A Nimkish fishing boat is returning to the harbor at Alert Bay early in the morning. The downriggers for nets and lines are in a vertical position.

Bella Bella has been the main village of the Heiltsuk Kwakiutl for more than 100 years. It can only be reached by boat or plane. In contrast to most other Indian communities in Canada, the Bella Bella First Nation permits the sale of alcoholic beverages in its own liquor store.

A log raft in Muchalat Inlet being moved toward the Gold River. The tug boat is steered by an Indian.

A log raft in Muchalat Inlet being moved toward the Gold River.

The fishing harbor of Port Albion on Ucluelet Inland, where the Ucluelet Nootka have a small reservation. Originally they also lived on Long Beach, which is now a part of Pacific Rim National Park.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Les Indiens qui vivent sur les rives du lac Titicaca utilisent un bateau en jonc, la balsa, qu'ils confectionnent eux-mêmes et qui leur permet de circuler aisément sur les eaux. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Le port de la ville de Pucallpa au bord de la rivière de l'Ucayali est le siège d'un intense trafic fluvial. Les gens passent souvent une partie de leur existence sur des bateaux qui assurent des relations entre les différentes localités des bords de l'Amazone. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Des bateaux, les bolicheres, se consacrent à la pêche aux anchois. Ces poissons, séchés, servent à la fabrication de farine donnée comme aliment aux animaux domestiques. Le Pérou est le premier producteur du monde de farine de poisson. Sa vente à l'étranger constitue une source considérable de revenus pour la nation tout entière. Port de Paita dans le département de Piura. - 1969

The legends are only available in German or Spanish
Der in 3812 Meter Höhe gelegene Titicacasee, durch den die Grenze zwischen Peru und Bolivien verläuft, hat die fünfzehnfache Größe des Bodensees. Er erfüllt eine tektonisch angelegte Hochlandsenke, ist durch Halbinseln in mehrere Teilbecken gegliedert und von Inseln durchsetzt (Amantani, Mondinsel, Sonneninsel u. a.). An seinen Ufern gedeihen zwei Binsenarten, aus denen die Indios ihre Boote, aber auch schwimmende Behausungen bauen. 1969

At the bridge over the Río Aguaytía, a tributary of the Ucayali River, halfway between the cities of Tingo María and Pucallpa, the bananas are transferred from the boats to the trucks. - 1969

On the beach of a small island that belongs to the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. The archipelago stretches over a length of 350 kilometres not far from the Atlantic coast. It consists of 365 islands and islets of various sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. 48 islands are inhabited. They have curious names like Nalunega, Kortbiski or Cauwualla. The tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, has rich vegetation. - 1977

On the journey between the small islands of the Panamanian archipelago of San Blas. This extends over a length of 350 kilometres not far from the Atlantic coast. It consists of 365 islands and islets of various sizes that rise only a few metres above sea level. 48 islands are inhabited. They have curious names like Nalunega, Kortbiski or Cauwualla. The tides are insignificant here. Each island, even the smallest, has rich vegetation. - 1977

A scrap ship at Puerto Limón, the main port of Costa Rica on the Caribbean coast. - 1977

On the beach in San Juan del Sur, on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Men in charge of repainting a boat that seriously needed it, take a few moments of well-deserved rest. Such boats are used not only for fishing, which is always plentiful, but also for transporting passengers and goods. They provide a fairly regular service between the various ports of the coast, often allowing faster connections than those offered by an incomplete and, depending on the season, very poor road network. - 1977

Kayar is a small coastal town in Senegal, north of Dakar. Artisanal fishing is the most important industry in Kayar. Every evening, hundreds of pirogues unload tons of fish on the beach. - Senegal - 1969

Rosso is a border community between Senegal and Mauritania, on the banks of the Senegal River. - Senegal - 1969

In Rosso, on the Senegal River on the border between Mauritania and the Senegalese state, the camel, the "desert ship", and the pirogue, the river boat, meet. - Senegal - 1969

Pier of the pirogues on the river Niger - Kabara - Mali - 1969

The port of Mopti on the Niger River. Mopti is particularly characterised by trade and crafts. The city is a trading centre for fish, cattle and grain. Important crafts are weaving, iron and leather processing, pottery and boat building (pinasses up to 50 tons). - Mali - 1969

577 - Tin-Tazarift (Tassili-n'Ajjer). - Strange "naviform" structure. But aside from its unproven navigational ability, the archer on the right is not related to it... Only the one in the center might be a "sailor." At each end of the "structure" is an indefinable object.

593 - Tiffeltest, near Séfar (Tassili-n'Ajjer). – This white and ochre painting brings us back to the so-called "ship-like" structures (here executed in white, showing two figures raising their arms in a hieratic posture). The fact that they are frequent along the Nile does not in any way lead to their identification with the structure depicted here or with that in Tin-Tazarift (photo 577). The maximum distance between the two tips of the structure is 0.40 m. At the top left, a mare with a foal.

