Forced at gunpoint to jump off a sailboat in the Exumas

[PUDDLE JUMPER II]

Originally Posted by Chotu

And Russians are built a little different. Big big cultural gap between Russians and Californians. Big gap. There’s even a big gap between Californians and New Yorkers.

150% man... Like from different worlds...

[SocalBen]

Cruisers,

I hope everyone can understand that my post was not the sort of tale I ever imagined having to describe, should any of you have ever had a gun pointed at you, in an area where being shot and dumped and never found being a realistic expectation, you might understand why I cannot let this go and easily 'move on'.

I would more than welcome anyone who either wants to chat privately and see the frantic, terror filled text chain I had with the other boat owner, to go over in detail the boat's GPS track, or even anyone who reaches out to Nick to get 'his' side of the story, whatever fabricated reality that might be.

Just keep a few things in mind:

First, I washed up on a remote Cay with nothing but a wallet and passport, barely making it to a house at sundown after bashing my way through almost impenetrable scrub. I had to be rescued by Bahamian authorities in a fast boat from Georgetown.

Second, when the Tourism board drove me to the airport, after having American get me on the next flight home, that is all I had on me. No phone, tablet, laptop, BCD, Dive computer, luggage, nothing at all. Nick stole it all and perhaps dumped it all overboard, he's certainly not going to ever tell that story.

I reported the event immediately to the police, spent 3 hours that night telling it all in great detail. Nick never reported anything to anyone, and only said anything when I got the police to detain him a week later.

He has claimed to others that I assaulted him and broke two ribs (never happened), but then he boasted on facebook a few days later of playing volleyball with other cruisers. Maybe he heals fast?

Anyhow, thank you all for listening to my tale, I pray it never happens to any of you, ever. It is a trauma I am still trying to deal with.

Be well, safe travels and fair winds, I can be contacted via PM by anyone who wants to know more.

Ben Cahan
Los Angeles, CA

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

... would be the least of my worries.
As a Captain MY assumption is that anything I haven't ...
AND if I DID ...
AND I personally ...

Sorry, it's not clear Capn_Bill, you were another crew on this voyage? But you jumped ship at the beginning with all the bad vibe?

Originally Posted by capn_billl

If you are chartering, or crewing on a boat, and obvious maintenance items are unaddressed, THAT is a first Red Flag.

A Captain that doesn't walk you through procedures, and safety equipment the moment you get on board is a second Red Flag.

AND ALWAYS have a plan B. Round trip tickets, aways. You can get refundable tickets.

I think that the OP had already covered these as issues. Easy in hindsight. If only the world were so simple when one travels to crew.

[nightowle]

Sometimes you do have to read between lines and look at nuance. I did take the opportunity to quickly scan through [redacted] Facebook page from the link that was posted herein. You'll find some derisive retorts by [redacted] to replies to comments that he's made within his own posts. He comes across as somewhat noxious. This certainly leads me to believe all the more in the veracity of Ben's tale, let alone be in agreement with our fellow poster's comment that no gentleman would wave a gun in anyone's face for the simple misdemeanors in this story.

[Cyrus Safdari]

If you wouldn't interact with someone on land things won't get better in a closed small space at sea; should go with first instincts
I don't know how the crewing thing works; can you check prior references?
Assuming the boat was registered in the US and you're both Americans, the Bahamanian authorities would probably call this a US police problem

[s/v Jedi]

We simply don’t know. Maybe the Captain is a monster, maybe the crew first refused to follow orders and it evolved into mutiny with the captain able to save himself with his gun.

Maybe something in between the two extremes. There is zero evidence.

[jeanathon]

Originally Posted by SocalBen

We were a half mile offshore in the ocean and Nick told me I had two choices: jump overboard there and then, or he would dump me at whatever small Cay was closest. I said we should wait for the cops to show up and we could work through it. That lasted five minutes, and he ordered me to pack my bags as he gunned the engine for the cut at Little Darby Cay. I started filming everything on my GoPro and that sadly enraged him, and after a scuffle to get past me (I thought was going for the knife drawer), he pulled the gun and all ‘discussion’ was over. I was at that point begging for my life.


Ben Cahan
Los Angeles, CA

I'm with Shrew in that I would like to hear the other 2/3rds. But this statement of not packing your bags when you had the chance, but instead escalating the situation well sounds like you both need adult supervision. The term gaslighting jumps to mind.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by jeanathon

I'm with Shrew in that I would like to hear the other 2/3rds. But this statement of not packing your bags when you had the chance, but instead escalating the situation well sounds like you both need adult supervision. The term gaslighting jumps to mind.

It is unseemly to automatically choose the side of the aggressor.


[redacted] facebook page contains a categorical characterization of everything the OP has written as untrue but lacks a cogent explanation for how his crew member came to be found on a remote island bereft of his possessions. If that is all Mr. [redacted] has to say regarding the matter then I am prepared to draw certain conclusions.



