Further to my random observations about cruise ships travelling through this area, I read an article in the Oman Observer yesterday reporting how pleased they are that  Salalah port is becoming a popular tourist destination.

20 cruise ships with 14,892 tourists on board have visited the port since the beginning of the year.

Salalah is the only safe port in the centre of a vast sea area of pirate activity which continues to become more dangerous every day.

The BBC have reported several attempted pirate attacks on cruise ships in 2008/9/10 and more recently a Saga cruise ship experienced an attempted pirate attack on 13^th January this year.

The BBC report goes on to say ….

'It was a really terrifying ordeal. We were eating dinner and then ordered below deck with our heads bowed.

'The captain sped up and tried to outrun the pirates. We were told they had spotted pirates two miles behind us.

'We were told to keep our heads down in case they shot us through the windows. Then we were told they were up beside us. Everyone was calm.'

The captain of Spirit of Adventure sped up and eventually outran the inflatable boat, which eventually sped off, and the black-tie event resumed soon after.

We have taken current military advice and decided to ship our yachts home – what are people thinking booking a cruise that takes them  through the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean ?

Black tie dinners interrupted occasionally by nuisance pirate skiffs armed with Rocket propelled grenades and AK47’s - THIS IS NOT A GAME !