Today's Edition
BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
The moment Hamad Al Mutawa set foot back on UAE soil, after 39 days at sea, was one of immense emotion - a wave of relief, gratitude and reflection for the Emirati sailor.
Life at sea was so different that it took Al Mutawa a few days to settle back into the everyday comforts in the UAE. "Suddenly, I had access to food, to water, to all the amenities that come with city life. It was a moment to really take it all in," he told Aletihad.
The 41-year-old was participating the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, as the first UAE national and Arab to join the global challenge.
Al Mutawa joined more than 500 amateur sailors from 37 countries on board the yacht Warrant for the 14th edition of the race, which set sail from Portsmouth, UK, on August 31.
As a watch leader, he carried significant responsibility. "I had qualifications and offshore racing experience, so I was assigned a leadership role, helping support others, and taking charge during race conditions," the sailor said.
The first days were brutal, according to Al Mutawa, as the team sailed straight into three low pressure systems in the Bay of Biscay off the French Atlantic coast, which they called the "Battle of Biscay".
"Some teams had helicopter evacuations. We had three crew members injured later, and half our crew was seasick. We were extremely short-handed, sailing in 12-metre-plus waves," Al Mutawa added.
Sailing has been part of his life since he was 14; he started with dinghies and returned to the sport in earnest in 2020.
"I started racing dinghies again, then moved into keelboats at Dubai Offshore Sailing Club. From there, I began offshore racing, to Muscat, to Abu Dhabi, and it just built from there," he said.
Choosing to race leg one of the Clipper was not by chance, Al Mutawa noted, "sailing down the Atlantic, through a mixture of the trade winds and westerlies that has shaped voyages for centuries. If I had to do just one leg, it had to be this one.
Despite the hardships, it was not about the ranking for him. His team placed 9th out of 10.
"The ocean is the great equaliser. You could not see another boat for 38 days and then match-race at the finish line. After 7,500 nautical miles, the boats were separated by just 30 hours. For me, finishing the journey, safely and as a team, was the real achievement."
As an Emirati, carrying the UAE flag into foreign ports was deeply meaningful. "It is always a privilege. People would come up to me when they saw the flag. Not everyone had that experience, it was truly special," Al Mutawa added.
For the young and upcoming sailors, Al Mutawa hopes that they will take the helm in future.
"It starts with dinghies, that is where you learn the wind, the sail, the feel of the boat. Then you move to keelboats. There are amazing training centres here. That was my path, and I hope others take it even further than I could."
Although he had to leave the race after leg one, the sea still beckons.
"I am considering another leg of the race later in the calendar, and definitely future editions of the race. But for now, I am preparing for the offshore Muscat race early next year, and this time, hopefully aiming for the podium," he said.
From battling storms in the Atlantic to standing proudly in port with the UAE flag, Hamad Al Mutawa's journey is a testament to courage, resilience, and the spirit of adventure; an inspiration for Emirati youth to look beyond their shores and toward the horizon.
