How to Stop Pirates . . .

[First Mate]

we've heard so much about pirates, that we won't go down the west coast of Mexico, just about anywhere in South America, other than Costa Rica - except how to get there and by-pass the crime on the way also keeps us away from Costa Rica.

About the only places left safe to go that we can get to from where we already are include the Puget Sound, Canada, and Hawaii. Maybe we could get to Australia and NZ without being killed. Getting to the Panama Canal to cross over to Europe would be dangerous - just getting to the canal!

The world is truly a nasty place. The dangers of nature itself are a challenge enough, but two legged dangers can't easily be dealt with.

I have no interest in going through foreign customs declaring weapons. But if I were to spend very long in the Caribbean, I'd want some fire power. Not even St Maarten is safe.

But at least someone has brought the subject up for discussion. However, I seriously doubt if the countries with the problems will clean their own mess. If they could, they would have already.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by hummingway

then rushiing right in. Pirate attacks were down drastically, at least in the first quarter of the year, .

They are not down significantly

Here is a screen grab of reported pirate attacks this year so far. NONE of the 3 confirmed pirated attacks we heard on VHF or Nic and I witnessed and reported are on this map. The area is FAR more active than reported.

Its is utterly important we do not let misleading ideas make other cruisers think the Gulf of Aden is safe, or safer than last year. It is not.

What is distinctlly worse this year is that MORE pirate attacks have occured where cruisers use the route from Maldives to Oman, and Oman to Yemen border and the north Indian ocean as a whole.

You show me a safe route from Thailand, the Maldives or from Indonesia or Malaysia to the Red Sea. Its doesn't exist.

Live Piracy Map


Some people dismissive of piracy were the people who wrote to Noonsite saying how safe the area was 'now'. They were the Chandlers.

[Capt Phil]

Just say no... don't go! Why would any reasonable cruiser intentionally put himself and crew in harms way? If you want to gamble, cruise the Carib during huricane season...

[First Mate]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

Just say no... don't go! Why would any reasonable cruiser intentionally put himself and crew in harms way? If you want to gamble, cruise the Carib during huricane season...

The Caribbean has its own pirates. Just called criminals there. The Caribbean is not safe cruising grounds - not as ridiculously bad as Somalia, but certainly not safe either.

[Geminidawn]

Originally Posted by Mark1977

Well I certainly hope you are pleased with yourself!

[Pyrate]

Well, for my bit, arming would be a personal choice. If I was sailing in those waters, I'd want to be armed. However, a small crew/family on a boat, even armed, has little chance against a half dozen trained (or at least experienced), armed pirates. And if you did fight back, and lost, then there would be little chance of them saving you to ransom. So, again, personal choice.

As for wiping out the problem, the first thing is to stabilize the government. When piracy was wiped out in the Caribbean during the 'golden age', it was not capturing and hanging pirates that did it. It was strengthening the government control of the area, and creating a better economy where people did not have to resort to piracy. Then, to get the pirates off the high seas, there were widespread pardons given to any pirates that turned themselves in to the authorities with no ramifications for prior illegal activity. Of course, in Somolia, the stable government would be the first thing to address. Then, when people are able to live safely and survive, work on building up an economy. Cost effective? Probably not in the short term, but potentially in the long run, especially if there are any natural resources in Somolia, such as mineral or oil resources that could be developed with a stable government in place. At least that's my two cents worth from a historical perspective.

Pyrate

[sailorboy1]

; )

This is web smiley face talk for - lets lighten up some. No one gets converted in these type of threads.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

No one gets converted in these type of threads.

I dunno about that.

Am thinking of becoming a Pirate . or marrying into a Somali clan

[Tellie]

MarkJ's pirate map is interesting. A rough count of all the pins in 2010 are about 120. Most of these are attempted not actual boardings and by far they are concentrated on freighters of some sort. Even if you triple the count because the sites says there is some over lay you're still only talking less than 400 attacks. I'm assuming that many of these attacks are by the same fellows. Lets say in a very conservative estimate that each pirate commits four attacks a year. That's only around 100 pirates or pirate ships. (I bet the number is even way lower than that, but let's go with the 100 number) You can change the government of those areas all you want, you're just not going to stop these guys. What kind of job are you envisioning that will make a very small handful of intent criminals give up lucrative careers where they can make millions in ransom? Even if we double the numbers yet again we are still talking a very small number of actual pirates compared to the real populations of the areas they hail from. I'm all for helping a country that wants to help itself. But when it comes to these pirates, as Grandpappy always said "Some people just need killin" It's quick, it's effective and we'll all soon forget about it and get over our collective grief as soon as Lindsey Lohan lands in jail once again. If that doesn't work I'm going with David Old Jersey. I've got my eye patch and cutlass ready and I'm looking forward to a Harem of Somalian babes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK6RgTdgLCk&feature=fvw

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Tellie

If they did the Bahamas would be a shooting gallery because there are a whole lot of guns on private boats there.
.

Is that why the Bahamas is one of the safest places to cruise or is it because it is close to the US and it is easy to keep the money flowing there?

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Tellie

I've got my eye patch and cutlass ready and I'm looking forward to a Harem of Somalian babes.

That fourth one has big ears like you. Possible match?

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by Mark1977

Originally Posted by Geminidawn

Well I certainly hope you are pleased with yourself!

How'd you like a trouble maker like that lurking somewhere in your city? I keep checking the backyard to see if someone ^ has toilet papered my house.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by Therapy

That fourth one has big ears like you. Possible match?

LOL smart a.. Hey, beggars can't be choosers. But I got a spare eye patch for the other eye if needed.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Tellie

LOL smart a.. Hey, beggars can't be choosers. But I got a spare eye patch for the other eye if needed.

HeH!
.....

[Pyrate]

I'm assuming that many of these attacks are by the same fellows. Lets say in a very conservative estimate that each pirate commits four attacks a year. That's only around 100 pirates or pirate ships. (I bet the number is even way lower than that, but let's go with the 100 number)

It's not just the number of actual pirates that matters. It's the local economies based on piracy. Once you have captives, you need to house them, guard them, feed them, etc. You need to maintain the captured boats in the harbor, negotiate for prisoner releases, obtaining and maintaining weapons, etc. So an entire village, while not the actual pirates attacking the boats, are involved in support of the pirates. And with no other economy in a village, all of a suddon an honest fisherman or any other trade which might be employed in support of the piracy is forced to do so by those with guns. Sure, some of the ringleaders need to be taken out. I'm definitely not a pacifist in that regard. But, I think that if there are options for people to make an honest living, and they vow to 'change their evil ways', then they should be given at least one chance. Of course, if they dabble in piracy again, then hang 'em in the tidal zone, let three tides wash over their corpse, and then put them in a gibbet at a crossroads as a warning to all others who might engage in that illicit trade. Of course, it's a complicated situation that requires a multifaceted approach. No one action will prove to be a solution. Use military force, diplomacy, and humanitarian aid in conjunction with each other to rid us of the problem.

Pyrate