IDEX– Showcasing Mark’s work

Mark and his Fu Manchu vehicle

There usually isn’t much I can say about what Mark is doing over here. He works at a high security military facility, and I can’t visit him there, much less write anything about it. But IDEX, a biennial exhibition and conference, provided an opportunity to see his work, take photos, and write about it in the blog.

According to the IDEX website:

The International Defence Exhibition and Conference, IDEX, is the most strategically important tri-service defence exhibition in the world. IDEX is the only international defence exhibition and conference in the MENA region demonstrating the latest technology across land, sea and air sectors of defence. It is a unique platform to establish and strengthen relationships with government departments, businesses and armed forces throughout the region.

A few days before the conference began it was Valentine’s Day, and Deb and I met Mark, Tom and Dana at a hotel near the exhibition center, ADNEC, for a bubbly and snack. As we left the hotel, a large group of young guys clad in pristine black jumpsuits and matching caps were coming in through the hotel door. “Hey, I like those snappy uniforms,” I said. “Why don’t you guys dress like that?”

“Because,” they replied. “We’re not snipers.” Oh.
 

The normally vacant bleacher area became
a hub of activity for several weeks.

There had been a lot of action around ADNEC that week; it looked like they were tearing up and rebuilding the whole place, which around here isn’t as far fetched as it sounds. They tore apart and rebuilt part of the pedestrian bridge, and were setting up tents and temporary buildings everywhere. On my neighborhood bike rides near Al Bateen Airport, I was being buzzed by the fighter jets practicing right overhead. One day we were driving past ADNEC and suddenly came upon a road closure. We looked up and saw a group of paratroopers practicing dropping in. It was all pretty exciting.
 
The show was an opportunity for Mark, Tom and Dana to show off some innovative vehicle repurposing and upgrading solutions they’ve been working on. There were two vehicles that Mark was particularly proud of.

Al Taif was front and center.

The Al Taif booth, Tom’s, Dana’s, and Mark's employer, featured the latest version of the UAE manufactured NIMR vehicle with a French Nexter ARX20 remote turret mounted to the overhead gun ring. The purpose of including the vehicle in the Al Taif booth was to show the engineering integration skills of Al Taif. Dana and Mark lead the group of engineers and designers who designed, built and installed the turret and controls in the vehicle.

Passengers riding in back can see the action on
a separate screen.

The vehicle was well placed right next to the main isle where visitors passed to the outside exhibition bleachers.The turret had a dummy gun but was otherwise fully functional, allowing the operator to slew the gun, sight in various targets, and play shoot’em up. Kids, probably because of their computer gaming skills, were the fastest to master the operation. The vehicle was a real hit at the show, with countless visitors stopping by to try it out.
 

The critical piece is hidden behind the mustache.

The other vehicle of interest was the black vehicle pictured at the start of this blog. Mark’s design team designed, built and installed the “Fu Manchu” mustache-looking plow on the front of the Police Security NIMR vehicle variant. A high-ranking UAE Army staff officer conceived of the idea for this vehicle at a meeting and challenged the manufacturer to have it ready for IDEX, about 5 weeks hence. Mark's group heard about the need for a plow just 3 weeks before IDEX. No problem they made the delivery with time to spare

The hydraulic actuator that we now own.

The key to the design, and the hard part, was the rotary hydraulic actuator. Working around the clock because of time differences, Mark located the only one available anywhere at the Helac Corp. factory in Washington State, purchased it using a his credit card, had it air shipped and received it in 3 days. Wow. Of course he’s still waiting to be reimbursed for the cost, but it was worth it to see it on the vehicle. The NIMR manufacturer and UAE Army Staff were very pleased with the outcome.

HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan
speaks with Al Taif's Saeed Rashid Al Shehhi.

The real honor for all was when His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, came to the Al Taif booth. He spent a lot of time looking at the NIMR with the ARX20 Turret and talking with Saeed and others. 

Abdul Azziz introduces HH Sheikh Mohammed to the vehicle.

Mark’s co-worker Abdul Azziz showed and explained the turret to HH Sheikh Mohammed and demonstrated how it worked. What a thrill for Abdul Azziz!  Mark has spent a lot of time working with Abdul Azziz, and enjoys the sharp young Emirati engineer with boatloads of charisma and potential as a future leader.












A daily IDEX magazine is published, with stories about defense companies and the total of contracts signed at the conference. The next day’s cover photo was of Abdul Azziz and HH General Sheikh Mohammed, making Abdul Azziz a bona fide rock star.
 
 
 
 
 




I went to IDEX with Deb on the last day of the conference. I wanted to see the vehicles Mark had been telling me about, and meet some of the people he works with and has talked about. Plus, there was a show with live demonstrations. We went with Dana and sat in the outdoor bleachers facing the road to watch the show. Across the road we could see the military ships at the ADNEC docks, which you could access through the newly rebuilt pedestrian overpass.

The outdoor theater.

