OK, I'm asking --> Pirate questions

[Gerrycooper56]

Would agree about aggressive fishermen West of Panama. We were approached about 90miles off the pacific Colombian coast by an open fishing boat approaching at high speed with 3 males on board. As it turns out we gave them a beer each and they left, however if it had been anything else we would have been exposed as we were unarmed.


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[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Gerrycooper56

Would agree about aggressive fishermen West of Panama. We were approached about 90miles off the pacific Colombian coast by an open fishing boat approaching at high speed with 3 males on board. As it turns out we gave them a beer each and they left, however if it had been anything else we would have been exposed as we were unarmed.


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These encounters are really in the eye of the beholder. I don't doubt that you were really concerned when this boat approached you, but in the end it was poor fisherman wanting something to drink. If you'd asked they would probably have traded some fish.

Being in unfamiliar territory and not having great communications makes it really difficult to use our normal awareness radar. In our normal environment we are all pretty good at knowing what situations are dangerous and which aren't. When you travel to new worlds you just don't have the local knowledge and insight.

[m2244]

Originally Posted by Paul L

These encounters are really in the eye of the beholder. I don't doubt that you were really concerned when this boat approached you, but in the end it was poor fisherman wanting something to drink. If you'd asked they would probably have traded some fish.

Being in unfamiliar territory and not having great communications makes it really difficult to use our normal awareness radar. In our normal environment we are all pretty good at knowing what situations are dangerous and which aren't. When you travel to new worlds you just don't have the local knowledge and insight.

Good point, and I'm sure it can take quite a while to develop that kind of intuition for these encouters.

[PappysSailing]

Has anyone who took the time to respond to the m2244 also taken the time to consider that maybe m2244 IS A PIRATE ???? Pappy

[knockabout]

if they pull along side and ask to see your safety gear don't show them condoms

[barnakiel]

And is all the rhum ... ?????

;-)

Movies, lies and video tapes.

b.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by Tkeeth

Made me laugh.....because my wife said the same thing.

Incidents of pirates are rare (outside of someplace like Somalia). You are much more likely to be robbed or assaulted in your neighborhood depending on where you live. So, unless your going all the way around the world, basic security planning is enough. Go to noonsite and they track reports of piracy. Also look at the carribean safety and security net. You will see most incidents are stolen dinghys or an occasional boarding while onshore.

Not true. They exist, along with corrupt coastal patrols and opportunistic fishing vessels. There are plenty of sites updating encounters. Basically west and east coasts of africa, anywhere along the indian ocean, around much of southeast asia, and along the eastern coasts of south america from Venezuela down to brazil.
True that encounters seem to be rare, but then again, a plundered and sunk boat with dead crew do not report their encounters. The biggest threat is at sea. We kept one radio tuned to the "local" military frequencies and made a big show of using the radio when strange boats took too much interest in us. A megaphone wired to the radio did wonders sometimes when the military operator came on(remember sound bounces across water for quite a distance).
In certain parts of the world you should have the females cover up.Sorry, but that is reality. A naked female is irresistible to many; kind of like blood to sharks.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by m2244

Fairly recently, my wife and I started talking more and more about sailing in the near future. She is a bit of a nervous Nelly so when I first brought it up what do you think she said first?

“What about the pirates?!”

So OK, what about the pirates? Can you guys give me any information on the following:

1. Are there areas to avoid?
2. What about areas such as around BVI, Caribbean, etc?
3. Do people arm themselves? Warning shots? (I have considerable experience with fire arms)
4. Should you avoid flying certain flags?
5. Are there fake flags you can fly that might deter them?
6. Is there any kind of help available if you run into pirates?

I feel silly asking this question but hey, I don’t know much about this subject? I’m basically trying to cover all my bases in answering any other pirate-related questions my wife might come up with.

