“The pirate skiffs are out there, two hundred miles or more offshore, just waiting for some way to go home, to win the lottery.” Image courtesy of jonbowermaster.com (click to enlarge)
“I’m told that the pirates often attack from both port and starboard in order confuse the Captain, to limit effective evasive actions,” said Dennis. Image courtesy of jonbowermaster.com (click to enlarge)
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Debrief: Dennis Cornejo from the Pirate Sea, “The only way you get home is on what you capture.”
Posted: May 13, 2009 11:40 am EST
(TheOceans.net) “Mother ships take small skiffs hundreds of mile out to sea and then cut them loose, telling the pirates in them, “The only way you get home is on what you capture.”” A week ago Dennis Cornejo has been on a passenger ship through the Gulf of Aden, paralleling the Somali coastline, around the Horn of Africa, and reported about his experience on the Somali Pirate Sea.
Dennis Cornejo is a marine biologist and undersea filmmaker. While on the passenger ship with 80+ people he sent his friend Jon Bowermaster reports, which Jon published on his website.
Ship prepared for Somali waters
Dennis reported that while the ship docked in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, it was prepared for the dangerous journey around Somalia.
“They have mounted steel grating around the poop deck; when we’re at sea it will be electrified, with warning signs written in Swahili.”
“Fire hoses have been fixed in place on the lowest open decks, to be fired at once to help keep small boats away from the ship.”
“Hooks have been welded onto the fantail to attach razor wire to, which will be stretched around the ship’s stern and balconies.”
“While still at dock the boson oversees getting the razor wire in place while the crew spends the morning smearing axle grease on the sides of the ship.”
As a final touch, Dennis added, before they pulled out of port broken glass was added to the grease and razor wire on the fantail.
Special Forces
The boat had taken onboard six Special Forces agents from the U.K. “At night the security team makes sure the ship is as dark as possible,” said Dennis. “Lights are disconnected, portholes covered. There are always three of them on duty at any one time, each joined by one of the Filipino crew.” They were constantly watching the horizon to spot the pirates.
Security briefings and drills
When the ship entered the open sea, the passengers got security briefings and had to do repeated pirate drills.
Only the deck crew was allowed on the deck. Most of the ship was off limits because the doors were kept bolted shut at all times.
They were told that if they were taken hostage to remain passive, neither help nor hinder. Dennis said the Captain of each ship is a highly valuable commodity and in case of trouble their goal is to get him below deck, to safety.
Sailing near the Somali coast
This ship’s Captain had a map detailing pirate attacks during the past year. It showed that there only had been attacks far from the coast, so he decided to sail near the Somali coast. At one stage he sailed only 18 miles from the coast.
In the Red Sea
It took six days to sail though the Pirate Sea and no mother ships or skiffs were seen. A relieved Dennis said, “Anxiety has given way to relief and high spirits and our lives are a bit more acute and focused, for awhile.”
“With a plan both bold and brilliant we made a passage through what suddenly became some of the most dangerous waters in the world, without incident, without ever seeing a pirate.”
“We did not do it on a dare or for glory, we did what we normally do - make a plan and be prepared, it is what you do at sea and what we should do in life.”
Jon Bowermaster is a writer and filmmaker who explores remote places of the earth. Over the past decade his Oceans 8 project has taken him and his teams around the world by sea kayak, including expeditions to the Aleutian Islands, Vietnam, French Polynesia, Chile/Argentina/Bolivia, Gabon, Croatia, Tasmania and Antarctica.
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