The area in front of the bleachers had been transformed to look like a combination desert scene and stunt show, with a small cluster of little houses on one side and then all sorts of ramps and a big loop. This was the purpose-built Live Mobility Track for vehicle demonstrations. “My kids would love this,” I thought. Brian is on a BMX stunt team, and Nicole rides dirt bikes competitively. High overhead, two large screens were suspended on wires, and two other large screens flanked either side.

A village scene, with children playing and mothers working, fathers fishing and pearling.

Public events in the UAE always include performances and demonstrations related to Arab culture and UAE’s heritage. The show started with a peaceful scene of family life in the village – children playing games, men and women weaving and preparing food.

Before oil, the economy was based on fishing, pearling and trading.

Pearling and fishing dhows came by in the background, floating on an elevated moat that had been built especially for the IDEX show. Traditional Arab khaliji music, featuring drums and oud, played in the background. Eventually, groups of boys, men, and young girls entered the arena and began to dance.

No Arab scene would be complete without camels.

The men dance rhythmically.

The dancing of the men and boys symbolizes hunting or battles, using swords, sticks or rifles.

The young girls wore beautiful, brightly colored, sparkly dresses that flowed and fluttered in the wind. They swayed with the music, bending their bodies so that their long flowing black hair swung from side to side. When these girls become young women, they will most likely wear the black abaya covering their dresses and the shayla covering their hair in public, and some will choose to wear a niqab or veil covering their faces. Their beauty will only be seen by their family members and, later, their husbands. This is beginning to change as women enter the work force and must communicate with co-workers and the public, but I think many women are still more comfortable with their faces covered.


For a long time, the group paraded and danced around the performance area until they finally left the arena. Afterward, an eclectic mix of several bands performed.

IDEX Emirati Heritage Pageant VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Then the war started.

Vehicles swarmed into the arena, groups of soldiers ran around with guns, and ATV’s and dirt bikes flew up and down on the jumps and ramps, and looped the loop. I kept thinking how much fun it must have been for those stunt riders. What a gig!

But it was disconcerting to see the little houses, where the children had been playing and the mothers and fathers working, being blown up. More and more vehicles came, and eventually helicopters and fighter jets. Simulated bombs were dropped and explosives went off on the roofs of the little shacks. Battles were fought and won. Prisoners were marched away, hands in the air. And all the while, the stunt riders rode the ramps and looped the loop, and the vehicles drove up and down the ramps and around the arena, demonstrating their capabilities. It all kicked up a lot of sand.

The bad guys, in black, were finally rounded up.

There were several videographers shooting video that was projected onto the screens in real time, cutting from one scene to another. I couldn’t help but be impressed at the seamless video production. Every scene looked like perfectly planned, choreographed chaos, and the photographers seemed to know exactly where to be at any given time. We even saw one scale up the side of one of the towers on a rope, and rappel back down. I wonder if they were soldiers, too.

IDEX Live Mobility Demonstration VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

This guy had the beauty queen wave down.

The show went on for about an hour and a half – much longer than the one that Mark had seen two days before. Maybe they had a lot of explosives to use up, this being the last day. After the “war” ended, they started parading more vehicles around, sort of like a military vehicle beauty pageant, but we decided it was time to see some of the exhibits. I went back to the Al Taif booth to find Mark.

There were some pretty interesting looking vehicles, but the ones that I thought were the most blog-worthy usually had a “No Photo” sign on them.

The album below has vehicle photos taken by Mark, with captions – some quite humorous – written by him. This includes some of the vehicles he rode in during last year's week-long Summer Trials in the Empty Quarter. 

IDEX Vehicles and People VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

GIS technology is everywhere in your life now,
whether you realize it or not.

Somehow, what most easily caught my eye was anything to do with geography …

It's important to stay hydrated in the desert.

… or gear.
 
 

Mark, Tony Norrish and Tom are longtime colleagues.
Tony works in Turkey now.

Mark is close to the end of a long and successful 40+ year career in the defense industry. I could see that it was gratifying for him to see vehicles that he’s worked on developing, and to run into so many colleagues  that he’s known for so many years. He took me to meet some of the people he worked with at BAE Systems in Santa Clara, California.


Mark has told me of people he knew who were sent to work in far away places like Turkey or Australia, and he saw them at the show as well as some people who came from the U.S. At one time, I could never imagine us moving to such exotic locations, but look where we ended up! It still just amazes me to realize that we are here in the Middle East.

There are so many resources that are put into defense and the military. What a huge business. As with the auto industry, in which my father worked as a research physicist for 41 years in Detroit, defense is linked to many other other industries, such as transportation and aerospace. As Dana commented when we were leaving, it was amazing to see all this in one place.





Hopefully all this equipment will be used to defend these countries, their citizens, and interests, and not misused for aggressive purposes.

Thanks for reading, and may peace be with you and yours.

Here is a short video of the live show.
  

