truth: Don’t get me wrong. I like to snorkel - floating
Myths vs. Truths - Diving
around on the surface peering down on the reef from
above is a great way to spend time between dives. But just
as good? No way! Not if you like action. Snorkelling is sort
of like watching a football game from the window of an
apartment block overlooking the pitch. Diving is like suit-
ing up, running down the tunnel and getting in the game.
Strap a tank on your back and you are a player - swimming
with the sharks as equals, getting up close and personal
with giant Goliath grouper, or, for a good laugh, looking up
and seeing the soft, bulging underbellies of all those snor-
kelers drifting like flotsam on the surface and blocking out
the sunlight.
So......... Do you still think that you cannot dive??? May be
you just don’t want to, that’s ok – diving is not for everyone.
However, hopefully this article will make you think a bit, re-
assess your reasoning and open a door for you. Come on
in and join us! •
Writen by Stephanie Davies,
Owner, Scuba Dubai. Dubai
Photo by: Leo Virgo
11
Smart Cooling
Multi Pliers
Foldable Bike
Dive Computer Fishing Lure
Waterproof Surf Cam
Inflatable Air Jack Roof Top Tent
LED Head Torch
Products
Price: 5,290 AED
Manufactured of heavy duty ripped-top
canvas double stitched through-out and
fitted onto aluminum bows, fixed to top
quality polyurethane coated ply boards.
Easy to set up and very comfortable. Comes
with climate skirt, mattress, ladder, trans-
port cover and mosquito netting. Sleeps 2
adults. (Free delivery) Bigger sizes available.
Dimensions: 1,22m W 2,44m L 1,3m H
Available at: www.leadingedge-s.com
More Info: www.eezi-awn.co.za
Price: about 200 AED
The TIKKA ² offers great versatility with its
three lighting modes. In maximum mode,
the four LEDs deliver enough light to see
over a distance of 29 meters. The economic
mode optimizes battery life and provides
a long burn-time of up to 120 hours. The
battery compartment is now hinged for
easier access along with an easier to use
closure system.
Available at: Several sport shops in the UAE
More info: www.petzl.com
Price: about 1,200 AED
Particularly well-suited to use in sand, the
Inflatable Exhaust Jack is an invaluable
recovery tool, providing up to 31” of vehicle
lift. This Jack is inflated via a hose that con-
nects to the vehicle’s exhaust. As soon as
the vehicle’s engine is started, the jack will
start to inflate.
Available at: Ace Megastore
More Info: www.bushranger.com
Price: 3,900 AED
With this gadget, Mares is bringing state-
of-the-art consumer electronics technology
to the underwater world. High definition
LCD color display Plug in and recharge Up-
gradeable software, PC interface included
Nitrox mode with 3 different oxygen mixes,
Integrated interface, rechargeable lithium
batteries , map function, pictures function.
Available at: Masaood Marine Shop
More info: www.mares.com
Price: 1,000 AED
Probably the best on-board surf camera
on the market. Easy to install and oper-
ate and user-friendly. Shoot 56 minutes
of TV resolution video with sound or 5
mpx photos automatically for over an
hour while you surf. Waterproof to 30 m.
Features a 170º ultra wide angle lens and
high-resolution 5 mpx sensor.
Available at: Surf Shop Dubai
More Info: www.goprocamera.com
Price: 19 AED
MidThunder with a swimming depth 8’ –
12’ (2.4-3.6m). “Can you think like a fish?
What would you like to eat today? How
about a delicious Storm Lure?” Its injured
baitfish motion attracts all kind of fish. The
silver color and middle size is a great lure
for barracuda and kingfish.
Available at: Barracuda Fishing Equipment
More info: www.stormlures.com
Price: starting from 30 AED
Frio Products are patented cooling wallets
for medication or body cooling. The prod-
uct needs to be soaked in water for about
four minutes to activate, and will remain
cool for about 24hrs. The products are
reusable and available in different kinds e.g.
can or bottle cooler, cooling caps, cooling
wallets and much more. For more details
call Sue: 050 2741667
Available at: www.aimsmena.com
Price: 165 AED
This tool comes full of built in gadgets that
can tackle just about any task that comes
your way. Components: Needle nose pliers,
wire cutter, fine edge knife, serrated edge
knife, saw, scissors, cross-point screwdriver,
small and medium flat blade screwdrivers,
can opener, bottle opener and lanyard hole.
Handle Material: Stainless Steel
Overall Length: 6 inches
Available at: Picnico General Trading
More Info: www.gerber-tools.com
Price: 1,750 AED
This bike features a lightweight
aluminium frame. With 20” alloy rims,
the Velo-city sports an alloy folding
stem and the bike reduces down to
a folded size of 790x420x620 mm.
SADDLE : Velo double spring comfort.
SHIFTER : Shimano 6 speed Gripshifts
SIZE : 285mm WEIGHT : 12.5kg
Available at: www.cyclesportsuae.com
More Info: www.bronxcycles.com
12
Horse Race
Motor Cross Series
UAE Jet Ski Championship - Round 2 Desert Fun Drive
Super Run Series Kayak Fishing
Event Reviews
Date: Friday 22. Jan. 2010
Location: Jebel Ali Racecourse
During the Race Season, several horse
races are held at Jebel Ali Horse Race
Course, which is famous for its atmos-
phere – “Garden Party”. We were there
during a pleasant winter day in January
to see the race. It’s a great experience
for horse lovers or people who like to
have picnics next to the race course. The
entrance to the course is free.
More info: www.emiratesracing.com
Date: Friday 9. Jan. 2010
Location: Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Super Sports and partners organized the
3rd Race from the well-known Super Sports
Run Series Challenge. The race offered all
athletes a unique running experience as the
race course winds itself through the three
exclusive resort properties of the Jumeirah
Group. The fourth Race from this Run Series
Challenge will take place on 27 March in the
same location.
More info: www.supersportsdubai.com
Date: Friday 22 Jan. 2010
Location: Ras Al Khaima
The Inaugural Kayak Fishing Competition,
organized by the UAE Kayak-Fishing Group
took place in Al Hamra (RAK). The weather was
not great. It was rainy and a bit cold but these
guys really know how to warm everybody
up. Considering the bad whether, we can say
that the catch was quite impressive and that
it was a successful inaugural Competition.
They had great Sponsors too: Alec Construc-
tion, Emirates NBD, and Safety Solutions, to
mention a few.
“We had a good turn out but the weather
certainly scared off a few people. The real
die-hard fisherman turned up either the night
before or very early on the morning… in fact,
due to a popular request, we extended the
weigh-in for an extra hour while the guys
paddled in the rain to try get into the leader
board. Friday evening’s prize-giving ceremony
and party certainly were affected by the rain
as it kept pouring down, but that did not stop
a few guys from still camping over again and
enjoying what turned out to be a very pleas-
ant evening sitting around the bon fire.” – says
Ivan Kraemer. He also told us that more events
like this are to follow, so if you want to get in
contact with this group,
call them at: 050 455-7504
Date: Saturday 23. Jan. 2010
Location: Dubai, JBR Off Shore
Dubai hosted the 2nd Round of the UAE Jet
Ski Championship. The 1st Round was held in
Abu Dhabi in the beginning of January. This
Jet Ski Championship started already to attract
competitors from abroad: Europe, USA, Asia,
and Africa. It was organized by DIMC with a
lot of professionalism and precision, which
are mandatory for such an event abundant in
adrenaline and horse power.
The classes were: Pro Ski, up to 900 C.C, Runa-
bout Stock, up to 1600 C.C, Junior Stock, up to
800 C.C, Ski Limited up to 800 C.C, and Runa-
bout Super Stock up to 1600 C.C, competed in
two races of between 8 and 15 laps for each
class. There were also 2 minutes of free style
where the jet skis and their riders proved their
special skills.
The winners where as it follows:
Pro Ski 900CC Class - Steven Dauliach
Runabout Stock 1600CC – Mohammed Jasem
Al Baz, Junior Ski 800CC – Shamis Rashid
Hamad Al Shamsi, Ski Limited 800CC - Al Mur
Mohamad Bin Huraiz, Free Style - Ohamed
Saeed Al Rumaithi.
The 3rd Round will take place in Abu Dhabi,
between 18th -19th February 2010, at
ADIMSC.
More info: www.dimc.ae
Date: 15.-16. Jan. 2010
Location: Umm Al Quwain to Dubai
Gulf News organized its 29th edition of
Overnight Drive Fun, on a special route
from Umm Al Quwain to Dubai. The Start
was at UAE Motorplex and the route was
really tough with it being more than 90
percent on sand, featuring high dunes and
very tricky stretches that challenged even
the most experienced participants, who
drove for about eight hours up to the Finish
Line-Camp in Dubai. The route had a few
checkpoints where participants had the
option to abandon the drive if they felt like
it. Most of the participants spent the night
in the Camp, enjoying time together and
having a lot of fun.
More details: www.gulfnews.com
Date: Fridays
Location: Jebel Ali DMX Track
The DMX Club is hosting annual race series in
different classes of age, gender and vehicles.
The vehicles are motorcross bikes or quads
which are categorized in classes by engine
type and size. The 2009/2010 season is still
ongoing with regular races on Fridays starting
at about 8am until the afternoon. Entrance
for visitors is free and riders have to pay a
registration fee. If you like motor sports and
off-road action, you should definitely check
out one of the thrilling races at the race track
next to Jebel Ali Beach Resort. For the next
race and race schedule contact the DMX Club.
More Info: www.mydubaimotocross.com
Photo by: DIMC
Photo by: Super Sports
x
Dhow Cruise
Equipment Rental
Premium Services:Beach CampingSea & Fishing Cruise Kayak ToursDive TripsEquipment RentalBeach Camping
Dive Trips
Khasab DiversFor Booking & Info call:
Gwendoline +971 566514682Hamed +968 99883345Email: [email protected] www.khasabdiver.com
13
Bull Fight Date: Friday 15. Jan. 2010
Location: Fujairah. (E25°0650.82 / N056°2123.71E).
If you want to experience something different on a Friday afternoon you
should go to watch the traditional bullfighting in Fujairah. Coming from
Kalba the arena is on the right after entering Fujairah. There is excitement
in the air and the place vibrates when the two contestant bulls enter the
arena and try to push each other out of the way. In contrast to the Spanish
bullfights here two bulls fight each other and there is no bloodshed. It is
more like a “sumo style” bullfight and the bulls are actually pushing each
other with their massive heads until one of them capitulates meekly and
quietly. If both of them are stubborn and refuse to quit the fight, then a ref-
eree decides and wreathes the winner with glory. There is no prize money
for the winner, however, the victorious bull brings prestige to its owner and
will increase in value.
These kinds of bulls originate in India and known as Brahman Bulls, or
Indian Bulls, or Indian Oxen. They can reach some very impressive sizes and
weights of more than 2500 pounds. The Brahman Bull is widespread around
the world especially in the tropical areas, being famous for its resistance
and adaptation to high temperatures, but are also found in America, Eng-
land, Africa and of course, the UAE. They are also recognized for intelligence
and desired disposition. They are very responsive to kindness and they are
quite gentle when handled properly. But this doesn’t mean that they don’t
have pride and they test it from time to time in a bullring in their own style:
gently.
Event Spotlight - Bull Fight
Traditional Bull Fights in Fujairah
Photo by: Oliver Kammerer
Photo by: Oliver Kammerer
Photo by: Oliver Kammerer
15
Dubai’s Premier Surf School & ShopSurf School UAE has officially launched and is now
Dubai’s premier surf school offering lessons for
all ages for surfing and stand-up paddle board-
ing. All levels from beginners to intermediates
are taught basics like paddling, sitting & turning,
catching waves as well as surfing etiquette and
water safety. Free lessons are also offered for all
beginners with all equipment provided. Lessons
are taught in surf or flat water and are guaranteed
to get you up & riding very quickly. Get in touch
www.surfschooluae.com or info@surfschooluae.
com for more info.
The UAE’s premier Surf Shop, has moved to its
great new location and is now located opposite
Mall of the Emirates. This means that you can
get the latest DVDs, Magazines, new & used surf-
boards, board repairs, accessories and free advice
just 5 minutes from the beach. The store is open
daily from 10am – 7pm, so pop in and check out
the biggest and best range of surfing goodies in
the Middle East, or get in touch on
[email protected] or 050 940 3487.
The new address is:
Al Barsha 1Eagle Building, Shop 5
1. RTA Jet Ski ProjectThe project aims to regulate the use and rental of
Jet Skis in Emirate of Dubai, through the develop-
ment of laws and regulations.
Jet-Skis should be registered and licensed by the
RTA.
Operator should be medically fit, age not less than
14 years old, and fully aware of Jet-ski operation
and regulations. Operation timing permitted only
between sunrise and sunset. Operation must be
only within the permitted area. Operator should
wear lifejacket and comply with all safety require-
ments. Operator should register in and out at se-
curity office log.
Following a lot of complaints, and for safety rea-
sons, the authorities have banned jet-skis in some
particular beach areas and introduced some regu-
lations. Officially, there is just one permitted area
for Jet Ski activity in Dubai for individual use, in
the close vicinity of Umm Suqeim Fishing Harbor
and the Al Mamzer area for jet skiing for compa-
nies.
For more details regarding the regulations for us-
ing a Jet Ski please visit www.rta.ae
News & Notes
The Fish supply in the UAE will be better protectedEnvironment Agencies from all of the Emirates,
especially those from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras
Al Kaimah, are really concerned because the
measures they had regarding protection of some
fish species have not done enough to maintain a
healthy level among those species.
Their major concern falls on orange-spotted
groupers, sweet lips and emperor fish, also known
by their Arabic names of hammour, farsh and
sha’ary.
Dr Al Abdessalaam says of Abu Dhabi’s waters:
“There have been improvements but they are
slight and in some occasions, insignificant. We are
still not out of the woods, if you will. Fish mortality
is still high”. And that is because too many fish are
being caught before they reach maturity, which
means they have no opportunity to reproduce.
Fish mortality − the measure of how many are
removed from the water − has decreased for the
hammour. But more farsh and sha’ary are being
caught by fishermen.
There are no strict regulations regarding the age
or size of fish caught yet, but they will definitely be
in place in the near future. Even the existing rules
aren’t much help for the ingrate reason that more
than 30% of fishermen don’t respect the rules. It is
hard to control all the fishing boats around UAE
and in this case it is up to each person to follow
the rules in place to preserve something that be-
longs to everybody.
Authorities from Environmental Department in
RAK welcomed the intention of the UAE Ministry
of Environment and Water to ban the catch and
sale of small-sized fish and therefore they issued
a ministerial decree prohibiting the catch of a fish
that is smaller than the regular permitted size. The
Ministry will also coordinate with all the fisheries
departments around UAE and with the local au-
thorities on the issue of protecting the small fish
species. They will organize campaigns to educate
the fishermen in the spirit of respecting these
regulations giving them lessons on the length of
fish to be caught.
The Dubai Government last year addressed the
issue by identifying fishing boat owners who
depend solely on the sea for income but who
cannot go fishing themselves because they are
too old. Such people are now paid salaries by the
Government, depending on the number of boats
they own.
The hope is that the payments will discourage
them from hiring outside labour to run their
boats and the fishing of small fish which haven’t
yet reached maturity.
As an example, the ideal size for the hammour be-
ing caught is 70 centimetres, because they do not
reach sexual maturity until they are 45 centime-
tres. From all these endangered species only the
sha’ary is fished at a size larger than the minimum
required.
