Boot Key Harbor
"Marathon- the Heart of the Florida Keys"

An On-Line Cruising Guide for the Florida Keys & Cuba
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Ship Security & Modern Day Piracy

In last months newsletter Commander Winsor brought up the problem of our vow as seamen to offer assistance whenever needed, with the problem of exposing ourselves to personal risk from those who would choose to deceive us. Cruising from the Great Lakes, Inland Rivers, to Cuba and the Bahamas with my family I’ve thought about this a lot. I’ve heard the extreme views on each side. Some just shirk off the idea of modern day pirates and take the position that you won’t have a problem unless you go looking for it (like drug dealing and the like). I also have a friend in the D.E.A. that thinks it’s crazy to go cruising alone in any remote area because of the personal risks. What to do? Ignore our oath to help others in distress, or offer all the assistance that we can and expose ourselves to some risk? Security issues onboard a boat go way beyond the space that is allocated in this short article, so I’ve put a more comprehensive discussion of it on our squadron website. Go to www.usps.org/localusps/marathon, enter the site, then choose the Boating Articles, then the “Security & Piracy” article, or enter the URL directly as www.BootKeyHarbor.com/Piracy.htm . There I talk about onboard alarms, remote cruising, weapons and anchoring security. Here I’ll just quickly address the one issue of local near-shore cruising where someone needs help. I’ve picked up all kinds of people. The first thing I do with my binoculars is get registration numbers and names off the boat. I enter it into my logbook and put a call into Coast Guard or local law enforcement to advise them that I’m assisting another vessel and give them the details. Most of the time the assistance involves a tow of some type, but not always. Before I even get near the other boat I get out my 25mm flare gun, load it and place it at the helm with me. I ask them how I can best help and visually size them up at the same time. If there are kids onboard or the weather puts them at risk on their boat I invite them onboard but ask them to sit at the back of the aft deck (away from me). It’s better if they just stay on their own boat. I can cut the tow line quickly if needed. I believe in always upholding our oath of assistance at sea, but it should be tempered with some logic and awareness. Be safe!

P/C Gregory Absten

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