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From: christina (no email)
Date: Mon Aug 25 2003 - 14:28:05 EDT
yes, we are still here, the reason we havent left already is my
boyfriend´s work- he has an on-line buisness and is waiting on some
important stuff to get through. porlamar has excellent cyber cafes.
so as soon as buisness is done, we go.
i have been living in the caribbean on a boat since i was 21, so i
can tell you plenty about crime against boaters. however, its not
much different than just living in any impoverished neighborhood,
where the have-nots want what the haves have.
imagine that your income is $100 per month or less, you´re struggling
to survive but more or less doing it, but your young sons want
something more from life. they look out into the bay and see more
wealth than they can ever hope to achieve honestly, and they want it.
those guys dont realize that these boats are our homes, not our toys.
they dont know that some of us are living on real shoestring budgets,
there is no insurance, or that a quick trip to the bank will not
replace whatever has been stolen.
that doesnt justify it, its just my theory as to why sailors are
targeted. we look rich. the guarda costa (water police) can do
nothing because they have no boats, no radios, and no money aside
from their very meager paychecks. the sailors here have made attepts
at organising some sort of vigilance, but so far all efforts have
failed- organizing a bunch of independant nomads with conflicting
attitudes and agendas has proven to be very difficult, and at the
last meeting i think the only thing agreed upon was for everyone to
keep their vhf radios turned on all nite, and report any suspicious
activity.
there have been several reports of piracy along the coast, cruisers
are advised to travel in convoys. a boat alone in an isolated
anchorage is more of a target for pirates. even this is not a
gaurantee of safety- last year a boat was boarded in an isolated bay
near cartagena, two other boats were traveling with them. the thieves
boarded the first boat, beat the captain and wife, threatened them
with guns, stole the valuables and destroyed the interior. next they
went to the second boat where they were repelled by the skipper- he
sprayed mace through a porthole.
i am not saying you should stay away- or not go sailing. everywhere
you go, there is crime and violence. big cities, prosperous suburbs,
out in the countryside- just read the papers- there are bad people
everywhere. we just keep doing what we do and try to safeguard our
lives and our possesions the best we can, and hope that our trip
around the world is filled with encounters with peaceful happy people
more than with encounters with bad boys.
i am sorry that i got started into this group by bringing up such an
ugly topic- i would much rather tell you about the beautiful coral
reefs, squid and fish that obligingly impale themselves on your spear
tip, miles of white sandy beach marred with only your own footprints,
predictable weather and endless days spent sailing on water so
perfect and beautiful, night watches when nothing goes wrong,
friendly fishermen swapping fish and lobster for rum and
conversation, big skies and sparkling nites of moonlight and romance,
that is also very real. and its why we are out here.
peace
chrissi
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