Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge
The Sea Sets the Scene
Chris Archer / 09.12.2007
At 9 o’clock tomorrow morning, the teams will set off for a two-day stint of paddling in state of the art sea kayaks provided by the organisation. The bi-place, Beluga sea kayak, manufactured by French company Plasmor, comes equipped with 2 Ketch-style sails and the added possibility of hoisting a mini-spi if desired. The red and white range, aptly named “Orient�, took the Breton specialists almost 3,000 hours of R and D to perfect. With the hope of a favourable tail wind to speed them along the 118km of this opening section, the 26 teams will paddle from Abu Dhabi to Mirfa, along the pellucid waters of this isle strewn coastline.
Though this might appear contradictory for a sea-based activity, the primary difficulty on this first leg will be to find landmarks. Because everything around them will be barely one metre above sea-level, finding reference points and judging distances will be extremely tricky. Add to that the fact that the water is rarely over a metre deep and the chances of getting stuck on a sand-bar are very real. Getting out and carrying the kayak is a tough choice especially as the sea bottom is also quite soft and sinking in mud up to one’s waist is no joke…
If all goes well, the teams will navigate the sinuous inlets and estuaries until 18:00 at which time they are obliged to stop for the night and bivouac at one of the CPs located on 5 of the 200 islands that constitute the archipelago. The following morning, at 6 o’clock, they will set off again from their islands to cover the remaining distance to Mirfa. Along the way there is the fortuitous prospect of an encounter with the abundant and varied aquatic wildlife. Barracudas, clown fish, manta rays, turtles, 6 different species of dolphin and cormorants teem in the open waters and mangroves of this rich marine environment.
There is also a CP on the beach in front of the splendiferous Emirates Palace, one of the world’s most absorbing hotel complexes. With almost 400 ultra-luxury rooms and 92 suites, the “most expensive hotel ever built� not only fills the night sky with a dazzling spectacle of scintillating lights but has been awarded enough stars to represent a constellation.
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