Divas in Dubai

Under the patronage HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, the Fazza’ Championships include traditional sporting events including falconry, hunting with dogs, archery, freediving (hiyari) and the renowned youla championships.

The Diving Championship (Hiyari), commonly known amongst international freedivers as the “Dubai Range Rover Freediving Competition), will be held at the Le Meridien Mina Seyahi from 8th April 2010 – 9th April 2010. First prize is normally a Range Rover however details of the competition are yet to be received this year.

Please note that the dates may alter at the last minute so competing freedivers coming from overseas should allow a couple of days before and after the advertised dates in case of change. Deeperblue will be in contact with the organisers and publish updates as they are received.

In previous years there has only been one female competitor. All females are encouraged to come and compete. Anyone who would like to compete and needs training before the event is welcome to join the freedivers of Dubai every Tuesday or Thursday evening. Contact me on diva@divasindubai.com for more details.

To reserve your place in the competition please call +971-4-362-4399. Note that calls are not always answered and some persistence may be required. The Dubai Shopping Festival website should be watched as information will be posted.

FreedivingUAE.com members are inviting Freediving World Champion Patrick Musimu, and the first man ever recorded to dive beyond the 200 meters mental barrier on a single breath in No Limit discipline. Patrick does not teach Freediving but rather guide people in their progression to what he calls “The Art of Free Diving”. He is well known for his Flooding technique (equalizing his ears and sinuses by flooding them with sea water instead of air when diving deep), he is also known for dry Gym training for freediving.

The free diving clinic will be a 5 day clinic that will combine classes, gym and open water sessions. Participants will be introduced to sled diving as well, which is the device used for No Limit and Variable Weight disciplines in free diving.

Is this a clinic for everyone?

If you are keen to understand your barriers and discover how to lift them; keen to learn adapted breathing exercices and new breathing patterns; to learn how to master equalizing; to learn and understand how to train outside water; if you intend to progress and discover new depth; if you intend to understand how to plan your progression and to focus on your Self, then this clinic is for you.

If you are satisfied with what you already have and don’t intend to develop your free diving abilities, then you don’t need to attend this clinic. PLEASE NOTE: This clinic is for freedivers, beginners were they or advanced of all levels,but basic freediving knowledge and practice is required, if you haven’t attend any freediving courses yet then you need to attend one before April and get basic knowledge and experience of freediving so you could benefit from the clinic, basic safety procedures and standards and basic theory of freediving is not the scope of this clinic and there is no guarantee that any of it will be explained therein.

To receive more information about this clinic please email Adel Abu Haliqa at Adolphindeep@gmail.com.

Have you ever come across a situation where you wished that you could have assisted, and just stood there feeling helpless?  Have you ever witnessed an accident where someone could have been saved and you did not know what do, or had too much fear to help?

An Emergency First Response Course (EFR) can teach you to overcome those fears and you can learn practical, easy techniques that could save someone’s life in any situation, whether in the office, downtown in the shopping mall, or a loved one at home. You can learn how to perform CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Rescucitation) and also Primary and Secondary Care techniques which will help you to properly handle potentially life-threatening situations, whether you are a diver or non-diver.

EFR is a comprehensive programme composed of two modules that can be taught over 2 days, with fun instructional materials and the use of scenarios making it interesting and easy.*

The cost of each course is 850AED and includes all training and certification. The courses can be conducted anywhere, at your home, in the office or a training centre of your choice.  For information call Sara-Lise on +971-50-4368696 or email diva@divasindubai.com.

*Note, this is not a professional paramedics course and is only designed to provide First Aid assistance. Please also note that there a Good Samaritan law in the UAE that protects and holds harmless individuals who are qualified to intercede in a life threatening situation if acting within the scope of their training.  Expats should familiarise themselves with local laws before providing any public assistance.

A two day freediving trip has been organised by Freedivinguae.com, for the weekend of 15-16th January 2010.  All freedivers welcome. Diving is 3-5 hours weather dependant, per day. Boat cost is shared between divers present, maximum payment would be around 175AED per person per day.

Accommodation is available at the Oceanic Hotel in Khor Fakkan, and the divers will meet at Divers Down Dive Center at 08h45.

