Dhow sailboat race -- watching the boats be prepared

There was a dhow sailboat race along the Corniche. They are a beautiful site; different than the sailboats we know in California. And the contrast to the modern skyline is striking.

There was a good view from Heritage Village, which faces the city.

Right along the beach at Heritage Village is where the boats were tied up, being prepared for the race. All ages of men prepare the boats, and then sail the boats.

I've been fortunate to sail on some of Orange Coast College's boats. These sailboats in this blog post are all manual -- no engines. And the rough-hewn timber and sails -- it was fun to see them literally put it all together.  Here are some photos of crews putting up main sails.

Part of the dress for working on these sailboats are lightweight long pieces of fabric, wrapped around their waist:

I found myself wondering if this man has been working on boats since a child; he was simply a wonderful character to observe:

You can hear small waves lapping on the shore.
And you can hear some singing in the background. As part of this sailboat race, there were Emirati men singing and performing the UAE's national dance ... that is in a different post.

The sailboats are taken out to the starting point of the race by small power boats. Hospitality abounds even here. I wasn't the only person taking photos. Another woman was standing near me as her husband was down the shore taking photos. The gentleman in the orange shirt in the photo below, at one point came to shore with water and juice packs for the other woman and myself. It was a warm day, and the refreshment was very welcome. I thought it was an incredibly kind gesture.

Next post, the boats sail by ...