Has anyone on this board encountered pirates?

[Millennium]

In 1997 I was sailing near a group of islands (I think they were called the "Hanish" islands, northwest of Bab Al Mandeb when I was aproached by a group of 12 armed men in a long wooden boat with a big outboard. They signaled us to stop, which we did. We were then boarded by the leader and two of his men. He then went below, looked around and then pointed to our bookshelf indicating that he wanted some magazines. After we gave him some sigarettes and two magazines they got back in to their boat and left!

Sounds like customs to me

[Alan Wheeler]

Perhaps they just thought you were the local corner dairy.

[CaptainK]

I don't know about anyone else in this forum. But, if a boat like that came along side. I'd call out to the rest of the crew to be on "Red Alert."

[sneuman]

thanks for your post Gord. Many of us have been trying to make the point, unsuccessfully, for a while now. There are pirates, but they almost exclusively attack commercial shipping, not pleasure vessels.

[CaptainK]

Hey sneuman.

What these other people meant. Was the other parts of the world. Not, that area of SE Asia, that Gord posted?

[sneuman]

I am writing an article for an asian yachting magazine on piracy as it applies to cruisers. if anyone has encountered problems or had any close calls in waters from hong kong to thailand, please drop a line at scott_neuman@hotmail.com

[GordMay]

You might contact Mike Waters, Yacht ICHI, Raffles Marina Singapore

< Quote >
We are cruising in the Singapore/Malaysia/Thailand area and want to put to rest the eternal rumors of SE Asia pirates!
There has not been an actual pirate attack on a Yacht/Pleasure boat for over 20 years in SE Asia!
< End Quote >

[sneuman]

thanks! that is quickly shaping up to be the premise of our story

[sv_makai]

I understand about stories on pirates. Good reading and this is what people expect. Please try not to blow them out of proportion and include some land based comparions of crime.

We have been in and out of Venezuela for a couple years, one of the supposed hubs of pirate attacks in the Caribe. We listen to the safety and security net daily and hear more boat boardings and boat related crime in the Touristy Windwards and Trinidad then all of the time in Venezuela.

I am not trying to say Ven is the safest place in the world, when writing your story try to provide a fair and relavent comparison of boating crime and not to glamorise the pirates.

Many that have read my posting know I dislike the term pirate as it glamorises criminal scumbags who rob boats and boaters. It increases the overall fears about how unsafe it is out here.

I still find Washington DC to be much worse in all types of crime (include boat related thefts ie pirate attacks) espcially with violent crimes than in the Caribe.


We are getting ready to head out again to the pirate infested outislands of Venezuela for a fe weeks before heading north. Sorry about my soapbox, but the glamorizing of Criminal scumbags needs to stop!!

[Jentine]

flags would go a ways toward lessening the glamor and mystique of piracy and recognition for what it is. Criminal activity disguised as something romantic. Pirates are lowlifes that feed on the unprotected. It is unfortunate that we aren't allowed to carry guns aboard our vessels. That would be a solid deterrent to pirates and other nere-do-wells that think that all boaters are are rich and should share the wealth.

[GordMay]

I would doubt very much, whether any pirate wannabes are attracted to “... the glamor and mystique of piracy ...” (there is none), nor that the flying of those novelty skull & bones pennants does anything other than announce the boatowner’s maturity.

The term ‘Pirate’ is merely a technical noun, describing a very specific criminal activity, which in no way”... glamorizes criminal scumbags ...” except inasmuch as the communicants intend it that way. If one feels that robbery on the high seas (piracy) is glamorous, then it matters not what term you use to describe it, it will remain offensive to seamen and others.

Respectfully,
Gord

[sv_makai]

It is not the pirate wanna b's but the future cruisers and my family and friends.

The main question from family and friends 'is aren't you worried about Pirates.'

From what I read before we came out here and after being I belive that the problem is blown out of proportion. I would be interested, for the non cruiser sake, to see non media sensationalized story to bring it into prespective.

Since this is a discussion like heads on boats that never ends; this is all I have to say.

[RandyAbernethy]

Cruising World just published the story of Mahdi and Gandalf in the Jan 2006 issue (reported by Gord a few months back here). It contains some interesting insight including the Rod Nowlins comment about his shotgun: "that's why we're alive".

I agree with Cap Bil on the hype/glamour issues. Freedom fighters, underdogs, etc. People love to root for the underdog. People who rob sailing yachts are, to quote CB, scumbags. A Pirate could be the hero of a box office smash Disney movie, or a scumbag. I'll stick with scumbag.

[Soon2bsailor]

Hello everyone! Captain Bil, is totally correct on his statement. Being born and raised in Venezuela, I consider Venezuela to be a decent place to visit. I’m NOT being bias. I am just being honest. I have been living in the USA for almost two decades now. I married a wonderful American girl and together we have a beautiful family. Back in the earliest 90’s I decided to take my wife back to Venezuela to show her the place I was born, the high school I attended, and most important to introduce her to my family. My in-laws were all worried about that. They thought someone would harm their daughter (my wife). The fact is that we stayed in Venezuela for a month. We went to Margarita and several other places and we never had a problem. Just a year ago I went to Venezuela once again. I visited Caracas, Pt. La Cruz, and Margarita, and I came in one piece.

The other side of my story is the dark side. Yes, there is a LOT of crime in Venezuela, especially among Venezuelans. My brother worked very hard for 4 years and saved money to purchase his first car. Just eighth months later he got robbed at gun point, and some young kids took off with his car and all his possessions. I don’t think there is a true safe/crime free place in the whole country especially the capital, Caracas, and the big major cities. The reason for this is very simple. You have a country with approximately 23,000,000 population, a 20% unemployment rate, and almost 40% of the workforce hold part time jobs. One of my relatives is an engineer who works 12 to 14 a day and his salary a month is $ 520.

The point that I’m trying to convey is simple. People ALL over the planet who are in extreme situations like this do anything to get money. However, the true Venezuelans are good decent and hard working people that are painfully struggling during hard times. For all you sailors, Venezuelan waters are relatively safe as long you use your common sense. God Bless you all. Sail safe!