Sailing In Pirate Territory (midnight boarding)
We've never been the type to let fear get the better of us. But every once in a while we have an experience that gives us a humbling jolt. Just enough of a scare to keep us from being cavalier about our safety. This was one of those times.
The Sulu Sea has been one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the world since the pre-colonial era. And while it is arguably safter than it has ever been, the risks are still very real and mostly concentrated to certain areas known as Red Zones.
Sailing through, or around, the Southern Sulu Sea is to be done very cautiously. We are avoiding the Red Zones but we are getting close as we sail south to Cebu. So, when a group of armed men tried boarding our vessel at midnight, we were preparing ourselves for the worst. 🫣
Luckily, we get to think of this experience as a test, or a practice drill. But certainly its had us running through our emergency procedure protocol!
Safety At Sea - Avoiding Pirates
While each sailor has their own "how I would defend myself if" scenarios, we're not going to get into all of that. But we don't mind sharing some of how we decide what bodies of water to sail through.
How safe an ocean, or country, is for sailors isn't as simple as checking for travel advisories. It takes a bit more digging but seems to get a little easier every year (thanks internet).
In general, we try to get a broad view of the area we are sailing to and then dial it in. Websites like ReCaap focus mostly on cargo and big ships but they have a lot of good info, alerts, training videos and incident reports. We check our governments maritime, coast guard and travel websites plus our intended destination and the EU & AU sites too. Since our vessel is registered with the Marshall Islands, we also get regular email updates from their offices.
Social media is fantastic for connecting with anyone else who has, or is sailing the area. Because local knowledge is always the best! And of course once we've landed in a new country we chat with local boaters, ask at the chandlery, a marina or just about anyone that we see hanging out on the water. Even a good pub can be a helpful place to get the scoop on what's good and what should be skipped.
We also keep an eye on local news to stay up to date on any new unrest that pops up (Facebook is a big news source used by most countries).
Honestly, even a quick search of "how safe is it to sail in ____" will give you a decent jump start when it comes to route planning.
It's easy enough to find out about the Red Zones and simply avoid them. Outside of those hotspots, the number of pirate attacks and kidnappings against sailors in private vessels are incredibly rare. We are far more likely to get struck by lightning, get in a car accident or attacked by a feral animal on land!
So, we do our research, prepare ourselves as best as possible and sail on. Because...
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. -Helen Keller