Moroccan Lunch with Abdul and Family

The Golden Tulip Khasab Hotel

Mark booked two hotel rooms for us and Tom Saturday night after the Musandam boat trip with Abdul because we needed to stop at the U.S. Consulate in Dubai on the way home the next day. When Abdul heard that we would be in Dubai he said “You can come to my house for lunch!” We accepted, despite knowing that it meant yet another big meal, and I began to look forward to meeting Abdul’s wife and family.

The hotel has a nice pool and also a dive center.

The Golden Tulip Khasab Hotel is part of a chain of Golden Tulip hotels in the Middle East, and only a couple of minutes drive from the harbor. Upon checking in, we were surprised and pleased to find that Tom’s our rooms were adjacent, overlooking the pool and the sea, and very nice. Even though it seemed like all we did on the boat was relax, all three of us felt exhausted. We rested up, and then went downstairs to see if we could get something light, just a snack, for dinner. We were, by this time, feeling seriously overfed and we knew we were in for another feeding at Abdul’s the next day. All three of us were in the mood for just a little salad and maybe some soup. And some wine.

We went into the lounge and ordered a bottle of red. Of course, as with most hotels here, there was a huge buffet. When we told our waiter that we just wanted to order soups and salads, he suggested that we could get the soup and salad portion of the buffet. It was better than ordering a la carte. We reluctantly agreed – even though we knew it meant that we were getting access to too much food, again.

A selection of mezzes, or starters.

A salad bar includes all the mezzes – stuffed vine leaves, hummus, muttabal (eggplant dip), a number of little fried goodies like kibbeh, which are a dough made with bulgur and lamb, and stuffed with an onion and lamb mixture, or sambousek, which are dough wrapped around a lamb or cheese filling. There are always several kinds of feta cheese, and labneh which is yogurt cheese, rolled in dried herbs.

Fattoush, named after the bread it contains,
is one of my favorite salads.

The various salads always include fattoush, a leafy green arugula salad tossed with viniagrette dressing containing the special ingredient sumac, and sprinkled with fried bits of Arabic bread (pita); tabbouli (chopped parsley and bulghur salad); Greek salad; beetroot salad; yellow corn salad; green bean salad; cold grilled vegetables …and this salad bar also had fresh mussels in the shell, which I can never resist, and I think there was calamari salad. I can’t remember what else, but I’m sure there was more. And there was a delicious creamy pumpkin soup. We tried to control ourselves, but it wasn't easy.


The next morning, I made sure to get up early enough to go for a swim. I had gone down to test the water temperature the day before because around here, swimming pools can be uncomfortably warm. I was very surprised to find the water actually COLD! Nevertheless, I put on my swim flippers and goggles and ventured in. It felt great even though, since I’m not used to cold water now, it chilled me through and through by the time I was done swimming. That was by far the coldest I have been here. We made coffee in our rooms and skipped the breakfast buffet; we just couldn't face it.

After a whirlwind sightseeing drive through the town of Khasab, we wound our way back along the coast road, while I took some photos from the back seat.

Road to Khasab VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We managed to find the U.S. Consulate in Dubai. This, in itself, was an accomplishment. Mark had made an appointment, which is required for U.S. citizens who need services, except in an emergency. Appointments are available 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. four days a week; you can make one online. How about those hours! We arrived an hour early for our 1:30 appointment and joined the line of people waiting for the opening. No problem, we showed the confirmation we had printed out with our appointment time, and were ushered inside. Next, through security – no cameras or cell phones, no purses. We brought in our passports and wallets, and our documents to be notarized; that’s all. Tom waited outside under a palm tree. After a very short wait, we signed and initialed ten papers which were stamped by the notary, a very nice and helpful young American woman. The only bad thing was that each stamp cost $50 U.S. whereas it would have been free at our credit union in the U.S. So I recommend two things: One, get your papers notarized while you are in the U.S. And two, if you must do it here arrive early, at opening time if possible, regardless of the time of your appointment.

I took this photo using a wide angle lens.
It's the only way to get
the whole building in the shot.

Next we called Abdul, who told us where to meet him. I have learned that when you visit Emiratis for the first time, they never try to tell you where their house is; they meet you and lead you there instead. Which makes sense because there are no addresses here. And no street signs, to speak of, in the neighborhoods. Instead, there is a confounding system of zones, sectors, and building numbers. Abdul told us to take the exit just past Dubai Mall, where the Burj Khalifa is.

The Burj Khalifa can be seen from the DOSC private beach.

We met Abdul at Safa Park and drove to his house a couple of blocks away. Mark and I recognized the area, which is in the same part of town as the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, and only about 5 km or so from the Burj Khalifa.







When we were camping and boating with Abdul, we always asked about his wife and wished she were along on the trip. Lucy, Deb, and I always wondered if she gets upset that he is off having fun without her. Abdul always has a similar answer: “No, it’s OK.  She doesn't want to come. She won’t leave the children.” This time, he told us proudly that his older son was playing his first football game as goalie. If he did well, he would be given that position, which in the UAE means being paid a sum of money for playing in the games. And believe me, it’s a lot more money than a paper route! Do they even have those in the U.S. any more?

