Byblos Fishing Community
Meet the fishing community of Byblos where traditional fishing families have worked the same harbor for generations, their daily rhythms of departure before dawn and return with the morning catch unchanged for centuries.
- 1
Dawn Departure
See the fishing boats departing before dawn from the ancient harbor, the fishermen of Byblos heading to the same Mediterranean fishing grounds their fathers and grandfathers worked, the continuity of this maritime tradition remarkable.
- 2
Net Mending
Watch the fishermen mending nets on the harbor wall in the traditional manner, the women sometimes helping with repairs while the boats rest from the morning's work, the working harbor atmosphere a counterpoint to the tourist activity nearby.
- 3
Morning Catch
See the morning catch being unloaded and sorted on the harbor quay, the Mediterranean harvest of sea bream, mullet, grouper, and octopus laid out for the fish merchants and restaurant buyers who arrive for the daily auction.
- 4
Fishermen Cafe
Drink strong Arabic coffee at the fishermen cafe where the returning boat crews gather after the morning catch, the conversations about weather, fish prices, and sea conditions carrying on a tradition of harbor coffee culture unchanged for generations.
- 5
Traditional Boats
Admire the traditional wooden fishing boats of Byblos harbor, their colorful hulls and distinctive design representing a Mediterranean boat-building tradition that has evolved slowly over centuries of adaptation to these waters.
- 6
Harbor Sunset
Watch the harbor sunset when the fishing boats return for the last time, their silhouettes against the orange sky creating a timeless scene that has greeted inhabitants of this ancient harbor for 7,000 years of continuous occupation.