Riders of the storm: Take a spin on Yas Island

Abu Dhabi: Every legend has a storm! Every legend has a mystery, a twist, a villain and a companion!

The screaming captions on the walls stoked up the excitement levels as we pulled over at the gates of Yas Waterworld on a Thursday afternoon.

It was a mini prelude to the suspense and adrenaline rush that awaited us at the aquatic Arabian adventure set in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island, the latest destination for adventure, tourism, sports and leisure in the Middle East.

The chore of getting tickets, changing and finding a locker seemed eternal for my companion, a 12-year-old whose impatience started to rub off on me. But the retail attractions at the village of Qaryat Al Jewana on the park entrance were great distractions.

Pearl diving show

Our feet were glued to the ground as we passed by the pearl diving show where diver Ali plunged into a water cubicle and gave a live demonstration of the emirate’s pearl diving heritage.

Our imminent adventures in the park were also themed after Dana, a young Emirati girl’s quest for the ‘lost pearl’. We know it when you gaze at the massive pearl perched atop the crag in these 15 hectares of rides and slides, many of which are the first in the region.

The calm before the storm was over as we soon found ourselves all buckled up on the Bandit Bomber — the longest suspended roller-coaster in the Middle East with a length of 550 metres. The falling-over-the-edge-of-the-globe feel is the highlight of the ride that combines onboard water and laser special effects. Screams and more screams apart, the ride is a crime to miss - wobbly legs and bobbing heart notwithstanding.

Choosing from 43 rides, slides and attractions at Yas Waterworld — which circulates 5.6 million litres of water an hour — is definitely not an easy task. We decided to hit the best five first. After being bombed by the Bandit Bomber, we settled for a comparatively gentler Slither’s Slides that have six long, curvy serpentine water tunnels that flush you out through giant snake heads into a splash pool.

Next on our agenda were two group rides — Falcon’s Falaj, a six-person waterslide which is the longest in the Middle East (300 metres) and Dawwama that features a 20-metre-high funnel. The swiveling and swirling water waves, heightened by the surprising twists and turns is definitely worth the squeals of delight.

Bubbles’ Barrel, Rush Rider, Yadi Yas… it only seemed to get better with each ride.

There’s plenty of entertainment for kids at the Marah Fortress, Tot’s playground, Yehal and Al Raha lazy river. But when you are in the mood for a race there’s nothing like plunging headlong into Sebag, water slides which have a timer set at the bottom.

If you have finger-counted five rides I mentioned, let me make an honest declaration of guilt! Let me take the blame for letting pass the ‘two terrifying’ Speedslides — Jebel Drop and Hamlool’s Humps — that plunge from the tallest peak in the park. Those who came out alive could not stop bragging about it.

I am also to blame for giving a miss to the Liwa Loop, where all the adrenaline junkies were queuing up. “You will be locked up inside a tube. As the countdown ends, a platform retracts under your feet and releases you into a high-intensity looping waterslide,” explained Nikky, who was guiding me through the rides.

“We will come back next time with a stronger spine,” we reassured ourselves as we spent the rest of the evening fighting waves in the Amwaj wavepool.

As we walked back to our car at 7pm, the Bandit Bomber was coasting above our head probably on it last lap for the day — the calm of a balmy evening shattered by the shrill cries of ‘passengers’.