“And you aren't going?” Tom asked. Tom has three boys, all grown. “No, it’s OK, ” Abdul said. “My wife is there.” As this sank in, he added, “She takes care of the children. I take care of the guests.” This is the Arab culture of hospitality. If you tell an Arab person that you are in town, or coming for a visit, they will drop any other plans or appointments they might have to host you.

I asked Abdul if I could write about his experience and
views on marriage. People are interested. "Yes," he said. 

Abdul likes to talk about marriage. He has had three wives although, as he quickly points out, only one at a time. The Arab men we have talked with agree that it’s best to have one wife at a time. Otherwise, it’s too complicated. Too much jealousy, too hard to treat them equally, as the Quran instructs. It’s not possible. One wife is enough, but Abdul didn't find the right match until the third try.




His first wife was Mexican – Chicano, he says. He met her when he studied in the U.S. But there was a problem. Abdul’s mother was unhappy with the marriage. The grandchildren would be too far away. So, Abdul and the wife agreed to go their separate ways.

Abdul’s second marriage was arranged. This is still a common way for Arabs to become engaged. The mother announces her son’s intention to marry, and the search is on for a good match. Usually someone within the family is preferred, such as a distant cousin. It may even be a first cousin, in which case the couple will undergo genetic testing for possible health risks to their offspring. Either one of the couple is free to turn down the proposal, but often they don’t meet until the wedding and the decision is based on secondhand information.

“I married my second wife after looking at a picture,” Abdul told us. “This is how it happens, but it is no good. You cannot tell if you will get along just from looking at the picture. It is not love. It is better to marry for love.” So unfortunately the second marriage didn't work out, either.

“The third time,” Abdul said, “I married for love. My wife is Moroccan, but I met her here.” Abdul's wife speaks Arabic and French, but just a little bit of English. He had told us some of this story before, during the camping trip, but this time he added that until he met his wife, he didn't want to talk to Moroccan women. Why not, I asked? He waved his hand, shook his head a little and said, “They are supposed to have some kind of magic or something.” “Well,” I said, “she worked her magic on you, didn't she?” It’s obvious that Abdul married for love.

“Do you think that the way young people in the UAE meet and get married will change soon?” I asked Abdul. He nodded with certainty. “It is changing. Before, they didn't meet. But now, they go to the mall, and they see each other.” How soon will it change, within one generation? Yes, Abdul thinks so. His own children will choose their spouses. They will marry for love, inshallah.

The house is one level now, but
a second level will be added soon.

Abdul’s house is impressive, to say the least. Modern houses here have large privacy walls with elaborate metal gates, usually with some kind of opaque panels. Privacy goes along with the modesty that is so important in Arab culture. Behind the walls it’s sort of a private family oasis. We drove through the open gates. In the center of the courtyard was a large bubbling fountain, and to the left of that was a swimming pool.

“You can go swimming if you want,” Abdul said. I have to admit, I was tempted! Good thing I’d already had my swim for the day.

We entered the house, and went into the guest area, which was a suite of rooms including a majlis (sitting room), a dining room, a bathroom. And they were … splendid.

It's hard to convey the feeling of the rooms in photos.

The furnishings and decor were ornate, opulent, magnificent, and sumptuous. The coffee table was laid out with a huge bowl of fruit, including several exotic fruits we saw in Thailand – lychee, rambutan, and mangosteen. A tray held every variety of nuts and seeds, and another tray was filled with the most delicious dates, coated with chopped nuts – pistachios, almonds, and walnuts. We couldn't help but sample them, despite knowing that we were about to be served lunch.

Chinese style outdoor majlis

Abdul showed us around the property. The main house held the family’s living quarters. Outside were several outbuildings, sort of like fancy “mancaves.” First, we saw an outdoor majlis that Abdul called the “Chinese” room, maybe because the furnishings came from China.

Moroccan style indoor majlis

Another building was Moroccan, with a majlis decorated in the lavish Moroccan style and a tiled Moroccan bathroom.

Moroccan bath

Abdul described the Moroccan bath as a thorough scrubbing using special soap. Apparently it softens and whitens the skin. I think I could use one, after all the sun and salt water I've been in lately!

Decorative tagines are used to cover plates
and hold condiments.

This is the Moroccan kitchen. Abdul said they decided not to cook here, because the smell interferes with their enjoyment of shisha later. So, now the kitchen is just for looks. It’s much nicer, and roomier, than our Al Seef apartment kitchen.









Abdul’s little daughter accompanied us on our tour, stopping to point out the beautiful rosebushes in the front yard. Even though she was chattering in Arabic, I knew she was telling me to smell the roses, and we agree that they are very pretty.



Abdul’s wife arrived with the two boys, and she was very charming although we couldn't communicate well. We were soon served lunch. Everything was beautifully arranged, and brought out on fancy serving trays, which is the norm here. We were served three roasted chickens and, since Abdul doesn't like chicken, we had a meat dish – Moroccan lamb curry, braised with nuts and olives in a tagine. There were salads, and a huge pot of rice as well as Moroccan bread that was very similar to ciabatta. Abdul explained that while Arabs always have rice, Moroccans such as his wife don’t eat it; they have bread.

