PIRATES, COSTS AND BAKSHEESH FOR THE RED SEA PASSAGE Written by Tom Sampson, s/v Katanne 28 August 2010 Introduction. Since I wrote the notes on organising a convoy I have received a number of enquiries covering a range of subjects but all related to the passage to and through the Red Sea. Coincidentally I have maintained an interest in the piracy problem and taken the time to read as much as is available on the subject. In the following paragraphs I have covered the piracy threat and offered practical precautions and my view on transiting the piracy area in the Southern Red Sea. Finally I have given a resume of costs which applied in 2010 to the ports likely to be covered and addressed the thorny topic of baksheesh in Egypt. Piracy Overview. Since 2005 there have been a total of 22 piracy attacks on yachts world wide according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). Unlike noonsite, the IMB definition of a piracy attack is very specific and does not include armed robbery and theft. Noonsite records 10 piracy attacks on yachts in the Indian Ocean (IO), Gulf of Aden (GofA) and the Red Sea (RS), collectively the IGOARS, over the same period. Since 2005 noonsite have reported 31 attacks on yachts in the Venezuela area which included 3 murders. Additionally, there are, year on year, more attacks in Columbia and the Caribbean than there are in IGOARS. There were no piracy attacks on yachts in the IGOARS in 2010. The fact is that the IGOARS region is safer than other cruising and passage making areas. That said, an attack in the IGOARS is likely to lead to kidnapping and months, maybe years, of incarceration. Ultimately, it s a personal judgement decision on whether and to what extent preventive measures are taken. Indian Ocean. Although the Somali pirates are now operating from the RS to 70 E and beyond and from the coast of Oman to 12 S there have been very few attacks on commercial shipping in the transit area from Cochin or Uligan in the Maldives to Salalah. A close formation convoy is not practical but other passive measures might be of value. If you are part of a radio net then: 1. Never transmit your departure port or destination. 2. Select random waypoints and give your position using a bearing and distance from one of the waypoints. 3. Use different waypoints each day. You might also consider: 1. Running without lights at night. 2. Deploying 200m of very light floating lines off your stern. They might foul the propellers of a pirate skiff approaching from the stern. 3. Having a recording of a dog barking (some commercial ships vessels are doing so).
4. If in close contact with other yachts use the HF and VHF on low power. Gulf of Aden. If you elect to be part of a convoy then you might wish to use the notes on organising a convoy which are to found in the forums section. They are applicable regardless of the convoy size. If you elect to travel independently then consider the following: 1. Yemen accepts Somali refugees without hindrance (there are plans to restrict them in the future). As a result it is likely that ship and yacht movements could be passed to the pirates. Therefore, if you call into any Yemeni port, do not broadcast your intentions or route, say as little as possible and plan your departure discreetly. 2. The Yemeni coastguard are now actively patrolling their coast and there has been some success in catching (and sentencing to death) pirates apprehended in their waters. On the other hand Somali pirates loiter close to the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC). Therefore, not withstanding the advice given by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and the Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa (MSCHOA), you should consider routeing within or close to the Yemeni waters. (Note: I have asked ISAF and MSCHOA to review their guidelines). Red Sea. 2010 saw a dramatic change in the modus operandi of the Somali pirates who now prowl the RS. By July there had been at least 18 attacks on commercial shipping and 2 of them had been successful. The majority of the attacks have taken place in or close to the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) South of the Hanish Islands or the Southern parts of the Straits of Bab el Mandeb South of 12 35 N. There have been no attacks in the Small Strait and the most Southern attack in the Hanish Island region was at 13 12 N. If I were to make the passage again I would do so in convoy, weather conditions permitting, and route through the Small Strait. I would then cross the TSS at right angles somewhere between 12 40 N and 12 50 N and do so at night. I would then make direct for the Eritraen coast and then to the anchorage at Lahaleb Deset, South of Assab, which I know to be very secure and capable of taking a large number of yachts, or continue up the Eritraen coast. Ports of Call. I have restricted the details to a minimum, friends provided so much information that I could have written a book!! The consensus is that if you are doing the Red Sea on the cheap then you will need about $1800. Dollars can be got at one ATM in Salalah but it is far better to have all you need before you set sail. Uligan. A very safe anchorage in beautiful waters and good coral. The local agent can arrange a trip to the nearby islands, a village prepared dinner and a beach bar-b-que. There is a store with limited fruit and vegetables and frozen meats. My recollection of the charges is that they were less than $50.
