Boats have long been a part of man’s existence and lifestyle. Although boats have evolved over the years from the most rudimentary types into modern day ships, we can still find an interesting mix in various parts of the world.
Dating as far back as prehistoric times, boats were used primarily for transportation and fishing on water bodies such as streams, lakes, and rivers. Their use has since progressed with the changing times to include recreation and leisure, sporting competitions and even policing. Larger more sophisticated boats are known as ships.
Boats in Photos
Photographer’s Notes: Coracle boats are round-shaped non-polluting boats that are used for transport in the Tungabhadra river since ages. These boats are very stable by nature and can carry 10-15 persons easily. Navigation is not difficult but it requires skills especially when going upstream. The boats are part of the local lifestyle in Hampi, Karnataka and are an attraction for tourists coming to this part of the world.
Ancient boats traveled the Nile as far back as 3,000 years ago, according to some archaeological findings.
A fishing boat aground on the beach of Chacachacare in the westernmost part of the Bocas Islands, Trinidad and Tobago.
oh-la-la, what a beautiful scenery of boats on this Greek waterfront!
Fish is a staple diet in Cambodia. The indigenous Khmer people living close to water-bodies are said to eat fresh fish at least twice a day.
Fårösund is a small quiet village located on Sweden’s largest island of Gotland. Fårösund was home to about 800 inhabitants in 2014.
Boats tied near mangroves with the sun low in the sky, El Guamache Bay, Margarita island, Venezuela.
Long-tailed boats are a popular means of transportation in Thailand.
Together with water taxis, ferries and rice barges, long-tailed boats are used by locals and tourists to navigate the country’s many internal waterways and surrounding water bodies.
Photographer’s Notes: Aerial view of wooden boats along the shores of the freshwater waterways in Ratargul Swamp Forest, Gowain River, Fatehpur Union, Gowainghat, Sylhet, Bangladesh. Photo taken with a drone. The Ratargul Swamp Forest is the only flooded forest in Bangladesh, and these boats are likely used to bring tourists in to view it.
Photographer’s Notes: Anjarle is a village in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, India. The villages in this region depend a lot on fishing and transporting goods. There are some developed fish markets around here, where trade happens during the day.
During the monsoon seasons, fishermen are often not able to go to the sea. The photograph shows a number of boats parked in a creek near Anjarle village. In the distance one can see the sea and impending rain. The primary objective of this photograph was to capture the rustic feel. It also attempts to tell a real story.
Venice water taxis and buses are known as vaporetto.
As you can see, boats do shed some fascinating light into the commonality of human existence around the world. Whether used for transportation, to provide livelihood and sustenance, or for tourism and security reasons, we can each surely see ourselves and our homelands reflected in these photos.
Which of these boats photos resonates with you most?