The two younger children ate with us, but the older boy – the budding soccer star – said he had already eaten. My guess is – Subway!

Pouring Moroccan tea

After lunch we sat on the couches and were served Moroccan tea. “Oh, I love Moroccan tea. It’s tea with mint,” I told Mark, who has recently discovered the digestive benefits of mint. “It’s mint, with tea,” Abdul corrected me. You put a little bit of green tea and sugar in the bottom of a pot, and then stuff it with fresh mint. Then you pour in the boiling water. To serve, you pour it into glasses – not teacups – from a distance of a foot or so above. I thought this was to cool the tea but no, it’s to make it bubble. We finished off the meal with some sweets.

Driving home, all three of us were in pain. We agreed that we would probably not eat for three days, and I don’t think we did. Well, except for the two roasted chickens that Abdul sent home with Mark and me.



Many thanks to Abdul and his family for their hospitality!

A final note: You may wonder why there are no photos of Abdul’s wife, and why I do not mention her name. This is out of respect for Abdul’s request for his wife’s privacy. Our American culture, especially now in the age of social media, we share information and photos. But I am sure there are many people reading this who can understand his wish to protect her privacy. 

Tagines for cooking

Abu Dhabi Sailing – ADCA racing, Yas Island Rally

We are two-thirds of the way through the sailing season, which runs from mid-September to the beginning of June, coinciding with the months of the year that human beings can survive outdoors in the UAE. Mark and I have been doing a lot of sailing during these cool months.

Our club here, the Abu Dhabi Cruiser Association (ADCA), holds races every third Saturday. We also participate in special events including the recent Emirates Open Regatta and an annual ADCA Yas Island cruise out. The following briefings will give you the season’s highlights so far, with some local color and characters.

The move to Emirates Palace Marina

Life changed for the better – MUCH better – when we moved from the crowded marina near the Marina Mall, over to Emirates Palace Marina.

The floating dock is used for prize giving and posh dinners

Let’s just start with the parking, which is spacious and beautifully landscaped whereas at the other marina it’s a permanent construction zone, and you may as well park across the street in the mall parking lot, taking your life in your hands to cross the street.




Plus, although it’s a spacious marina designed for mega yachts, it has the following environmentally sustainable green credentials, according to Marina Manager Capt. Toby Haws:
- ISO 140001 waste management
- Blue Flag Award
- ICOMIA Green Marinas
- 5 Gold Anchor Award
- Carbon footprint assessment done

Idefix and Unwind are neighbors

The $3 billion US Emirates Palace Hotel is in a class of its own, and so is the marina. The concierge will deliver you and your gear to the slip in a golf cart, and fetch ice if needed. They are at the dock to catch our dock lines as we arrive after a sail. And they offer catered lunch to be delivered dockside, complete with fine china and cloth napkins.


I have seen this myself – one weekend the skipper and crew of the Beneteau 21.7 in the next slip sat down in the cockpit and tucked into a pre-race lunch of juicy looking cheeseburgers and ice cold beers while we were setting up our boat for racing. The room service cart filled the whole cockpit.

Clubhouse

The best part of the move, aside from the location, scenery and service, is using the floating clubhouse. Now we have a place right at the marina where we can gather after a race. We bring our own beverages and food, and the marina provides a barbecue. The post-race group seems to grow a bit bigger and more fun after each race, and Mark and I can never seem to tear ourselves away without being among the last to leave.




This year’s ADCA Annual Meeting for the general membership will be in the Emirates Palace Marina clubhouse.

ADCA Commodore’s Cup series 2012-13

The new marina is working out well for racing. When we were at the other marina, our starting line channel buoys were in a location that was popular with jet skiers, who loved to buzz around us in light air just after the start, showing off for spectators by disturbing the water and stopping the boats. Yelling at them to go away only made them do it more. Boys will be boys, and they pretty much do whatever they want around here.

Lady Marmalade, Saeeda and Floosie before the start

Now we use the Emirates Palace Marina channel buoys as the start line – port end is usually a bit favored, but not bad – and we round permanent buoys offshore. We’ve raced the same 14 NM course for the past few races. There is a bit of current to play, some wind shifts and tacking, and a downwind run to the finish line. We always start at 2 p.m. which may sound late, but the early offshore breeze dies around noon, and in the afternoon we usually get a decent onshore breeze of 8 to 12 knots, sometimes less and sometimes more. We finish around 4 p.m. or so, put the boat away and head over to the clubhouse, getting just a bit of a head start on the slower boats who sail a shorter course.

There are thirteen IRC-rated boats registered for the season, and from five to nine have been showing up on the starting line. Despite the wide range of boat types, the racing is fun, with us on the Pacer 27 Unwind battling it out with our arch rival, the Farr 30 Idefix, who need to be upset from their perennial podium place as season champions.