Besides the Caribbean, where were you planning to go? Perhaps best to lay out a possible itinerary and ask for possible hazards/benefits/resources along that way...
There are lots of things we IMAGINE to be hazards (drug smuggling submarines, angry whales, hungry stalking great white sharks, rogue waves, horrible storms. errant half submerged containers, pirates) that just don't materialize once you are out there. Not to say there aren't hazards, just not as much or as often as one can imagine.

[sailcrazy]

After a 22-yr career in the military, our 2nd career took us to the Philippines, where we lived and worked,and cruised(just the 2 of us) for 10+ years.....without incident! We have since sailed to Phuket, to Turkey and the Medd, and are now in the Caribbean. We "carried" for a number of years, but finally realized no matter what we had onboard-they(the pirates) would have more....a lot more-and they're ready to use it. We finally made an anchor out of our arms and have not "carried" since. The government hassle is beyond belief, what ever you have on board will not be enough, and as a non-resident/non-local...you are guilty until proved innocent if you have/use a firearm. We do carry bats, macheties, pepper spray, etc-but no firearms. Even if you had a Zu 23-4 mounted on your foredeck-it would not be enough! Be smart, be careful where you go, and don't be an "ugly American"...and you'll not have an issue. The only incident my wife and I have had (in 17 years and counting) was when we were approaching a fisherman's net(not marked) in the PI; he came up on us fast....and just wanted us to turn to avoid his net! with guns on board ( and the temptation to use them) things could have gotten real ugly real quickly...over nothing!

[m2244]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Besides the Caribbean, where were you planning to go? Perhaps best to lay out a possible itinerary and ask for possible hazards/benefits/resources along that way...
There are lots of things we IMAGINE to be hazards (drug smuggling submarines, angry whales, hungry stalking great white sharks, rogue waves, horrible storms. errant half submerged containers, pirates) that just don't materialize once you are out there. Not to say there aren't hazards, just not as much or as often as one can imagine.

In the future, who knows but right now we have our eyes on BVI, Galapagos, place like that. To tell you the truth, we are not ready to cross any ocean right now. Thinking about flying somewhere and renting a boat for our first real sailing experience before we jump into buying anything. I have several more years in the military, so we may not buy anything or do a crossing until I near the end of my career, roughly 8 more years.

[ewe2]

I wanted to thank all of you for your expertise and comments on piracy.
My husband and I are trying to get it together for our first real voyage from Long Island to Florida and hopefully the Caribbean. (He's cautious one, I'm the LET'S GO!) Still might be another year, we need to be sure our '78 Hughes 40 is up to snuff (and us too!). Repairs and renovation are expensive, without money means LOTS of time!
We hope very much to stay, cruise and liveaboard from then on!

[transmitterdan]

When cruising down the east coast the only pirates you have to worry about are up the Potomac river from the Cheasapeake bay. Watch out as you go by that area.

[boatman61]

These threads always amuse me greatly..
An assault in the Carib leads to calls for action.. boycotts etc.. abuse of blacks in general.
On the other hand if Europeans considering visiting New York were to take the same view as US cruisers, the US and other airlines would go broke..
In St Martin I hang out in Phillipsburg and Sandy Ground till the early hours in mainly all black bars and rib shacks.. never had a problem..
On the other hand however I have been threatened with violence in the Soggy Dollar, Pallapa Docks on more than one occasion.. ahahaaa

[m2244]

Originally Posted by boatman61

These threads always amuse me greatly..
An assault in the Carib leads to calls for action.. boycotts etc.. abuse of blacks in general.
On the other hand if Europeans considering visiting New York were to take the same view as US cruisers, the US and other airlines would go broke..

I think people are just trying to educate themselves on subjects they are not familiar with. Let's not turn this into a racial thing, there's plenty of that out there already.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by m2244

I think people are just trying to educate themselves on subjects they are not familiar with. Let's not turn this into a racial thing, there's plenty of that out there already.

Get off the Racism High Horse...
My Dad was a Paki.. still would be.. but he died..
Likely you've never experienced racism.. I have..