The changing face of cruising in the Med.

[weavis]

If you are sailing in the Eastern part of the Med, it may not have escaped your notice that there seems to be more military traffic in the area. A google search using the phrase "More Military presence in the med?" will enlighten you as to what is going on.

I spent a few hours reading up on the safety of cruise ships, and basically, it now would appear that a lot of the liners have resorted to armed protection.

This year, the United States Naval presence in the Med will be increased dramatically. Italy and Turkey have made it a priority patrol area. The situation is slowly becoming problematic for civilian cruisers especially on the Eastern side, but creeping westwards. Armed attack boats are heading out from the African coast a lot more.

I expect to hear in the next few months that regional authorities will be advising to keep a minimum of 60 miles away from the coastline of Africa and I.S. controlled areas. A couple of well executed boat kidnappings will make it so. It is no coincidence that the attack on the museum in Tunis targeted cruise line passengers in the Main. It only needs a couple of deeds like this to instil fear and terror and the object has been achieved.

The tragedy is made more devastating by the fact Tunisia was considered one of the more peaceful countries in the region. Its historic sites and pro-Western vibe had long attracted tourists — and cruise ships........

some experts had been predicting that a terrorist attack against cruise ships in the region was likely. Jim Walker, a Miami-based maritime lawyer who runs the website Cruise Law News, wrote in February that “there are numerous studies by security companies and U.S. governmental organizations which have studied terrorist organizations and concluded that terrorism against cruise ships is likely.”

“Families thinking of cruising in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Vancouver, Alaska) may be reasonably safe from an ISIS attack. A terrorist attack seems extremely unlikely to happen in the Caribbean,” Walker wrote. “But sailing into a port in Morocco, Tunisia, or Egypt on a cruise ship? It’s not a matter of if. It’s just a matter of when.”

Now, other cruise lines are evaluating their futures in Tunisia. “We will continue to monitor the situation. And any decisions to modify our itineraries will be guided by information and recommendations from a variety of U.S. government and security agencies.”

Im not an alarmist in nature or action. My observations are based on the last 6 months of information gathering and assessment. This will be the new line of independent sailing routes and you will share the journey with a huge military presence. I will miss Tunisia. I love the culture and the food.

The winds of change are coming. We will all be part of it and not from choice.

[atoll]

the morrocan coast is heavily patrolled anyway,and the rest of the north African coast is way off any cruising route for yachts.

the only area of any risk to yachts is around lampedusa/ pantalaria/sicily straights,and these areas are also heavily patrolled for refugee vessels.

like England during the ww2 our best defence is the sea!

atlantic coast you can forget about as well,just fising boats out there,and sardines!

[boatman61]

Was good to see a ballsy group of French Canadian citizens yeserday who refused to cancel their holiday to Tunisia.. even going a far as the group making a special visit to the mueseum to lay wreaths..
All over 50yrs old... thats whats needed.. Visible Moral Support
not knee jerk fear and paranoia..
RESPECT...

[weavis]

Geopolitical and religious divides seem to be the norm for mankind, according to world history anyway. I spent a lot of my early life patching up the results of the fallout when people bicker with intent.

Sides are being chosen. Lines are being drawn and the pages of the newspapers in times to come will show the results. I for one have NO intentions of changing my plans for cruising in the Med, but will do so in full knowledge that the atmosphere is slowly changing and yet something else has to be watched for apart from the weather.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by weavis

Geopolitical and religious divides seem to be the norm for mankind, according to world history anyway. I spent a lot of my early life patching up the results of the fallout when people bicker with intent.

Sides are being chosen. Lines are being drawn and the pages of the newspapers in times to come will show the results. I for one have NO intentions of changing my plans for cruising in the Med, but will do so in full knowledge that the atmosphere is slowly changing and yet something else has to be watched for apart from the weather.

I will send you those plans for the high powered compressed air ballbearing machine gun that you can make at home,as well as how to turn a normal distress flare into a rocket launcher

[boatman61]

And I can send you the plans for a home made mortar.. using domestic plastic drain pipe and hair spray...

[weavis]

Originally Posted by atoll

atlantic coast you can forget about as well,just fising boats out there,and sardines!

Sardines are good......

[boatman61]

There's always the bright side..
The CF Gun Lobby may finally get their wish... LOADSA GUNS


Note.. I switched to STEEL for the Med in January...

[weavis]

Originally Posted by boatman61

There's always the bright side..
The CF Gun Lobby may finally get their wish... LOADSA GUNS

OK......... coffee splutter clean up time.........

[Mike OReilly]

Sad to see Weavis. I have been wondering what will happen to international cruisers if the world really does head down the crapper. If the hunt for ISIS, or the fight over the Ukraine, expands what will happen to our freedom to hop in our little boats and wash up on a foreign shore.

OK ... I guess I know the answer to my question .

On a much smaller scale, the same thing is apparent even up here on the Great Lakes. On my journey last season through four of the five lakes we observed many heavily armed, all-black, military-looking heavy zodiacs patrolling the Canada/USA border. These are mostly American border services (they seem to have a ton of agencies out there), but even the Canadian Border Service is getting into the game. In Lake Erie the USCG had zoned off a large area for a live-fire session. I guess they want to be ready when the Canadian navy invades .

Not many years ago you'd never see such things on the Great Lakes. I guess I've been coddled in my friendly little Canadian cocoon, but I find it all very sad. The fear mongers are winning .

[goboatingnow]

It still is horse ****.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

It still is horse ****.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

I would like to revisit this in 6 months time,maybe check out the bareboat charter rental business in the Med. and compare what happens from now to then in regard to profitability..I hope your right ..

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

I would like to revisit this in 6 months time,maybe check out the bareboat charter rental business in the Med. and compare what happens from now to then in regard to profitability..I hope your right ..

The bareboat charter is concentrated in near shore areas of certain countries , most notably Croatia , Greece and Turkey. While a " spectacular " cannot be ruled out , these areas are not going to come within any danger areas of North Africa.

The med is like lots of places, large areas are perfectly safe , but there are a few dodgy alleys.

Its also a huge sea area, plenty of space

The main concern for European agencies is the ongoing threat of illegal immigration and that it could be used to smuggle in ISIL or other mall-contents

However to date home grown radical Islam , is more of a problem. Hard to protect your citizens from your citizens

Dave

[Polux]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

T...
However to date home grown radical Islam , is more of a problem. Hard to protect your citizens from your citizens
Dave

Yes and that can only succeed through integration.
Many European are Joining ISIS coming from radical Islam groups inside European Muslim communities. Mostly youngsters that have born there but that were never integrated and felt excluded.

Isis: '10,000 Europeans could be fighting for Islamic State by 2016' warns French PM

There are some Portuguese among them but as Muslims in Portugal point out not a single one that lived in Portugal and belonged to the Portuguese Muslim community were Muslims are integrated. Being integrated means to belong and to be proud of the community. Europeans have to work harder in promoting the integration of Muslims. That's the only way to stop recruiting.

[Capt Phil]

This is turning into a pretty rough crowd!