Sailing out on the morning wind

Dear reader,

This week I went out in a dhow from the harbour at first light.^{Note 11}1 Lateen sail: a triangular sail on a long, angled yard, used on boats of the Indian Ocean for many centuries. I want to tell you about the sail, because I used to think a sail was only a cloth to catch the wind, and a lateen sail is much more than that.

The yard is long and set at an angle on a single mast, so the whole sail leans forward like a wing.^{Note 22}2 Yard: the long pole that holds the top edge of the sail. The crew pull the ropes in a slow order that has not changed for centuries, and the boat is moving before you notice. There is no engine, only water against the planks.

I sat by the mast with my notebook and wrote down what the captain said: you do not fight the wind, you ask it.^{Note 33}3 Captain: the one who steers and decides when to leave. When it came from behind we ran straight along the coast. When it came from the side we leaned over and went slowly, and nobody was worried.

By the time the sun was high the town was a thin white line.^{Note 44}4 Monsoon: a seasonal wind that blows from one direction for months and then turns. Next week I will tell you why the old boats waited for the monsoon, and how long they could wait.