Timeframe: June once signalled the start of the Big Dive for UAE pearl divers

The peak season in the UAE and wider region ran between June and September

An old photograph of pearl divers on display at the Pearl Museum at the National Bank of Dubai building in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

June isn’t a very popular month in the UAE.

The last of the refreshing breezes of spring have ebbed and temperatures have begun creeping past the 40°C mark. Save for beachside afternoons or the errant zephyrs that circle you as you walk in the shade, being outside doesn’t seem that appealing any more.

This timidity over braving the outdoors is commonplace today, but there was a time in the UAE when summer was one of the most consequential times of the year, as it determined how many would fare for the rest of the year.

Pearl divers preferred the window of time from June to September that became known as Ghous Al Kabir, or the Big Dive, because waters were warmer, meaning they could gain access to lower depths in their search for pearls.

The divers’ departure would be marked with a seaside ceremony called “hiraat”, or oyster bed. As the sailors departed from the beach, their families would wave and wish them well from the shoreline. It was usually a bittersweet moment as it meant that the men would be away from their families for months.

The captain of the crew would then officially announce the start of the pearling season.

The end of Ghous Al Kabir was marked with more fervour. A cannon was fired from the shoreline to greet the divers’ arrival. Family members took this as a cue to prepare for the festivities. Cloth flags would be hung from houses and special meals were prepared.

As they approached the shoreline, the divers would begin hearing their families singing in welcome.

A dhow could hold as many as 30 crew, usually made up of men, though children did sometimes accompany them on shorter voyages. Besides its millennia-long sense of tradition, pearl diving was one of the primary sources of income for the region up until the 1920s, after which a global industry-wide collapse occurred due to the advent of artificial pearls.

However, pearl diving has flourished in the region as a trade and tradition. Although it's much harder to meet a pearl diver today, heritage festivals across the UAE have recreated aspects of the trade and culture.

So while today it seems intuitive to groan and grumble as we scurry from one air-conditioned space to another, it’s remarkable to think that a century ago, local divers were braving the scorching weather, going out to sea for pearls and singing songs to keep their spirits afloat.

That knowledge might do little to cool you as you’re striding steadfast towards your car in an open-air parking spot at noon, but it might help in your resolve – or at least inspire a visit to the beach.