62 Boating New Zealand
LEFT, CENTRE &
MIDDLE Many of the
boats are used for
fishing, but they are
remarkably versatile
and are applied to all
sorts of activities.
BELOW RIGHT It’s
hard to understand
how these boat-
builders are able to
craft the vessels with
so few tools.Soon we’re all settled back in the boat and
are being manhandled and sculled towards clear
water. Aung San hand-cranks the engine to
life and, with a heave on his propeller lever, he
drops the prop into the water. He winds up the
revs and suddenly we’re skimming past gangly
bamboo lattice houses, boat sheds and a fuel
dock where men are rolling 200-litre drums off
another boat.
A solid wall of boats loomed ahead filled
with people watching the Hpaung Daw OO
festival. A huge boat surmounted by a golden
pagoda and attended by other big craft manned
by hundreds of gaily-clad oarsmen, is taking
sacred tokens of Lord Buddha on a tour of
pagodas around the lake.
Engines are killed and thousands of boats
drift respectfully nearby as the entourage
slowly cleaves the lake waters to the rhythmic
beat of on-board drummers. The oarsmen
stand on one leg, holding their oars vertical
and sculling with the other leg – a technique
developed so they can progress through the
reed beds while standing up to see where
they’re going. Each crew is colour-coded and the
rainbow flag of Buddhism flutters all round.
Think Auckland Harbour on Anniversary
Weekend x 50.