The Real Pirates of the Caribbean

 

The Real Pirates of the Caribbean

By Elaine Viets

Whenever I read about pirate attacks off Somalia, I think of my globe-trotting friend Ray Marklin. Ray is a photographer who lives in St. Louis. He has taken photos in Myanmar, Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Cuba, and some seventy other countries for major magazines and corporations. He’s photographed jazz stars, rock stars – and pirates.

We know the Somalian pirates are a murderous bunch. Last year they captured 42 ships, including a Saudi supertanker. They’ve demanded ransoms of up to $3,000,000. They bravely took a three-year-old boy hostage. No wonder the world cheered when American snipers killed three pirates holding a captain at gunpoint on a lifeboat.

Ray was also on a boat captured by pirates – in the Caribbean. These Caribbean pirates were a bit like some Caribbean resorts. Ray found them polite, photogenic, entertaining – and determined to get money.

Compared to the bloodthirsty Somali pirates, the Caribbean pirates were almost Disneylike. At least in retrospect.

That’s not to downplay Ray’s experience. The ocean is vast and lonely, a desert with undrinkable water and merciless sun. Strange things happen when there are no witnesses.

"When it’s your time, it’s your time," Ray said. Here is how Ray describes his pirate encounter.

"In January, 1993, some friends had chartered a 51-foot sailboat in Grenada. We were working our way north to explore other islands. Our boat ran aground off Catholic Rock, near Union Island. We radioed for help.

"About sixteen local people boarded our vessel. They said they were going to help us rescue the boat. We did not feel threatened. The only weapons I saw were a few ‘skin diving’ type knives on a couple of guys. I photographed the whole ordeal."

But the rescue turned odd when a second rescue boat arrived.

"The second boat began towing our boat back to the harbor."

This made Ray and his friends happy, except the pirates refused to leave. The real rescuers – the second group – "said to gather all our personal belongings and immediately jump on the dock when we were towed into the harbor. We kinda got the feeling something was wrong."

So did the pirates take all your money?

"No. The boat was worth much more than whatever money we were carrying."

Ray, his friends and the real rescuers did not use force to overcome the pirates.

"We decided to let the laws of land prevail, while the pirates and the ‘official rescuers’ were battling it out in a tug-o-war about who was ‘rescuing’ us.

"As soon as we jumped off the boat and were safe, I expected a scuffle, but nothing like that happened. The pirates calmly sat on our rented sailboat and waited us out. We booked a room in a hotel and radioed the manager of the charter company.

"He told us to do nothing until he arrived on the next flight. This is where I learned a valuable lesson I still use when traveling in foreign counties: Whenever you have a group of people wanting something from you – photos, money, souvenirs – ask this question: ‘Who is the leader?’ They will all point to one guy. Then you say, ‘Alright, I will negotiate with him and he will speak for all of you, correct?’

"They agree. Then you take the leader away from the group and negotiate with him. This is what the charter boat manager did in the captain’s quarters. They settled on $4,000 as a rescue fee. The leader divided the money with the other 15 guys. I do not know how much the ‘official rescuers’ got. Plus, we lost three days sailing while the boat was being repaired. But that evening, there were a lot of drunk, partying locals in the streets."

Was Ray afraid during the pirate encounter?

"No. But I’m happy to be alive all these years later."

    ****

That is Ray's photo, taken during the encounter. I told you he was good.

Comments

[Kathy Sweeney]

Yo, ho, ho ho. What a great story!

And good advice about negotiating, whatever the situation.

The closest I've ever come to this was once at Disney World, where an over zealous Johnny Depp fan tried to get out of the boat ride to take a photo with his anamatronic Jack Sparrow.

[Karen in Ohio]

Oddly, Wired.com has an article about pirates today:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/07/exclusive-interview-with-a-pirate/

What day is "Talk like a pirate day"? I love that day!

[Maryann Mercer]

Yikes! Or Arrrrgh! Which ever is more appropriate. Charter Boat---$900.00 Beer and munchies--$350.00 Knowing with whom to negotiate when captured by pirates---priceless! I would have been cowering in the galley. It actually sounds like the Caribbean pirates are a kinder gentler group than the Somalians, but I wouldn't want to run into either, especially after the news feeds on abduction and violence. Your friend is one brave dude, Elaine :o)

[Book Tarts]

"Your friend is one brave dude, Elaine."

Yes, Ray is, Maryann, but Ray's been in parts of the world that are dicey, to say the least.
I liked the negotiation tactic, too.
Elaine Viets

[kris]

Karen, Talk Like a Pirate Day is Sept. 19. Putting it in the calendar right now.

[Laura (in PA)]

Wow, Elaine - you know some fascinating people.

[Karen in Ohio]

Thanks, Kris!

[Alan P.]

I just finished "Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean." http://www.librarything.com/work/5988365/book/46326939

Any one who finds pirates "fun" or Disneyesque needs to understand that they were criminals and that Piracy is the only crime that carries Universal Juristiction. Pirates can be tried in any country. In fact, I think that would be one way to handle the Somali pirates, try them in China.

