COVID19 compliant - Intermediate PLUS Exploration Drive - Al Wagan - Abu Dhabi - 27 Dec 2020

[Emmanuel]

With huge sand dunes, steepest inclines and drops, Al Wagan is one of the most stunning (but also unforgiving) areas in the UAE. 

Driving through Al Wagan Dunes requires to be a confident and sensible off-roader, as well as your utmost focus, perseverance, patience, and the assurance that your 4x4 vehicle is in top notch condition. Next to your vehicle, your off-road gears should be in good condition too, with fully charged radio with backup battery (or backup radio), a necessity for the long day drive. 

We will schedule sufficient breaks to enjoy the magnificent scenery, take some rest, grab a bite or a drink. Make sure to carry plenty of water, food and snacks.

 

For Dubai and Sharjah residents, the COVID testing will be required. Please find the guidelines posted in below post:

 

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through below information and and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely.

MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: COVID19 Precautions

 

Drive Details

Level:  Intermediate and above (with MINIMUM 2 Intermediate Drives Experience) 

When:  27 Dec 2020, Sunday.

Meeting time: 8:00 AM (SHARP - Without any exceptions)

Meeting Point: ADNOC Gas Station Al Wagan https://goo.gl/maps/PWLfGKjeUTYk9Pob8

Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance. Spare tyre should be in perfect usable condition.

What to bring along: 

• 5L of water per person. 
• Snacks for breakfast and lunch.
• Fully charged radio with spare battery, shovel, offroad flag, pressure gauge and deflator.  
• Your own compressor for tyre inflation.
• Jerrycan with 20L of extra Petrol (depending on your 4x4 gas mileage).
• Approximate finish time: 4.30 PM with sufficient breaks inbetween,

GROUP CAMPING, BBQ IS NOT PERMITTED AFTER THE DRIVE.

 

LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE:

• Limited to 10 cars only. RSVP will close on 25 December.
  • If the RSVP is full and you wish to join, please mention your name on the drive thread to add on the waiting list. 
• Latecomers will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS.
• Members without RSVP will be returned back - without ANY EXCEPTIONS.
• Please withdraw your RSVP, if you aren't joining, so your spot can be taken by others.
• Repeated no-show members after RSVP will have their account suspended for a month.

 

PLEASE RSVP ON THE BELOW CALENDAR EVENT 

 

[Emmanuel]

Good news for those who will come from Dubai and Sharjah: starting from 24 December, the DPI test can be done 72 hours prior to entry in Abu Dhabi Emirate. I just booked an appointment tomorrow afternoon in City Walk (Dubai) via Seha app. 

See you there @Nabil Bishara, @marks, @Alexander Alcala and @Tero Vallas!

[Emmanuel]

RSVP is now closed

@Nabil Bishara, @marks, @Tero Vallas, @Alexander Alcala see you in Wagan! 
As it is a short convoy, we will do the convoy numbering and decide the radio channel at meeting point.

[Srikumar]

Just an update to everyone that is going to Abu Dhabi is that from 24th Dec, the testing centers at Ghantoot and Al Faqa have been closed. So all COVID19 testing has to be done at the SEHA Centers or other authorized centers.

[Emmanuel]

DRIVE REPORT : WAGAN/UMM AL OUSH/BU TAIS

Every single time I come back from a drive in Abu Dhabi Emirate, be it Liwa, Sweihan or Wagan, I ask myself the same question: Why? Why don't we go there more often? Covid test hassle? It took me less than 45 mn to get it done this time. Long way to get there? From Dubai, you can reach Wagan in approximately 2 hours. Early in the morning you won't find any queue at check point. 

Why this question? Because off-roading in Al Wagan and all the surroundings (Umm al-Oush, Bu Tais, Al-Qoaa) is a very different experience. Basically, what we are used to call a "high dune" in Dubai/Sharjah area is a small or middle one for this area; to figure what a high dune is in Wagan or Umm al Oush, one should actually call it a mountain. As a matter of fact, everything there is higher, bigger, wider. This comes of course with a little bit more apprehension from the drive leader and maybe the drivers, which is the reason why I decided to restrict the access to "intermediate plus" off roaders for both drives.     

First, thank you @Nabil Bishara and @marks for reaching our meeting point (Al Wagan ADNOC Gas Station) about 20 minutes before time. After filing gas tank + jerrycan, we were already on our way to our entry point, 15-20 km away, at 8 am. Quick deflation, quick briefing, very quick convoy numbering (well, 3 cars...) and we were off. Since we were only three, I had decided to keep it safe, so we started at a moderate pace and gradually increased difficulty when we reached the first "mountains".

From my previous experiences of Wagan, I had kept in memory the image of completely untouched dunes, so I was surprised to see a lot of tyre marks on these first high dunes (it seems that it became the Wagan people's Iftar Bowl). But the most surprising was about 20 km ahead, when we started to see tracks all around, parts of a grid covering the entire area. I had heard about such heavy human interventions on the landscape of Umm al-Oush, something related to seismic surveys for oil and gas prospections, but I didn't know it was also reaching Wagan. Just to reassure everyone, it didn't affect the beauty of this place. Wagan-Umm al Oush still fences the most stunning views that can be found in UAE, with Liwa of course.

Back to the drive itself, I must say that both Nabil and Mark didn't struggle at any time. On a distance of 110 km, at an average speed of 28km/h, crossing Umm al-Oush, reaching Bu Tais amazing high dunes and back to Oum al-Oush entry, how many stucks did we have @Nabil Bishara and @marks? Three maybe, including mine, as I had a the best one on a very soft slope ? And I'm not sure if I heard the word "refusal" more than two times during the day. You guys rock! Well done! 

I posted in the gallery the 3 or 4 very cheap photos that I could take during the day, but surely Nabil and Mark will add some nice shots and videos...

[Nabil Bishara]

Yes. Three stucks in total I believe.. what an amazing area with a beautiful scenery. I hope all Carnity members get to drive there at some point. Thanks Emmanuel for the memorable drive. 

[Rahimdad]

@Emmanuel wow you painted a picture 8n my head now which I'm unable to shake off. Wagan is definitely one place i would love to revisit this season. Since it is a very demanding area keeping it to intermediate drivers is best for now.

[M.Seidam]

4 minutes ago, Rahimdad said:

@Emmanuel wow you painted a picture 8n my head now which I'm unable to shake off. Wagan is definitely one place i would love to revisit this season. Since it is a very demanding area keeping it to intermediate drivers is best for now.

Looks I have to catch up quick to get my two drives done ... inshallah @Rahimdad we will go together along with  @Emmanuel and other seniors off course 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Mohamed Seidam