Contact me diva@divasindubai.com for more details.

Weather forecast clear for the weekend.

Theory starts Sunday 10th January 2010.

This course will be held in Dubai and Divers Down, Khor Fakkan (Sharjah) on the East Coast. The dive centre is based at the Oceanic Hotel.

Course price is 2900 DHS and includes training, student manual, boat dives and certification. It does not include equipment.

3 Star Course

This course is designed to continue a freediver’s training beyond the level of AIDA ** Freediver. The aim of this course is to help the student freediver develop the skills and knowledge necessary to plan and participate in freediving activities, independently with similarly experienced freedive buddies.

Basic course outline:

Maximum depth 30 metres – minimum 24 metres

The Knowledge development takes a while, about 4-5 hours, plus an exam. This is done over two days as it is quite intense.

Static/ dynamic sessions

Again, this can be done at one time, although sometimes for the 3 star it is better as 2 sessions, lasting 2 hours for the static and 1-2 for the dynamic

Open water training- 4 sessions over at least 2 days – a minimum of 4 days to complete the course.

To confirm your place on the course and in anticipation of your attendance I require:

1) Your full name

2) Full postal address

3) Contact telephone numbers

Please note that you will be required to provide your own freediving equipment. This should include the following items:

1) Wetsuit with hood, neoprene socks and gloves
2) Long freediving fins and/or monofin
3) Snorkel and low volume mask
4) Rubber weightbelt

If you do not have the equipment above and wish to purchase items then this can be arranged from visiting http://www.deeperblue.net/shopping/ or at Gulf Marine Sports (Abu Dhabi or Dubai). Call Firas 0504467956. You may also find gear at Hayaari, call Wassim Zein +971 – (0)50 – 6215375 http://www.hayaarisub.com/

In addition you will require a Freediving lanyard which is available for rent from me. Please note, that if you have your own lanyard, it must be between 70 and 100 cm long with a non locking carabiner at one end and a one handed quick release shackle at the wrist end. Weight will be provided for you on the course.

Booking and cancellation conditions:
If you do not come to the course on the days booked for theory and pool you will be charged 100dhs. I need 48 hours notice prior to cancellation. If you do not come to the course on the days of the boat dives, you will be charged 200dhs to cover the boat costs. I need 48 hours notice prior to cancellation. If you can’t make the course and want to swap to a different date, 1 week’s notice is required before the start of the course otherwise you will incur rescheduling or cancellation charges. If you need to reschedule or cancel then please me know immediately.

To sign up, I can be contacted on diva@divasindubai.com.

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Happy New Year and safe diving!

For the second year running, DeeperBlue.net’s Head of Freediving Education, AIDA Instructor Trainer and Author of ‘One Breath’, Emma Farrell will visit the United Arab Emirates to teach freediving courses from beginner up to instructor with Sara-Lise Haith, DeeperBlue.net’s Head of News, AIDA Instructor and Dubai Ladies Static Champion.

Courses will be running for six weeks in March and April and levels will run from AIDA ** Freediver right up to AIDA Instructor. The courses will be held in Abu Dhabi and on the Indian Ocean at Diver’s Down Diving Centre in Khor Fakkhan.

This is an exclusive opportunity to learn in a stunning location with one of the most experienced instructors in the world. If you fancied entering a freediving competition then there will also be that opportunity on the 13^th March, held in Abu Dhabi. Details of the competition will be advise shortly. Spaces are limited for the courses so book soon!

Course dates and prices are below. To find out about flights, accommodation, the competition, to book a course, or if you have any other questions please contact sara@divasindubai.com and also read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).

We look forward to seeing you in the sun and sand!

Course Schedule

Learn to dive in the richest city in the world
(ref: CNN )

The cartoon cat Garfield would often put the kitten Nermal in a box and ship him to Abu Dhabi. The phrase “Abu Dhabi is where all the cute kittens go” is sometimes used in the comic. In one episode of Garfield and Friends, Garfield himself is sent to Abu Dhabi and he finds it inhabited with dozens of cute kittens that people keep sending there. However, Abu Dhabi in reality is a mystical city wealth, fortune and future. Abu Dhabi sports a wealth of natural islands and estuaries, with dolphins jumping through the canals and private boats cruising past super-luxury sea palaces.