Greta, Alicia, Emma and Matteo

Unwind’s crew is all Italian except for Mark and me, and the crew rotates depending on who is available. On one fun special regatta this year, the Abu Dhabi Cup, we had Emiliano’s two daughters, Emma and Greta, and Paolo’s daughter Alicia, all three chattering in Italian and singing Taylor Swift songs.






The Humpback Dolphins have been meeting us in the starting line area, swimming with us as we tack around before the start. We see Humbacks or Bottlenose almost every time we go sailing, although as the water along the Abu Dhabi coastline warms up they will surely go someplace where it’s cooler.

Starting the Race with Humpback Dolphins

At this writing we are in the lead for the season, but only one point ahead of Idefix, having taken a third in Race #8. A THIRD??? Read on …

The New Floosie in Town

Martyn and Floosie

We took a third in Race #8 because there is a new FarEast 26 named Floosie in the fleet. The owner, a very nice Brit gentleman named Martyn, wanted to get something a bit larger than his National Squib, so Emiliano suggested the purchase the FarEast 26. It was delivered from China a few weeks ago, and Martyn named her Floosie, because “She’s fast and she’ll go with anyone.” Apparently she’s the latest in a long line of Floosies that Martyn has had. Emiliano, Mark and I went out with Martyn on the maiden voyage, to help him sort the boat out and figure out how to sail it. We agreed that it’s very comfortable and sails very well.




Then Martyn asked us to go out with him on a Thursday evening Twilight Race, which we did – despite the shamal, which is a strong northwest wind that blows across Iraq and the Gulf, kicking up some pretty steep chop. Whoa! First puff upwind the boat lays over and the outhaul on the main breaks. Nevertheless, we continued to the mark, rounded, and put up the spinnaker, crossing the finish line first – well – and last, being the only boat out.

Mark and Martyn get along like a house afire

That evening we enjoyed an intimate BBQ with Martyn, his wife Christine, son Geoff, and some Cuban cigars, which Martyn enjoys regularly and Mark has recently taken quite a liking to. Christine “isn’t much of a sailor,” says Martyn, but I think she will grow to appreciate Floosie’s comfortable accommodations in the benign weather we have so often here.





A couple of days later we sailed Commodore’s Cup #8 on Unwind with Emiliano. It was light wind, with choppy conditions left over from the shamal, and Unwind just couldn’t get moving. It also seemed like we were faster on port tack. Floosie took second place, with nobody more shocked than Martyn. Thus, we are now only one point ahead of the Farr 30, and Floosie is a threat. This week, Emiliano is hauling Unwind, painting the bottom, and checking the mast and keel alignment.This is just what Emiliano wanted – more competition in the fleet, which he hopes will encourage more people to join ADCA, buy boats and sail in races.

Martyn was so appreciative of our help that he hosted us at the last running of the horse races at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club on March 17th. He is just one of the many great people we have met, and continue to meet, sailing here. We just need more boats!

Emirates Open Regatta

Tom, me, Mark, Ken and Geoff accept the 2nd Place cup.
The award money is coming, inshallah.

We sailed the Emirates Open Regatta on Saturday, March 2nd. It’s a multi-day international regatta, sponsored by Emirates Heritage Club and Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club, with mostly dinghy classes.

We sailed in this regatta last year, with just a few other keel boats. This year, thanks to Emiliano and his skill in getting the fleet to turn out, we managed to pull together enough keel boats – eight – registered in the “Cruiser Class” for our fleet to not only race one day but actually qualify for prize money. Instead of being awarded to the winners, the money is put into the ADCA fund to benefit all members, which means we will have a big party.

At Emiliano’s request, Mark and I sailed Floosie. Martyn was out of town on business but we had his son Geoff, who we think actually prefers fishing but is liking sailing more with the new boat. To round out the crew we brought our friend Tom, who has day sailed with us occasionally and laughs every time you try to explain how to do something, and a guy Tom met at the British Club named Ken who said he had done some racing about 30 years ago.

We used our regular up-down course, with three races. Although it was the perfect light conditions for Idefix we managed, to our surprise, to earn one “bullet,” or first place, on Floosie which put us in second place for the series, behind Idefix and ahead of Emiliano on Unwind. We are more impressed with the FarEast 26 each time we sail her.

The best part about the Emirates Open is the prize giving ceremony and dinner. The prize giving is in the National Theater, on the waterfront next to Emirates Heritage Village and the site of the Volvo Ocean Race stopover. After a young boy sings some verses from the Quran, the winners approach dignitaries lined up onstage and are awarded large trophies. Then everyone goes over to the Heritage Village for a huge Arabic buffet dinner, served al fresco. The regatta’s sponsors provide all this at no cost, no entry fee, no dinner tickets. The only thing for us that is different than other regattas is the absence of sponsors like Mount Gay or Skyy, which just means that we get home at a decent hour and nobody makes a fool of themselves.

