DUBAI // Blustery weather conditions forecast for this weekend might seem like good news for sailors, but it has put a dampener on the plans for the Ghaffal dhow race.
According to the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology winds are expected to pick up tomorrow afternoon and by Saturday north-westerly winds will be in excess of 20 knots.
The crews of more than 100 dhows who were planning to take part in the 23rd staging of the long-distance sailing race on Saturday have been told it has been put on hold. The organising committee of the Ghaffal race announced yesterday the event had been delayed until May 25.
The fear is not over the racing, but towing the dhows out to the starting point, which is about 100 kilometres out to sea.
“These dhows are made as light as possible with light wood,” said Ali bin Ghulaita, acting chief executive of the Dubai International Marine Club.
He said the boats were capable of sailing there by themselves but the captains did not want to risk damaging the boats on the way to the starting point.
“We are running it in a safe way. During the race, if something breaks, it happens during the race and not before it starts,” said Mr bin Ghulaita.
The forecast of strong winds is better news for five crews in the capital who plan to race in identical 7.5-metre boats at Emirates Palace marina tomorrow and Saturday.
“We were told there is a weather warning of 25 to 27 knots on Saturday,” said Miguel Contreras of the Duboats racing team. “There will be very high wind, so it’ll be fun to watch.”
Each boat’s five-man crew will compete in match races, sprinting around a course for the best times.
“The popularity of sailing is constantly rising here,” Mr Contreras said. “It used to be a very small community but it’s increasing.
Expats are always keen to support Emiratis and they are beginning to buy sail boats and get interested. To add to it, the country’s conditions are incredibly good for sailing.”
He said there was a lot of work going on in the background to promote sailing in the UAE.
The Volvo Ocean race, he said, was a great boost but there needed to be more than just one event to keep up the momentum.
“We need more than one moment. The Volvo Ocean Race is very important but we as residents need more than one event and a way to improve sailing,” Mr Contreras said.
“We’re trying to push hard. It’s fun, healthy and very competitive.”
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Entrepreneur: Started his own graphic design business
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All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
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Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
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July 16, 1995: Amazon formally opens as an online bookseller. Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought becomes the first item sold on Amazon
1997: Amazon goes public at $18 a share, which has grown about 1,000 per cent at present. Its highest closing price was $197.85 on June 27, 2024
1998: Amazon acquires IMDb, its first major acquisition. It also starts selling CDs and DVDs
2000: Amazon Marketplace opens, allowing people to sell items on the website
2002: Amazon forms what would become Amazon Web Services, opening the Amazon.com platform to all developers. The cloud unit would follow in 2006
2003: Amazon turns in an annual profit of $75 million, the first time it ended a year in the black
2005: Amazon Prime is introduced, its first-ever subscription service that offered US customers free two-day shipping for $79 a year
2006: Amazon Unbox is unveiled, the company's video service that would later morph into Amazon Instant Video and, ultimately, Amazon Video
2007: Amazon's first hardware product, the Kindle e-reader, is introduced; the Fire TV and Fire Phone would come in 2014. Grocery service Amazon Fresh is also started
2009: Amazon introduces Amazon Basics, its in-house label for a variety of products
2010: The foundations for Amazon Studios were laid. Its first original streaming content debuted in 2013
2011: The Amazon Appstore for Google's Android is launched. It is still unavailable on Apple's iOS
2014: The Amazon Echo is launched, a speaker that acts as a personal digital assistant powered by Alexa
2017: Amazon acquires Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, its biggest acquisition
2018: Amazon's market cap briefly crosses the $1 trillion mark, making it, at the time, only the third company to achieve that milestone
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How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
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