70 Captive-bred Houbara ReleasedAs part of Abu Dhabi’s efforts to protect Houbara
bustards and its comprehensive global strategy
of producing over 50,000 houbara bustards to
increase the bird’s population in their natural
habitats in its geographic distribution in Asia and
North Africa, 70 captive-bred Houbara bustards
produced at the National Avian Research Centre
(NARC) of the International Fund for Houbara
Conservation were released by H.H Sheikh Ham-
dan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the Western region of
Abu Dhabi Emirate.
Info: The Houbara Bustard is 60 cm long with an
140 cm wingspan. It is brown above and white be-
low, with a black stripe down the sides of its neck.
In flight, the long wings show large areas of black
and brown on the flight feathers. The sexes are
similar, but the female is smaller and greyer above.
Bustards are omnivorous and nest on the ground.
They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes,
pecking for food as they go. They have long broad
wings with “fingered” wingtips, and striking pat-
terns in flight. The female lays three to five dark,
speckled, eggs in a scrape in the ground, and incu-
bates them alone. The Houbara Bustard is widely
prized in Arabia for its meat and as a quarry for
falconers. Widespread hunting and loss of habitat
have greatly reduced their numbers.
Sources: www.ead.ae www.wikipedia.org
UAE Rock Climbing GuideBeyond the sand, but just within the UAE, lie the
Hajar Mountains. These rugged mountains rise
up to nearly 2000m in Musandam and straddle
the UAE Oman border. For centuries the area was
home to numerous small farming communities,
but more recently serves as a destination for the
rock climbers of the UAE who have spent the last
couple of decades exploring remote wadis and
taking on the rock climbing challenges that this
region presents.
This Guide is the first printed guide describing
climbing locations, the routes and characteristics
of the outdoor rock climbing in the UAE and the
Oman border region. Nine regions, 29 climbing
locations, hundreds of climbing routes are de-
scribed in detail, with passion and professional-
ism. The guide is available at Go Sports (Dubai),
Noukada Kayak Tours (Abu Dhabi) and Mugrudys
Book Shops (nationwide) and Global Climbing
(RAK).
UAE Rock Climbing, IBSN 978 0 9811805 0 2, Red
Armada Publishing, 150 AED.
16
Reader Photos
Reader Photos
Photo by: Kristin P.
Photo by: Fahad A.
Photo by: Samira T.
Photo: Ingo S.
Photo by: Ingo S.
Photo by: Dario L.
Photo: Ema N. Photo: Nerea D.
Photo by: Surf School Photo by: Yvonne B. Photo by: Tom O.
Photo: Stehon K.
Photo by: Jens S.
Photo by: Ranshid B.
Photo by: GinGin
Photo by: Esam H.
17Reader Photos
Photo by: Tom O.
Photo by: Esam H.
Photo by: Anna Photo by: Chrissi V.
Photo by: Simon S.
Photo by: Ahmed A.
Photo by: Human A.
Photo by: Christof B.
Photo by: Patrick W.
18
If I had a dirham for every time I have heard that, I would
have retired rich and now be sipping Pina coladas, munch-
ing on delicious tropical fruit and lying in a hammock in
Bali!
Much to most people’s surprise, Dubai has a lot of surf to
offer and the region is rich in waves, you just need to know
when and where to go. The surf in the Gulf is mainly wind
driven which means that it is produced by strong winds
with the biggest waves being formed above Qatar and near
Iraq. They are fuelled by fierce gales and built up in size as
they travel down the length of the Gulf towards us. The surf
generally averages around 1-1.5metres but can peak well
over 3m with some of the biggest waves on record nearing
5 metres! Dubai is especially well positioned as it is direct-
ly in the line of the swell and the NW winds generate the
swells, so it has become the central point for surfing in the
region. The waves can be onshore and messy for a day but
then clean up overnight to produce some excellent waves
that are warm, friendly and inviting to surfers of all levels.
These waves are available for short periods of time at sev-
eral locations like Sunset beach (the favourite), JBR, Mamzar,
Sharjah and as far afield as RAK.
In summer the Khareef (Monson) drives big seas up the
Oman coast and Kalba and Fujeirah produce some ride-
able, albeit hot weather waves. Oman itself has some excel-
lent surf especially in summer and can offer up some cool
weather and cracking point break waves which makes it
a firm favourite area for summer surfaris. Egypt, Lebanon
and Turkey also have some great waves and surfing com-
munities are springing up in these areas as well. The surf
season is mainly during the winter months from November
to March, when low pressures dominate the upper Gulf and
send surf coming down to us in Dubai and the UAE coast-
line. However, surf can found all year round, depending on
the weather.
The best thing to do, in order to surf at the right time, is to
get in touch with one of the many surf reports available via
the local surf shops or surf schools and ask when surf will
Surfing“ There is no surf in the U.A.E.”
be available. As a general rule, the surf tends to be best in
the morning as it is often clean and offshore, making the
best rides. A lot of the local surfers dash in at sunrise for a
morning session before rushing off to work and sneak out
of work in the afternoon to catch some messy but rideable
onshore afternoon action. Unfortunately, due to the coast-
line being mostly dominated by breakwaters, Abu Dhabi
has at the present moment no known rideable surf spots.
Rather, stand-up paddle-boarding has now become the
dominant surf-style sport in that area.
The waters of the Gulf are generally warm and the waves
range from wedging, hollow shore-breaks at JBR and Mam-
zar, to peaks and very fun rides at Sunset Beach and Shar-
jah. This makes the Gulf an excellent area for beginners to
learn to surf, and there are several surf schools operating
in the UAE.
As there are frequent flat periods, stand-up paddle-board-
ing has become one of the biggest and fastest growing
board sports in the Gulf. This ancient Hawaiian sport is
done with a large flat board on which the surfer stands up,
and is propelled with a paddle. The board can be used in
the surf to ride waves or simply to be used for flat water
paddling, as a platform for snorkelling, or for kids to frolic
about on.
For those of you who are either new to the sport, rusty from
lack of surfing, haven’t surfed for ages, or pleasantly sur-
prised by the idea that you can surf here, get onto the local
websites, speak to the local surf shops and get yourselves
into what is now becoming a great Middle East outdoor
activity.
Writen by Carl de Villiers,
Dubai Surf Shop & School. Dubai
Surfing
Photo by: Surf School
19
Carl de VilliersName: Carl de Villiers
Activity: Surfing
Nationality: South African
How long have you been in the
U.A.E. and why did you come
here?
Around six years. I originally came for work but fell in love
with a place where all my favourite things are all in one
place – surfing, snowboarding, camping and fishing. The
UAE is my home now and I am not planning to go any-
where soon, other than to keep finding better places to
explore and nicer places to camp.
What’s your passion?
I love outdoor sports and especially anything in water.
Surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, wakeboarding, skurf-
ing, as well as fishing, camping and exploring are firm fa-
vourites of mine. I am also a very keen and experienced
snowboarder and I love exercise too, so I enjoy a healthy
lifestyle full of activity!
What’s your favourite spot/route?
I love going to Oman and camping on the beach, find-
ing peace and quiet, good waves and sharing good times
with those who are close to me. The area around Asyllah
and Al Ashkarrah are my favourites but I have my sights
set on further exploration of Masirah Island and the areas
near Salalah.
What do you recommend to our readers?
The Middle East is a really
great place to explore – it
is un-crowded, undevel-
oped and safe, so make
some time, plan a route
and go find adventure and
enjoy memories that you
will not ever forget.
Simon Speidel
People
Name: Simon Speidel
Activity: Surfing, Motocross
Nationality: German
How long have you been in the
U.A.E. and why did you come
here?
I have been in Dubai for around five years. A friend called
me up when I was on a long vacation and convinced me
to come to Dubai. Since then I have tried all various sports
and ended up with Motocross. The UAE offers a great ter-
rain for riding and several motocross events.
What’s your passion?
Generally my passions are snowboarding and surfing.
Motocross is definitely at the top of my agenda since
I started four years ago. Apart from that, a Jeep for the
desert is a must for desert tours around the UAE and
Oman.
What’s your favourite spot/route?
My favourite spot is probably the Liwas desert and many
other small spots around the UAE-Oman boarder. The Liwa
desert is just mind-blowing. There are some nice places in
the desert before Al Ain.
What do you recommend to our readers?
Every one should find a sport he/she likes. There is a lot to
do. Just explore and you will find something for yourself.
Think to the future, think green!
1
2
20
Green Camping Clinch Knot Camping is very popular in the UAE and during weekend
you can find families or groups of friends having picnics,
BBQs or camping all around the desert and the wadis.
Unfortunately, many times they leave their tracks behind,
visible as colorful gatherings of cans, bottles, plastic bags
and food packaging.
Did you know that it takes
hundreds* of years for a
plastic bag to decompose?
None of us is happy with the
fact that currently, that even
spots deep in the desert are
polluted with trash. The trash
is also a serious threat to the
fragile life in this harsh envi-
ronment. There is no excuse
to leave your trash behind.
Take your trash with you
back to the city, or use one of the many trash containers
provided by the authorities along several roads.
There are also a lot of cheap and simple ways to making
camping greener. Use reusable bags when you go for shop-
ping, or at least paper bags. Instead of plastic cups, plates
and cutlery, use reusable materials. In many stores there
are reusable, or even better, solid metal plates and cups
available. After several picnics or BBQs, your purchases are
cheaper than constantly buying disposables, and believe
me, it is far more comfortable to use proper ‘tools’ for a BBQ
or picnic. Everybody who has ever tried to cut a steak with
plastic cutlery on a paper or plastic plate knows what I’m
talking about.
Be smart and do something good for our environment, so
that it will be preserved for future generations.
*Nobody actually knows for sure how long it will take: some say 300 years, while
others estimate it to be more than 400 years – so far nobody reached this age,
so we cannot know for sure..
The clinch knot is one of the most famous knots in the
world to tie hooks, carabineers or other objects securely.
We use it to fix hooks to fishing lines but it can be used for
a lot of other purposes.
The advantage of the clinch knot is that it will not open.
Rather it will get even tighter with stronger force. Knots are
always the weakest point in your system (in your line). The
clinch knot provides about 85% of the strength/load of the
line.
Put the line through the eye of the hook and wind it at least
6 turns around the line. When you’re finished the 6 turns,
put the end of the line through the first loop of the 6 turns
at the beginning (at the hook) and then through the loop
of the last turn. Now pull the end of the line to make the
knot tight.
To make it easier to put the line through the first loop, you
can put your finger into the first loop before you wind the
6 turns around the line. Then remove your finger and move
the end of the line to the big loop. If the end of the line is
too long after you are finished, just cut it off.
The finished knot should look like this.
Tipps & Tricks
Environmentally-friendly camping The best knot to tie hooks safely
pulling direction
21
4x4 Recovery Off-road driving is one of the most popular activities in
the UAE and provides a feeling of freedom and a lot of fun.
Experienced drivers will have no troubles navigating their
vehicles into, through, and out of the desert. Newcomers
mostly manage the first part… What to do if you get stuck
in the sand? There are a lot of ways to recover a car. With
more experience you will avoid getting stuck in most cases,
but even experienced drivers get stuck from time to time.
First of all, check the terrain where you are stuck, as based
on the terrain there are different ways to get out.
As long as you are on an incline, it is quite easy: Reverse and
go down the dune. It is important, that you reverse straight
and don’t try to turn the car. If you try to turn you are risking
Tipps & Tricks
Basic methods of 4x4 recovery in sand
the ground, speed up the pulling car. Before the rope gets
tight, let the stuck car turn the tires and accelerate. The rope
will get with one strong hit tight. It doesn’t sound good for
the cars or equipment – actually, it isn’t good – but it is the
fastest way to get the car out. I don’t need to mention that
you are trying to move tonnes of metal, use only strong and
high quality ropes for this. Caution: Make sure that no one is
close to the cars; if the rope tears, it can badly injure people
who are close by.
Finally the worst-case scenario – being stuck in a ditch be-
tween dunes, where it’s not possible for another car to pull
you out (pulling a car uphill will not work). You should al-
ways avoid this situation and drive in an anticipatory man-
ner, always knowing the way up the next dune. But now
it has happened! Digging is useless because the sand will
always slip back in the hole you are digging. Let’s hope you
brought a bunch of strong friends with you into the desert!
Ask them to push the car out of the sand. Depending on
the weight of the car and how badly you are stuck, four
guys could be enough. Again avoid spinning the wheels, as
you will only dig the car deeper into the sand also you will
piss off your friends who are pushing the car if you cover
them in sand. If this will not solve the problem, release even
more pressure from the tires as you did before entering the
desert. Release as much air until you almost run on com-
pletely flat tires. Just leave enough pressure in the tires to
not slip on the rims. This should help. If you can’t directly
make it over the dune reverse back as far as possible up the
opposite dune – don’t stop again the car on the bottom of
the ditch. Go backwards and forwards like a swing till you
have enough speed to make it over the dune.
If all these tips will not help, it doesn’t mean that you or your
car is lost but you will need help of an experienced driver
or special equipment. There is a lot of equipment which will
help in certain situations, like a winch with a sand anchor,
special sand boards, special jacks and much more.
flipping the car.
If you are stuck directly on top of a dune, there are two ways
to get the car out, either to pull the car out, or to dig. Digging
is no fun, especially in summer heat and windy weather. To
have any progress, you have to move a lot of sand. Try to
dig the way that the car will slip on either side of the dune’s
edge. (Caution – don’t move under the car while digging!)
One of the worst ways of getting stuck is on flat terrain.
There, you should try first to dig the car out by itself (this
applies for all situations). If you turn the steering wheel
45° to right and left, your wheels are digging sand from
aside instead of just digging deeper into the sand which
could give you the required bit more traction to get out.
You will need a good feel for your car but as long as you
feel a small movement forward don’t stop. This technique
has worked many times. Be patient and avoid spinning the
wheels. If you are still stuck, you have to pull out your car
with another one. If you are pulling out a car you should
always check first which the best direction to pull is. This
applies for both cars. It will not help you if you manage to
get the second car (the pulling one) stuck while you try to
get another one out. Especially on flat terrain and soft sand,
there is high risk that the pulling car will also dig into the
sand and get stuck. Therefore you should use a rough pull-
ing method. Normally you bring the rope (or a sling) first on
tension to pull the car slowly out in a controlled manner. On
flat terrain, you have to challenge the material much more.
When the rope is attached to both cars, still lying loose on
Sports & Leisure
Evolution 465Evolution 465Fishing Kayak - 4,7x0,67m, 25kg, angler capacity 125kg
Contact us for product advise and a quotation:[email protected] Tel: +971 50 456-1471 [email protected] Tel: +971 50 490-7537or visit: www.leadingedge-s.com
Eezi-Awn Safari tents. Since its inception 20 years ago the name Eezi-Awn has long been synonymous with quality, from rooftop tents, retractable awnings and aluminium roofracks, Eezi-Awn's dedication to excep-tional quality and service is evident in all the equipment we produce, sell locally and export to many countries around the world.
Tents
Kayaks
Fishing Lures
Service
Equipment
and much more...
DISCOUNT VOUCHERPresent this voucher when booking for your Kayak Fishing
experience and we’ll give you 20% o�.
This voucher is valid until June 2010 and is not redeemable for any other activities.
• Lightweight yet strong construction• Large fish hatch• Comfortable• Excelent lure pulling craft• Buoyancy complaint• International standards
• 5 carry handles• 2 rod holders• Front and rear store• Rod chute• Fully adjustable peddles with rudder an Steering system
• Front and rear storage webbing• Storage hatch• 2x drain holes• Latch clips• Maximum load 195kg
cut here
Sports & Leisure
Evolution 465Evolution 465Fishing Kayak - 4,7x0,67m, 25kg, angler capacity 125kg
Contact us for product advise and a quotation:[email protected] Tel: +971 50 456-1471 [email protected] Tel: +971 50 490-7537or visit: www.leadingedge-s.com
Eezi-Awn Safari tents. Since its inception 20 years ago the name Eezi-Awn has long been synonymous with quality, from rooftop tents, retractable awnings and aluminium roofracks, Eezi-Awn's dedication to excep-tional quality and service is evident in all the equipment we produce, sell locally and export to many countries around the world.
