Read an interesting side story in todays 'The Sun' a fairly low rent British rag, and one of our highest selling papers.
Seeing as it's a tabloid, do take this with a pinch of salt, but.....
There is apparently a company offering anti-piracy holidays. You get taken for a trip on a Yacht (luxury I suppose), with the usual crew replaced with Mercenaries. Armed Mercenaries. With some spare guns, bullets and possibly grenades for yourself.
You then set sail, and sort of bugger around off the coast of Somalia, posing as a decent target for the Pirates. Then when they approach, gets the toys out, and give them a damned good tickle.
I shall endeavour to find ratification of this story, because despite still being murder, it does sound like a bit of a giggle!
Blimey! They didn't make it up!
Website I found it on sez wrote:For the gun nut who has done everything, join a cruise to sunny Somalia and see how many pirates you can take out.
The Somali cruise package that departs from Sawakin (in the Sudan) and docks at Bagamoya (in Tanzania).
The trip includes a master gunsmith and will have reloading parties every afternoon as well as optional marksmanship training.
The cruise lasts from 4-8 days and nights and costs a maximum of $3200 per person double occupancy (4 days). If you don't have your own high powered weapons you can hire them on the boat.
The cruise boat sails along the coast of Somalia waiting to get hijacked by pirates. Here are some of the costs and claims associated with the package.
*$800.00 US/per day double occupancy (4 day max billing)
*M-16 full auto rental $ 25.00/day ammo at 100 rounds of 5.56 armor piercing ammo at 15.95
*Ak-47 riffle @ No charge. ammo at 100 rounds of 7.62 com block ball ammo at 14.95
*Barrett M-107 .50 cal sniper riffle rental 55.00/day ammo at 25 rounds 50 cal armor piercing at 9.95
*Crew members can double as spotters for 30.00 per hour (spotting scope included).
*RPG’s at 75 bucks and 200 dollars for 3 standard loads
*“Everyone gets use of free complimentary night vision equipment and coffee and snacks on the top deck from 7pm-6am.”
*Most cruises offer a mini-bar and this cruise offers a MOUNTED MINIGUN AVAILABLE @ 450.00 per 30 seconds of sustained fire”
“We guarantee that you will experience at least two hijacking attempts by pirates or we will refund half your money back including gun rental charges and any unused ammo (mini-gun charges not included).
How can we guarantee you will experience a hijacking? We operate at 5 knots within 12 miles of the coast of Somalia. If an attempted Hijacking does not occur we will turn the boat around and cruise by at 4 knots. We will repeat this for up to 8 days making three passes a day along the entire length of Somalia.
At night the boat is fully lit and bottle rockets are shot off at intervals and loud disco music beamed shore side to attract attention. Cabin space is limited so respond quickly. Reserve your package before the end of May and get 100 rounds of free tracer ammo in the caliber of your choice.”
As if all that isn’t enough to whet your appetite, there were a few testimonials
*“I got three confirmed kills on my last trip. I’ll never hunt big game in Africa again. I felt like the Komandant in Schindlers list!”---- Lars, Hamburg, Germany
*“Six attacks in 4 days were more than I expected. I bagged three pirates and my 12yr old son sank two rowboats with the mini-gun. PIRATES 0 - PASSENGERS-32! Well worth the trip. Just make sure your spotter speaks English” - Ned, Salt Lake city, Utah USA
*“I haven’t had this much fun since flying choppers in NAM. Don’t worry about getting shot by pirates as they never even got close to the ship with those weapons they use and their squirrelly aim—reminds me of a drunken ‘juicer’ door gunner we picked up from the motor pool back in Nam”—“chopper’ Dan ----Toledo USA.
*“Like ducks in a barrel. This is must do! – Zeke, Minnahaw Springs, Kentucky, USA
Finally, someone had the common sense to cash in AND solve a major problem. These folks deserve a medal!
