ABU DHABI // Al Raha Beach residents say their peace and safety are disrupted by jet-skiers who ride dangerously close to swimming areas.
People living in Al Bandar, Al Muneera and Al Zeina said the riders steer close to the edge of the beach’s roped-off swimming area at high speed, threatening the swimmers’ safety.
Despite crackdowns by authorities, the problem has been constant for several years.
“This has become a daily nuisance. We keep calling to the police and coastguard and they come hush them up but again they come back,” said a British resident of Al Muneera, who asked not to be named.
“This is a very beautiful place to live but it’s plagued by unruly jet skiers. This practice must stop.”
She feared for her children’s safety. “When I go inside the beach area I am always scared when [the jet-skiers] zoom past by the beach rope.”
According to Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport (DMAT) rules, jet-skiers must stay at least 200 metres from beaches.
The resident said she had witnessed three jet-skiers racing through the beach area.
“If they lose control of the machine it could be fatal for swimmers,” she said.
Another Al Muneera resident said the noise from the jet-skis was the big problem.
“Every day I reach home at around 5pm and I want to rest for a couple of hours, but these noisy jet-skis keep buzzing from time to time, even in the dark.”
He said the riders used a water channel at Al Muneera as a racecourse.
“The way they drive it’s dangerous for them as well. Authorities should take a note of this and ensure safe and peaceful living for all residents.”
An Al Zeina man said residents in the area already had to endure aircraft noise overhead and the jet skis added to the din, particularly at the beach.
“The presence of such high-speed machines means you can’t kayak as it’s too dangerous. Those who go out in the sea for kayaking return if they find jet-skiers there,” he said.
The DMAT warned that it would not tolerate jet-skiers getting too close to beaches.
It said it had confiscated 288 jet-skis in the past two years from owners operating them illegally.
There were 2,603 registered jet skis in Abu Dhabi and Western Region, the DMAT said.
“It’s prohibited to ride jet-skis in front of Al Bandar Marina and Al Muneera and Al Zeina residences in Al Raha beaches area, as well as Al Maqta, north Saadiyat Island, Al Bateen and Abu Dhabi Corniche,” said a department spokesman.
“Using personal watercrafts before sunrise or after sunset is prohibited.”
anwar@thenational.ae
Profile of Tamatem
Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
Based: Amman, Jordan
Employees: 55
Funding: $6m
Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media
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%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20series%20X%2FS%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
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
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed