South African surfer sets up shop in Sharjah

Carl de Villiers briefs students at his surfing school at Al Khan beach in Sharjah. Satish Kumar / The National

SHARJAH // Carl de Villiers is a man on a mission to find the ideal wave. Disappointed by increasingly calm waters off Dubai, the result of offshore developments, newly-built piers and beach nourishment works, the surf school owner decided to head off in search of better surfing.

The South African moved his business, Surf School Arabia, to Al Khan beach in Sharjah where, on windy days, the strong waves so vital to his sport are present and plentiful.

The UAE may not be Hawaii or Sydney, but surfers can still enjoy time in the water, he said.

“There is a lot of surf around if you know where to look and we have spent five or six years exploring,” he said. “We take people to great places. It is quite technical because we have all ranges of people, so we need to watch the weather. We need to know the conditions, to know what is suitable for beginners, what is suitable for all levels of surfers.

“This is good for beginners,” he said, pointing to the gentle waves at Al Khan beach. “They can get in and out easily without getting washed around.”

A former film industry professional, Mr de Villiers opened the surf shop and school in 2009.

Mr de Villiers often takes newcomers to the sport to a beach further down the coast in Ajman, around a 10-minute car ride past the Layyah Power Station and the Coral Beach Resort.

The empty water means everyone can have a chance to practice unobstructed, something that is becoming harder to do on popular Dubai spots such as Sunset Beach where as many as 200 surfers can gather in the water at a time.

In contrast, both Sharjah and Ajman have no crowds and decent waves.

For those new to the sport, figuring out how to navigate the breaking waves is the first challenge, said Mr de Villiers, who has been surfing since he was five.

Balance and good swimming skills are essentials.

Azra Khamissa, a chiropractor from Canada, has been surfing for almost a year and considers herself a beginner. “I am still learning,” said the 26-year-old who tries to surf two to three times a month during the season, depending on the weather.

“You have to really persevere and keep on trying.”

“It is fun and it gives me something to do,” she said. “It is a good exercise.”

Kat Knight, a marketing professional from the UK, admitted to being “a little bit obsessed” with the sport.

Born in the UAE, Ms Knight said the opportunity to enjoy nature and the sea is one of the main reasons she has made a home in the Emirates.

“There is a whole other side to the UAE that people don’t see,” she said, although at this time of year the air and water temperature gets too much by 11am.