I am thankful that the OP has posted here since it is helpful to understand how badly these arrangements can end.

[jeanathon]

I chose no side. Just pointed out that Ben said he was told to pack his bags, but instead chose to make a bad situation worse. Then complained on here because he didn't have his stuff.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by grantmc

Sorry, it's not clear Capn_Bill, you were another crew on this voyage? But you jumped ship at the beginning with all the bad vibe?


I think that the OP had already covered these as issues. Easy in hindsight. If only the world were so simple when one travels to crew.

If one has any common sense, going to a strange boat to spend time alone at sea with a stranger having a bailout plan is a no brainer. .. otherwise you may as well jump into the lions pen without a ladder..
I have walked from a few boats after meeting the owner, sometimes two hours after I went on board, other times the next morning when public transport started running again.
The world is that simple.. unfortunately humans can sometimes be the same..

[mvweebles]

This thread is why I love CruisersForum!!! A couple months ago there was the guy who anchored off the beach in Tijuana and was deported to the US. Lots of hand-wringing about the real story, then an ex-friend of his pops-in and gives the back story.

Last year there was the guy who had his boat commandeered off Cuba with some sort of crazy story about being locked inside.

This story has the same can't-make-this-stuff-up aspect to it, but to my eyes, has learning experiences other stories don't. As a past delivery skipper who had all manner of crew, I can tell you that in all countries, you are 100% responsible for your crew. I'm not saying the OP is exaggerating, but even if he is, there is no scenario where it's acceptable for a crew to be discharged without proper escort. Period. The captain was, at the very least, responsible to alert Bahamaian port captain that his crew went AWOL - and that's based on not believing a single word of the OP except that he was separated from the boat before termination of the voyage.

It's not clear who paid for the OP to fly home, but whoever did has an argument to recover the costs from the captain of the [redacted]. For anyone who has ever flown internationally, you know that the gate agents check for your passport before you board the departing flight. Know why? Because if you show-up in another country and get turned away because you forgot your passport, the airline is responsible to fly you back home.

[Chotu]

Not sure if my post was moderated for content or not. I think it was just because I quoted something they moderated, but I find it interesting this guy made the Micro-Air soft start product we have all come to love. I have 2 of them. They basically allow you to run a skyscraper's HVAC system off your eu2000. Lol

Just an interesting tidbit about him. Since there are a lot of other tidbits here.

so, many of us have funded this guy's trip.

[wyb2]

Originally Posted by Jammer

It is unseemly to automatically choose the side of the aggressor.

Agree. Unfortunately it’s human nature, a side effect of our brain’s tools to protect itself from too much fear or anxiety.

If a person trips and breaks their ankle, people think, “oh that’s a clumsy thing to do, I’m not clumsy, so that won’t happen to me”. It’s a good thing to not live in constant fear of breaking your ankle. But there’s a thin fuzzy line between “that’s a clumsy thing to do” and “that only happened to you because you were being clumsy, so really it’s your fault”. If this person is your good friend, you probably won’t cross that line. But for a stranger, it’s pretty easy to.

Of course some people are clumsy, they trip more often than the average person. But also, crap happens, and can happen to anybody.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by wyb2

Agree. Unfortunately it’s human nature, a side effect of our brain’s tools to protect itself from too much fear or anxiety.

If a person trips and breaks their ankle, people think, “oh that’s a clumsy thing to do, I’m not clumsy, so that won’t happen to me”. It’s a good thing to not live in constant fear of breaking your ankle. But there’s a thin fuzzy line between “that’s a clumsy thing to do” and “that only happened to you because you were being clumsy, so really it’s your fault”. If this person is your good friend, you probably won’t cross that line. But for a stranger, it’s pretty easy to.

Of course some people are clumsy, they trip more often than the average person. But also, crap happens, and can happen to anybody.

this forum does it every single time. It never fails. Just like that story about the guy coming ashore in Mexico. I don’t know what’s wrong with people on here sometimes. They can’t just read a story and follow along with it. They have to discredit it or whatever. Why do they do that anyway?

nobody is on some sinister mission to make up fictional stories on a forum. Please.

stories might be slanted one way or another based on the author, but nobody’s making anything up. What is the point of that?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Chotu

this forum does it every single time. It never fails. Just like that story about the guy coming ashore in Mexico. I don’t know what’s wrong with people on here sometimes. They can’t just read a story and follow along with it. They have to discredit it or whatever. Why do they do that anyway?

nobody is on some sinister mission to make up fictional stories on a forum. Please.

stories might be slanted one way or another based on the author, but nobody’s making anything up. What is the point of that?

Some of us (I've been known to trip on the white line in the middle of the road) are just advising folks to lift their feet higher..