Trips Schedule for IEW 2009
Dear IEW 2009 Participant,
Please could you look through the trips listed below, decide which ones you would like to join and email Valerie Chalmers with your choices by 19th March 2009.
Trips on Friday 27th March
Half-day Musandam Dhow trip 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (trip now full 35 people)
Half-day trip (2 to 3 hours) to Wadi Wurrayah, starting at 9.0-9.30 a.m. (25 people maximum) to be led by Christophe Tourenq.
Half-day Shelling Trip starting at 9.09.30 a.m. to be led by Clare OHare. Possible areas include near where the storm drain runs into the sea back towards the Oceanic Hotel and Graffiti Beach. (2 to 3 hours).
Brigitte Howarth to do an Insects workshop plus search for insects around perimeter of hotel Friday morning.
Afternoon Trip 2 pm. Trip to the newly restored Dibba Fort to be led by Jenny Hill. Dibba Fort is being opened specially for us and we need 15+ people for the trip to go ahead. Numbers needed by 19th March so that trip can be confirmed. Could be followed by bull pushing at Fujairah/visit to Bidya Mosque.
A full day tripto be led by Gary Feulner - An introduction to the geology of the Hajjar Mountains starting about 9 a.m.
Trips on Saturday 28th March
Half-day trip (2 to 3 hours) to Wadi Wurrayah Trip to be led by Christophe Tourenq starting at 9.09.30 a.m. (20 people maximum)
3 Forts Trip to Forts Bithna, Hayl and Awhala. Trip to be led by Mr. Amrik Singh Plaha, the restorer of the forts. Trip starting around 10 a.m. (maximum 30 people)
Trip to Fujairah Museum, Fujairah Fort (specially opened for us) and Heritage Village to be led by Val Chalmers, starting at 10a.m.
Afternoon trip to Khor Kalba to be led by Gary Feulner p.m.
There will of course be do-it-yourself trips.
Lamjed El-Kefi is arranging to do a star-gazing session from the roof of the Oceanic Hotel in the evening of Thursday 26th March.
Regards
Valerie Chalmers
Vice-Chairman
Dubai Natural History Group
PS: Please remember to register with Lena if you wish to attend the dinner and have not already registered. Please pay Lena directly for the dinner at the hotel - she will be available late on the Thursday night and also Friday morning.
Original notes regarding IEW 2009
This season, the Dubai Natural History Group is hosting the annual Inter Emirates Weekend event, an opportunity for members from the three chapters to get together for presentations, field trips and workshops.
Special thanks to Val Chalmers and others with the Dubai Natural History Group for organizing this event. Thank you also to all the volunteers who make the field trips and presentations possible.
Thursday/Friday/Saturday 26/27th/28th March 2009
Each year in March/April the UAE's three Natural History Groups Emirates Natural History Group Abu Dhabi, Emirates Natural History Group Al Ain and the Dubai Natural History Group get together for an educational yet social weekend involving a dinner and various activities and trips. It is a chance to meet up with people/old friends from the other groups. The event is organised annually by one of the groups in rotation. This year it is the turn of the Dubai Natural History Group.
IEW 2009 will be based at the Oceanic Hotel, Khor Fakkan and the programme will begin on Friday morning, 27th March. The hotel has made a block booking of rooms for the Thursday and Friday nights on a first-come first-served basis. However, in view of the increased tourism in Khor Fakkan and the peak season date of IEW, it will be necessary to confirm and guarantee your booking by the end of February 2009.
Hotel rates (per night) are:
Double Bed/Twin-Bedded Room Dh 660 (inclusive of breakfast & tax)
Single Room Dh 540 (inclusive of breakfast & tax)
Children below 12 years may stay free in their parents' rooms with meals 50% of cost.
Without breakfast, room rates are Dh 580 for Double Bed/Twin-Bedded Room and Dh 500 for Single Room
Cost of an extra bed in a room for an adult Dh 120
A suite can be booked but you need to ask the hotel.
It has been arranged with the hotel that all reservations should be made through the DNHG. To make a reservation, please email Lena Linton on linton at mailme. ae with your requirements as regards rooms and buffet dinner. Lena will email you the booking reference and then your credit card information will need to be sent to the hotel. If unable to use credit card, then to send a cheque to given address.
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Half Day Dhow Trip Friday March 27th.
As part of the Inter-Emirates Weekend there will be a half-day Musandam Dhow Trip to Haffa. This trip needs to be confirmed in advance with Al Marsa. If you wish to attend the trip please email Valerie on valeriechalmers at hotmail.com to register your interest. 130dhs will be required as a non refundable deposit on booking. Abu Dhabi members: Please pass your deposit on to Jenny Mueller at one of the talks (on the 10th Feb, 17th Feb, 3 March or 17 March).
There will be an opportunity for snorkelling. Bring hat, sun block and swim gear.
Timings: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Meeting Point: Dibba Port (Al Mina) Oman at Al Marsa office
Cost: Dh 260/- per person.
Inclusions: lunch, tea break, coffee, water and soft drinks.
Restrictions: Minimum 20 people, maximum 35.
Children policy: from 0 age to 5 years old free of charge, 6 -10 years old 50% of the adult rate and above 10 years the adult rate.
Please note: No visas will be required but please bring your passports with you.
On Friday evening there will be a buffet dinner (Dh 96 per person).
Following the dinner, the Abu Dhabi chapter will present two awards: the Sh. Mubarak Award and the Bish Brown Award.
For a description of the awards and the names of previous recipients, please visit this page.
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Photography Competition
On the evening of Friday 27th we will be holding the Inter-Emirates photographic competition.
Guidelines and Judging
The Inter-Emirates Photographic Competition is open to amateur photographers who are members of the Abu Dhabi chapter of the ENHG, the Al Ain chapter of the ENHG and the Dubai Natural History Group.
Participants are invited to enter a maximum of two (returnable) photographs, which have been taken in either the UAE and Oman, on natural history subjects. There are five different categories:
plants
animals
geology/landscapes
archaeology/ architecture
culture
There will be a prize for each category. Photographs should be a minimum size of 5 inches x 7 inches (125mm x 180mm) and should be mounted so that the photo can be displayed without damaging it (eg They might be `blutacked' to a tiled wall.)
Each photographer is requested to write the following information on the back of each photograph:
Photographer
Title of photograph
To specify where photograph was taken e.g. Dubai Creek and not UAE
Approximately when the photograph was taken
Photographs may be handed to IEW 2009 organisers any time from Thursday 26th March until 5 p.m. on Friday 27th March and they will be on display prior to the buffet dinner on 27th.
The competition will be judged by everyone present. Each individual attending IEW 2009 will be given a voting form to vote for a winner in each of the five categories. The winners will be announced during the evening and then the prizes will be presented.
The photographers must be present at the function.
Packed lunches will be available for Friday and Saturday please arrange these directly with the hotel once you have been supplied with your booking reference.