I think it would be quite exciting to meet a pirate!
Think again Miss Swann…
Hollywood has given us a very idealized version of pirates, one that is likely very very different from what they actually were and is most certainly different from what they actually are. Because yes, pirates do still exist, they use small motor-driven crafts instead of tall ships and military grade weapons instead of cannons, but they still exist.
Moreover, they are, much as we hate to admit it, a very real danger to anyone at sea in certain areas of the world.
So it is that we up the security measures and batten down the hatches in preparation for our high-speed run across the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, a stretch of water that has seen a disturbingly high number of piracy attacks since the beginning of the year.
I hasten to assure everyone who is kind enough to follow these pages – wherever in the world you may do so from – that we aren’t in any kind of immediate danger. Cruise ships run high in the water making them much more difficult to board, and we move fast. Slower, lower-running vessels like cargo ships are much more plum targets. In addition, the retaliation on their native country should a pirate vessel launch an open attack on a cruise ship would be considerable – something that they do have to take into account.
None the less, precautions do need to be taken; both for the safety and reassurance of the guests and of the crew. We ran a suspicious craft alert drill last week, and every department sat through a briefing on how to proceed in the event of an encounter. As we speak they are lining the railings of the deck 3 promenade with barbed wire. There are extra security patrols on the outside decks as well, and the bridge will be operating on constant alert. If I’m recalling correctly from the last time we did a run similar to this, we will also be flanked by military vessels, often too far away for us to physically see, but there none-the-less.
As a result of all this, well, mostly of the high speed we’ll be putting on to hasten our journey across to Egypt, we’ll be arriving in our next port of Safaga nearly a full day ahead of schedule. It’s now become an overnight port instead of only a day.
Thank you precautionary measures, for getting me to the Valley of the Kings one day early.
28!!!!