Dhows sailing off Lamu Island. Dhow or Dau is the colloquial word used by most visitors for the wooden sailing ships of the East African coast although in reality a dhow is a much larger ocean-going vessel than either the medium sized Jahazi or smaller mashua fishing boats that are commonly seen at Lamu. This photograph shows jahazis competing in a boat race during the annual Lamu Festival.Situated 150 miles north-northeast of Mombasa, Lamu town dates from the 15th century AD. The island's importance lies in the fact that it has the only certain source of sweet groundwater in the entire district. The town was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001 because it is the oldest and best preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa. Moreover, its architecture and urban development graphically demonstrates the diverse cultural influences that came together over many centuries to produce a distinctively local Swahili style and culture.