Is This Story For Real?

[Trim50]

Read onto the second part of the story about the prop being stolen. I don't know about you guys, but the idea of bombs going off close enough to get water on my deck, I think a lost prop is the least of my concerns.

http://www.noonsite.com/Members/doina/R2007-03-20-2

[Spike_dawg]

He easily drew conclusions without any facts. Fact is if the bombs were going off close enough to kill someone in the water under his boat then his boat would have sunk. If the prop was "stolen" it could have been anyone....more likely someone who does not have the financial resources to buy one. If Sri Lanka can afford to set off bombs and run patrols they have the money to buy a prop. Next point is the props easily come off the shaft...so easy that there is a "lock" kit you can purchase to prevent theft. I could pull off ALL his props (both shafts) in 2 minutes, underwater, with the Volvo tool. I'm sure the UK government is laughing at this and probably so is Sri Lanka.

JMO

[Nausikaa]

I too am very doubtful about this incident. Firstly, as a rule no one would use bombs to kill divers. A handgranade is quite sufficient as even at quite a distance the pressure wave (remember water can not be compressed) causes bleeding in the ears and nose which would force a diver to the surface. Hand granades are quite cheap - bombs are not. In ports where "enemy" divers can be expected to operate hand granades are tossed att irregular intervals into the port. It is done completely at the will o' the wisp otherwise the "timing plan" could become known to the opposing forces. If a respite is needed to carry out underwater work then it is the period of respite which is promulgated. This would negate the arguement that the divers entered the boat prior to the next bomb going off as they would have no knowledge of an unexistant schedule.

I also agree with Trim 50. A bomb going off would have to be pretty close to get any water on deck. I am sure everyone has seen footage of deapth charges going off. They cause a bit of a splash in the proximity of the charge if set at a shalow deapth setting but if you are close enough to get water on deck then it is time to put the lifejackets on.

Another cause for doubting the report, although not concrete evidence, is that the report writer purports to be a British citizen and yet the speling throughout the report is in American manner, not British.

IMHO, this is not even a good sailor's yarn.

Aye

Stephen

Yacht NAUSIKAA

[Harbor_Pilot]

I found several sites about this guy and his catamaran

On the noonsite he states:

"It happened exactly as is described in the sailing books."

This seems to be the basis for his adventures, and stories. Yes plural.

"They just appeared out of nowhere."

Poof! and there they were! Give me a break!

"At first they took a position ahead and parallel with diagonal angle towards us."

OK, which was it, parallel to, or at an angle to?

"Diagonal Angle." Redundant.

In one place his first pirate encounter occurred on February 9th, and in another it happened on the 8th. Ok, that could be a typo.

On: http://isokratia.wetpaint.com/

He says he is: Chris Neophytou, a Greek Cypriot business man who lived in London for 35 years.

On another site: http://www.isokratia.com/whois.php

He states: After 33 years in the UK, my business requirements caused me to move temporarily in the beautiful city of Sofia in Bulgaria.

Which was it, 33 or 35 years?

He states that he wished he had brought his shotguns. Why? He didn't need them.

In his several versions of his pirate encounters his "boat boys'" name changes from: "Jui the Thailand boat boy" to "Mr. Thewan Mittong".

And on and on.

It became apparent that he struggles with the English Language, regardless of the style. Granted, English is a difficult language.

He has a very nice cat:

http://www.isokratia.com/news1.php?cmd=list&id=105

He has some radical political views, and says so:

ISOKRATIA – A new radical, daring but not extreme socio governing system replacing Democracy.

I doubt an Isokratia form of government will be established anywhere, anytime soon, if ever.

It appears that his pirate encounters are a figment of his imagination, an attempt at creative writing, with multiple "draft" versions, on various web sites, that embellish his Adventures as Sinbad the Sailor.

[Lighthouse]

I'm surprised that Diona adds this sort of thing to the Noonsite website.

I have had a look at this guy's website - nothing like a bit of "drama" to get visitors to read his "ideas".

[JeanneP]

I think that the Sri Lankan Navy didn't search his boat when he noticed water on the floorboards as a result of his first report of "pirates" before he got there. I didn't give much credit to that report, either.

With regard to his speculation that divers jumped onto his boat, I'm surprised that nobody awoke if that had happened. Two men climbing in through an escape hatch? It's all been said before, so I just want to say that I will be disappointed if much credence is given to this report. There's already too much hysteria going on about pirates and how dangerous it is "out there".

