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Feluccas on the Nile
It’s a trick of perspective: these traditional wooden sailing boats on the Upper Nile at Aswan seem to dwarf the grand hotels on the waterfront and the multi-level floating cruise boats docked along the shoreline.
There is something magical about being on the water!
I especially love the different perspective it give to an unfamiliar landscape when I’m travelling.
The Nile River is the very heart of Egypt’s civilisation and history: when in Egypt, a boat trip on the Nile is a must. Tourist riverboats cruise between Luxor and Aswan, and I had enjoyed my trip south, up the river, sipping G&Ts like someone out of an Agatha Christie novel as the fertile banks slipped past (see: Peregrine Egypt). Our cruise boat was currently rafting up against another, larger one, in Aswan, and we had shuttled to smaller wooden outboard vessels for the trip further up-river to the sacred Temple of Isis (see: The Temples of Philae).
It was late afternoon, and we were to be treated to a peaceful sail on a traditional felucca around the many islands scattered across the relatively shallow waters here, just below the Aswan Low Dam.
Feluccas are traditional wooden sailing boats with oars and a latin-rig triangular sail set on a long yard, mounted at an angle on the mast. Feluccas are an iconic sight on this part of the Nile, where they have plied the waters since the time of the Pharaohs: stepping aboard one is like stepping back in time. With their flat bottoms and low draft, they can silently sneak into shallows and over sandbars, getting close to the banks of the river and the shorelines of the many islands.
Our trip took us around islands full of birdlife, and allowed us views up to the historic 7th-century fortress Monastery of St Simeon and to the more modern Aga Khan Mausoleum on the western bank. Feluccas rely on the northerly currents and the predominantly southerly breeze: because the wind usually subsides at night, we were docked back in Aswan before dark.
The next evening, after a fabulous morning exploring the temples at Abu Simbel (see: Abu Simbel), we were on the water again: this time in a simple wooden outboard to be ferried to a Nubian village for dinner in a local home.
All part of the Upper Nile experience!
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Nile River Cruise Boat
Multi-story cruise boats operate like floating hotels up and down the river between Aswan and Luxor. This one was my home for four magical nights.
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Tourist Boats
On one of the many islands in the Nile, simple wooden boats – of the type we took to the Philae Temples that morning (see: The Temple of Isis) – are tied up and waiting for customers.
Little Egret – Egretta Garzetta
The egret watching the water from the dock is a long way from white: probably a function of the pollution in the air and water.
Man on the Phone
Many local men still wear the galabeya (or jellabiya), the traditional loose-flowing Egyptian kaftan that originated here in the Nile Valley.
Felucca on the Dock
On the dock, our boatman is unfurling the large triangular canvas sail on our boat in preparation for our arrival.
Men on a Felucca
Preparing the boat for sailing takes some co-ordinated work.
Boatman on the Tiller
Once the the boat is out in the wasters of the Nile, our boatmen get to relax a bit.
Felucca in Aswan
It is a beautiful afternoon, and we are not the only felucca on the river.
Afternoon Stillness
Black-Winged Stilt – Himantopus Himantopus
Some of the islands here in the Nile, just below the Aswan Low Dam, host a rich variety of birdlife.
Purple Heron – Ardea Purpurea
Egypt is home to a number of bitterns, egrets, and herons. This purple heron is almost hidden in the grass, …
Grey Heron – Ardea Cinerea
… and a grey heron nearby stands out less than the garbage in the river.
Egyptian Geese – Alopochen Aegyptiaca
Also known as Nile geese, these strikingly beautiful birds blend in with the rocks in the river.
Felucca and Islands in the Nile
Camel on the West Bank
High on the desert dunes, we can see the outlines of the abandoned 7th-century fortress Monastery of St Simeon.
Boatman on a Drum
In the afternoon sun, our boatman entertains us with traditional Nubian music.
Pied Kingfisher – Ceryle Rudis
Hiding on the darkening shoreline, a pied kingfisher watches for prey.
Aga Khan Mausoleum
The mausoleum of Aga Khan III, the 48th Imam of the Ismaili sect, also known as Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah (1877 – 1957), sits high on a hill.
Felucca in the Twilight
As the light drops over the Nile …
Boatman in the Twilight
… our boatman steers us home for dinner.
Man on the Dock
The next evening, after a morning at Abu Simbel (see: Abu Simbel), we are back on the docks to get on different type of Nile tourist boat.
Felucca on the Nile
Lateen-rigged boats dot the water.
Nubian Boatman
Our boat pulls away from Aswan …
Mural at the Entry
… and drops us at the Nubian Village on the other side of the river.
Moonrise
As twilight falls, the moon rises over the narrow streets and painted multi-story buildings.
Adobe Building
Like many of the buildings in the Nubian village, our host’s house is colourfully patterned adobe.
Our Host
It is too dark inside to get a good photograph of our Nubian host, but not quite dark enough to dim the wildly colourful walls.
After dinner, we made our way back through dark, narrow streets to the wharf to ride our boat back to Aswan on the other side of that mighty magic river.
Like traveller have for centuries …
Until next time,
Safe Sailing!
Photos: 10-11October2019
