Noonsite reports - sad but true!

[JohnT]

The cruising yachtie should keep a tab on the Noonsite web site. Visiting the site tonight to get customs and immigration details for a trip to Tahiti in June, I read the two new reports linked below. It is a sad world we live in!

Yacht Abandoned Off Eritrean Coast As Skipper Goes Missing

http://www.noonsite.com/Members/doina/R2007-02-05-1

Stranded Yacht Looted In Haiti

http://www.noonsite.com/Members/doina/R2007-01-31-1

John

[atavist]

Well that one answers the question, "guns or no guns" a flare gun kept them alive... if they had a good AK or even a pump shotgun the looters probably would have never tried to come aboard.

[JeanneP]

For once I have to agree. Haiti just doesn't get better. How sad.

[Spike_dawg]

Never mind carrying a gun...what are they doing in Haiti? On their way to Somalia?

Noonsite is Cornell's site, mostly used for updating his world cruising routes and guide. Cruisers can send emails with country information which help keep the site up to date. It doesn't take the place of the book though.

[Swagman]

Originally Posted by name='Converted Post'

Originally posted by atavist

Well that one answers the question, "guns or no guns" a flare gun kept them alive... if they had a good AK or even a pump shotgun the looters probably would have never tried to come aboard.

Yup - but do remember they are at least alive despite the yacht breaking up on the reef.

Just consider, had they waved a gun at 60 machete armed boarders, would that increase or decrease the chances of them being around to to write the report?

And also, when it did begin to break up - just maybe if they'd used the gun, would the boarders have lifted them ashore in their canoe?

Theres no 100% answer to the gun debate as theres no absolute on outcomes when they are used.......for me, guns are out.

Cheers

JOHN

[atavist]

Well having a life boat on board would have definitely been a good idea too.

[Trim50]

A couple good signal revolvers should work for almost any occasion. The Rohm revolver is all anyone should need...

http://www.signal-flares.com/images/Pics/RG-56.JPG

[Auzzee]

I'm with Spike on this. Why on earth do people want to sail near places such as Haiti, with its well known reputation for violence and murder.

The victim in this case postulated that the presence of his flare gun "may have contributed" to their ultimate well-being. I do wonder just what the locals thought when they saw what was probably a red plastic object in the shape of a 6 shooter.

This story is not to my mind, evidence of the benefit of carrying firearms. It is however evidence of the dangers of a lack of geopolitical foresight is route planning.

David

very sad indeed

[dnelson]

Originally Posted by name='Converted Post'

Originally posted by Auzzee

This story is not to my mind, evidence of the benefit of carrying firearms. It is however evidence of the dangers of a lack of geopolitical foresight is route planning.

David

Sailing from the Dominican Republic to Jamaica, it is a little hard not to go past Haiti. On this route a couple of months ago I had a steering failure on a Cat (the rudder tie bar broke in a place it was impossible to repair at sea.) Had I not been able to jury rig steering and limp back to the DR I would have ended up in Haiti, despite the best planning to miss it.

Things tend to go wrong at sea. "To make the gods laugh just say 'My plans are...'"