[Swagman]

I can't say if his story about possible boarding was real or not - but guess if he had other passengers as he claims - it maybe unlikely he'd make the statements he has.

He's obviously got some sad ideas about what will happen if strangers boarded his vessel, but as its apparently never happened to him before, not sure how he knows!

And finally, as for claiming somewone stole his prop and basing that on the silly belief they never fall off, just shows the lack of true experience this chap has despite the miles he's covered.

I do know they fall off - as have been on board a yacht when its happened.

Cheers

JOH

[joao-lisboa]

Only to say that I hope I never have to get into a sailing boat with this guy.

Thanks for keeping this forum going on.

Anyone in or to Lisbon, can provide some assistance.

João.

[Nausikaa]

Just out of interest, I was coming alongside in a port on the Swedish west coast in the early 80's in a passenger ship I commanded. I put the engine astern (bridge control but with a gear box) and nothing happened. The prop and tailshaft had come adrift from the main prop axel and "screwed itself" out of the stern. Only the rudder stopping the propeller hindered the entire asembly from heading for the deap.

I have never suspected navy divers of trying to purloin the tail shaft and prop. Maybe I should

Stephen

Yacht NAUSIKAA

[HighVoltage123]

Originally Posted by Harbor_Pilot

Which was it, 33 or 35 years?

You can find out on www.isokratia.com

Originally Posted by Harbor_Pilot

He has some radical political views, and says so:

ISOKRATIA – A new radical, daring but not extreme socio governing system replacing Democracy.

I doubt an Isokratia form of government will be established anywhere, anytime soon, if ever.

But the idea is great don't you think

[manor]

Originally Posted by HighVoltage123

But the idea is great don't you think

No! NOT worth reading about!! Is this your way of getting on to sailing forums to spread your crazy message? Pirates! Sabotage! Theft! Then politics? PAH!

[HighVoltage123]

Originally Posted by Manor

No! NOT worth reading about!! Is this your way of getting on to sailing forums to spread your crazy message? Pirates! Sabotage! Theft! Then politics? PAH!

I'm not spreading anything and btw the question was addressed to Harbor_Pilot not to you

[HighVoltage123]

Originally Posted by Manor

No! NOT worth reading about!! Is this your way of getting on to sailing forums to spread your crazy message? Pirates! Sabotage! Theft! Then politics? PAH!

There is no point in arguing with you! No one can make a point what he/she doesn't like in idea if he/she doesn't know what it is about!

[JeanneP]

Originally Posted by HighVoltage123

btw the question was addressed to Harbor_Pilot not to you

That is a bit rude, don't you think? This is a cruising forum, not a political soapbox. Government by the same? rather than government by the people? It does not belong on this forum.

[Lighthouse]

The topic heading is: Is This Story For Real?



Read onto the second part of the story about the prop being stolen. I don't know about you guys, but the idea of bombs going off close enough to get water on my deck, I think a lost prop is the least of my concerns.

http://www.noonsite.com/Members/doina/R2007-03-20-2

Is it for real? (without politics).

[Nausikaa]

I have just read the account of IsoKratia entering the port of Aden. As many of you know, I have just spent a year there but I hardly recognise it from the narrative

There are two channels. Many green and red lights. So confusing at night time as to where to go.

In fact, there is only one channel into Aden. Another channel leads into Little Aden, an oil port which can not be confused with Aden itself. There are not many green and red lights as most of them do not work although the green light on the breakwater always seems to and is a very good guide. IMHO, Aden is one of the easiest ports in the world to navigate your way into.

Aden looks different. Is a small port.

I would say that it is a fairly large port. No, it is not Rotterdam but it certainly is as large as say Savannah or Port Elizabeth.

I tried to sweeten them by offering backshish but they still refused. I must note that after one o’clock mid day 95% of them including those still working in government will start chewing Kat.

I would say, especialy those working for the government. Private business still continues.

A strong drug. They claim it to be mild. But by two o’clock I saw people that could not see in front of them. As Sami said, “ they were travelling on the moonâ€�! They will have mattresses on the floor next to their office desks and lay there chewing Kat. Others will just lay on bare concrete anywhere under shade and chew Kat. The whole town gets stoned. So being stoned in Kat they refused to give us fuel.

