UAE sets new Guinness World Record for 52nd National Day

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ringing in the New Year with a new Guinness World Record as the country recently set a new record by creating the largest word formed with over 50 boats docked at Al Lulu Island in Abu Dhabi.

According to the Khaleej Times, the boat tie-up featured various vessels, including water sports, fishing, pontoons, and cruising boats from the Captain's Club, with the idea of commemorating the 52nd year of National Day, initially conceived by club members.

The Captian Club's Marketing Director Bashar Mihyar said that later, "we pivoted to devising a long-term celebration plan for the UAE so we thought let’s instead focus on the acronym UAE as our dedication to the country.

"Therefore, we used the number 52 by utilising the exact number of boats to create the acronym for the United Arab Emirates."

Mihyar further described the event by saying that boats were ready to move at one in the morning. They were transferred to Al Lulu Island, an island off the coast of Abu Dhabi, from the marinas on Yas Island and the Emirates Palace.

He said: "We also organised a grand barbecue for the entire team to enjoy before we started working. At the break of dawn, people got into their working spirit. We started parking the boats around 6 am into the shape.

"We formed the first vertical lines of the letters 'U', 'A', and 'E' and then we filled in the gaps as we progressed. We ensured all anchors and necessary equipment were set up.

"To prepare for the record attempt, we had drones and photographers on standby, along with skilled professionals to measure the dimensions," added the Jordanian expat.

The record attempt that took seven-and-a-half hours to accomplish entailed several challenges along the way.