Pirate attacks continue in the Somalia region of the Indian Ocean. Last week a group of pirates attacked a Liberian-flagged tanker MV Evita. The destroyer U.S.S. Farragut was in the vicinity and came to the Evita’s assistance. After capturing the pirates, Farragut set the pirates’ vessel aflame as seen in the accompanying USN photo.
One voyager recently emailed his thoughts on security for voyaging vessels: “I observed a number of Type A personality American males [in the Caribbean], in a bar at happy hour and within minutes one or more of them will ask ‘you got a gun aboard?’
“Rule #1 is never talk about something like this ashore. The bartender is probably related to the chief of police. In fact, never talk about this with others at all. Just say no, I don’t have one aboard. The minute you admit you have one, even to another cruiser you are at risk with the local officials. People have big mouths and like to blab.
“The absolute most powerful weapon to have aboard (when in port) is a one-watt bulb burning in the cockpit. If there are 20 boats anchored and three or four have lights on deck, guess which boats a potential boarder is going to go to? It’s not as sexy as a “full auto” something or other but the fact is – it works.â€