Tents
Kayaks
Fishing Lures
Service
Equipment
and much more...
DISCOUNT VOUCHERPresent this voucher when booking for your Kayak Fishing
experience and we’ll give you 20% o�.
This voucher is valid until June 2010 and is not redeemable for any other activities.
• Lightweight yet strong construction• Large fish hatch• Comfortable• Excelent lure pulling craft• Buoyancy complaint• International standards
• 5 carry handles• 2 rod holders• Front and rear store• Rod chute• Fully adjustable peddles with rudder an Steering system
• Front and rear storage webbing• Storage hatch• 2x drain holes• Latch clips• Maximum load 195kg
cut here
23
A get you started guide for people who want to start out-
door rock climbing in the UAE or who are already climbers
and have just moved or are visiting here.
Health & Safety Warning and Disclaimer
Before you read on, read the health and safety warning.
Rock climbing, whether in the UAE or anywhere else in the
world, is dangerous and its potential participants should
only get involved in the activity if they accept that there are
risks that may result in fatal or serious accidents if they are
not managed. Like all “extreme sports” these risks are part
of the appeal of the activity and contribute significantly
to the buzz achieved from participation. It is the personal
responsibility of participants to understand the risks and
to ensure that they are correctly equipped and have the
technical knowledge to make informed decisions in order
that they can identify and manage those risks. The author
of this article takes no responsibility for actions taken by
readers whether based on information herein or from other
sources; you climb at your own peril.
Guide Book
There is a Climbing Guide to the UAE titled UAE Rock Climb-
ing. (See page 15 - News & Notes)
Where to Climb
Within the UAE and the border region between UAE and
Oman there is significant potential for recreational rock
climbing and in the last ten years there has been consid-
erable development of some crags. However, there is un-
doubtedly scope for more routes on identified crags and
new crags to be found. The general areas where climbing
has taken place are as follows:
• Wonderwall, in the border area between UAE and Oman
40km beyond Al Ain.
• Al Ain, some development has occurred on crags near Al
Ain, these should be considered works in progress for the
moment.
• Hatta. And just to confuse you the climbing is not in Hatta
but in the Oman salient on the Dubai to Hatta road.
• Ras Al Khaimah (RAK). The largest concentration of climb-
ing is within the Emirate of RAK.
• Dibba area. Dibba gives access to DWS on the Eastern
side of the Musandam Peninsular and significant climbing
locations inland on Wadi Al Bih route.
• Musandam Peninsular (Oman). An unknown number of
crags have been explored in the Musandam Peninsular
and one has been developed north of Kasab.
Type of Climbing
In the above areas there are traditional routes ranging
from single pitch to almost alpine in scale, sports routes
up to three pitches in length, bouldering and Deep Water
Soloing (DWS). The vast majority of UAE climbing is done
on single or two pitch routes.
Rock Climbing
Rock Climbing
A short guide for rock climbing in the United Arab Emirates!
Photos by: Global Climbing
Photo by: Global Climbing
24 Rock Climbing
Rock and Climbing Character
The rock that is climbed on in the UAE is predominately
limestone. Unlike many other limestone climbing areas of
the world it has not been subjected to weathering from wa-
ter or freeze-thaw effects. This has resulted in surface rock
that is frequently brittle, can be very sharp and potentially
unstable. Below the surface layer, the rock is generally hard
but can be fractured like many limestones. So what you
may ask? Some thoughts and considerations:
• There is potentially an abundance of loose rock on and
around the climbing crags. Even on cleaned routes there
is always the possibility that further rock may become
detached, albeit small pieces. Helmets are highly recom-
mended and should be considered essential at the bottom
of the crags.
• All fixed gear should be treated with a sceptical eye, this
includes bolts. Whilst bolts have been placed in accordance
with current best practice you are responsible for making a
judgement on whether they are safe.
• On the longer multi-pitch routes, loose rock is to be ex-
pected so be prepared for it.
• Considerable skill and practice is required to confidently
place traditional protection. Do not push your limit until
you are familiar with the characteristics of the climbing and
the rock features.
• Many of the traditional routes away from the popular
crags and harder routes on popular crags see few ascents;
take a pioneering spirit with you.
• Whilst the walk-ins to the popular crags are short they are
generally in rough unforgiving and steep mountain terrain.
Maintain your vigilance at all times and in particular at the
top or descending from crags.
• If you are going to develop new routes, especially one or
two pitch ones, then clean them prior to first ascents or they
will not see repeats or be of interest to the general climbing
community.
• The rock is hard on clothing and equipment, it is not rec-
ommended to wear your new designer crag rat clothes if
you value them.
Grading Systems Used
The following grading systems have been used on climbs:
• Sports Routes: French
• Traditional: British
•Bouldering: V
Equipment
Sixty metre ropes are sufficient for the vast majority of
routes; double ropes may be considered for some tradition-
al routes. For sports climbing you will need up to 15 QDs
and a few longer slings. For traditional climbing, a varied
rack including cams and nuts is recommended with a few
extra medium sized nuts on wire. There are a variety of low-
er offs at the top of sports routes so be prepared for lower
off chains through to two normal bolt hangers. If you are
planning to top rope off lower off chains it is requested that
the rope is fed through a screw gate carabineer to preserve
the in-situ rings. You can purchase all the climbing equip-
ment that you will require here in the UAE from either Go
Sports or Picnico; these outlets are all within Dubai but it is
anticipated that an Abu Dhabi outlet will be available soon.
If you can not find what you are looking for then contact
the author direct (this is not a substitute for you driving to
Dubai).
When to Climb
It is possible to climb year round; this may come as a sur-
prise. During the summer months it is recommended to
move inland to Hatta and Wonderwall or the crags in Wadi
Al Bih. Whilst the temperatures will be in the mid 40s the
humidity is a lot lower than on the coast. From October
through to April it is possible to climb on all the crags.
Apart from the winter months, it is strongly recommended
to avoid climbing in the sun. For the DWS enthusiasts, wa-
ter temperatures in summer will be mid 30s and in the late
winter (February) will fall to a chilly 20 degrees or so. There
are likely to be a couple of days of rain during the winter
months and the risk of thunder storms year round in land;
just make sure that you stay clear of wadi bottoms during
and immediately after any rain.
Photo by: Global Climbing
25Rock Climbing
Access
The local population is very friendly and hospitable to
climbers and the number of adverse situations has been
minimal. Please avoid parking in villages and camping on
what may be pasture/farmed land. The right of access to
climbing locations is untested and hopefully will remain so.
Please ensure that you conduct yourself in a dignified fash-
ion at all times. In the event of a locally requesting that you
move on, it is strongly requested that you do so promptly
and without argument.
Litter
Please take all your litter home with you (cigarette butts
and water bottles included).
Vehicle
The majority of the current climbing locations are acces-
sible by 2WD or you can get close enough not to require
a 4WD vehicle.
I hope the above has not put you off climbing in the UAE,
because there is a wealth of quality climbing out there.
Some of it is choss but there are a lot of good routes out
there and some are outstanding. Climbing here is adven-
turous and not as accessible as going to a climbing wall al-
though some of the crags have shorter walk-ins than from
the car park to the wall.
Forum and Next Steps
The UAE climbing forum (www.uaeclimbing.com) or
OutdoorUAE.com should be your next stop to find more in-
formation and partners. Use this as your primary informa-
tion source and do register and meaningfully contribute to
it. For those of you who have only previously climbed on
indoor walls I would urge caution before throwing yourself
at the nearest cliff without getting some informed guid-
ance. The similarity between indoor and outdoor climbing
is compatible with the difference between driving a ped-
dle cart in the yard and a Land Cruiser blind folded on the
SZR at rush hour.
