Khataf Raffay is a mythical figure in Emirati folk heritage associated primarily with the sea and traditional maritime activities such as diving and pearl gathering. It is described as enormous and tall, white in colour and resembling a triangular Arab sail, while at other times it appears as an entire vessel with a large sail. Its defining characteristics include the ability to terrify sailors and deceive them about their location, sometimes causing ships to sink or sailors to become lost in deep water. It usually appears at night in complete darkness and sometimes on land near coastal alleys, where it is smaller and less dangerous. Its cultural history is closely linked with Emirati maritime heritage and folk traditions that transmit maritime experience and warnings in symbolic form. Its appearance is associated with tangible maritime elements such as vessels and traditional diving equipment. It is not linked to particular clothing, although the stories describe its effect on the surrounding physical environment through the forms it assumes at sea or on land. Natural elements such as deep water, night-time darkness and winds also contribute to the mythical representation of its presence.