Somali Pirates Hijack Yacht with Four Americans Aboard

[Aussiesuede]

Originally Posted by Dreaming Yachtsman

As many others have mentioned in this thread, the governments of the free world need to pursue coordinated action against the pirates. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening.

Perhaps fly a few of these:



into a few of these?



Then again, maybe not. Don't really want to get in the flying things into buildings racket. That's the kind of shifty stuff "Those People" do.

[jpemb7]

These poor people and their families must be going through hell at the moment. My heart goes out to all of them.
Our plans to fly to the Med, buy a boat and cruise back to Australia via the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans looks more and more attractive to me. While there are risks in any adventure, sailing through the Suez via the Indian Ocean seems to have reached tipping point.
What are the real risks though ? How many boats transited this year v's those that had piracy issues ?

[Bob]

Originally Posted by Mata'irea

Bill,
I was wondering if after you made the decision to take the northern route across the Indian if you continued to collect data about the activity South of the Seychelles. For crews that can not afford to ship their yachts into the Med and who fear the southernmost route, data about the activity around the top of Madagascar and in the Mozambique Channel would be quite useful. If you have charted that data, would you be willing to post it here?

Best,
Danika

Better still - add to the information already on the World Cruising Wiki - Indian Ocean section - South Africa section.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Sounds like a "curcumnavigation" of the Mediterranean is in order.

At the rate the world is going, yes.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by joey69

Sounds like bible thumpers to me. They got caught smuggling contraband (illegal goods).

Much as I dislike missionaries, they still didn't merit this, so I prefer to see them as sailors who made bad choices, like announcing their itinerary.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

So we as cruisers do need to be culturally sensitive. And perhaps there is a need to reinforce cultural sensitivites on this forum to folks planning their trips.


Lets hope it does not affect the negotiations. I doubt it will have any affect - they are just after money.

I agree, but I also think that people trying to hand out Bibles in the heart of Islam are thinking with their faith and not their brains. Cultural sensitivity includes pretty simple things like women wearing full-length skirts and men wearing long pants in certain countries, and not beach gear, knowing that some cultures find some gestures (like eating food with the left hand or displaying the soles of your feet) really insulting.

Certainly, when I see certain "newcomers" discharging wads of phlegm loudly onto the sidewalk in my city, I can identify.

Still doesn't buy them a kidnapping, but if they misjudged how distributing Bibles in the middle of the Arab world would go over, I have to wonder if they are expecting a rescue by Lt. Jesus of the Navy SEALS.

[boatman61]

Come on guy's... its not their fault... remember...
"The lord giveth... and the lord taketh away...."
There's a message there somewhere....

[kenny chaos]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

Much as I dislike missionaries, they still didn't merit this, so I prefer to see them as sailors who made bad choices, like announcing their itinerary.

That's ridiculous.

[hummingway]

That pretty much sums up this thread I'd say. It's closed.