Wooden Ships and Iron Men

The photo above is of a traditional Khaleeji (Gulf) fishing boat, called a dhow. While motorized these days, they are still mostly made of wood. Such craft used to convey pearl divers to the oyster beds back in the hey-day of the pearl industry, and still serve as sturdy fishing boats. The harbors are full of them.

The fishermen weave their own traps for lobsters and crabs from metal wire, and stack them high aboard the boats. If you go down to the harbor at certain times of day, you can watch them work. The fishermen these days are mostly from India, and live aboard the boats. It’s common to see laundry hanging from lines across the deck, and to smell dinner cooking as you walk by.

Super fresh fish can be purchased right at the harbor. Crabs, lobster, grouper and snapper are the most prized catch, but there are plenty of other types of fish as well. The fishing industry has deep roots in Qatar, and many are proud of their sea-faring past. In a nod to tradition, one family has gone so far as to install an antique fishing boat in their majlis (the front room to receive guests). The thing is huge, and the majlis is fitted out with large windows, so you can see the boat clearly from the road.

Some dhows are set up for passengers, or as dinner boats. These are much larger and nicer than the one in the photo. The fishing boats though are no-frills affairs. They run them until they fall apart, and in certain harbors, you can see the sunken wreckage of scuttled dhows.

Note the oil drums used to support the boat in the picture. The fishing industry is still fairly low-tech here. Also note the homemade ladder to the right. These are funny, you see them everywhere... ladders made from scrap wood. Someone may have a multi-million rial house, but they will prominently display a homemade ladder. No home is complete without one, the more rustic looking the better!