Safety and Cruising

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by colemj

...

For example, the Bahamas are pretty much completely "safe" from all you fear (stay out of Nassau). Yet the vast majority of cruisers there congregate in only a couple of places and rarely move. So if one moved over a couple of bays and stayed by themselves, are they type A or type B in your world?

...

Mark

Bahamas are a good case in point. I used to spend a lot of time there in 80's. Crime was abundant. Drug running was THE major industry. Never had a serious concern about safety because I was not in that business.

So, stats on legitimately high crime rates can be misinterpreted....cruisers are not typically involved in these crimes.

Case in point: A small plan carrying 500kg of cocaine flew low over my house about 4AM today. Did these guys give a hoot about me? No. They got busted later today (loads of cops and military). A significant crime. Effect on cruising community = 0%.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Your kidding me, there is tens of thousands of yachts in the Carribean, and why not count charter boats , last time i looked they were yachts , equally there are 100000s of boats based there, See Jimmys 2010 survey, 2000 is tiny , theres more boats at antigua week then that .

dave

+1. I think 2,000 is low.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

It would be great to see some of these opinions supported with data. Like, how many cruisers are in the Caribbean per year or at any one time and how many murders, assaults, robberies per cruiser per year.

Else, we are just making stuff up and it opens the door for making more stuff up.

The good news (?!) is that likely that violence against folks on boats follows the same pattern as against folks at "home" (wherever that be!)........most comes from Family, Freinds and acquaintances - pick those with some thought (and yes, you can pick family!) and will have reduced yer risk considerably - afloat or ashore.


If I ever get to the Caribbean by boat then will adopt the risk management strategy of identifying where the US boats are en-masse.......and then head the other way .

[rognvald]

"My suggestion to you is to stay out of the Caribe completely. It isn't for you anymore, because you fear it and are paralyzed by unexamined and unparsed data." Colemj

Colemj,
I find it both sad and amusing how a person(s) can determine and pre-judge who you are as a person and what you have done in your life based upon an internet persona. Whether you are strong or weak, brave or cowardly, competent or incompetent can only be determined by considerable personal contact. Of course, this mindset is always the trademark of an uneducated person and one whom lacks real experience in life by judging another without truly knowing him/her. This is the allure for some of internet communication where they can be as bold and challenging as they desire without the possibility of a personal face to face confrontation. Personality conflicts in online forums are a given since your worldview is open to criticism and challenge. These difference are healthy since they allow a person to consider another's point of view that they may have not considered by themselves. But, name calling and pathetic pseudo-psychological analysis, of which you are clearly guilty, does not strengthen your debate but merely reveals to others your personal limitations and those of your ilk. I have always been a free thinker and have never considered the advice of others unless I had respect for them as an intelligent person. The above quote clearly does not place you in that category. Good luck, good sailing and may your self avowed strength and fearlessness as a "true cruiser" be your trademark to all whom have the honor of your presence.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by rognvald

.... I have always been a free thinker and have never considered the advice of others unless I had respect for them as an intelligent person......

Have you changed your thoughts at all from the feedback you received here? Or are you still basically on the old-days was safe and great and the new days are dangerous and bad?

[boatman61]

[QUOTE=rognvald;1439304
But, name calling and pathetic pseudo-psychological analysis, of which you are clearly guilty, does not strengthen your debate but merely reveals to others your personal limitations and those of your ilk.
QUOTE]

Kinda 'Pot calling the Kettle black'.. What..

[sailorboy1]

Thank God of CF for the ignore list

[Carl Richardson]

I have chartered in the Caribbean ( Antigua, Gradaloupe, St. Marten, BVI) for 14 weeks in the past 5 years and found that there is little crime and some security here. I always lock the companionway and other hatches when off the boat.

