Middle Eastern Boating

[magpie patrick]

Pictured below is an Abra - a water taxi used in Dubai and possibly in other places. This statement represents just about the sum total of my knowledge of boating in the Middle East. Can anyone enlighten me any further? Is there, or was there ever, navigation on some of the great rivers of the area such as the Tigris and the Euphrates? I did think of the Nile but I'm not sure Egypt counts as Middle East... 

 

 

[Dav and Pen]

The Shatt al Arab waterway is 200 Klms long joining the Tigris and it certainly was navigable by small coasters and local cargo boats for a good distance but don’t know now. The river has had dams built in Iran and Turkey leading to low water levels. When I was on tankers we went to Basra at the start of the waterway a few times.

[BEngo]

Well, there is this canal wot goes from the Mediterranean  to the Red Sea.  Had s major stoppage earlier this year but open again.  

 

I see the Dubai creek abra(s)  have  gone upmarket, with a roof/sunshade, and life belts!!!  None of that in my time in Dubai, you just sat on top, having walked across about 15 others to get on.  What is the fare these days?  Used to be half a klebby (0.5 dirhams?).

 

The Iraqi Navy once lived up the Shatt al Arab.  Their boats emerged, heading for Iran, probably, in 1991. It was a real turkey shoot and we nearly ran out of Sea Skuas.  Swing the lamp!

N

[dixi188]

Used to visit Dubai for work. One of my colleagues missed his footing whilst boarding an abra and was completely submerged in the creek. The water was not nice and smelled a lot. He went into one of the clothes shops in the souk and said "As you can see, I need everything".

After that event he was known as "Splash".