By SANA KAMAL
As long as I can remember, I have
been an avid dreamer of the great outdoors activities. But never been part of
any. Not due to lack of trying, mind you, however quite the contrary. I have
always “chickened-out” whenever an opportunity presented itself. Truth be told,
the outdoors are more appealing in dreams than in real life. So it was with
great hesitance and trepidation that I willingly set out to Abu Dhabi’s Eastern
Mangroves for kayaking.
Secured into a lifejacket and sitting
in a two-people kayak, because let’s face it sitting in a one-person for my
first time would be pushing it, we drifted away from the swampy shores
following our Mangroves’ guide. As I paddled farther into the channel, my
confidence grew. The soft breeze of the early Spring season and the quiet hush
of the faraway traffic played in the background as I guided my oars toward the
mangroves.
My one disappointment was not
being able to row fast enough to reach our guide, Adrian, and hear him talk
about the mangroves’ history and about the origins of the man-made channels. Though
some background knowledge would have been much appreciated, rowing the kayak
slowly was more fun. For me, letting go of the oars and floating in the calm
waters while dipping my feet into the cool waters was a much better option.
As we went farther into the mangroves
we were greeted by various different species of wild birds that stood perched
on the high rocks. Around our kayaks, dozens of crabs floated bathing
themselves under the sunlight or stayed stuck to the bushes and fought off
others. Though that sight was a must see, I could not have steered my kayak
away fast enough from the crawlers.
I soon realized that kayaking requires
a lot of upper arm strength to go long distances and for long hours, therefore being
on a two-person kayak was a blessing. As we paddled through the dense mangroves
towards a wide channel opening, we stopped on a beach to rest our hands and dip
ourselves in the cool waters for a much needed swim as the sun’s rays peaked through
the clouds.
Exploring the Mangroves is a must
for anyone that is tired of the city life of UAE and just needs a relaxing day
out under the sun with Mother Nature as their best companion. Being part of the
kayaking experience only highlights the importance of embracing nature amidst construction
and tall buildings.
Website: http://noukhada.ae/
Telephone +971 (0)2 558 1889
Email: info@noukhada.ae
Price: 150 AED per person
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