Yesterday, being Friday, I headed down to the marina with another kiwi gal to try Dragon Boating. It started at 8.30am and being the good keen girl that I am I was there 1/2 hr early so sat around outside in the heat looking like a lost soul. Obviously you don't turn up to anything early here.
A few fit looking men and women arrived carrying paddles so I thought they must be the right people so I followed them into the Abu Dhabi Sailing Club grounds carrying my new chilly bag full of water and eats and my backpack full of a change of clothes. Having travelled by taxi I'd worn a pair of trousers over my shorts with my lovely long-sleeved kathmandu top over my togs. I was pleased to finally get some wear out of the shirt as I'd spent a long time choosing it at the store in Otaki with my mum. So it is now being put to good use. Funny how I'd envisaged wearing it out in the desert but now I think it will be my swimming shirt.
So in I wander, looking like I was out of place as the others are all wearing skimpy wee tops over bikinis and shorts. And did I mention fit!!! They asked if I belonged to another club who were joining them for the days training but I said no, I was a newbie.
Others arrived and we lift the heavy boat onto its wheels then push it into the water. I'm given a short instruction in how to paddle then asked to decide which side I'd prefer. I chose the left due to my sore shoulder as I didn't think I'd be able to keep it up for an hour while we trained. I'm paired up with a good keen man who will instruct me during the paddle then off we go.
I think they forgot to tell me that this was a serious training and I later found out that the ones my friend at work had been to were womens trainings which were a lot more casual and relaxed. So I do my best but it was such an awkward manouveur that I 'rested' many times. Particularly when they were doing the racing! We paddled across from the marina (next to Marina Mall) to the Corniche which is the main beach at Abu Dhabi then we paddled along the main tourist beaches to showcase the sport. I managed to paddle all that time so the boat looked good.
Then back around the water and over to the sailing club. The training lasted an hour. After we go the boat out of the water we had a swim while we waited for a motor boat to take us out to Lulu Island for a BBQ or picnic which had been arranged beforehand (hence the new chilly bag).
The water temperature was mild but the swim was nice. Remembering this is 9.30am. Then we headed over the road to the Marina proper which is where our boat was waiting. Nice boat!
So we pile our stuff on board and the boat gets loaded up with goodies. And I mean goodies. I'm wondering how many people are coming with all this food arriving and numerous deck chairs and water. I'm feeling very unprepared by this stage. Luckily I was with a friend who I knew so I checked with her and she only had a sandwich and some fruit, like me.
Finally we head off with a full boat, many of whom hadn't been at the dragon boating. I'm asking one of the dragon boaters who pays for this and who organised it? She said they often have a similar event. Off we go...
As we head out of the marina we are stopped by the Coast Guard who seem more interested in some jet skiiers than us so we are waved on after a brief stop. The short ride to the island was similar to travelling i the Marlborough Sounds except the scenery was very different. High rise building receding into a murky skyline.
We arrived in about 5 minutes to an expanse of white sand dotted with gazebos, many of which were fallen down. Apparently the island is privately owned and used to have two ferries running to it 1/2 hourly with buses every hour. So obviously it is accessable by land. Then some dispute has resulted in all this stopping and people are now only allowed on the beach front so we couldn't venuture past the tree line.
We set up in one gazebo, out of the already blazing sun. Even though it was about 38 degrees by now the sun wasn't burning like at home in NZ. After unloading the boat we had a swim for a long time. Then headed back into the shade to relax and chat. I met some nice new people, most of whom were not teachers which was a refreshing change.
The boat left us there and I commented that it was the first time since I'd arrived in Abu Dhabi that there was quiet. Only problem was I spoke too soon. The man who seemed to be in charge cranked up a stereo he'd brought along then told us he had 20 or 30 kids arriving on the next boat for a birthday party. You know that saying, "Nothing is free." How true.
The boat returned an hour later loaded to the hilt with little kids and parents and nannies. What an eye-opener. How the other half live... Someone back home would have slapped these kids long before I'd had enough and was ready to drown one in particular. It was a long wait for the boat to return to take us back around 3pm.
During the course of the day I had many swims. The water got progressively warmer but you could still find some cooler currents if you were lucky. The channel we were in was secluded but the jet skiiers kept coming along for their thrills. I wouldn't have wanted to swim across it as it was too busy with boats who weren't always looking where they were going. On the other side of the breakwater was the Arabian Gulf.
I was a bit sunburnt when I got home and this morning I'm stiff with aches in muscles that haven't been used in a long time. So today I'm relaxing and catching up on housework. Some things never change.
View looking back towards the beach. We could be anywhere in the world. Oh, that's right, I am!
