DUBAI // Dubai's internationally renowned sailing club has lost its licence to teach and had its latest regatta spoiled after illegally dumped sewage flooded its private harbour. The Dubai Offshore Sailing Club lost its Royal Yachting Association (RYA) accreditation yesterday after effluent dumped into a storm drain nearby flowed into the waters around the club, leaving a stench. Keith Mutch, the club's manager, said the dumping ruined the opening regatta of the season on Friday and threatened the reputation of the club.
"There were more than 200 people here and I got complaints all day about the stench," he said. "It smelt of raw sewage. In the middle of the afternoon it flowed out of the storm water drain at the bottom of the pier. "The water had a big dark brown slick of water in it that smelt very bad." The waste has also now washed onto a nearby public beach and the water has made several people sick. They have complained of skin rashes, ear infections and diarrhoea.
"One member who used to swim here all the time has stopped because he has got several ear infections from the contaminated water," said Mr Mutch. The problem has blighted the coast for three months but has dramatically increased this week, said Mr Mutch. "It pours in every day. We do not know where it originating from but it is seriously affecting the club and its members." One of the members, who did not wish to be named, said: "It is only a matter of time before people get cholera or typhoid from the water. I can't risk my daughter getting anything like that. People using the beach next to the club have no idea."
Those on the public beach were equally upset. "I have just taken a swim," said Claudia Kemfert from Germany. "I never expected to see something like raw sewage in the water. The quality of the beaches has deteriorated since I got here two years ago but this is horrible." Ahmed Rashid decided against bathing with his seven-year-old son. "I don't believe it," he said, peering at the dark brown slick. "I am not going to get into the water. Imagine what my son could catch." He then left.
Abdul Majeed, director of Dubai Municipality's drainage and irrigation network, said he was ordering more spot checks to catch the dumpers, but the effort was being hampered by the complexity of the problem. Around 7,000 manholes feed into Dubai's storm drainage system, with water exiting from four points along the coastline. Haulers dump their load into the system to avoid waiting in long lines at the city's sewage treatment facilities.
"We try to catch them but they do it at 3am or 4am - we do not have full teams to cover night shifts," Mr Majeed said. The Dubai Offshore Sailing Club has more than 600 members, with more than 200 on the waiting list. Independent tests on the pollution have been carried out by the club and the results are now in the hands of the municipality. The club says it hopes to replace polluted sand that has turned a dark brown. It must also send clean water samples to the RYA's headquarters in the UK before it regains its certificate to teach.
However, Mr Mutch said the efforts could prove fruitless: "It's a catch-22 situation for us. I want to replace the sand now but we do not know when the sewage will be stopped." eharnan@thenational.ae
THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
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Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The view from The National
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
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- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
On racial profiling at airports