Fishermen bring their catch to the fish market in Ujung Padang (Makassar) – Sulawesi – 1990

Fishing boats between Ujung Pandang (Makassar) and Bantaeng – Sulawesi – 1990

This is probably the view that the Spice Islands offered the first European sailors... – Latuhalat Beach – Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

A fisherman returns from fishing in Ambon Bay. In the background, the fishing village on stilts. – Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Walkway to a fishing village on the island of Tidore – Moluccas – 1990

View from Ternate, an island in the North Moluccas, of the 3 km wide, forested, conical stratovolcano Hiri, which rises steeply from the sea (630 m) – Moluccas – 1990

Fishing boat on the southern beach of Tidore, a circular volcanic island in the North Moluccas, historically known as an important spice island. – 1990

On the island of Ternate in the North Moluccas, a fisherman pulls his boat onto Sulamadaha beach. This island is historically known as one of the most important ‘spice islands’ and was once the world's only centre for clove cultivation. – 1990

A boat carrying vegetables and fruit from the large island of Halmahera arrives at the port of Ternate. In the background on the right is the small island of Maitara and on the left is the island of Tidore, dominated by the 1,730-metre-high Keimatubu volcano. - Moluccas – 1990

On the Banda Islands, fishermen and their traditional boats are a common sight. While the islands were historically famous as the ‘spice islands’ for nutmeg, fishing is now one of the most important sources of livelihood for the locals, alongside tourism. – Moluccas – 1990

A wooden boat on the Hamilton Canal (often simply referred to as the Dutch Canal) in Negombo, Sri Lanka. It was originally developed by the Dutch in the 17th century (and later by the British) to transport cinnamon and other spices. It connects Colombo with the Negombo Lagoon. The canal runs directly through dense mangrove and coconut groves, making it a popular route for boat trips. – 1990

On Negombo beach, thirty kilometres north of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, fishermen are launching one of their outrigger boats with its characteristic rectangular sail. Early in the morning, they set out in droves for the fishing grounds in the open sea. Fish plays an important role in Ceylonese cuisine. Yet despite the abundance of tropical nature, life in these fishing villages is austere. – 1990

A small fishing boat lying on the beach on the west coast of Sri Lanka, secured in the sand by an anchor. – 1990

The Malabar Coast at Vizhinjam Beach, twenty kilometres south of Trivandrum, the capital of the south-western Indian state of Kerala. On the beach, overlooked by a lighthouse, fishermen lay out their nets to dry. – 1990

These traditional wooden boats are typical of the coastal region around Vizhinjam Beach and are used for fishing in the Arabian Sea. On the beach, the fishermen lay out their long nets to dry. – 1990

This photograph shows a boat-building workshop in the backwaters region of Kollam (Quilon) in Kerala, India. It depicts wooden fishing boats that have been pulled ashore on rails for maintenance work. A distinctive feature of the region are the dense groves of palm trees in the background, which are typical of Kerala’s waterways. – Journey to Allepey – 1990

In the backwaters of Kerala, fishermen use very narrow, traditional wooden boats (known as vallams) and often steer them through lagoons and canals whilst standing, using long poles, as seen here on the Poothotta River near Cochin – 1990

A man rows a traditional wooden boat, resembling a dugout canoe, through the picturesque backwaters of the Indian state of Kerala, a region often referred to as ‘God’s Own Country’. The scene captures the tranquil, characteristic atmosphere of the narrow canals and lagoons, lined with dense groves of coconut palms. – Thrikkunnapuzha – 1990

This scene is typical of the waterways in the backwaters of Kerala. The boat is a type of barge or dhow, often used to transport sand or other goods through the palm-lined canals. – Thrikkunnapuzha – 1990

This boat is a traditional vessel often referred to as a ‘Kettu Vallam’. Historically, these boats served as the ‘freight carriers’ of the backwaters, transporting goods such as rice, coconuts and sand before the advent of proper roads and railways. A characteristic feature is the sail, which is often made from simple materials such as grain sacks. The banks are densely covered with coconut palms, which is typical of this region near Thrikkunnapuzha, a picturesque coastal town in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. – 1990

The traditional boats of Kerala’s backwaters were historically used as ‘waterway lorries’ to transport goods such as rice, spices and sand. This is a Kettu Vallam from the Thrikkunnapuzha region. The boats are often characterised by hand-woven roofs made of coconut fibre and bamboo, as well as distinctive sails. – 1990

Locals in a traditional wooden boat (pirogue or canoe), used for transport and daily life on the waterways. The backwaters of Kerala in south-west India form an extensive network of lagoons, lakes, canals and rivers. The banks are lined with dense groves of palm trees, rice fields and small villages, making the backwaters a popular destination for nature lovers and those seeking relaxation. – Thrikkunnapuzha – 1990

This relief depicting a cargo boat with a distinctive amphora on board comes from the Mastaba of Idut (also known as the Tomb of Princess Idut) in Saqqara. The entrance area and the adjoining chambers of this tomb are world-famous for their dense, vivid depictions of life on the Nile. Directly at eye level, the reliefs there depict papyrus boats and wooden ships engaged in fishing and the transport of trade goods. The reliefs are among the best-preserved examples of Old Kingdom relief art. Many of the scenes still bear traces of their original colored paint. – 1984

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