Now, this is a topic to divide us. Or can we openly discuss what we see ourselves doing and reality? The reality is that crimes against cruisers exist, so there is some room for discussion.

The other reality is that what we think our response is and what it actually is are two different outcomes. I would like to stay in between the gun-toting and the naysayers for this discussion.

Weapons are a go-to for most of us when we discuss safety on our vessels. This is a possibility in North America, but for those sailing in other countries, the laws are not conducive to this. I know how we feel, “Let them try,” ‘I got something for them,” and I can’t say that this is how I don’t feel.

But when it comes down to using the weapon, you will have to face the government in a foreign country; you have just taken out some of their people on your “yacht.” Who knows what the government is “like” in that country? So many things to consider. There can be so many consequences to think about.

This is where you say, “ I’ll be alive to discuss those consequences.” That could be a possibility. How many of them versus you?

What are the options for those who prefer to avoid dealing with a foreign government? Sadly,  there are not many.

The option that comes to me most often is situational awareness. Wiki says it is the understanding of an environment, its elements and how it changes with respect to time or other factors. Situational awareness is important for effective decision-making in many environments. It is taught in business and self-defense courses around the world.

How do we apply this to sailing? These are all things we know, but it bears repeating out loud.

• Travel in pairs (with a buddy boat). It is more complicated for a few dishonest people to take on more than a few honest people. Close the gap on the opportunity they have to plot and plan.
• If it doesn’t feel right, I would suggest you move on. It is not the only anchorage to explore; there will be another just as beautiful.
• Take in the surroundings. Think in terms of the dishonest’s opportunity. Are we making it hard for them to be devious? Are we the low-lying fruit?
• Be aware of what you share with the locals, visually and verbally.
• Be cautious about what is shared about personal lives and family.
• Travel on shore in pairs.
• Ask about questionable situations. Don’t just brush them off as another culture. Learn to understand so there are no surprises. With this  awareness, we want to do all we can to deter anyone from taking advantage of an opportunity in their eyes. This usually requires some work, but it’s worth it.
• Don’t leave loose items on deck that can be reached without boarding.
• Lock the dinghy and engine.
• Hide the keys with your number printed and another boater can contact you when needed.
• Don’t come and go at the same time every day.

Conversation starter

This is not an article of an expert in any of the things mentioned. This is an article to spark conversation about what we can do to protect ourselves. We (SV Jeanne and crew) have been on both sides of these scenarios and the things we thought we would do and what we did were very different. Every situation will be different, so there is no tried and true way to keep us safe from all dishonesty. As mentioned, we can close the gap of opportunity.

If you had asked me before we were boarded, I would have had a confident explanation of how my formal self-defense techniques would be used against an intruder. Even with the gun, I was trained to disarm by holding the barrel so that the slide wouldn’t move and preventing the bullet’s casing from being ejected. The training and confidence were there and then it was gone when I walked into the barrel of a gun.

I grabbed my dog Izzy, and laid down on top of her. Ford was forced to join us in the cockpit. We just lay there and let them rummage through our boat.  We continue to ask ourselves what we could have done differently.

This brought us to the things we knew (bullet points above) and made a pact to stick to them. Looking back, we believe we would have handled our situation the same as we did. There was nothing on board that they would take that would be worth our lives. Sure, the months after the boarding will always be the worst and most frustrating experience for us, but we are still here.

Has this changed the way we cruise?

Absolutely. You can get a glimpse of what happened to us in my blog. Please put yourselves in our situation and ask yourselves what you could/would have done in the split second we had to make a decision.

We are fortunate to have lived through the “incident” and also very thankful we didn’t take action in another way that would put us in front of the local government.

There was knowledge of who committed the crime, but no legal action was taken. The only thing we could do was learn and move on.

Security system deterrent

We have installed the Pirate Lights security system as a deterrent. The system has motion sensors with alarms and lights. Ford installed the system himself.

The installation is straight forward, but there is a lot of wiring. We turn on the system once we are done roaming around on deck in the evening. This is how we are able to close our eyes at night and get some rest now.

Michelle Shultz
SV Jeanne

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Editor’s Note:

Papua New Guinea is another country that has security issues for cruisers.  In his report for Noonsite in December 2023, UK Cruiser James Ashwell outlined his security recommendations for cruisers which mirror those of Michelle’s.

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Related Links:

• Michelle Shultz Blog:  I’m Ready to Tell the Truth…about the Armed Robbery
• CSSN Report on Las Perlas Incident (Noonsite – March 2023)
• Other Noonsite reports from Michelle
• Armed Robbery Alert for Las Perlas Panama (Latitude 38 – March 2023)
• Noonsite Security Page: Self Defence and Deterring Attacks

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising.

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