Pirates and Waves, Oh My

I went throught the straights of Malacca in about 1965 on an Aircraft Carrier, the INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62). I was Boiler Officer and Dusty was the Air Boss (if he hadn't left by then). We were in radio silence and used a short range surface search radar very sparingly to keep us clear of the many ferries that run at right angles across the waterway. It was night time, pitch black and we ran without lights on too.

Had a destroyer following us closely as we went in and when we came out on the other side (West to East heading for Japan), the destroyer was just ahead of us!!! :!: :shock: Didn't see him pass us in the dark and not sure he saw us either. The skipper got all excited for some reason.

Didn't see any pirates but I understand they were there then, maybe we were just a little too big for them! :wink:

Did a Google on WORLD PIRACY REPORT and came up with this. Some very interesting stuff, both sea and air. Turn your volume down, the music is loud!
Charlie
 
The World Piracy Report is a pretty scary read!

Makes you glad we live in a fee country with law and order!

Thanks again Vetrans!

Joe :thup
 
Sea Wolf":3t35tbkj said:
The World Piracy Report is a pretty scary read!

Makes you glad we live in a fee country with law and order!

Thanks again Vetrans!

Joe :thup
Click to expand...

Joe, I agree. It certainly is a FEE country. Fees for this, for that and everything in between.

I know what you meant though, and agree wholeheartedly!

Charlie
 
An excellent book on the modern piracy problem is "Dangerous Waters: Modern Piracy and Terror on the High Sea" by John Burnett. The author was personally boarded in the Malacca Straits while on his sailboat. He goes a good job of describing the tactics used by the pirates for small and (very) large commercial container/cargo vessels. Definitely worth a read.

Karl
 
If you are on a cruise ship, you wil be pretty safe. My cousins went thru this area recently--and the ship had both the "Sonic" devices, plus each night the aft decks lower decks were secured, a watch was kept and the crew had fire hoses for repelling boarders. There were steel plates where they could have protection from any small arms fire.
 
On a 44 foot Trawler. I would want to be in the company of at least several other similar speed boats. I would want to have a definitative plan in case of attack. Ideally I would want a US warship near by!
 
Paul, nope. The world is a marvelous place to explore, but we have decided that our winter is bracketed with family activities over Christmas and a boat trip in Greece in February, so too little time to think of a delivery through the Indian Ocean - plus, there's simply too much piracy now and the logistics of that trip would be more like a military operation than we would enjoy. Too bad maritime powers couldn't concentrate a few months of baiting and nailing over there to clean up that rat's nest.
 
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