Dubai sailors embrace winds, a city often praised for shimmering modern skyscrapers and an iconic coastline, looked very different this week. Winds are shaping up to be the closest thing we have in the way of local celebrations and though the city is known for high winds at this time of year, it is not just puffs of air that people are remembering, but rather the huge sandstorm that blew through the city this same month 16 years ago, when Dubai collectively pressed the stop button.
How Sailors in Dubai Let the Wind and Sea Take Them Where It May
The offshore waters around Dubai are busy with pleasureboats. From the beginners to the aficionados, Dubai’s sailors relish the winds as a catalyst for windsurfing, racing down a course or setting off on a leisurely sail on the Arabian Gulf. The regular wind during early summer attracts hundreds of sailors, transforming the Dubai Marina and Jumeirah coastline into electric banks of sailing activity.
The Dubai Sailing Championship and yacht club regattas are manned by a combination of locals, expats and tourists. These sailors often talk about the wind in terms usually reserved for friends, as if the wind were their partner in their sea-borne escapades. “When the sail catches the wind just right, there’s nothing better,” says Kareem, a professional sailor from the UAE. 
Dubai sailors embrace winds 16 years ago the sandstorm they remember being as thick as, "pea soup."
Dubai sailors embrace winds If the sea tells a tale of freedom, exhilaration, and youth, the interior of the city has a different story. The UAE was also hit by a sandstorm 16 years ago, which took the region by a veil of darkness with poor visibility, flights suspension and dust on the streets. For others, it was a rare and tough challenge.
Schools and offices were closed at the time and people were urged to stay indoors. Health warnings were given about the high concentration of airborne particles and ground transport in the city was brought to a halt. Residents who witnessed it remember the creepy orange sky, the fierce gusts and the challenge of breathing outside without protection.
“It was like the entire city had gone inside the desert,” says Amina, a Dubai expat. “That sandstorm 16 years ago, it was the first real sense I had of the power of nature in this area.
Dubai sailors embrace winds A Pair of Winds: Desert Storm to Ocean Breeze
Dubai sailors embrace winds. The contrast between the ferocious sandstorm 16 years ago and the soft sea breeze that Dubai’s sailors currently enjoy is nothing if not poetic. It tells the tale of the city and how it has changed. Infrastructure, technology, emergency preparedness, and response has greatly improved to keep residential safety and welfare in top condition for periods of extreme weather conditions.
Nowadays though, weather warnings come via apps and SMS, and sailing clubs have sophisticated wind-monitoring systems so members can enjoy the best — and safest — conditions. Real-time data on air quality allows residents to think ahead, a difference from 16 years ago when the instant sandstorm was a shock to many.
For the more recent wave of Dubai residents and visitors, that sandstorm and its stories may feel like a distant memory. But for those who experienced it, every gust of wind serves as a reminder of the dual nature of nature, beautiful and powerful.
Conclusion
Which is why when you are the happy-go-lucky Dubai sailor, it’s easy forget just what kind of power these winds carry: bushfire power. A sandstorm 16 years ago stands as a humbling reminder of how resilient and visionary the city is. From dust to dynamism, Dubai never stops dancing with the wind to weave new tapestries of its continual metamorphosis.
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