Walking over to the dinner

By the end of the evening we could see that Ken was already getting hooked on sailing again, so it was no surprise to see him crewing on Floosie in the next Commodore’s Cup race.





Sailing Arabia – The Tour

Inshore racing
Photo: thenational.ae

We had some international sailing celebrities in town recently, including a member of Richmond Yacht Club, our yacht club in the San Francisco Bay. Liz Baylis, two-time US Sailing Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, was sailing with three other professional women sailors, Dee Caffari and Sarah Hornby of Great Britain and another American, Katie Pettibone, on an all-female team with a crew of Omani girls sailing in Sailing Arabia – the Tour.




The Far 30 fleet’s racing began in Bahrain, stopping along the Arabian Gulf coast in ports in Qatar and UAE, then through the Strait of Hormuz to Oman, ending in Muscat. Mark and I caught up with Liz and the crew while they were in Abu Dhabi, and watched some of the in-port racing before heading over to our own ADCA race which happened to be the same day.

Omani crew

We talked briefly to the crew, and I was impressed with the young Omani women from the Oman Sail Women’s Sailing Program, who were out racing day and night, among the oil rigs and sandy shoals, building confidence in themselves and learning that they can compete in the sport of sailing.





Since they were rotating their crew there were a couple of girls who weren’t racing and Liz and I talked about having them come and race with us in our ADCA race, but it didn’t work out. Although I thought we had two crew coming along, they went out on the spectator boat, and we had to leave to get to our marina and get our boat ready. I think maybe they were a little shy about going out with us. Oh well.

Volvo Ocean Race 2013-14



The Farr 30’s were tied up at the docks that were built for the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race stopover. It’s been announced that Abu Dhabi will compete in the 2013-14 VOR, and Abu Dhabi will again be a race stopover. Mark and I will still be here by then – maybe. This time, we’ll make sure we get on a boat to watch the in-port racing on the water.




Yas Island Cruise Out

Every year, ADCA organizes a cruise to Yas Marina, a 25 mile trip past Abu Dhabi’s still-developing arts and culture center on Saadiyat Island to Yas Island which, in addition to the luxury marina, is the home of Yas Marina F1 Circuit, the world’s largest indoor theme park Ferrari World, the brand new water park Yas Waterworld, and the Yas Links Golf Course – none of which anyone in our sailing group visited. We were just there for the cruise and the party.

Ferrari World

We started out from Emirates Palace Marina at about 10:00 a.m. to take advantage of the ebb. We got a mile or two offshore where we found a decent breeze, and were able to hoist the spinnaker. The fleet consisted of four boats – Idefix, Unwind, Floosie, and the Cork 1720 Saeeda. Once again Mark and I sailed with Martyn on Floosie, because Emiliano and Paolo had their families along on Unwind.

Mark and I were excited at the opportunity to explore a little piece of the coastline and some inter-island waterways that we hadn’t yet seen. It’s always an interesting perspective to view a city from the water. All along the way, we recognized buildings that we knew, but had never seen from that vantage point. We also saw things we had never seen before, and were especially interested in what looked like an abandoned resort project, with Arab-style wind tower architecture. An Arabian ghost town.

25 miles each way

 

Dockside celebration on Saeeda

The fleet arrived at Yas Marina between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. There was only one grounding by Saeeda but, because the bottom is sand, it wasn’t a big deal and they were able to sail off. The four boats tied up and everyone enjoyed some drinks and snacks.

Compared to Emirates Palace Marina, Yas Marina, which is also designed for mega yachts, is very noisy. There was racing on the track right next to the marina while we were there, and the Abu Dhabi International Airport is nearby, with a constant stream of approaching jets flying right overhead.

Yas Marina entrance

That, combined with a retrofit of the restaurants and other non-berthing facilities in the marina, made it a bit less convenient than we would have liked, so before long everyone was taking the concierge golf cars to the Yas Viceroy Hotel to catch taxis.




Some people had booked a room in one of the hotels on the island, but Mark and I went home which, as you can see from the map, is exactly half way between the Palace marina and Yas – about twelve miles.

We returned at 7:30 for the dinner, and as we arrived at the hotel complex, the place was buzzing with people arriving with Corvettes for a racing event. ADCA’s social secretary, Liz, arranged for a private poolside buffet dinner for our group at the Yas Rotana Hotel. Spouses who didn’t make the ADCA cruise joined us and there were about 40 people in the group. The wine was flowing, and there was a considerable amount of singing, which Malcolm had started back in the marina. At one point I looked over at Malcolm, who helms Idefix when the owner Marc, who is a pilot, is flying.

Photo lifted from Wimer's Facebook page.
I hope it's OK, John!

I noticed Malcolm balancing a spoon on his nose, which reminded me of someone back home. Malcolm is ADCA’s version of my sailing friend John Wimer, owner of the San Francisco Bay J120 race boat Desdemona, notorious for winning the party as well as the race. Both Malcolm and John are very affectionate. Malcolm is always demanding kisses, both cheeks please, and Wimer kisses everyone, not just the girls!

