How Safe is Cruising in the U.S.?

. . . THE PRECAUTIONS WE TAKE

Our land friends let us know they are concerned about our safety. Some mention pirates, with a laugh. Luckily, there have been no recorded pirate attacks for more than a century in U.S. waters. 

Joking aside, we really don't have an answer to the question about safe cruising. We've had a good experience, no worries, no problems, in the half of the Great Loop we've done so far. All we've read and heard about our route is that there's no need for protection from anything but the weather. 

However, in a place as small and safe as Marathon where we moored three months, a robber came on board several boats at night -- usually with the owners asleep just a few feet away -- stealing generators, dinghies, fishing rods and other items that weren't secured. The local police caught the thief ("he weren't from around these parts") and returned the stolen items. When the robberies began, the rest of us began to lock items as a precaution. 

Taking Precautions

What we learned from Marathon is to clear the cockpit or lock away easily stolen items before leaving the boat or going to sleep. Put the hatch boards in the companionway (main doorway) and lock the boat before leaving it. 

Stan and Annie, our most-experienced Looper friends, suggested clearing everything out of the dinghy before taking it ashore in larger cities. That means that the pfds we wear in the dinghy to make us Coast Guard-legit for navigation must be worn or carried on shore. Naturally, lock the dinghy to the cleat when ashore.

Protecting Ourselves on the Boat

Don't mess with me!  Grrrrrr.

Go ahead and laugh, but Squirt's 100-pound bark in a 10-pound body is one of our best lines of defense. His bark attracts attention and startles "evildoers." People are less likely to rob a home, apartment or boat with a dog there. That's why he's Chief Security Officer.

Other ways of protecting ourselves are cans of wasp spray and bear spray that we can grab at the entrance to the cabin. In the V-berth, we keep a couple of air horns, another bear spray and a flare gun and flares as attention getters for other boats, thief distractors, and protection.

To make noise and incapacitate a thief, we have wasp and hornet spray, flare gun and flares, air horn, and bear spray on the boat. We could also grab a fire extinguisher to temporarily blind someone, if need be.

Why No Guns?

Carrying guns is an emotional topic to boaters, just as it is to people ashore. We chose to have defenses that are legal everywhere that we plan to visit, including New York City and Canada that ban guns. (Yes, Canada has bears, so they allow bear spray.)

Our combined defenses provide peace of mind to us and we hope to our family and friends. For sure, you can take comfort knowing we'll be bug and bear free while we're traveling.