A Ship Without Nails | National Geographic

for centuries the winds of the Indian

for centuries the winds of the Indian Ocean have brought explorers and

Ocean have brought explorers and

Ocean have brought explorers and merchants to the island of Zanzibar

rough seas and monsoon weather one ship

rough seas and monsoon weather one ship has sustained trade and travel the Dow

has sustained trade and travel the Dow

has sustained trade and travel the Dow at 150 feet this is the biggest thou

at 150 feet this is the biggest thou

at 150 feet this is the biggest thou constructed on Zanzibar for some time

constructed on Zanzibar for some time

constructed on Zanzibar for some time the Somali merchant who commissioned it

the Somali merchant who commissioned it

the Somali merchant who commissioned it has waited for long years to see it

has waited for long years to see it

has waited for long years to see it finish built without plans or power

finish built without plans or power

finish built without plans or power tools even your wooden hull is fastened

tools even your wooden hull is fastened

tools even your wooden hull is fastened together using the hard air routes of

together using the hard air routes of

together using the hard air routes of mangrove trees instead of nails but the

mangrove trees instead of nails but the

mangrove trees instead of nails but the final product is a sailing ship tough

final product is a sailing ship tough

final product is a sailing ship tough enough to withstand the power of the

enough to withstand the power of the

enough to withstand the power of the Indian Ocean and the force of monsoon

Indian Ocean and the force of monsoon

Indian Ocean and the force of monsoon winds for as long as anyone can remember

winds for as long as anyone can remember

winds for as long as anyone can remember constant winds have buffeted the Swahili

constant winds have buffeted the Swahili

constant winds have buffeted the Swahili coast the predictability of these winds

coast the predictability of these winds

coast the predictability of these winds made international trade possible but it

made international trade possible but it

made international trade possible but it was the ingenuity of the Dow’s design

was the ingenuity of the Dow’s design

was the ingenuity of the Dow’s design that made it practical there are dozens

that made it practical there are dozens

that made it practical there are dozens of different kinds of doubt from every

of different kinds of doubt from every

of different kinds of doubt from every country bordering the Indian Ocean but

country bordering the Indian Ocean but

country bordering the Indian Ocean but they all share one common feature their

they all share one common feature their

they all share one common feature their sale traditional European ships depended

sale traditional European ships depended

sale traditional European ships depended on having the wind behind them but the

on having the wind behind them but the

on having the wind behind them but the dowels adjustable sale could be turned

dowels adjustable sale could be turned

dowels adjustable sale could be turned to catch the wind

to catch the wind

to catch the wind any direction Swahili sailors love the

any direction Swahili sailors love the

any direction Swahili sailors love the chance to display their skills

for the sailors of Zanzibar these

for the sailors of Zanzibar these age-old ships continued to be at the

age-old ships continued to be at the

age-old ships continued to be at the heart of a rich maritime tradition