Life Style: Marathon dhow race seeks to preserve ancient Gulf heritage

SIR BU NAIR, United Arab Emirates: Under a blazing sun, far from the skyscrapers and SUVs of modern Dubai, hundreds of enthusiasts took to Gulf waters in traditional wooden vessels, keen to preserve an ancient heritage.
Around Sir Bu Nair, a teardrop-shaped island roughly 100 kilometers (60 miles) from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, two of seven emirates that make up the UAE, 118 teams raced dhows, the sailboats that have plied the Arabian peninsula’s waters for centuries.