[PUP] Thoughts on piracy

[Sonaia Maryon-Davis]

We had some near miss experiences on our passage from Seattle to the
Panama Canal with shipping in 2003 and decided to install AIS before
we crossed the Atlantic in May 2004.  I cannot overemphasize the
comfort that we have gained from AIS, the ability to communicate with
the ships has been hugely beneficial.  We have been in the Straits of
Gibraltar and the Straits of Messina as well as the shipping lanes
between Malta and Sicily that are very busy this summer.  AIS was a
godsend.  We even persuaded a supertanker to change cause and only one
ship failed to respond to our VHF call.  We would consider AIS as
essential equipment, just as important as radar.  We paid around
$4,000 for our Furuno unit which is interfaced with our Nobeltec chart
software on our onboard PC.  Today, prices are less but even at $4,000
it is a vital investment.

When traveling on a boat like our Nordhavn 57, we don't have the speed
to dodge a ship at 22 knots quickly enough so the ability to
communicate with them is essential and for them to see us on their
AIS.  Peace of mind has never come so inexpensively, believe us.


On 12/12/06, bob Austin <thataway4@cox.net> wrote:
> To put this back in prospective--if you voyage enough there is a reasonable
> possibility of all three--and maybe all four--might occur.
>
> I was on a racing boat off Guadelope Island Mx and we hit a container in 1979.
> (also hit a large log off British Columbia, and a tuna net float in Straits of
> Gibralter)--none of these sank the boat--but any might have certain boats.
> (We also ensnared the prop three times in nets or plastics)
>
>
> We encountered some pirates (drug smugglers who had been known to kill
> boaters, and take their boats, confirmed by DEA in Panama) in the Southern San
> Blas Islands--but we were with another boat--both boats kept a watch all night
> and left in the early AM.  This was probably the most dangerous situation we
> encountered.   A native attempted to board in the Grenedines.  Our suspician
> was that he was the same person who attacked another boater. We were boarded
> several times at night and pilfered things off the deck--and had a 13 foot
> inflatable dinghy stolen (despite a 125 lb black lab aboard).  We had seen
> drug smuggling off the West Coast Channel Islands, Central America and the
> Med.  We think that we avoided some problems with natives in Central America
> because of two labs present (another voyage than the one lab)
>
> We had to take evasive action to avoid being run down at least half a dozen
> times.  Several of these were outside of "shipping lanes".  Dangerous areas
> for us were busy converging shipping areas--like the Straits of Messina,
> Gibralter or Punta Mala Panama.  Best to avoid these areas at night.  We have
> several friends who have had collisions with fishing boats.  At least one was
> intentional.  One fishing boat attempted to ram us off Mexico.
>
> Rogue waves--?  Not really.  We have seen some very heavy seas and summation
> waves, but nothing I would call a rogue wave.
>
> Situational awareness is extemely important. That is being aware of your
> suroundings and what is going on.  (Not necessaryilly as in PM magazine)--The
> other important issue is keeping calm and cool--having a plan for each
> situation.  Finally avoiding situations if at all possiable.  For example, if
> we had realized what the potential danger was from the group in the S. San
> Blas, we would have left when the light was good (one cannot navigate reefs
> after the sun starts to do down).  There have been coves where things didn't
> seem right--and we sailed on.  On the other hand, we have followed villagers
> in their dugouts to their village in perfect safety.  One gets a feeling and
> has to trust that sensation.
>
> Our alarms were mostly trip wire type.--Nothing real sophisticated.
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