Gulf of Aden

Ahoy mate’s,

…as we are on pirate patrol. Today we entered the area known for piracy.

The Gulf of Aden is known as the hot spot for Somalia pirates. And considering the recent capture of the British couple while sailing their yacht has everyone’s attention on high alert.

Royal Caribbean has taken many safe precautionary measures to ensure our safety… or say they tell us. We have many armed security personnel aboard.

Here are a few excerpts from the “official” statement from the Captain of Legend of the Seas regarding our transit in these waters:

Dear Legend of the Seas Guest,

Our company has been closely monitoring the piracy activity in the Gulf of Aden, over the past year; we have worked with law enforcement, intelligence and military organization to ensure we are well prepared for our sailing. Based on what we have learned, it is clear that our ship is quite different from the ships typically being targeted by pirates. In addition to being faster and more maneuverable, we also have more security staff than the ships being targeted.

However, even with these differences, we have taken precautions in case a problem arises. … I will be speaking to the military forces in the Gulf of Aden by telephone during our time there. Also, I can reach them at any moment, should we encounter any problems.

You should also know that we will likely encounter many small fishing boats during our transit of the Gulf of addend. Out of simple curiosity, some of these boats may sail in our direction. If that happens, I may take steps to keep them at a distance. I may change course, or even weave from side to side to discourage them from getting too close. There is no reason to be concerned over these actions. However, in the unlikely event that we encounter pirates, I will make an announcement and ask that you move away from the sides of the ship. Should this be necessary, please remain calm and quickly follow any instruction provided to you at that time.

So there is no reason for us to be afraid.... right?

Well, if the letter did not set us at ease... then surely a ship full of security prowling around will. Harry and I decided to check things out.... outside. We decided to peruse the ship then venture outside to see what we could see.

Once we stepped outside... the wind almost knocked us down. It was like one of those movie scenes where everything gets blown overboard. The ships captain was cruising so fast... fast enough to make your face feel uplifted and your hair sleek back that we could barely make it a few feet without holding on for dear life.

Now normal people would just go back inside, but not us... we ventured to the back of the boat to see the wake. And amazingly... the back was not so windy. So Harry and I hung out there a while with the ship's crew and security watching the massive 4 wakes produced by a ships captain with ALL his engine going pretty full speed.

The pictures are a little blurry... we are trying to steady ourselves and the camera.

So we had a venturesome night, just without the pirates. I guess the speed of our cruise ship and the large wake we were producing would inhibit a little pirate dingy from coming anywhere near us.

Blessings,

Kristie