Making a splash: Qatar’s waterpark, whale sharks and the art of dhow making

euronews (in English)

Take a look at how the element of water continues to shape Qatari society through tourism, marine conservation and shipbuilding.

Transcript

00:00The country was really, you know, made its name with the oil and gas industry, and they're

00:05really showing it off here.

00:06In the beginning, we wanted to preserve our maritime history because we have a large maritime

00:12heritage.

00:13Hello, and welcome to Qatar 365 with me, Laila Humaira.

00:20On this episode, we dive into how water is a central part of Qatari life, whether it's

00:26luxury living by the sea or the country's rich maritime heritage that's been steering

00:32its strong and steady growth.

00:34But first, Adel Haleem makes a splash at the newest and largest water park in Qatar with

00:40a slick twist.

00:43Plenty of high-speed twists, turns, and of course, splashes are on offer at Muriel Water

00:49Park.

00:50But this isn't just any old water wonderland.

00:53The park pays homage to Qatar's history of oil and gas discovery while illustrating its

00:58love for the sea.

00:59Muriel was conceived by the government as an opportunity to really show off the oil

01:06and gas industry.

01:08And what they've done here is developed a park that really is influenced by that theme.

01:15I've been involved with a lot of parks, a lot of water parks, a lot of theme parks.

01:19This is one of the most intensely themed parks that I've ever been seen or been involved

01:23with.

01:24It's an amazing park.

01:25And here, size really does matter.

01:28Located on the northern side of Kataifan Island, Muriel is spread across a massive 160,000

01:34square meters.

01:36Walking around the grounds, there's a clear, rusty feel, and the park's general manager

01:40says that is completely intentional.

01:43If you're on an oil site, they pour concrete.

01:45They never let it set.

01:46So you see tire tracks and footprints.

01:49Walk around the park, you see that everywhere.

01:51So a lot of sites are old.

01:53They have rust everywhere.

01:55They've added rust to all these brand new towers here.

01:58So from a guy who's run a lot of old parks, we try to get rid of the rust.

02:01Here I see it everywhere, but it really helps with the theming.

02:04From Oily the mascot to the names on the rides, oil and gas is a central theme running throughout

02:10the theme park.

02:11There are 69 attractions in total, but none bigger than the iconic Rig 1938, named after

02:18Qatar's first oil rig.

02:20There are 53 slides spread across six acres here at the Muriel Water Park.

02:24One of the major highlights is this 85-meter high water slide, billed as the tallest in

02:29the world.

02:31We call it Rig 1938.

02:34That is the year where oil, petrol has been discovered in Qatar.

02:39So it is like a learning history for people who don't know Qatar.

02:44Come for some fun in the water, leave with a history lesson.

02:48Every square meter has been cleverly designed to embody the foundation of Qatar's economic

02:53growth.

02:54While exiting the water park, you exit through here.

02:57So we have everything with our logo, Muriel Water Park.

03:01Muriel's guest experience manager says one of the park's many unique features is the

03:05payment method.

03:06We have what is called a cashless system.

03:10So basically it is a wristband that we provide to the guests.

03:14Inside they are loaded with money, and inside they can use it since the whole water park

03:19is cashless.

03:20We've got smaller kids, bigger kids, the big adult slides the kids can go on, obviously

03:27a giant wave pool, and the most expensive water slide in the world is that turning,

03:31that slide bill.

03:32Really?

03:33That one?

03:34Yeah, it costs about $10 million now if you want to buy one, U.S., so it's quite the attraction.

03:41He's referring to Rapid Refinery, the Middle East's first-ever hybrid ride.

03:45Described as part water slide, part Ferris wheel raft adventure, where slides rotate

03:51instead of remaining fixed.

03:53Bill Lentz believes once the park cements itself as a family-friendly entertainment

03:57destination, it will not only be an anchor to draw people to Kataifan Island, but also

04:02make a big splash for the country's tourism industry.

04:06This park is a destination all by itself.

04:09It's going to be a reason families, a lot of families that will travel through Doha

04:12or travel to other places in the world, it's going to give those families a reason to stop,

04:17spend a day or two here, and experience this park.

04:20And that's going to really, it's going to help, I believe, the whole country from a

04:23tourism standpoint.

04:24It's really going to make a big difference.

04:29Whale sharks, dugongs, mangroves, and corals, just some of the flourishing flora and fauna

04:36being preserved by Marine Conservation in Qatar.

04:40Spearheading that mission is Jasim Lari, who leads the Department of Marine Wildlife at

04:45the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

04:48And I caught up with him here at the National Museum of Qatar to find out how his passion

04:54for nature turned into a lifelong professional pursuit.