Qualified Instruction
If you are looking for qualified instruction on basic climb-
ing, technical skills or learning to lead sport or traditional
routes then contact the author direct.
Bolt Fund
If you want to assist with the development of UAE climbing
then there is a bolt fund where voluntary contributions are
always welcome to offset the significant personal contribu-
tions that the route developers make themselves. To con-
tribute, again, please contact the author direct.
The Author
About the author Pete Aldwinckle; the less said the better
but it is probably relevant to say that he has been actively
climbing for 35 years on 5 continents, run a UK national
mountain training centre, has been climbing in the UAE
for over 6 years, including development of new routes, and
builds climbing walls, distributes 30 international brands
of adventure sports and industrial rope access equipment.
Writen by: Pete Aldwinckle
Global Climbing
Photo by: Global Climbing
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room
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Explore the possibilities – Extend yourself
Live it, don’t dream it.
27
This section will be a monthly series, introducing different
functions of our website, www.outdooruae.com.
Commercial Section
You will find our commercial section on the top of every
activity page under the topic “search”. You will only be able
to see commercial entries if you select an activity and click
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About OutdoorUAE.comFeatures and functions of the online portal. First issue - the search function
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click “ details”.
28
Hatta Hill ParkA Barbecue Spot set in the Green Mountain ParkGPS: N24°48.129 / E056°07.797
Gear: any vehicle will make it there
It is a quiet, nice place, proper for recreation especially dur-
ing the coolest months of the year, considering that you will
find some nice turrets with grills for barbeques swimming
pools, playgrounds for children, as well as football, volley-
ball and basketball fields and courts. In addition, you can
also work on your fit-
ness with those 198 steps
from the gate of the park to the tower, on top of the hill.
It is a peaceful place and the view from the top is quite
impressive.
Snoopy RockExperience the colorful underwater worldGPS: N25°29.290 / E056°21. 590
Gear: any vehicle will make it there
The Snoopy Rock, along with the ‘Sandy Beach’ Resort is
a famous place for weekend, snorkeling, and diving trips.
The Rock is named after the cartoon dog Snoopy because
it looks like Snoopy lying on his back. Snorkeling and div-
ing are amazing around this structure. Even if you are afraid
of deep waters, you will enjoy it and see a lot of underwa-
ter life. From shallow waters of about one meter to about
10 meters, you will see turtles, colorful fish, sharks, and so
much more. The easiest way to enter is through the area of
the Sandy Beach Hotel,
for which you will pay an
entrance fee. Thereafter, you may use the facilities and res-
taurants of the hotel. They also offer rental equipment, dive
trips etc. If you come in from the open beach you will have
to swim a bit.
Locations
29
Valley of TreesA desert ride from Shwaib to the Valley of Trees in Al HaiyirGPS: N24°38.793 / E055°47.002
Gear: Off-Road vehichle required
Level: Easy
Time: 2-3hrs drive - destination is great for camping
The ‘Valley of Trees’ is a great location for BBQ and overnight
camping, which makes it a perfect destination for a desert
route. As usual for the sandy routes, there is no specific way
and the route is a bit different every time. You could either
use only the end spot to navigate your way there, or follow
our track points.
You come from the E 44 in the direction of Hatta until you
reach the Madam roundabout, here you turn right on the E
55, towards of Shwaib for about 17 km. You cross a bridge
over a Wadi, where you have to leave the main road and
continue on an unpaved road GPS N24°46.838 E055°48.942
along the Wadi (after passing the bridge you have to go a
bit further until you can make a U-turn and go back. Fol-
low the unpaved road until you reach a gate with barbwire.
Open the gate and pass down to the flat terrain (don’t for-
get to close the gate again). This would be the best time to
deflate your tires.
Route
have to take left. On this part of the route it is possible
to lose the tracks, but don’t worry and continue until the
next track point. From here it’s easy to follow the tracks
again until GPS N24°38.987 E055°45.874, where you have
to turn left again. You are now close to the Valley of Trees.
If you would like to continue the easiest way, then take a
right at the next junction and follow the tracks until you
reach the valley and continue from there (you will see all
of the trees) to the final coordinates or choose your own
spot. Alternatively, make your way through the dunes. Final
destination: GPS N24°38.793 E055°47.002. The length of the
route is roughly 30km and the time strongly depends on
you, but you should calculate 3-4 hours if you are not racing
through the dunes and take some breaks. While you can
follow almost the whole route on tracks, and it is an easy
desert route and good for beginners, there should still be at
least one experienced driver within your group.
GPS N24°46.591 E055°49.812 After driving along the bor-
der fence to Oman, you will find a track leading into the
high dunes. If you haven’t deflated your tires, you should
do it now GPS N24°43.932 E055°49.500. Follow the track
until you see a construction site. Take left before the sur-
rounding fence (GPS N24°43.699 E055°48.860), and follow
the track until you reach a camel farm. For first-timers in
the desert, it’s a good chance to get close to camels and
it’s worth stopping for a few
minutes. To continue the
route, enter the dunes after
the camel farm next desti-
nation at GPS N24°41.824
E055°45.344, where you
Have a rest and enjoy the green surroundings with a BBQ or
overnight camping. Please don’t leave any garbage!
You can reach Al Haiyir from here within 10minutes where
you find a compressor at a small workshop GPS N24°36.595
E055°46.202 and have direct access to E66, the Dubai - Al
Ain Road. If you want to go only for BBQ or camping, you
can access the ‘Valley of Trees’ directly from Al Haiyir. Check
this route out online with more coordinates and a detailed
Google-map on www.outdooruae.com in the section
Routes.
30
Desert Balloon AdventureThe desert from the bird’s eye view, a lifetime experience!At four a.m. my alarm went off. I opened one eye and knew
that there was no time to waste. I jumped out of the bed,
brushed my teeth, washed my face and got dressed – all
in the usual five minutes. No time for coffee, but, instead,
grabbed the one essential item for the day, my digital cam-
era. After getting out of bed – widely known as the hard-
est part of each day – I found myself happy to be awake
so early in the morning. It was still dark outside and very
quiet. Unfortunately, when I got into the car I realized I’d be
facing high humidity and some fog. After a few minutes in
the car I was not only afraid of the fog and the risk of bad
visibility later on, but my schedule was at stake! I ran out
of petrol and had to make an uncalculated stop. I had to
be at Festival City Centre at 5:15 sharp, and for a German
that means being there at least ten minutes earlier. Enter-
ing a petrol station at this time is quite amusing – especially
this particular one close to the Greens. I had the feeling that
the people who had left the clubs were stopping at this
station early on Friday morning to get something to eat or
drink. When I looked at their faces, I was unafraid of looking
as though I’d just gotten up. Some of them looked much
worse then I did, for sure. Anyhow, I was in a good mood
even with a tired face, as I thought to myself, today I will
finally experience flying in a balloon.
Balloons are the oldest manmade flying objects in human
history. Flying hot air balloons began about 1750 years ago
in China. As time passed, the Chinese invented small bal-
loons with candles burning underneath. The candle heated
up the air and the small paper balloon was able to fly. These
balloons were used to send signals, and are still known and
used as flying candles for different occasions. The princi-
ple idea is like that of the big balloons used today, and the
former can be considered the true beginning of balloon-
ing history. The first big balloons were invented in 1783
in France. One of the first was made of canvas and paper
and flew for about ten minutes, at an altitude of up to 1500
meters. The world record for open balloons was set in 1933
with an altitude of 11,300 meters. Unfortunately, because
of the low pressure and lack of oxygen, the pilots lost con-
sciousness, but still returned safely to the ground. However,
one year later those same pilots died in an attempt to break
this record. The record for closed cabin balloons is more
than 34km altitude and was set in 1961. There are two main
categories for balloons; hot air balloons with an open hull
(those with a device to heat up the air) and balloons filled
with a light gas (e.g. helium or, historically, hydrogen). To-
day hot air balloons are mainly used for leisure flights, but
they are also used as weather balloons or by adventurers
attempting to use them to travel around the world.
