SALALAH / ZAFAR, OMAN (day 100)

We are not docking until 12:00 pm & that gives me time to tell you about our

 PIRATE PREPAREDNESS

 Prior to a meeting with the Captain in the auditorium where he discussed the procedures related to the confirmation of a suspicious approach of a boat or skiff, with the passengers we received the following information in our  room:

On the late evening of April 10th, 2016, after departure from Muscat the Silver Whisper will be in the Arabian Sea, this large part of the indian Ocean, together with the Gulf of Aden and the lower sector of the Red Sea, is designated by the International Maritime Organization as High Risk Area for Piracy, etc...

For the duration of our transit in the High Risk Area, we will be in constant communication with Naval Forces and International Organizations. Silver Whisper will be adopting additional security measures to deter interferences with our sailing starting from the evening of April 10, until late night April 14 when we will be in the middle sector of the Red Sea, etc...

Fast boats approaching or following the ship are not necessarily pirates, skiffs and fishing boats may be in the area. Please avoid making the wrong assumptions.

The Informative letter went on to give the following instructions on confirmation of a suspicious approach of a boat or skiff.

Attention all Passengers and Crew "STAND BY-STAND BY-STAND BY"

It went on to tell the passengers where to go for safety ...

The emergency signal for a piracy attack is:

5 SHORT BLASTS ON THE SHIP'S WHISTLE AND ACOUSTIC ALARM SYSTEM
It went on to tell the passengers what to do for safety...

From the evening of April 10 through April 14, we kindly suggest not to proceed through the open decks during the night hours, as the lights will be kept off.

THE GRILL RESTAURANT APRIL 11, VERY ROMANTIC

SHIPS STAFF LOOKOUTS

IN ADDITION TO SHIPS STAFF BEING POSTED TO LOOK OUT SECURITY GUARDS WERE BROUGHT ON BOARD IN MUSCAT 

Most important to be prepared! Interesting and kind of exciting...that is of course that we really do not think that anything will happen???