Security on the high seas

This is safe. I mean I wouldn’t take my wife out here if it weren’t. Our hometown is safe or at least it feels safe. About as safe as your hometown.

The primrose (thorny) path

When we left Florida and headed to the Caribbean, security was the last thing on my mind. We did prepare for it but it just wasn’t in practice. We had already cruised the Bahamas for years and felt totally secure there with almost no incidents of crime against yachts, so you go from island to island and sleep like a baby. Ditto for the Turks and Caicos, which is very pristine and felt like a big beach resort.

The third “water world”

Dominican Republic was the first place we felt we needed to be on guard. There were reports of some problems against yachts but not many. It was the “third worldness” that gave us concern…or  all the guards with machine guns everywhere. Leaving the DR took us to Puerto Rico, Yep…the good old USA territory and although they are in the news a lot regarding their financial crisis there are no reports of crimes against yachts in the last couple of years. Again we cruised the coast, anchored alone and didn’t worry a bit.

Next stop Disney islands

Not kidding. The BVI and Saint Martin/St Barts just feels like the coolest, friendliest, safest place on earth. You can travel without care and sleep with your doors and hatches open. One New Years Eve we were anchored with over 200 yachts including 5 of the top 10 largest on the planet. Yes people around the world agree and flock to these islands. Really you don’t have to go anywhere else. But sailors are adventurous and eventually we moved on to find another perfect spot to drop the hook!

Going going gone south

When we left St Barts we headed to the Windward Islands and this is where the security concerns increase. There are safe places throughout of course but a few islands to miss along the way. In this region you lock your doors and lock your dinghy. You don’t wander at night and we don’t bring jewelry or watches as its best not to identify yourself as ‘wealthy’ travelers. We loved the Windwards as you can see by watching our videos and we enjoyed the people along the way. Unfortunately some thugs ruin it for the rest of the population that appreciates the visiting yachts and they money it brings in.

This video shows our preparations and techniques for cruising safely on a private sailboat. Of course I found the perfect theme song for a safety video. Can you guess it?