Which route would you choose - Red Sea or Cape?

[killarney_sailor]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

The Cape is tough, that is for sure. To be honest I am glad it's not my decision to make. If it was my decision to make. It would surely be against Mother Nature's Cape, and not the pirates. BEST WISHES which ever way you choose.........i2f

We certainly would be off South Africa at the best time of the year (Nov-Dec0. I think it is possible to transit the coast farily safely with the good forecasts they have. The tricky bit would be getting to Durban in the first place without getting too much of a pasting.

Sequitur, I imagine we would be in South Africa about the same time. Have to keep an eye out.

[Sequitur]

Originally Posted by killarney_sailor

Sequitur, I imagine we would be in South Africa about the same time. Have to keep an eye out.

We're looking at Cape Horn in early to mid January, and we want to spend time in the Falklands and South Georgia, so our arrival in Cape Town won't be until March at the earliest. We want to spend a couple of months in southern Africa; Edi grew-up in Pretoria in the 50s and 60s, and she still has family there. We'll likely travel inland from both Cape Town and Durban.

[Paul_L]

Originally Posted by killarney_sailor

I am not suggesting that we will go the Red Sea route but it is important to note that a lot of cruisers do go that way - many more than the southern route according to the research I have found......

Is this true for the last 12 months, or are you including prior to this?

[goboatingnow]

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[paulk]

Coming from Australia, your boat is likely well-prepared to deal with storms. You know what to do, what to expect and how she handles under different conditions. Are you as well-versed in dealing with armed men who may consider infidels less than real people?

[night0wl]

My preferred route would be Dockwise and 2 one-way tickets to meet the boat somwhere in the Mediterranean. Let the pros deal with pirate alley...well worth the price of saving your life. If freighting the boat costs $30,000....imagine what losing it would cost or worse losing your life to pirates?

[KIVALO]

Personally I would rather be at odds with Mother Nature than pirates.

[killarney_sailor]

I have done some more homework and it looks like its South Africa for Ainia. Checked the NATO and international sailing federation websites and they very strongly recommend not being anywhere in the western Indian Ocean. They sail convoys don't work and may just provide a bigger target. The strategy being used by merchant ships - crew goes into an armoured 'safe room' and waits for the cavalry (ok the navy) to arrive cannot work on a yacht. Rules of engagement are that once the pirates have physical control of hostages, the naval assets pull back.

There was even a freighter carrying yachts from Europe eastward that was seized (not Dockwise) and when you are being carried on one of these ships it is your insurance, not the ship's that applies and I know mine does not cover 'piracy and acts of war'

Apparently the situation has morphed way beyond desparate, poverty-stricken Somali teenagers to international criminal organizations.

[PCP]

I am relieved that you have taken that decision.

This are just the last year attacks :



It would be very imprudent to take a chance with that. I have read the report of a French sailor that sailed with more boats on a convoy with that big Danish yacht that was caught. He was stalked by pirates in 3 different occasions.

He says he got away by luck and because he show to them that he was going to fight. I guess he got away because its boat was small and old and probably pirates thought that it would not worth the trouble.

Regards

Paulo

[Omatako]

. . . . . . is not such a tough challenge.

Many South African sailors regularly do trips from Richards Bay to Cape Town (and all stops in between) and back. The weather windows are a well documented and relatively easy to manage with stops at Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay. most legs are not more than two or three days and local knowledge will help you make a stress-free transition. I speak from experience - I sailed that area for many years and did coastal trips many times without incident. Most of the threatening stories you hear are just that - stories. Like any other piece of ocean, it can be dangerous and if you're complacent it probably will be.

The challenge is definitely Mauritius to Durban which can be a little tough but once again the seasonal vagaries of that part of the Indian Ocean are quite well documented and the weather systems are actually quite predictable. And a trip from Australia should take you to Cocos Keeling and if you're wise up to Chagos then down to Mauritius before the leg to Durban or Richards Bay.

There is no question - a trip via the Cape beats the heck out of the threat of the Somalian issue. At least the decisions are yours to make and if you have a well-found vessel (and I'm sure you do) then there is nothing alarming about the trip. And the trip across the Atlantic is also not that bad.