Posts Tagged 'piracy'

Pirate Hunting Cruises have begun

Well I was half-joking this past December in my posting “Cruising for Pirates” when I suggested Blackwater should offer Pirate Hunting cruises.  Well some firm is up and running now and what a better way to pass the summer time heat than by spending a week out on the open waters with your family.

Only in Russia…

via NewMajority.com

The Newest Sport: Pirate Hunting

Luxury ocean liners in Russia are offering pirate hunting cruises aboard armed private yachts off the Somali coast.

Wealthy sportsmen pay upwards of $5,000 per day to patrol the most dangerous waters in the world hoping to be attacked by raiders.

The story as it’s written suggests the clients are already engaging Somali pirates with grenade launchers, machine guns and rocket launchers.

An AK-47 assault rifle goes for $8.50 a day, 100 rounds of ammo is $11.50, are they are also protected by a squad of ex-special forces troops.

The yachts travel from Djibouti in Somalia to Mombasa in Kenya, cruising deliberately close to the coast at a speed of just five nautical miles in an attempt to attract the interest of pirates.

Hard to imagine who is worse; the pirates, who are just trying to earn a decent living through the time-honored trade of kidnapping, or these so-called sportsmen who are essentially fronting up cash to hunt humans…

Cruising for Pirates

With so many East Africa Piracy attacks and with recent near miss attempts on Cruise Ships, I have to wonder why anyone would knowingly take a Cruise through those waters.   Could you really relax?

This is a map of where NOT to vacation cruise.    Or maybe…

Where NOT to take a Cruise

I came across some Maps earlier regarding Somali Piracy.   They open in Google Earth or Google Maps.   This link contains the map links along with some additional summary info on historical attacks.

In addition, UNOSAT has some maps and historical attacks as well. (like the one above) Link here.

Danger Room has written on two related items that got me thinking.

1. Cruise Ships=Pirate Bait article here.

2. Blackwater Hits the High Seas article here.

So here’s an idea.   What if instead of escorting Cruise Ships off  Somalia,  Blackwater turns their battleship into a Cruise ship for pirate hunting?   Instead of skeet shooting off the deck of the cruise ship, you would be called up to man the .50 caliber when pirates begin to swarm?   Adventure Cruises by Blackwater.

Do you think it would sell out?