[xena]

Soooo....I want to meet this Ray. My college boyfriend bought a 32 foot Tartan sailboat. It had been sitting next to the dock with the sails on north of Jacksonville for 10 years. He chipped off enough oysters (good eatin') to get the propeller moving and overhauled the engine (we affectionately called Hercule)and took it up the river to dry dock and get the rest of the oysters (yum) off the hull and fix 'er up. We called the tiller Attila.
Did I mention he was a photographer?
Every weekend I wasn't dancing we drove from Tallahassee to Jacksonville to work on the boat.
When the semester was over and the boat was ready we sailed around the coast of Florida up to Shell Point which used to be a quaint sleepy fishing village straight south of Tallahassee. Us and five million mosquitoes. (This is when I developed Sunblock with repellent. Too bad I didn't patent it.)
Every weekend I wasn't dancing we entertained folk sailing from Shell Point to Saint Marks. We'd dock at Posie's and chow down on smoked mullet served on a brown paper towel and shoved across the green formica counter. The gulf oysters, if you've never had one, are not for dainty Red Lobster restaurant goers. They are more than a cracker full and the horseradish cocktail sauce was not for wimps either. These were also shucked in front of you and shoved across the formica. Secret to good raw oysters is don't rinse them.
Then we'd go up the Saint Marks River and find an old falling down dock to spend the night. You would swear you were on the set for Gone With the Wind some of the abandoned hotels were so southern. Wonderful mornings swimming in the fresh tan colored water then back to Shell Point.
I painted the head red with a Coca Cola emblem on the top that read "The pause that refreshes".
Lots of voyages and friends and fun and then one evening we were late getting to Saint Marks because it was low tide and we ran aground. They do have a light house at the opening of the channel for the oil barges so we came in in the dark okay after we waited for the tide to float us off. (Saint Marks had an electrical plant that probably powered the west coast of Florida.)
Everything seemed to be alright until some very questionable characters started talking to us at the dock at Posie's helping us tie up. Were we going in to eat? Did we want them to watch our sailboat?
Yeah...pirates. Or unless they have to rob your sailboat at sea...thieves.
And my boyfriend photographed it all when we came out to sell on the wire. You know when your trusting nature has been violated?
At least they didn't take the red head!
Just saying.
I forgot to tell you we called the rudder Loretta. Could be a children's book title in there somewhere. Loretta the Rudder.

[Lisa Daily]

Wow, great story!

Fabulous picture, too!

Lisa

[Book Tarts]

I am learning a lot about pirates today. Thanks for the "Jewish Pirates in the Caribbean," Alan. The Somalian pirate interview was fascinating. TLC is a continuing education.
Elaine Viets

[Denny]

Didn't any of these people know how to kedge a boat off of a reef?

[Harley]

I think we should fix up Ray with our Xena.

[gaylin in vancouver]

** hijack

if you want to see a really cool time-lapse video (it is brief) of a day in Vancouver, this was taken on Saturday, which started out beautiful and ended with a huge lightning storm and fireworks.

the bridge in the foreground is the one I walk across going home from work. (NOTE NO PIRATES)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNgk1pEHi_Q

[xena]

I second the motion!

[Me, Margie]

Hey, Elaine -

Is your friend the one with the nice ass? Just asking before my Cousins Rita or Rocco do.

Me, Margie

[Book Tarts]

Margie, all my friends have superior posteriors. Ray will have to own up to his own buns.
Elaine Viets

[Nancy Martin]

Love the Vancouver video, Gaylin!

And I can't believe we're talking about sailors and Cousin Rita hasn't shown up yet. Think she's swooning on the floor? Or something?

[Book Tarts]

Vancouver looks gorgeous, Gaylin. Hope I get to go there.
Elaine Viets

[gaylin in vancouver]

If you ever get here Elaine, I'll buy dinner!

[Book Tarts]

Deal, Gaylin. I hear the salmon is good.
Elaine

[xena]

Soooo....how do I get a hold of Ray?

[Tom]

Xena, do you actually expect us to tell you how to *handle* a gentleman?

[xena]

Look Tom...if I was on a sailboat with Ray there would be no problem as to "handling". I span an octave and three. Pirates or no pirates.
The point being if I was say in Miami (where I am) and he is in Vancouver well then there is not enough rigging in the world to get us together.
Hence the "how" part of the question.
And where the hey ho are you located?
Just asking.

[Elaine Viets]

Ray lives in St. Louis, Xena. I think he's traveling today.
Elaine

[Elaine Viets]

Here's Ray's blog, though.
Elaine

http://raymarklin.blogspot.com/

[storyteller Mary]

Ray's blog is eclectic and wonderful -- and let me know that I missed Doc Watson and David Holt at the Sheldon. I have to start paying better attention to what's going on . . .

[Tom]

Spoken like a true and mighty costume shop warrior, yer Xenatude! Huzzah!