Lulu Island from the boat.
A few fit looking men and women arrived carrying paddles so I thought they must be the right people so I followed them into the Abu Dhabi Sailing Club grounds carrying my new chilly bag full of water and eats and my backpack full of a change of clothes. Having travelled by taxi I'd worn a pair of trousers over my shorts with my lovely long-sleeved kathmandu top over my togs. I was pleased to finally get some wear out of the shirt as I'd spent a long time choosing it at the store in Otaki with my mum. So it is now being put to good use. Funny how I'd envisaged wearing it out in the desert but now I think it will be my swimming shirt.
So in I wander, looking like I was out of place as the others are all wearing skimpy wee tops over bikinis and shorts. And did I mention fit!!! They asked if I belonged to another club who were joining them for the days training but I said no, I was a newbie.
Others arrived and we lift the heavy boat onto its wheels then push it into the water. I'm given a short instruction in how to paddle then asked to decide which side I'd prefer. I chose the left due to my sore shoulder as I didn't think I'd be able to keep it up for an hour while we trained. I'm paired up with a good keen man who will instruct me during the paddle then off we go.
I think they forgot to tell me that this was a serious training and I later found out that the ones my friend at work had been to were womens trainings which were a lot more casual and relaxed. So I do my best but it was such an awkward manouveur that I 'rested' many times. Particularly when they were doing the racing! We paddled across from the marina (next to Marina Mall) to the Corniche which is the main beach at Abu Dhabi then we paddled along the main tourist beaches to showcase the sport. I managed to paddle all that time so the boat looked good.
Then back around the water and over to the sailing club. The training lasted an hour. After we go the boat out of the water we had a swim while we waited for a motor boat to take us out to Lulu Island for a BBQ or picnic which had been arranged beforehand (hence the new chilly bag).
The water temperature was mild but the swim was nice. Remembering this is 9.30am. Then we headed over the road to the Marina proper which is where our boat was waiting. Nice boat!
So we pile our stuff on board and the boat gets loaded up with goodies. And I mean goodies. I'm wondering how many people are coming with all this food arriving and numerous deck chairs and water. I'm feeling very unprepared by this stage. Luckily I was with a friend who I knew so I checked with her and she only had a sandwich and some fruit, like me.
Finally we head off with a full boat, many of whom hadn't been at the dragon boating. I'm asking one of the dragon boaters who pays for this and who organised it? She said they often have a similar event. Off we go...
As we head out of the marina we are stopped by the Coast Guard who seem more interested in some jet skiiers than us so we are waved on after a brief stop. The short ride to the island was similar to travelling i the Marlborough Sounds except the scenery was very different. High rise building receding into a murky skyline.
We arrived in about 5 minutes to an expanse of white sand dotted with gazebos, many of which were fallen down. Apparently the island is privately owned and used to have two ferries running to it 1/2 hourly with buses every hour. So obviously it is accessable by land. Then some dispute has resulted in all this stopping and people are now only allowed on the beach front so we couldn't venuture past the tree line.
We set up in one gazebo, out of the already blazing sun. Even though it was about 38 degrees by now the sun wasn't burning like at home in NZ. After unloading the boat we had a swim for a long time. Then headed back into the shade to relax and chat. I met some nice new people, most of whom were not teachers which was a refreshing change.
The boat left us there and I commented that it was the first time since I'd arrived in Abu Dhabi that there was quiet. Only problem was I spoke too soon. The man who seemed to be in charge cranked up a stereo he'd brought along then told us he had 20 or 30 kids arriving on the next boat for a birthday party. You know that saying, "Nothing is free." How true.
The boat returned an hour later loaded to the hilt with little kids and parents and nannies. What an eye-opener. How the other half live... Someone back home would have slapped these kids long before I'd had enough and was ready to drown one in particular. It was a long wait for the boat to return to take us back around 3pm.
During the course of the day I had many swims. The water got progressively warmer but you could still find some cooler currents if you were lucky. The channel we were in was secluded but the jet skiiers kept coming along for their thrills. I wouldn't have wanted to swim across it as it was too busy with boats who weren't always looking where they were going. On the other side of the breakwater was the Arabian Gulf.
I was a bit sunburnt when I got home and this morning I'm stiff with aches in muscles that haven't been used in a long time. So today I'm relaxing and catching up on housework. Some things never change.
View looking back towards the beach. We could be anywhere in the world. Oh, that's right, I am!
On the boat with Marina Mall disappearing behind me.
Lulu Island from the boat.
Sounds like a really interesting day! You are really having some awesome experiences! So cool to think of you grabbing all the opportunities you can! Trace
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