|
Linnet Woods for MarineZine
Whilst this may not offer the best holding ground (see Ground
Rules) we were there with Leopard Normand III for the best part of eighteen
months and were aware of very few security problems. A couple of dinghies disappeared but
one which was known to have been stolen by a local man was recovered by dint of
letting it be known to friends of his that his identity would be revealed to the
entire community unless the dinghy and outboard reappeared promptly. The missing
items reappeared where they could conveniently be 'discovered' within hours of
this message going out. This man had robbed a couple who had befriended him.
The
only other known (to us) thief in the area had been caught stealing from several
boats, aboard which he had been contracted to work, and yet was still being allowed to operate within a
boatyard when last we looked. We suggest that, as in most countries where it is
possible, you make enquiries amongst fellow boat-owners before inviting strangers
aboard.
In Chaguaramas, you can ask, during the Parts and
Services Wanted part of the Cruiser's Net, at 0800 hours every day, on VHF
Channel 68, if anyone can recommend individuals offering particular services and
there is usually a good response.
Blatant dishonesty seems quite rare there. Crass
incompetence is another matter but this page is about safety!
We never heard of instances of people's boats out at anchor being visited whilst
they were unattended. In fact, the only other complaint of theft we heard was from a young man whose
girlfriend had accepted a lift home, one night, from some quite unsavoury
people, in whose company she had been drinking all evening, in town.
Apparently there were quite a lot of items found to be missing from the boat the
following morning and, although nobody would suggest that theft should be
accepted by anyone, the fact is that those young men would never have been
anywhere near the boat, or boatyard, if the silly girl hadn't invited them
there, actually bringing them to the area from the seedier part of the capital.
No country is without its criminal element but only a fool opens his or her door
and beckons that element in!
|
