In Pirate Waters

Set during a period of dramatically escalating piracy, Hostile Seas is a personal account of a mission on board a naval warship in the waters off Somalia. In late 2008, piracy around the Horn of Africa escalated dramatically, threatening the passage of international merchant ships through a critical waterway. Not only were ships carrying goods to North America and Europe affected, but also vessels entrusted with food aid for a Somali population suffering the effects of prolonged drought and civil war. In response, the Canadian government redirected naval frigate HMCS Ville de Québec from the Mediterranean Sea to Somali waters to escort pirate-menaced vessels carrying World Food Programme aid to Mogadishu. Told from the perspective of a ship’s officer, Hostile Seas is a personal account of life on board a deployed navy ship that explores the tension between military imperatives and individual needs as a succession of hijackings brings into focus the reality of Somali piracy.

Set in 2008, Hostile Seas is a personal account of life on board Canadian naval ship HMCS Ville de Québec as the crew attempts to escort pirate-menaced cargo ships carrying World Food Programme aid to Mogadishu.

What are the lives of modern day pirates like outside of the attack skiffs? How do they spend their money? What clothes do they wear and what is their drug of choice? Deadly Waters takes us to the heart of Somalia, where Jay Bahadur, the intrepid twenty-five-year-old author has ventured where most journalists fear to tread. As the 'go to' journalist for all media, and with unparalleled access to all the major players, from government officials to local residents - and of course the pirates themselves - Bahadur sets out to discover who is behind the masked menaces who appear on the news. Exploring the politics and history of the self-governing region of Puntland, Bahadur looks at the challenges facing this troubled mini-state as piracy rises - and examines how the UN and other bodies are attempting to deal with the scourge of every sea-faring nation. Evocative and incisive, Deadly Waters is a highly original analysis of the international pirate crisis.

While sailing alone one night in the shipping lanes across one of the busiest waterways in the world, John Burnett was attacked by pirates. Through sheer ingenuity and a little bit of luck, he survived, and his shocking firsthand experience became the inspiration for Dangerous Waters. Today's breed of pirates are not the colorful cutthroats painted by the history books. Unlike the romantic images from yesteryear of Captain Hook, Long John Silver, and Blackbeard, modern pirates can be local seamen looking for a quick score, highly trained guerrillas, rogue military units, or former seafarers recruited by sophisticated crime organizations. Including new, up-to-date information for the paperback edition, Dangerous Waters is both a dauntless investigation and an epic, breathtaking modern tale of the sea.

Join Glen and Julie as they extend their voyage from New Zealand through the Mideast. While in New Zealand they participate in every sailor's dream: the America's Cup Races. But there is no turning back once they leave the wonders of the Pacific for the Indian Ocean and find themselves in the grip of natural and political forces beyond their control. Crossing Pirate Waters is written with candor and wry humor. Come aboard and experience the uncertainties of what is at times, all-too-authentic experiences far from the islands of cruising romance and margaritas.