PIRACY PASSAGE PRECAUTIONS
Piracy has taken on a variety of forms in the Caribbean and 2 distinct sub-areas have proven problematic in recent years.
CSSN has added an important new feature to our website to help cruisers easily understand the recent events in each of these areas, Regional Piracy Infographics using Google maps with an easy to use ZOOM, CLICK interface.
One for the Trinidad/Grenada passage (7 events, the latest in late 2019) and a second , but much larger area – the Central American (CA) region from Rio Dulce, Guatemala, to The Bay Islands of Honduras and the entire Honduran Coast including the disputed waters off the Honduras/Nicaragua border and southward including the Nicaraguan Coast. (19 events, the most recent in 4Q2019).
Appropriate passage planning and the ability of officials to respond in each area vary greatly, so 2 different sets of possible precautions are now provided, with some overlap of common best practices.
The relatively short passage from Grenada to Trinidad and the geographical proximity of the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) allows for patrols, and the presumption of a reasonable response – VHF radio communications, even cell phone contact with TTCG enable both sea and air response and possibly even interdiction. Traveling in the company of other vessels provides some added protection against single pirogue based attacks, and float plans filed with Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT) and the Trinidad Coast Guard alert officials of your intended arrival/departure.
In Central America by contrast, isolation and poor or non-existent governmental response/support should be considered the norm. Traveling in groups may be a disadvantage. Pirates are well aware of these important factors and have demonstrated the ability to exploit these geography based weaknesses.
As always each captain and crew must assess their vessel and personal capabilities and plan accordingly. The emphasis in the following precautions information is a presumption to avoid physical violence. Customized lists are presented for the 2 distinct geographical regions.
PIRACY PASSAGE PRECAUTIONS – Central America
PIRACY PASSAGE PRECAUTIONS – Trinidad/Grenada