Report - Desert Balloon Adventure
Picture by: www.wikipedia.org
31 Report- Desert Balloon Adventure
On the day of my ride, I arrived on time at the designated
meeting place where the ballooning tour operator picked
us up. They also did hotel pick-ups for tourists as well as hav-
ing a pickup point in Abu Dhabi. Usually you don’t drive di-
rectly to the launch spot of the balloon, as the balloon defi-
nitely won’t land in the same place where it was launched,
so unless you have a remote-control car, you’ll be stuck
without a vehicle upon landing. Rather, a bus will drive sev-
eral passengers to the balloon and follow it to its landing
spot. I was quite surprised when I saw a minibus full of peo-
ple who would be our fellow passengers, and was told that
even more people would be joining us. The good news was
that we would have to fly with two balloons which would
result in even more gorgeous views. We drove on Route 66,
the Dubai-Al Ain Road for about one hour before we finally
reached our takeoff location. During the drive, I was able to
learn a lot about ballooning from the tour operator.
the balloon which can be opened though a line by the pilot.
When the hot air is released the balloon will inevitably de-
scend quickly. So do balloons fly wherever the wind takes
them? Yes, in a sense, but winds do not simply blow in one
direction. At certain levels of altitude, winds have different
speeds and different directions. The pilot of a balloon uses
these winds to guide the balloon – but with the use of the
winds, the course is always a bit uncertain – and therefore
adventurous! With weather radar and weather forecasts the
pilot knows in advance the general speed and direction of
the winds, and can therefore determine where the balloon
will go.
However, I personally didn’t care as much about where
and how the balloon was flying, as long as it would fly, and
as long as we’d be flying over some amazing desert land-
scapes.
I found our Hungarian pilot Attila very experienced and the
whole team of Balloon Adventures to be extremely profes-
sional, as well as being one of the world’s biggest and most
experienced ballooning businesses. The equipment was
well maintained and the ground crew as well as Attila knew
exactly what they were doing. There was nothing to fear.
Luckily on the whole way to our takeoff spot, close to the
village Nahel (N 24°37,256 / E 055°30,057), there was no fog;
it was a little bit cold but the clear view mattered most to
me. The ground crew prepared the two balloons, with each
balloon able accommodate up to twenty passengers, plus
the pilot. I was very much impressed by the large size of the
basket, which itself weighs about 600kgs. The crew already
had prepared everything for the launch of the two balloons.
We got some brief instructions about onboard security, and
then, in tandem with the rising sun, the first balloon arose!
First, air was pressed with ventilators in the balloon before
the burner was started and the first huge flames lit up the
still-dark surroundings. Within about ten minutes, the bal-
loon was ready for take off and the first group jumped into
the balloon. To secure the balloon so that it doesn’t take
off before the passengers got onboard, it was anchored by
two cars on the ground. As soon as the balloon was ready,
the passengers needed to quickly jump in, because the
pilot needed the weight in the balloon. As soon as every-
body was in the balloon, the pilot cut the security line to
the car and the balloon lifted impressively fast into the air.
A balloon is actually quite simple in how it functions. It uti-
lizes the basic physical principle that hot air is lighter than
cold air and if you have enough hot air you can lift even
heavy weights. A balloon is simply a light hull filled with
hot air. More specifically, the hull is open on the lower side
where a gas-burner is placed. To control the height of the
balloon, the air is heated with this burner. A balloon has no
steering and no break, which makes flying more compli-
cated; the height can be adjusted with the temperature of
the hot air in the balloon, and turns around its own middle
axis are possible using one flap where the pilot can release
hot air on a side. To lower the altitude, the air is not heated
up any more and the balloon descends slowly. To descend
more quickly there is a flap (called the parachute) on top of
32 Report- Desert Balloon Adventure
As I watched the process with the first balloon, I couldn’t
wait until ours was ready to follow. About fifteen minutes
later I was the last one to hop into our balloon to take off.
The compartment was not very spacious but there was
enough space to stay comfortable and have great views
from all around. In the beginning the pilot has to use the
burner at full power, even for our big balloon which had a
four-burner. I could feel the heat in my face while we were
lifted up into the air. The huge flames and the sound from
the burning gas being blown out with high pressure were
quite impressive.
Usually balloon flights are in the morning or the evening
here in the UAE, mostly mornings. This is due to thermal lift,
another air phenomenon. The sun heats up the ground and
therefore heats the air on the ground (as previously men-
tioned, hot air is lighter than cold air). The hot air ascends
up in higher levels and, in exchange, cold air comes down
from the higher levels of altitude. This vertical circulation is
used in some aviation (like with gliders) but during balloon
flights, it can be dangerous. It is possible that cold winds
going down vertically could theoretically press the hot air,
from the top of the balloon out of the lower opening and
the balloon would crash downwards. To avoid this effect
and risk, it is best to takeoff as the sun rises, and finish the
flight before this effect begins. Another great part of this
flight time is that it allows one to see the sunrise from the
balloon. As long there aren’t fog and clouds, the view is also
much better than during the day or evening, and in good
conditions, one can see a view of hundreds of kilometers.
I have already experienced several helicopter flights in the
UAE as well as visiting the desert many times. However, see-
ing the desert from the perspective of a balloon passenger
– it’s breathtaking. During takeoff everybody in our group
was so exited that we cheered. We ascended directly up to
the highest altitude for our flight, which was about 900 me-
ters (about equal to the peak of the Burj Kalifa). And that
was just the peak of the antenna, not the viewing platform.
During my ride, the dark orange shape of the sun was rising
behind the mountains of the east coast. The desert was still
slightly covered by a thin haze and the sky was covered in
warm red and orange tones – by far one of the most amaz-
ing sunrises I’ve seen during my four years in the UAE.
After a mere few minutes in the air I knew it was worth get-
ting up so early and that this experience was worthy every
dirham it cost. It is especially interesting if you have (as I
have) been to the desert many times and like to navigate a
4x4 through the dunes; it’s incredible to see it from a bird’s
eye view. From high above, the desert seemed like a yel-
low or light red ocean with frozen waves. Especially in the
morning, with the low sun and long shadows, the effect was
33Report- Desert Balloon Adventure
emphasized. The warm and smooth morning light covered
the scene with perfect ambiance. The twenty of us in the
balloon were quiet, as everybody simply enjoyed the amaz-
ing views in serenity. From time to time Attila broke the
silence by turning on the burner to navigate the balloon.
I glanced at the faces of my co-passengers, and it was ap-
parent how amazed they were – like children, as they sud-
denly discovered a gorgeous area, a camel, a green farm, a
unique dune or even a rare ‘Al Maha’ - desert antelope. After
having spent countless hours in the desert, I saw the first
wild living desert antelopes. While we still hovered above
them at about 600 meters off the ground, they appeared
very small. But, as always, seeing wildlife in the desert is a
nice, albeit rare, experience. After a while Attila lowered the
balloon down to about 100-200 meters. From this perspec-
tive, everything was more familiar to me, and not as ab-
stract as it was from higher up. From this altitude we could
see all of the small details, like wind cutting the edge of a
dune, footprints of animals, and the unique desert vegeta-
tion. The closer we got to the ground, the better I could feel
the speed of our balloon, which was about 15-25km/h. The
wind carried us quietly and smoothly over the dunes, so
we, and our colourful balloon, cast our own shadow before
us.
When it was time to land, I recalled the short and simple
instructions we were given on our landing positions. At-
tila told everybody that we would land soon (N 24°1,207
/ E 055°32,168) and that we should secure our cameras
and other belongings, and hold tightly to the slings in our
compartment. While hovering only a few meters over the
dunes, I realized that 20km/h was not as slow as I’d previ-
ously thought. Attila gave the signal to assume our landing
position and only a few meters were left until we skimmed
the sand. We hit a glitch on small dune first, and the basket
shook a bit, before we touched down. As aforementioned, a
balloon has no breaks, but is still easy and safe to land and
to stop. I won’t spoil the exact experience of the landing for
everyone, as it should be left for one’s own experience. I’ll
just say that it was a little surprising for me and my fellow
passengers, but it was the perfect end to our journey, and
made everybody laugh, or at least smile.