No, kat is a mild drug. I do not condone it but it is actually so mild that even the UK considers its use legal (and drug laws in the UK are fairly strict). The whole town does not get stoned. People do not get stoned on kat.



It was then that I lost it. I yelled like hell to them. No more Mr nice guy. I then demanded that they either give me my diesel or they give me my money back now.

Yelling does not help!

The big chief instructed the zombies to give us fuel. They did but they cheated us 100 litres.

One of the things I learned very early on in my seagoing career was to check the amount of fuel received tallied with that indicate by the company delivering the fuel. We all learn by our mistakes.

I did not want to go see the ancient town or anything alike.

What ancient town? There are a few relics of the Turkish occupation and a few more of the British but no ancient town????

Night time and if it wasn’t for the electronic navigation screens to show me where I was I would have sank. Many ship wrecks around. One just at the edge of the channel into port. Not surprising with the chaotic green red boys marking the channel

Hmm. The one to port on the way out is clealy visible and marked by a wreck buoy which is lit. It is also immediately adjacent to the buoys the harbour tugs tie up to so you should not be weaving a course through that lot anyway. Also, the position of the wreck is well noted on the charts (having been sunk during the civil war and not having anything to do with "chaotic green red buoys") and anyone at the yacht anchorage would have observed it during daylight hours. It is outside the main fairway too.

The next wreck is outside the breakwater and well out of the channel on the starboard side (on exiting the port). There are no other wrecks in the approaches to Aden although one further wreck exists in Conquest Bay (immediately to the east of Aden). Also a relic from the civil war, this wreck is well on the beach and you should not be there anyway. It is also clearly indicated on BA charts

Maybe the story of isoKratia's visit to Aden is not a fabrication but it apears to me to be a gross exageration.

Stephen

Yacht NASUIKA

[HighVoltage123]

Originally Posted by JeanneP

That is a bit rude, don't you think? This is a cruising forum, not a political soapbox. Government by the same? rather than government by the people? It does not belong on this forum.

That may be rude OK I apologize but you have to consider two things: 1. I replayed to someones quote which means that I did not started a political discussion and 2. it was a defense against Manor's post that was "rude" for sure

[Harbor_Pilot]

This certainly is a lively debate.

I say that because as cruisers and those that would like to become cruisers, "piracy" is a topic of major concern. Nobody wants to be subjected to such behavior, on land or sea. Our property is our property. We do not want any body messing with it, taking it, stealing it from us, damaging it, or denying our use of it. In some cases that may effect our well-being, livelihood, security and survival. Acknowledged; the topic is important to each of us in some form and to some degree, sometimes; certainly worth study and being knowledgeable about.

As well this topic is so easily steered: I also got caught up in that, by mistake and most unintentionally. My apologies.

Now let’s get back to, and focus on, the topic that Trim50 presented: "Is This Story For Real?"

This is not a court of law, and nobody is on trial here. Nobody is going to "walk the plank", destined for Davy Jones' Locker.

Based on my extensive, and maybe not all-inclusive, on-line research, this story is full of holes, contradicts itself, and seems to me to be very doubtful.

I have been horn-swuagled, hood-winked, fooled, and even had the wool pulled over my eyes a time or two in my lifetime. I may not be the sharpest knife in the galley, but I rub with the hone frequently.

MY BOTTOM LINE on this Topic is:

I think the story contains facts and some truth, but also some embellishment of the story. I think the parts of the plot that the author most wants the reader to believe, and the most exciting parts are the parts that are fabricated.

Further, I think it makes a most interesting entry into the Vessel Log, Documenting the Skipper's Legacy and his Personal Diary, as he wished it would have happened.

I most suspect the "juicy" parts were copied ideas from other literary works, plagiarism, fabrication, and embellished to fit the desires of the author/skipper, as he wished it would have happened.

I maybe wrong, but that is my opinion and perception, based upon what I know now.

~ ~ ~

The question was, is, and remains, "Do you really believe this story?"

Or orginally presented as: "Is This Story For Real?"

Without facts, our responses are only our individual opinions and perceptions. I think it is important that we keep that in mind, and respect each others.

[Trim50]

Wow, this one went off in an unexpected direction for a bit

So, I'm guessing "bombs" at night in the harbor is a bit far fetched.