04:59Jasim, firstly, can you explain what biodiversity means within the context of Qatar's ecological

05:08landscape?

05:09In terms of Qatar, of course, biodiversity means simply, in like simple words, all forms

05:14of life, micro and macro, flora and fauna.

05:19We have certain species that can build a structure, you know, physical structure, we call it a

05:25natural habitat or an ecosystem, and also the associated biota in combating climate

05:32change.

05:33Now, as you mentioned, Qatar has a number of marine species that are pretty abundant

05:37in its waters, with the government efforting many initiatives to preserve these animals.

05:42Can you tell us why these animals are so special to Qatar?

05:46Qatar, located in a subtropical region, so we have a high species richness, but in terms

05:53of abundance, maybe it's not quite so.

05:56Although there are some exceptions, like the whale shark, you know, whale shark in Qatar.

06:02Whale sharks, they aggregate in the northeast, and their number can reach up to 600, which

06:07is the largest aggregation in the world.

06:11So like an example, because of the importance of Hawksbill sea turtle, for the environment

06:17and for biodiversity, we initiated a project that goes back to 2003.

06:23So we are talking here about more than 20 years in making and hard work to conserve

06:29Hawksbill because they are critically endangered species.

06:32So what's been some of the most surprising findings in your research over the last few

06:36years?

06:37There is like, I would say, some misconception, Leila, that, you know, the desert environment

06:44or harsh environment doesn't sustain biodiversity, right?

06:49Is it true?

06:50Maybe it won't be as, you know, in terms of abundance, similar to tropical, for example,

06:56right?

06:57But what has amazed me, really, the species richness in Qatar, in the marine environment,

07:05we have different families of corals, different species of seagrasses, right?

07:11More than 20 species of seabirds, more than 60 species of cartilaginous fishes, 33 species

07:22of sharks.

07:23I mean, look at this number, you know, so I've been really amazed of the species richness

07:28we have within, you know, the state of Qatar.

07:33With more than 560 kilometers of shoreline and serene turquoise waters, Qatar has long

07:39been called the pearl of the Arabian Peninsula.

07:43It was from those shores that these magnificent dhow boats sailed for centuries.

07:49And while ship designs have rapidly modernized, the country is preserving the art of dhow making

07:55to keep the tradition alive.

07:57I got to learn more about these special boats that have steered and shaped Qatar's cultural

08:03and economic identity over the years.

08:06I wanted to preserve our maritime history because we have a large maritime heritage.

08:15Ahmed Jassim al-Sayikh has always been fascinated with dhow boats.

08:20It began when he was 14 years old, living close to the shore and surrounded by shipbuilders

08:26and seafarers.

08:28He's been designing dhows for nearly three decades now, but the significance of the ships

08:33goes back centuries.

08:36The old ships were very important to the Qatari people because they were used to feed the fish.

08:49They would dive into the pearls and travel from place to place.

08:54Today, dozens of these boats are still sailing, sprinkled across Qatar's waters, embracing

09:01a new life.

09:03Instead of pearl diving, tourism has now become its main purpose.

09:08While the boats may all look similar to some, there are at least five types of dhow boats

09:13with slightly different features.

09:16Ahmed's workshop also makes miniature models of the boats for gifting and educating.

09:21The engineers that construct these dhow boats use centuries-old techniques passed down from

09:26generation to generation.

09:29Some modern methods of shipbuilding are still applied to improve productivity, but the completion

09:34of a dhow boat can take years.

09:37And while the work is laborious, all the effort goes into ensuring that the art of dhow making

09:43continues even as modernity thrives.

10:00One particular traditional method that Ahmed still uses is the way he chooses the wood

10:06that forms the base of the boat.

10:10A strong base is important to build a sturdy ship, just like the foundations of dhow making,

10:16which Ahmed is hoping to nurture in the next generation.

10:40We have many goals.

10:42One of them is to open a miniature school for the next generation to learn.

10:49Another goal is to build a strong base for the next generation to learn.

10:59And as far as Ahmed is concerned, he hopes to continue preserving his cultural heritage

11:05in all shapes and sizes for as long as he can.

11:10I feel proud when I see the things that we have designed,

11:15that we have honoured, that we have brought down to the sea,

11:18and the old shape.

11:20I feel proud that I have tried to preserve it as much as I could.

11:31Well, it's clear that Qatar, with its rich maritime history, will continue its connections

11:36to the world's major shipping routes, but also attract more tourists to its shores

11:41with exhilarating water activities.

11:44We hope you've had a splashing time, but we've come to the end of the episode.

11:48For more, check out euronews.com and connect with us through our hashtag.

11:52Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next time on Qatar 365.

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