Pearl Diving
Pearls (dana), not oil, once formed the basis of
Kuwait's wealth. Now, annual pearl diving festivals
help today's generation experience the excitement
and hardship that their forefathers faced. Such
festivals are a tribute to men who dedicated their
lives to the pearling industry. The young divers
make extensive preparations for the event: they
train rigorously in diving and sailing; meet experienced
captains and old divers who explain the intricacies
of pearl diving; and familiarise themselves with
the equipment.
Traditionally, ships or dhows were prepared by
first beaching them along the shore and caulking
cracks with cotton dipped in shark oil. Then, a
thick coating of noora (a mixture of shark oil and
powder) was manually smeared over the hull, up to
the water line. Dhows made of Indian teak are waterproofed
with the traditional mixture of sheep's oil and
lime.
The clothes of today's pearl-divers are the same
as their forefathers. The wazar (a wrap-around skirt
that also serves as a head wrap) is worn along with
diving trunks and T-shirts. Also worn is the fotam
(nose clip), dieng (neck basket) and hajer (toe
anchor). During the dive, the diver is secured to
the ship's railing with a rope tied around his waist.
When he is ready to surface, he tugs on the rope
-- which his helper must hold at all times -- and
the latter then pulls up the diver. The qafal (the
end) of the festival is celebrated with traditional
singing and dancing.
Water Sports
For speed boating, windsurfing, jet skiing, water
skiing, yachting and scuba diving, tourists have
to buy their own equipment from dealers as hiring
facilities are few. Boats and equipment usually
have to be bought for long-term enjoyment. These
dealers also have details of clubs and specialist
courses available in Kuwait. Most of these sports
can be enjoyed off the beaches all along the coast.
Yachting
Kuwait is a sailor's paradise. The seas offshore
is seldom really rough, but there is nearly always
a moderate breeze. Boats range from small sailing
dinghies to large yachts. The Yatch Club has a marina
with 300 fully serviced berths. Many of the sea
clubs have marinas and organise sailing activities.
The Kuwait Offshore Sailing Association organises
races, including one from Kuwait to Bahrain.
Diving
Despite the pollution, a result of the retreating
Iraqi troops setting the oil wells afire, the seas
around Kuwait are comparatively clear and marine
life is thriving. Scuba diving is a popular sport.
Much of the activity takes place over reefs offshore
and around the islands. SSAC and PADI courses are
available. Al-Boom Divers offers certification through
NAUI and CMAS and organises diving trips.
Trips to the Islands
Taking a boat trip to one of the islands, such
as Kubbar, can be a pleasant one-day experience,
with swimming and picnicking on an island or on
the boat itself possibly with fish caught by trawl
or line on the way out. For a few hundred KD, a
dhow can be hired, including crew and all running
costs, which is ideal for a small office outing
or for three or four families on an outing together.
