Aren't You Afraid of Pirates?

This is one of the most common questions we’re asked about sailing. I think this fear is borne from memories of the horrifying Abu Sayyaf abductions several years ago in Palawan (although the victims were abducted from a resort then taken by boat to Basilan) and the frequent piracy incidents in Somalia. I must admit though that the story of the American couple living their dream of sailing around the world who were taken hostage and killed in Somalia 2 years ago freaked me out.

A fisherman offering his newly caught 15+ kilo tuna on our way to Dumaguete

Today’s pirates are not the Blackbeard-type but range from petty thieves eyeing your fraying board shorts to modern boaters equipped with mobile phones, GPS and fast boats, out to hassle you for cash, fuel, electronic equipment or maybe even your entire vessel.

It is a valid question but frankly, pirates are far off our range of consciousness. It’s not that we don’t believe they exist but we have too many other things to worry about such as bad weather, a fouled anchor and our inadequate domestic battery supply. Besides, it’s really hard to think about pirates when anywhere we go, we are always met with friendly smiles and waves, fishermen selling their fresh catch, or simply locals paddling over to gape at our boat.

Pitched and slept in a tent on the beach one night in Apo Island due to rough seas and woke up the next day to giant turtle tracks beside our tent! Here's Mariel who was 13 then. Apo Reef is the world's second-largest contiguous coral reef system and the largest in the country, and one of the world's best dive spots.

Have we had scary moments? Yes, we’ve had a few but most turn out to be unfounded. One incident was in Apo Reef in the Sulu Sea in April 2007. We were sound asleep and safely moored to a buoy when we were woken up by a powerful searchlight trained towards us. It was coming from a 30-meter boat about 200 meters away deliberately headed our way. We were in the middle of a national park, the mainland was 23 nautical miles away and there were no other boats in sight. In fact, there were no other people in this part of the world and we had not seen another vessel in about 3 days, so why was this boat headed directly towards us in the middle of the night? During those few tense minutes (it was probably only about 2-3 minutes but it felt like an hour), my imagination ran wild. I was already thinking of how to protect Mariel, then 13 years old. Finally, after a brief exchange on the radio, we learned that they were looking for the buoy we were moored to, one of the few available in this protected atoll. It is illegal to drop anchor in Apo Reef because it is a marine sanctuary and boats can only moor in the buoys provided. Phew! Our fear was caused by our inexperience, this trip being our first foray away from our backyard.

Our carollers in Illutuk Bay, Busuanga, Palawan

Another incident turned out to be a most pleasant experience. 29 December 2010, 9pm and anchored in llutuk Bay in Busuanga, Northern Palawan, off the Calauit game reserve and wildlife sanctuary. We heard an engine and saw a 3-meter banca (boat) approaching us with 5 silhouettes. We were in a remote island with no sign of civilization around, an explosion of stars over our heads, peaceful water around us and lush forested mountains in the horizon. Once again, why would anyone approach us in the middle of nowhere? Mariel and I quickly ran below to the cabin. Raul remained on deck, put on his most authoritative voice and shouted “Sino yan? (Who’s there?)”. To which we got a sheepish reply “Puede ho bang mag-caroling? (Could we sing you some Christmas songs?”). Who could have expected that?! It was a bizarre moment indeed with these Palawenos singing Feliz Navidad in Spanish and Whispering Hope, complete with second voice and guitar accompaniment. They were expecting money for the entertainment, of course, but that didn't dampen the Christmas spirit.

This man in a makeshift styropor boat sold us big live crabs

The last experience I will recount took place in the same place in Illutuk Bay several years later. It was a dark and windless night, the water calm and glassy. Raul and I were having cocktails on deck, with Carole King singing in the background. We’ve had a few drinks when all of sudden, we felt like someone was watching us. And true enough, there was a banca (boat) about a meter away from our boat with 2 men watching us in the dark, motionless and almost invisible in the moonless night. How long they had been there watching us, we had absolutely no idea. When they realized that we saw them, they quickly paddled away, ignoring our questions as to who they were and what they wanted. This left me quite spooked and I was so unsettled after that. For the first and only time in our sailing lives, we slept with the door locked.

My last encounter and pirate news stories may have freaked you out and convinced you that sailing is indeed risky. I think these are either isolated cases or happen only in hot spots. We don’t let these incidents scare us but make us smarter and more prepared, the same way we prepare for bad weather (check everything twice), a fouled anchor line (carry scuba equipment and a spare anchor), inadequate battery supply (turn on engine and charge batteries every couple of hours even after you’ve had a few drinks at night) and other unforeseen events.

How do we prepare against "pirates"?

A visit to Batanes' Honesty Cafe in 2003, Mariel 9 then. This store is unmanned and customers are expected to leave their payment in a box on the counter 

We do our homework, heed local advice, consult other sailors and steer clear of hot spots. It’s just like being smart in our everyday lives. Every city has its dangers except maybe Batanes which has 0% crime rate and where the Honesty Café is flourishing.

We carry a gun on board. Raul and I know how to use it and we practice to make sure we are comfortable with it. People are repelled at the idea of guns. I am not. I was in the University of the Philippines Rifle Pistol team in college and even trained as a reserve for the Philippine national team. I am not a violent person but I will not hesitate to use it on any one who is a threat to my family or myself.

If all else fails, we have a final fallback. We carry an anting-anting (amulet) which a healer cum vendor gave us in Siquijor, the Land of the Mystique, during a sailing trip there Holy Week of 2011. It is a pretty colored plastic tube bracelet that contains a thick liquid inside. It came with a flyer that reads “If evil spirits or witches present, this bracelet will disconnect on its own and escaping oil will protect you”. I hope it works against pirates, too. 

Magic bracelets, love potions, lucky charms are among the products available in Siquijor, Land of the Mystique