Dhows thousands of years old
The dhow is a long, wide, raised hull with a pointed prow. Most of the time, you'll see these boats, called baggalas by 19th-century Arabs, painted in blue, red and white, blending delightfully with the landscape. A veritable floating framework above which a single large triangular sail rises in the wind, sometimes complemented by another identical but smaller sail, which can prove useful in difficult sea conditions. Described by the Moroccan explorer and traveller Ibn Battuta in 1331, in his famous Voyages, the world of dhows is that of Arab traders, fishermen and smugglers from all over the Indian Ocean. For centuries, these sleek boats carried, among other cargoes, all those arriving by caravan on the East African coast, particularly slaves captured by tribes allied to the Arabs. Their role was comparable to that played by Arab caravans and Touareg meharis on land: to convey travellers and goods across the seas. Between India, Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, Somalia, Zanzibar and northern Mozambique, there were of course some variations in the boats. But the construction technique, which can be observed in a few small artisan shipyards on the Swahili coast of the ancient kingdom of Zanj centered on the island of Zanzibar, remains the same everywhere. Of course, don't confuse dhows with small ngalawas, pretty outrigger boats carved from mango trunks for shrimp fishing.
Carpentry skills for the seas
In the past, sails were woven from palm leaves, later from cotton and Merikani fabrics. Dhows vary in size, from small to huge. Size is measured by weight. On average, this type of boat weighs between 2.5 and 5 tons. the planking is laid on a form, then the limbs, made of bent branches, often mangrove, if possible in one piece, precisely readjusted with an adze and wedged inside. Holes are then drilled with a bow drill to insert blacksmith's nails, the ends of which are bent inwards and, in Portuguese times, replaced the coconut-fiber seams. Planks of the same hardwood are then laid, almost perfectly joined, to form the entire hull. Gaps are filled with cotton wicks soaked in vegetable fat or copal resin, and the hull is decked. The cargo is often protected from the sun and sea spray by a makuti roof, similar to that found on many land dwellings: slats of palm attached to a mango frame. The resulting vessel can exceed 40 tons. The stern (the rear part of the hull) is normally made of transom. The straight bow and flat stern are local features, no doubt inherited from the Portuguese. Most of these boats have no engine, and small oars (hauri) in the shape of spearheads are used to approach the coast. The rudder is of the Indian type and the sail, at least at present, is not Latin but Arabic (the Arabs invented it in the 8th century), as it has a small leech at the bow; it allows you to sail with the wind upright in the monsoon. You can watch the dhows being made in Nungwi, the only dhow design centre on Unguja Island. The tour is combined with a visit to the fishing village, and we strongly recommend that you take it with a local guide.
A daily fishing boat
The art and beauty of the traditional voyage under sail is now the daily bread and butter of Zanzibar's fishermen. The fishermen leave the beach in the morning to fish offshore. When they return in the late afternoon, the fish are auctioned at the fish market, often built into open-air stalls on the sand or in village centers. Men and women crowd around the spoils, bills in hand. Sardines, barracudas, squid, hake... the prizes are evaluated, appreciated and even emptied on the spot, right on the sand. The women are particularly experienced and precise, especially when it comes to fish that can be poisonous. The children also have victuals to sell, caught at low tide between the rocks: octopus, slipper lobsters, shellfish of all kinds... Shillings are exchanged and basins are filled.
An exotic sightseeing tour
Sunset dhows are often organized to enjoy a short sailboat ride along the coast in the glowing sunshine, with a drink in hand. It's a slow, relaxed trip along the water, which retains all its magic when sailors unfurl its large sail to hoist it high into the sky. There's no better way to immerse yourself in the history of the dhow than to climb aboard. Some people experiment with short lagoon trips from the beach on ngalawas, which can run aground at low tide in the dry lagoon in front of the beaches. It's usually an opportunity to bask in the sun and admire the turquoise of the crystal-clear water for the duration of the trip. But it's best to take a Sunset dhow to Nungwi, Kendwa or Stone Town, on the west side of the island, to board real dhows. The depth of the water is not limited by a coral reef as on the east side of the island. This allows majestic dhows to navigate. Watch out for overcrowded boats blasting loud music in Nungwi and Kendwa, which attract a young crowd. Choose an agency that guarantees a romantic tour with a glass of white wine and a reasonable number of people, on a real dhow (not a rowboat). You can also enjoy this experience in Pemba, as the tourist resorts are all located on the west coast of the island, facing the sunset. And of course in Mafia, where the string of islands in front of Utende and the view from Kilindoni make for a dhow ride at sunset.