Salalah. The anchorage is very safe but restricted. If there are a lot of yachts then fore and aft anchoring down the centre of the anchorage may have to be implemented. Mohammed is the agent and leads you through the arrival process. He charges $50. At 3 rials to the $ then immigration was $45, customs $36, visa $24 each, harbour fees $60, Check out fees $15. You maybe asked for a valid boat insurance certificate. Mohammed can arrange car hire, fuel, gas and even beer deliveries. Aden. A very safe anchorage. There s no need for an agent and there are no check in or departure fees. You are required to visit port control prior to departure. Fuel is available at the filthiest dock imaginable. Massawa Eritrea. Mooring against the harbour wall can be dangerous unless you set a breast anchor to keep you off the wall. Wash and swell combined can ruin your fenders very quickly. It is possible to anchor 100m from the wall. No agent needed and costs are $15 a day harbour fees, $40 each for a visa and $2 for a folder!! A transit pass if you are going to Asmara is $1 each. The Sunday steam train trip from Asmara was considered a major highlight by some. Port Suakin Sudan. A very safe anchorage. Mohammed the agent charges $30 plus total fees of $100. He will retain your passport until you are ready to leave and can arrange fuel and gas. Port Ghalib Egypt. Stern to moorings and a very easy check in costing $30 for customs, $15 each for a visa and $40 processing fee. Marina charges are about $6 for a 35 yacht. There is a new, easily accessible fuel dock. It is by far the easiest place to check into Egypt and it s not necessary to stay overnight. Check in can be done in 1 to 2 hours then you are clear to depart. Port Suez. The agents charge $85. Port fees are $40, check out $15 and approximately $140 tonnage fees for a 35ft yacht. The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) tonnage rates can be worked out using the information in the Red Sea Pilot. However, the tonnage rate also includes the volume of all the above deck covered areas including the pilot house and coach roof area. This volume has to be added to the Pilot results. Our measurer told us that a computer printout of the tonnage is supplied to the agents (which is how he determines the costs you have to pay), the agents deny this. I think the measurer was telling the truth. The agents will try to inflate the tonnage charges so it s worth having a good idea of your tonnage. They will also delay giving you and collecting the tonnage fees until you are about to depart when it is too late to argue. The agent will arrange for the pilot who is likely to have few qualifications for the position. If you allow him to pilot your yacht and he hits a buoy or anything else you will be responsible for any charges (and there will be charges). Our pilots didn t understand the affects of depth on tidal flow. In the canal it s best to stay in 8-10m
close to the buoys if the flow is against you and 15-18m if the flow is with you. You can gain well in excess of 1kt doing so. You can check out the boat in Port Suez (PS) and there are no penalties for doing so. If you wish to visit Cairo from Ishmalia then you will be required to check out with immigration at Port Said (PSa). Otherwise you can check out of the country at Port Suez and visit Cairo and elsewhere from there. In this case you are restricted to an overnight stop at Ishmalia (and you can anchor off and save $21) you will not be allowed to leave the yacht club area during your overnight stop. Mooring charges are $21 a night. Ishmalia. A safe stern to anchorage tied to mooring buoys. Not a yacht club, with shower facilities for men only and a washing machine. Mooring fees are $21 a night. Mohammed, the taxi driver is the only truly honest Egyptian I met. He can be trusted and his rates are fair. (He arranged camel rides round the pyramids at one tenth of the rates being charged) The yacht club will arrange for the pilot if you are unable to contact your agent. Fuel in Ishmalia is about 25 cents a litre whereas in most of the earlier ports of call (and subsequent ones) it is about $1 a litre. However, you will have to run the gauntlet of the customs and guards who will demand $5 or even $10 for each 20 litre can. There is little you can do but acquiesce. Port Said. Stern to with anchor in a concrete basin heavily affected by wash from all the traffic leaving the canal 200 m away. If you decide to stop