The secrets behind Deep Dive Dubai's city block under water


Patrick Ryan
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The team at Deep Dive Dubai revealed the secret of how they manage to take cars and motorbikes to depths of 40 metres and more under water.

The attraction, which opened last year, has the world’s deepest pool, which is 60 metres deep.

The pool's theme is a sunken city, where each level represents life in a building beneath the surface.

Among the most striking features of the project are a Mercedes car and a Ducati motorbike far beneath the surface.

“The deepest elements are 40 metres under water. We have cars, motorbikes, pool tables and arcade machines down there,” said Jarrod Jablonski, director of Deep Dive Dubai.

“The bigger objects are brought in on a floating platform, they are then floated out to the centre of the pool and placed on a hoist crane.

“We then have a harness that attaches to the object, depending on its shape.”

This process is not without its challenges, Mr Jablonski said.

“We then move the platform out of the way and lower the object into the water very carefully,” he said.

“Just as we’re lowering it into the water, we attach lift bags to make sure it’s neutral and then remove the hook.”

A lift bag is used in diving to move objects by buoyancy.

“That's always the scary part. Because you've got to be sure that it's truly neutral before you remove the hook,” he said.

“Then, the object is free in the water. We will start to move it and adjust buoyancy as we move the object deeper.

“We ensure when moving big objects that there's nobody around and that we have plenty of backups in case the object starts to sink too quickly, which can be a problem.”

Another issue, which will come as little surprise given the underwater nature of the project, is the team having to make sure rust does not set in on the objects deep in the tank.

“We try really hard to make objects from materials that are resistant to rusting,” he said.

“Occasionally we will be told something is stainless only to find out that it’s not and then we have to bring it up and swap it out.

‘Other times it might be a small component like the screw on the headlights of the car that needs to be replaced because it is rusting.”

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

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Updated: November 23, 2022, 3:18 AM`