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Pearl fishermen, a Sanbaq Dhow arriving gather the harvest

Dhows came in many sizes and types, engaged in every trade including piracy which continues to this day with motorised dhows, the Sanbaq type being one of the most typical of dhows.

You may notice in this marine painting the Sanbaq type dhow has entered shallow waters and is just beginning to luff head to wind to anchor? The_Pearl_fishers_IMG_0755_d.JPG

This is marine painting rich in detail, a charming picture and an historical document.

The Sanbaq is as usual for a Frickers marine painting carefully researched thus her deck layout and rigging are reliably portrayed.

The pearl fishermen originally worked from canoes.

Not the most stable craft so in more recent times as shown here the men adopted Western style flat bottomed dories which would stack on deck (I hesitate to say easily…)  or tow astern of the mother ship.

Today’s pirates often use Sanbaq dhows as mother ships carrying rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) in a similar manner.

In our marine painting here we see a Sanbaq engaged as the great majority of dhows are,  in a peaceful and lawful task.

We see the dhow confidently edging her way into shallow waters, just about to luff head to wind and anchour.

You can even see the ship’s cat surveying all from the poop deck.

Today most surviving sailing dhows are yachts.

I’d must add, while dhows are often associated with piracy the majority of contemporary  westerners who have meet dhow sailors speak of their kindness and generous welcome, their fine seamanship and of the hard conditions of life aboard a dhow.

Pearl fishermen working with a sanbaq dhow” is included in the Exhibition “Life on the Ocean waves” to be shown by invitation from the European Parliament at Brussels 23 to 26 May 2011.

This painting is a fine example of a dhow and reminds us of an Omani Sanbaq dhow would  engaged in a very ancient, traditional trade.