Deeperblue.net’s Head of Freediving Education and AIDA Instructor Trainer Emma Farrell, and Sara-Lise Haith, AIDA Instructor, will be offering AIDA freediving courses from 2 star up to Instructor in Abu Dhabi and Fujairah in March 2008, due to the success of the courses held in Dubai in March 2007.

Theory and pool sessions will be held at the Al Sahel Towers, on the Corniche of Abu Dhabi main island, close to the Emirates Palace Hotel and the Marina Mall. Open water sessions will be held in Abu Dhabi waters and also in Fujairah for the deeper depths. All logistics will be arranged, however it is advisable to rent a car in the United Arab Emirates as there is a lot to see in between course times.

The Emirate’s Gulf coastline is studded with more than 200 islands of various sizes, most of them flat, sandy and uninhabited. Island hopping is a popular activity, and visitors can hire a boat and explore at will.

Abu Dhabi is steeped in a vast terrain dominated by majestic sand dunes and mountainous rock formations, a perfect environment that has bred and attracted adventurous and highly skilled off-road drivers driven by passion about nature, the environment and the unknown. You can book a desert safari, which is a not to be missed experience . A visit to Rub Al Khali, and the Empty Quarter can be arranged in a 4×4 along with lessons (self-drive) you wish, through Off Road Emirates. During the day in this part of the desert its not uncommon to view the wildlife that survives in this harsh environment. Dhabi & Reem Gazelle have been spotted as well as Rueppells fox, Cape hare, Houbarra birds and the rare sightseeing of the White Arabian Oryx.

The waters of the UAE are teaming with fish life, particularly in Fujairah which is the Indian Ocean. Our dives during this time of year are in cool water, approximately 24-26degC, and the air temperatures range from 13degC early morning to 26degC late afternoon. A fleece is recommended for after the dives and a full wetsuit (5mm maximum) including hood and gloves is a must. Sea dives are arranged from Divers Down in Khor Fakkan, and accommodation is available at the Oceanic Hotel or the Khor Fakkan youth hostel at very reasonable rates. You can also charter a boat and sail up the Musandam into Oman for some of the most spectacular diving opportunities in the Middle east, particularly the fjords of the Musandam Peninsula, the region of high mountains and deep waters that span the Straits of Hormuz, where the Indian Ocean joins the Arabian Gulf. Musandam also contains a number of archaeological sites, which have been primary investigated and it is likely that there are other undiscovered sites, say environmentalists. Historical sites such as forts, watch towers, Islamic cemeteries and tombs, provide enough study for archaeologists, several stone cairn tombs of pre-Islamic age have been recently discovered, Rock engravings of similar age were also found. The towering cliffs, precipitous headlands and fjord-like inlets of the Musandam Peninsula are of surpassing beauty unique in all Arabia and well worth the visit.

A complete itinerary for course timings and schedule is being arranged and will be published on www.divasindubai.com during the coming week. Course prices and bookings will be available through Divas in Dubai Prices link. A list of do’s and dont’s for the UAE will also be published and a list of hotels, car rental agencies, tour operators and other points of interest to fill your stay with 7-14 interesting Arabian nights.

To travel to Abu Dhabi from the UK, it is recommended you fly Etihad Airways to Abu Dhabi airport. Alternatively, you can fly Emirates or British Airways to Dubai and arrange transportation to Abu Dhabi, which is 1 1/2 hours away. Travel from Europe is fairly easy as Emirates Airlines flies to most major cities and a host of international airlines fly to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

For more information on Abu Dhabi, hotels and tourist information, and course logistics and bookings, and for information on AIDA courses, contact sara@sandspirations.com,

Title: 3 star AIDA Freediving Course
Location: Dubai/Khor Fakkan
Link out: Click here
Description: This course is designed to continue a freediver’s training beyond the level of AIDA ** Freediver. The aim of this course is to help the student freediver develop the skills and knowledge necessary to plan and participate in freediving activities, independently with similarly experienced freedive buddies.
Start Date: 2010-01-10
Start Time: 19:00
End Date: 2010-01-31