The only problem I can remember was four years ago off the west side of Guadaloupe anchored off Isle de Pigeon where a man on a skiff was breaking in to a moored catamaran and stealing what appeared to be their electronics. We tried to scare him off but he just laughed at us. When we contacted the Guadaloupe Police they said they were unable to help and I could fill out a form at the station. Guadaloupe appeared "sketchy" and although we were able to speak French, we felt somewhat unwelcome in shops and restaurants. BUT the WWF Isle de Pigeon dive site with a bronze statue of Cousteau was worth it!

The BVI is very secure and I have not seen/ heard of any criminal activity in the islands while there. They have pro-active policing as evident from boats we have seen. Common sense tells us to lock the boat when we are ashore/diving.

I feel safer in the Virgin Islands than in London, Chicago, Seattle, SanFran or New York City. Be careful and always have an emergency plan for your adventures. Confidence increases with planning.

God Luck! CRR
.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Have you changed your thoughts at all from the feedback you received here? Or are you still basically on the old-days was safe and great and the new days are dangerous and bad?

Hi, Paul,
One always tries to be open minded and cannot discount first-hand accounts by those who are currently cruising. I do believe things have changed and have had first hand feedback from currently cruising friends who believe differently than some on this forum. As in everything in life, it is a matter of opinion. The general consensus seems to be that the Bahamas are safe and really always were-- even in the drug days since there was more money to be made in drugs than theft or robbery. This cannot be said for much of the poverty afflicted Caribbean and it is the sporadic and perhaps unpredictable violence in the Windwards and Leewards and in Central America that has attracted the most attention and concern(I won't even mention Venezuela). There is also the method of cruising (that many seem to have ignored in this discussion) where one's preferred choice is to cruise in areas with crowded anchorages and much commercialization or to seek more remote places where you are on your own and away from the crowd. The mindset of these two opposites is quite different and the focus of your cruising lifestyle is very different as well as your concerns for safety. So, the real question for us is where can we fulfill what we believe is our concept of cruising and for many of the above reasons, the Caribbean is losing its former allure and charm. There is no book of accomplishments required by cruisers akin to earning badges to become an Eagle Scout since it is the experience and not necessarily the destination that defines the cruise. As I have mentioned earlier, the North latitudes are a very desirable cruising ground for self sufficient and self confident souls and one can hardly compare the quiet, isolated, pristine anchorages of South Andros Island or the Cay Sal Bank to the dinghy races to cocktail hour or beach volleyball in the crowded and polluted anchorages of some cruisers favorite destinations. Have my thoughts changed? You be the judge. Good luck and good sailing. Thanks for the intelligent question.

[Therapy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by rognvald View Post
.... I have always been a free thinker and have never considered the advice of others unless I had respect for them as an intelligent person......

Just curios.
If this is how you feel then why ask any question here?

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by Therapy

Quote:
Originally Posted by rognvald View Post
.... I have always been a free thinker and have never considered the advice of others unless I had respect for them as an intelligent person......

Just curios.
If this is how you feel then why ask any question here?

Hi, Therapy,
Actually, in my original post, I was not looking for advice but rather, based upon published crime statistics, how much risk the average cruiser was willing to take to cruise the Caribbean and what safety measures they employed. Unfortunately, as in most topics, there is much thread drift and it is sometimes difficult to follow an OP's original question as has been the case here. However, in repsonse to the above quote, it is a broad statement not intended as an attack on this very fine Cruisersforum, but rather a commonsense statement much akin to saying when I have a problem with my home's plumbing, I don't call an electrician . . . I call a plumber. Good luck and good sailing.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Hi, Therapy,
Actually, in my original post, I was not looking for advice but rather, based upon published crime statistics, how much risk the average cruiser was willing to take to cruise the Caribbean and what safety measures they employed. Unfortunately, as in most topics, there is much thread drift and it is sometimes difficult to follow an OP's original question as has been the case here. However, in repsonse to the above quote, it is a broad statement not intended as an attack on this very fine Cruisersforum, but rather a commonsense statement much akin to saying when I have a problem with my home's plumbing, I don't call an electrician . . . I call a plumber. Good luck and good sailing.

I used to be a Plumber... but I'm all right now..