here, and I would strongly advise against doing so, then you will be charged whatever the numerous officials think that they can get away with. One yacht forced to stop because of bad weather and having cleared out correctly in PS, paid over $300 in additional charges. Pilots and Baksheesh. Very few cruisers who transit the canal have anything good to say about it primarily because of the constant requests for baksheesh and presents. It starts with the boat boy at PS who will demand money and gifts at every opportunity and, as is common throughout the canal, he will do so regardless of how much you give him. In Ishmalia you will have your bags examined each time you return to the yacht club and the customs officer (always in plain clothes) will attempt to obtain dues of one sort or another. Electrical equipment bought in Egypt will be subject to additional payments if he can get away with it. If a dispute occurs call your agent. The pilots from PS to Ishmalia tend to be less aggressive than those to PSa. Most yachts in 2010 gave $10 to each of the 2 pilots in a sealed envelope after the completion of each transit. Despite what the pilot book says, a boat will collect the pilot at PSa and then demand a present. I declined forcefully; another yacht at about the same time also declined and was rammed by the pilot boat. Most skippers and crew have had enough of Egypt after the Suez transit and have no intention of ever returning. Like many others, after dropping of the pilot at PSa they continue on without stopping or clearing out. (See footnote for consequences)
We had a wonderful time in all the ports up to PS. The sights and anchorages particularly in Sudan and Sataya reef were wonderful. The convoy passage through pirate alley was an experience never to be forgotten (or repeated) and the sailing in the IO was excellent (except for the odd gale) It was only the Suez Canal and Egypt North of Hurghada which marred an otherwise great passage. I hope yours is too. Footnote. From PSa we went straight to Ashkelon in Israel. A few days later I received an email from Tina, Robert s wife on Shirena. He had had a heart attack in Ishmalia and would fly to Austria for surgery as soon as he was stabilised. Tina wanted advice on what to do with Shirena. After asking Fatty Goodlander to help out we flew almost immediately from Tel Aviv to Cairo. I had never intended to return to Egypt so I was concerned that my entry back into the country with no exit stamp on my visa would be an issue (and maybe a jail sentence) luckily the errant visa was not noticed. The plan was to arrive in Ishmalia early Friday morning and leave later that day taking Shirena to PSa and onto Ashkelon. Tina had paid the agent an additional $350 and a bond of $600 to ensure that there would be no problems with my assuming command of the boat and taking it through the canal. The agent understood exactly what was required and confirmed that all was in order. The pilot didn t turn up on the Friday and on Saturday the SCA demanded to see Robert (dragged from his sick bed) and Tina. The upshot was that intelligence checks were required on Fatty and I before we could make the transit and they would take 2 weeks to complete. This despite the fact that we had both done the transit only a few days earlier!!! To get the boat to PSa, where I could take over as captain, meant that Robert and Tina would have to sail to PSa. Robert was in pain and on the point of collapse when they reached PSa 7 hours later. The pilot, who was aware of Robert s condition demanded more baksheesh on top of the $20 Robert had given him. Tina administered pills and life saving medicines. Eventually they were able to leave; we waited another 4 hours before a pilot arrived to take us 150m to the end of the SCA controlled area. Naturally he and pilot boat demanded a present. Neither was successful. The $540 was for naught. And at the time of writing the $600 had still not been returned to Robert. In my opinion the SCA wanted their baksheesh but the agent was not prepared to give up any of his plunder. The result, a very seriously ill friend was forced to sail his yacht for 44nms up the Suez Canal. No one I met seemed to care whether he lived or died. Robert is now recovering in Australia. Fortunately no surgery was needed despite it being a very serious attack.he and Tina will be flying back to Ashkelon and Shirena in the spring to realise their dream of sailing around the Greek Islands.