Would you go out to sea in basically a round, hand made basket? Here in Hoi An, Central Vietnam, it's normal and simply part of the way of things. Arguably far more sustainable that cutting tall, slow growing trees for boat timbers and masts, Thuyen Thung (as the round basket boats are called in Vietnamese) are over-sized baskets and used on reefs and in shallow waters to fish.
Even here on the tourist beach at Bien An Bang near Hoi An, there are upwards of 50 such basket boats lazing about on the sand during the day. For actual fishing, and not for the well-advertised tourist rides they offer further round the point.
They're amazingly well-crafted.
They're waterproofed traditionally with a resin made from coconut oil, but increasingly in later years with tar or fiberglass. They can last for decades, provided the resin is reapplied each season.
The most incredible thing is to watch one launching out. Obviously they have no rudder to steer and no mast, so they're completely needing to be controlled by one strong guy with one pole. Against the waves and the tide. Yesterday we watched this Vietnamese fisherman putting out just before 5pm - the seemingly magic hour for fishermen everywhere.
They don't go out far, obviously, as the moment they are out of pole depth they have no way to control it. I saw one boat yesterday putting out, attached to a long rope managed by a group of guys on the beach. Generally they're back before or just after dark, with the freshest fish and octopus for the evening meals.
The folks here in Vietnam and Hoi An will tell you they are unique to this area. It's true, I have never seen them anywhere else in Asia, and I'm fairly well traveled. But I learned today, from my 83 year old mother in Australia (Happy Easter again, Mum!) that it isn't actually true.
She knows this because she read about it once in a detective novel set in Shrewsbury. A little quick zip around in google and, dammit, she's right!! Mother's have a knack that way. đŸ˜‰ This style of basket boat was first observed by Julius Caesar in his invasion of Britain in the first century, and is called a coracle.The basket boats are more common than you'd think, and can be found in India, Iraq, Tibet, Wales and Scotland, as well as Vietnam. Want to read more about coracles? Here's the wiki link - there is even a special Society to preserve this ancient craft.
If you're into making baskets, or have nothing to do during your long winter evening hours, this is a perfect way to think about boat building more sustainably. You could use bamboo here in Asia, or the more traditional willow.
The beach is singing her siren song and I'm headed back to my cool spot in the shade to watch the fishermen getting ready to take their basket boats out.
BlissednBlessed during my travels.
Contributing to the @earthtribe. Cos it MATTERS.