A few minutes after land-
ing, the ground crew ar-
rived at the scene to pick
us up and stored the bal-
loon on a truck. We got
some refreshments and
everybody chatted about our flight. On the way back to
our meeting location, most of the people used the hour-
long drive to take a nap. I was dropped off at Festival City
by 10am and had a whole Friday of beautiful weather and
a great mood ahead of me. My verdict: A balloon flight may
not be cheap (it costs about 900 AED per person), slightly
more if you choose to buy souvenir photographs (which
cost about 100 AED and the 8x10 photos will be sent to
your P.O. Box even outside the UAE); but the experience is
completely worth it for the great morning, including about
one hour up in the sky.
I flew with Balloon Adventures Emirates LLC (www.bal-
looning.ae, Phone 04 2854949) which I most definitely
recommend. They comprise of a friendly and very profes-
sional team which was necessary for my unforgettable
adventure. Special thanks to Attila our pilot and to Peter
for an amazing experience and safe flight. Daniel Birkhofer
34 Shops, Operators & Commercial Contacts
You can find detailed information and other commercial entries online at www.outdooruae. com
Use the search function on top of the page (see page 27).
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Commercial Contacts - Shops, Dealers, Tour Operators, Rentals, Services...
Name Activity Category Tel360 Lifestyle Cycling Dealer 04 33730134x4 Motors LLC Off road Dealer 04 70696667Seas Divers Diving Equipment 09 2387400Absolut Adventure Off Road Tour Operators 09 3459900Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club Horse
RidingInstructors, Lessons
02 4455500
Ace Hardware General Dealer 04 2066700Art Marine General Dealer,
Equipment04 4243191
AIMS FRIO - Equipment 050 2741667Al Boom Diving Diving Instructors,
Lessons, Dealer04 3422993
Al Boom Marine General Dealer 04 3941258Al Futtaim Training Centre Off Road Instructors,
Lessons04 2850455
Al Hamur Marine Fishing Dealer 04 3444468Al Hizam Falconry Dealer 04 342 2336Al Madhani Adventures Tours Cruising Tour Operators 050 6905080Al Masaood Marine Boating,
FishingDealer 04 3241544
Al Masaood Marine Boating, Fishing
Dealer 02 6424222
Ali Khalifah Boating Dealer 04-2263220Arabia Horizons Tours Tour Operators 04 2347477Art Marine LLC Boating Dealer 04-3388955Barracuda Fishing Dealer 04 2225768Bike’n Rack Cycling Dealer 04 3333556Bounty Charters Fishing Tour Operators 050 5526067Bristol Middle East Yacht Sol. Boating Dealer 04-3663538Climbing Dubai Climbing Instructors,
Lessons04 3065061
Cycle Sports Cycling Dealer 04 3415415DDE Bike Division Cycling Dealer 04 3369007Deep Blue Sea Diving Diving Dealer,Tour
Operators, 050 5515006
Desert Rangers Off Road Instructors, Tour Operators
04 4220044
Divers Down Diving Equipment 09 2370299Dubai Motocross Instructors,
Lessons050 4527844
Dubai Polo And Equestrian Club
Horse Riding
Instructors, Lessons,
04 3618111
Dubai Roadsters Cycling Tour Operators 04 3394453El Mundo Boating Cruises 04 8820920Emirates Diving Association Diving Equipment 04 3939390Emirates Driving Institute Off Road Instructors
Lessons04 2631100
Emirates Equestrian Centre Horse Riding
Instructors, Lessons
04 3361394
Emirates Yachting Boating Dealer 04 3232010Extreme Marine Boating Equipment 04 3992995Four Star Travel Off Road Tour Operators 050 2968591
Gecko Motorcycles Dealers 04 3413550Ghantoot Marina Boating Marina 04 3039808Go Sport General Dealer 04 3685344Green Turtle Adventure Hiking Tour Operators 050 2876293Gulf Craft Boating Dealer 06 7406060Gulf Development System Boating Equipment 04 3243075Happy Days Cruises Boating Tour Operators 055 8961276Holidays Travel &Tourism Off Road Tour Operators 02 627 7190Icon Auto Garage Off Road Dealer 04 3382744Jebel Ali Equestrian Club Horse
RidingInstructors, Lessons
04 8845101
Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Horse Riding
Instructors, Lessons
050 1890425
Khasab Diver Diving Tour Operators 056 6514682Khour Shem Boating Tour OperatorsKnotika Boating Dealer 04 3039777Kona Bike Shop Cycling Dealer 04 3350999KTM Dealer 04 3235151Leading Edge-S Boating,
CampingDealer 050 4561471
Leisure Marine Middle East Boating Dealer 04 3388608Liberty Automobiles CO. LLC Off Road Dealer 04 2828735Light Speed Dealer 04 2589797Ly Catamaran Boating Cruises 050 5869746Macky Marine Boating Dealer 04 3684800Marine Concept LLC Boating 04 4329496Marlin Marine Fishing Dealer 04 349 13 84Nautilus Yachts Boating Dealer 06 5576171
Name Activity Category TelNomad Ocean Adventures Diving Equipment 050 885 32 38Noukhada Boating Tour Operators 050 7218928Oasis Palm Off Road Tour Operators 04 2628889Ocean Active Fishing Equipment,
Tour Operators04 8821070
Ocean Blue Trading Boating Dealer 04 2884352Ocean Blue Trading Boating Dealer 09 2231040Off Road Adventures Off Road Instructor, Tour
Operators050 6289667
OffRoad Zone Off Road Dealer 04 3392449Oryx (Gulf Craft) Boating Dealer 06 7406060Pharaoh’s Club Climbing Instructors,
Equipment04 3240251
Picnico General Trdg General Dealer 04 3941653Portable Shade Dealer 050 8897125Premiers for Equipment Diving Equipment 02 6665226Prozone General Dealer 04 8821660Rage Bike Shop Cycling Dealer 04 3750231Relax Travel Off Road Tour Operators 050 770 53 21Riding for the Disabled Horse
RidingInstructors, Lessons
050 189 04 25
Royal Marine international Boating Dealer 04 3039750Sailor Ships Trading Boating Dealer 04 3039700Sand Storm Motorcycle Dealer 04 3395608Sandy Beach Diving Centre Diving Instructors,
Tour Operators09 2445555
Scuba 2000 Diving Instructors, Tour Operators
09 2388477
Scuba Dubai Diving Equipment 04 3414940Scubatec Diving Equipment 04 3348988Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club
Horse Riding
Instructors, Lessons
06 5311155
Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club Diving Equipment 06 5662105Sheesa Beach Boating Tour Operators 050 333 60 64Silver Craft (Gulf Craft) Boating Dealer 06 7406060Sorenstam Ventures FZE Boating DealerSpecialized Cycling Dealer 050 346 99 15Sun and Sand General Dealer 04 3410933Surf Shop Dubai Surfing Dealer 04 3990989.Taj Tours Off Road Tour Operators 04 2725534The Desert Equestrian Club Horse
RidingInstructors, Tour Operators
050 309 97 70
The Desert Sports Diving Club Diving EquipmentThe Pavilion Dive Centre Diving Equipment 04 4068827Trek Cycling Dealer 04 4076641Tri Star Motorcycle Trading Dealer 04 333 0659UAE Boats 4 Sale Bating Dealer 04-3244412Umm Al Qwain Marine Club Boating Tour Operators 06 7665446Western Marine Boating Dealer 04 3039744Wolfi’s Bike Shop Cycling Dealer 04 3394453Yellow Hatt Off Road Dealer 050 825 01 29