Malcolm at least needs some beads, no?

The next morning, Malcolm flashed us as we passed Idefix motoring Floosie. Which is a classic Desdemona move. “We have a Wimer,” I told Mark. “He just needs to work on the wardrobe.”





As the weekend wore on, it reminded us more and more of a calmer version of the Delta Ditch Run, a popular race from Richmond in San Francisco Bay through the Sacramento River Delta to Stockton, California that’s often very windy, with lots of groundings and carnage. What a great race it would be, downwind to Yas Island! There would need to be a motoring allowance, Mark and I decided. The party could be easily organized at any one of the many restaurants in Yas Marina, or at a nearby hotel as Liz did this year.

Catching Idefix under power

We left the Yas Marina dock at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, so we could beat the tide, and motored out, enjoying the scenery and wildlife, including a friendly Humpback Dolphin, a Stingray, and a Gazelle grazing in the mangroves.







At 10:00 a.m. we crossed under the Saadiyat bridge and into the Gulf, where we were met by a fleet of classic racing dhows just lowering their sails. The breeze came up, and we close reached up to the Emirates Palace Marina, arriving at 1:00 p.m.

What a perfect weekend, and what a perfect place to go sailing. And what a great group of people, the Abu Dhabi Cruiser Association.

Thanks for reading; two photo albums are below.

ADCA Racing 2012-13 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Yas Island Rally 2013 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

An Encounter - at my little beach in Abu Dhabi

It just might be the littlest beach in Abu Dhabi.

A few days ago, I rode my regular Zayed Grand Mosque bicycle route. It was breezy, due to the shamal, a northwesterly wind that blows over Iraq and across the Gulf, bringing airborne sand, reducing visibility and breathability, and lifting plastic bags and other trash into the air. So I elected to make it a relatively short 45-minute ride.

The workers' standard greeting is not "Hello."
It's "How are you?"

Maybe it was the effect of the shamal, or maybe they are getting used to seeing me out there, but right from the beginning, something was different about that morning. All of the workers tending the landscaping were especially friendly, pausing and waving to me as I passed, calling “How are you?” One even hailed me to come talk to him. “Where are you from?” He attempted to chat me up a bit, and I was friendly but didn't stop long, not wanting to get him into trouble for taking time off from planting petunias. No doubt there are cameras all along the route, because I ride past the Abu Dhabi Police Officers Club, under the Zayed and Maqtaa bridges, and past the Armed Forces Headquarters.

On the way back after the turnaround, I decided to stop at the Maqtaa Bridge, drink some water, and observe the current running under the bridges – where I was swirling around on my SUP in last year’s blog story, Caught at Maqtaa Bridge. As I sat there looking at the little beach before me, I couldn't help but notice the trash. Water bottles, food containers, and plastic bags, all left by workers who come there to relax, eat, and fish. And birds, picking their way around. Much of the trash had been blown up against the fence by the shamal, so that the end of the little beach was acting like a sink, collecting refuse.

Maqtaa Tower and Zayed Bridge. A great place to contemplate life, gazing at old and new.

Well, I thought. I can reach that bag floating in the water; it looks somewhat like a jellyfish and needs to come out. So I got up, fished the bag out of the water and began collecting trash to fill it. It’s such a small beach that it didn't take long for me to collect pretty much all the trash into two bags, which made a huge aesthetic difference. I decided not to venture around the other side of the dilapidated barbed wire fence, even though I could have easily gotten past it. I sat with my bike, sipping my water and contemplating the view.

Apparently I was being watched.

A view from the water, on my board. The little beach is on the right.

Just a few moments passed, and then a vehicle pulled up and stopped. The door opened, and a soldier in a black jumpsuit and cap – Emirates Special Forces – got out and came over to me. I thought it best to let him speak first.

He picked up my two bags of trash. “Thank you," he said. "Thank you." I had been planning to take the trash with me on my bicycle to the next debris box along the route. “Where are you from?” he asked. “USA,” I said, “and, you're welcome. And thank you for taking the trash.” I pointed at the beach. “What a mess!” He nodded, then shook his head. What can they do? He thanked me again and drove off, circling around and honking and waving as he passed by again.

As I got on my bike to ride home, I felt great. A few moments later, I saw something I had never seen before – about a hundred guys exercising on steps. I was in such a good mood that I waved and called out the Arabic greeting, “Salaam alaikum!” (Peace to you.) And they called back, with a chorus of “Alaikum salaam!” And there was a lot of surprised laughter.

It felt good to tell the soldier that I’m American, and I think my little cleanup gesture made a good impression on him. It helps to be on good terms when you cruise their neighborhood regularly. So I've decided to adopt that little beach, and every time I ride there, I'll check for trash to pick up. I’m doing it for myself, because I miss working in my yard in Nevada, and for the birds and the fish. And I’m doing it so that I can feel like I’m giving something, however small, back to Abu Dhabi.