Maṣīra

Masirah is a long island off the eastern coast of Oman, separated from the mainland by a shallow strait and exposed to the Arabian Sea. Its dry shores support fishing settlements, and sea turtles come ashore on its beaches. The islanders were accomplished sailors who built their own boats and traded with the mainland. Their livelihoods depended on the waters around Masirah and on their ability to cross the strait to the Omani coast.