Pirate hunting !

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Woodbutcher

Woodbutcher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
532
Location
Coast of Cornwall SW England.
Hello all... Not content with cycling across France I've now decided that my next challenge is to join an Anti Piracy team protecting Merchant ships around the Horn of Africa and offshore Somalia.
This may of course sound completely bonkers ! But my heart seems to be working pretty well, I'm healthy and have all the required skills for the work. Including welding, as the ships are turned into fortresses in true A team style before entering the "sh#t zone"! Navigation skills in charting, plotting and positioning and communication skills from my time in the Coastguard service.
It'll be a challenging and very exciting time with each transit taking about 14 days then home for about the same. There is limited risk of capture but everything is done to limit this. Actually the only thing that really bothers me is razor wire, miles of the stuff ! There is of course protective clothing but I'm more worried about cutting myself than anything else that could happen.
I'd be part of a team of four working two on and two off 24/7.
Will everyone say dont be so stupid or will there be some support for an exciting job ?
 
WOW! I think it is a wonderful thing to do, but sounds pretty dangerous. They don't seem to mess around. I will definately keep you and the other people who do this much needed but dangerous job to protect others in my prayers
 
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Well, I guess you better keep a week's worth of meds in a water tight package in your pocket, so you don't throw a clot if you get taken by pirates.

You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din! Stay safe.
 
Justin,
You are one of our resident adventurers, we are supporting you 100%. Enjoy your journey, but please keep us informed and don't forget to eat your limes and lemons so you don't get scurvy. Be safe and take care.

And thanks for making the word a safer place.
John
 
Thank you for your thoughts.. i felt sure you'd say dont be so bloody stupid. And Laurie, i'd thought about the Warfarin thing too, yes I'd pack loads of them, A good few months supply if posible. Then failing that I'd be testing the On-X theory that the valve might work without drugs. Recon I'd buy a home tester though... Or boat tester as the case may be !
 
Good luck Justin - sounds like a worthy endeavour but it also seems to be a never-ending battle as long as there's poverty, lack of education and religious strife.

Look after yourself -- you are living life to the fullest!
Okay -- where is this razor wire installed??? -- that is terrifying!
Dale
 
Hi Justin,

A very worthy cause for sure! I commend you! The world DEFINITELY needs more men like you! PLEASE keep us informed of your adventures. Stay safe, and may God Speed!
 
Thanks everyone... Dale, the Razor wire is coiled all around the gunnels of the ship, hung over welded on bars (The proud ship builders would cringe at the crude and hurried welding !) The pirates have grappling hooks and long ladders with hooks on so this helps prevent them getting onboard, in the unlikely event they compromise this wire, all the hatches to the Bridge(all but one) are also welded shut, should they breach the Bridge/ wheelhouse we have pump action shotguns with licence to shoot, but only if shot upon, good ole international law !!
I've spent all weekend mulling the thing over and just keep going round in circles... My main concern, more than rocket launched grenades is getting badly cut and maybe being a weak link in the team.
 
Wow, that is really, really dangerous and I laud you for your commitment to such a cause. Please be very careful,and as others have said take enough meds with you.
Maybe you should just get a reality series, and we can watch you do things that some of us only dream of (or in my case, too chicken, to do). Seriously stay safe and keep us posted.
Godspeed...
 
well. you're either crazy, or you're getting paid a really, really obscene amount of money :D Seriously, I have had a few cuts and have never bled more than before, just make sure to take some extra Elastoplast with you, in case; I spend the first 4 months post-op with them and compression-type bandages in my purse - then I found VR.com. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about bleeding much, and being the weak ilnk . . just go and, if you can, enjoy yourself, and if you can't enjoy yourself, know that you are doing a good job trying to keep the world safer.
 
My thanks to you for this service, and my prayers for your safety as well. Your valve brother, Brian
 
Thanks Jeanette, It's good to hear that your cuts haven't been too much of an issue. I split my lip open when I was cycling across france, having landed with a thump in a ditch and it bled like mad ! It was a nasty cut though and did stop in the end. The truck driver that forced me off the road was more concerned though I think. As for crazy, I'm not sure, probably just eager to get the most out of life, even it that means some limited risk.
I can completely understand the actions of the Somali pirates too.They've had a bloody civil war since 1991, that's a long time. Coupled with that, huge international fishing fleets have emptied their waters of fish. These people have absolutely nothing and more importantly nothing to lose. If that were me, with a family to feed I'd be out there hunting down merchant ships. Especially as the international forces are are powerless to stop them. Their Skiff or speedboat gets approached by the navy, the pirates throw thier weapons overboard... They might be 200 miles off the coast in a 15 foot boat but if they say they're fishing then that's that.... They're freed and allowed to return to their mother ship or Somalia, re arm and get back to piracy ! With Shipping companies rolling over every time and paying millions in ransoms to safeguard their ship, crew and cargo. The Sirius Star was valued with her cargo at a staggering 250 million and released with it's 25 crew for 2 million. That puts things in perspective ?
Anyway, I'm rambling...
Thank you Brian...
 
My policy is shoot first, don't even give them a chance to fire the first shot. You try boarding my boat without permission, your there to cause harm.
 
Goodluck to you Justin..!

Goodluck to you Justin..!

I can relate in a way to your position. My son worked for an American company with British and Nigerian security in Nigerian, Ghanan and international waters. He happened to be stateside by only a few days when his colleagues were captured by a Nigerian militant group called MEND which is the acronym for Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta. They came aboard his vessel with AK47's and had RPG's on their small boat. The American company paid the ransom, but the guys' lives are forever changed.

I understand your craving for adventure..!! So, go and have the adventure of your life. Be safe..!

Here is a pic of his colleagues and the captors.
 
Justin,

If you don't mind my asking, regarding the bleeding and the wire situation, what does your Dr. advise?

Might prudent to ask him.
 
Well as a former naval officer let me suggest something to you. What you are considering is not an adventure, it is not excitement, it is not something to be done to enjoy the "rush". My friend, what you are proposing is no different than going to war, however small of a scale it might be. If you are taking coumadin or any other prescription meds you should think long and hard about the risk, the impact to you from a possible long term imprisonment in a third world environment. Think also whether with your medical issues you will be able to perform the job. Just my thoughts.
 
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