Liveaboard burns - Egypt

[scubafanatic]

I think I'd look upon someone other than an official in a port asking for my passport with extreme suspicion. Unless I was banking and in that case I expect it right back after they inspect it.

Maybe I wouldn't do well in that part of the world. My only international travel has been to Mexico, and only the border guys at the airport wanted to see my passport - and they certainly didn't keep it.

A hotel or boat outside the us wanting to keep my passport seems like a hotel or boat in the us wanting to keep my drivers license. Neither is going to happen. They can see it, maybe make a copy of it.

I'll admit I wasn't super thrilled about it either, but at that point on one's trip/vacation what are ya gonna do about it ? Gotta roll with the punches and improvise.

 

[AZNetEng]

While not experienced live aboard divers (just finished our first one) evacuation was something briefed and that my wife and I planned for. After every dive I retested and hooked up my regs to a full tank, including my wife's. We were literally 11 steps from our rigs at night from the cabin. The boat had to have been listing badly for me not to head down the steps and grab my rig. Passports and cash were in a ziploc bag ready to grab heading out the door.

 

[FinnMom]

Since this post is in the A&I forum I don't think discussions of alleged or implied insurance fraud and/or negligence on behalf of the crew is what we need to be discussing:

I would like to propose the following question:

If you are on a (liveaboard) boat that catches fire and/or is sinking, what would you do? What safety measures can you take that would allow you to keep your person and your property as safe as possible? What kinds of "tips and tricks" do experienced liveaboard guests have for those of us with less experience?

R..

General travel fire safety
My husband has a travel-size fire alarm, about 1.5 times the size of a cigarette pack. He keeps it in his bathroom kit bag.

Exit help
I also try to always keep a flashlight nearby when I'm sleeping, and in my purse when I fly.

Passport
I have copies of the photo page from the entire family's passports on my PC at home. All my (adult) kids know my password.

 

[DandyDon]

My husband has a travel-size fire alarm, about 1.5 times the size of a cigarette pack. He keeps it in his bathroom kit bag.

I carry a Sensorcon CO alarm, smaller than that, that should alert me of fire as well as other CO intrusions. With a gallon ziplock bag, it can also test tanks.

 

[John Bantin]

In Egypt, it is customary for hotels to hold your passport. The first time I went on a liveaboard in Egypt (in the early 1980s), the boat's agent took our passports saying, "Trust me. I am your friend!" and we didn't see him for two days! The passengers' passports are meant to be held by the captain because when you leave port in Egypt, you must be checked out by the police and when you return, likewise, even if the vessel never leaves Egyptian territory. If it does, as per trips to the Sudan, you will need entry visas and a clean page for each, for every time you enter Egypt (and the Sudan). Occasionally, the police/military will come on board during the cruise to check passports against passengers. Some operators that have had experience with boat fires, keep the passports in a watertight container that can be easily grabbed in an emergency.

 

[KathyV]

I posted this info a few years ago in an old thread but it may be of interest here:

Many years ago we were on a liveaboard in the Bahamas. The boat was out of Florida and was flying the American flag. We were in Bahamian (or possibly international?) waters but we definitely were not in American waters. The US Coast Guard ordered up to stop, then boarded and searched the boat and our personal belongings - both guests and crew. The Captain had all the passports and handed them over for inspection upon demand.

They didn't have a search warrant, they didn't ask permission, and they didn't apologize - and we didn't argue because they had guns and we didn't. We all hung out on the deck while they searched. The Captain just shrugged and said "it happens." They didn't find anything, they returned the passports to the Captain and left without a word. They didn't say what they were looking for (guns, explosives, drugs, refugees?)

Anyway, I know from personal experience that it is typical for the Captain to hold all the passports on a liveaboard and that the US Coast Guard will board and search vessels if they feel they have just cause, even if they are not in American waters, and you won't be able to stop them.

I imagine that the marine enforcement agencies for other countries may do the same.

 

[DanBMW]

I keep copies of all important documents ( Passports, Visa's , Credit cards, drivers license, insurance, DAN cards, etc.) up to date and on a server that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. All documents can be recreated at any US embassy if you have copies and pictures. If a live aboard is on fire, the last thing you need to be doing is going back down to your room, unless it is a special and unusual circumstance. Your life is number one, the rest can be fixed. Keeping a flashlight handy at night is also a great idea. I also like, but haven't done, a mask and small spare air !

 

[scubafanatic]

I posted this info a few years ago in an old thread but it may be of interest here:

Many years ago we were on a liveaboard in the Bahamas. The boat was out of Florida and was flying the American flag. We were in Bahamian (or possibly international?) waters but we definitely were not in American waters. The US Coast Guard ordered up to stop, then boarded and searched the boat and our personal belongings - both guests and crew. The Captain had all the passports and handed them over for inspection upon demand.

They didn't have a search warrant, they didn't ask permission, and they didn't apologize - and we didn't argue because they had guns and we didn't. We all hung out on the deck while they searched. The Captain just shrugged and said "it happens." They didn't find anything, they returned the passports to the Captain and left without a word. They didn't say what they were looking for (guns, explosives, drugs, refugees?)

Anyway, I know from personal experience that it is typical for the Captain to hold all the passports on a liveaboard and that the US Coast Guard will board and search vessels if they feel they have just cause, even if they are not in American waters, and you won't be able to stop them.

I imagine that the marine enforcement agencies for other countries may do the same.

Oh yes, Kathy, for example, I can 100% guarantee you that if you visit the Socorro Islands, you will be boarded by the Mexican navy when you arrive, and the Marines will be toting M16's. They will conduct inspections, check papers, etc. while all the divers are 'asked' to assemble on the main deck and 'chill' while the authorities do their thing.

si fueris Rōmae, Rōmānō vīvitō mōre; si fueris alibī, vīvitō sīcut ibī ('When in Rome, do as the Romans do'.)

 

[FinnMom]

In 2016 or so our dive boat was boarded by the police in Egypt, near Gubal island. The captain had everyone's passports and also our dive cert cards (also Nx cards) and the police checked both cert cards and passports against the list of passengers (did not do a roll call however). May someone being illegally transported as "a diver" might not have to good sense to get himself a cert card, or maybe they were lookibg for someone specific, I don't know. The stop took about 40 mins, everyone was a bit quiet, and then they left and everything was OK.

I've been on 2 different liveaboards in Egypt 2013-2017; both boats collected and stored the passports. Hopefully in a fireproof safe.

 

[Wingy]

Just my observation from sinking at sea - you may be inconvenienced by being in a foreign country without your passport or money or a change of clothes...but it's better than being dead. While it sounds too easy to have a grab bag and your scuba gear all set up a few steps away to doff and slip into the water - good luck. A listing boat is going to make all of that difficult...not sure about everyone else but having seen how many seconds a boat fire can go to a full blown explosion, I think I will stick with what worked for me - get off immediately. You may keep your cool but other passengers losing their sh*t and running round in circles panicking are going to slow you down.
Losing your passport and credit card when you have an embassy to call isn't as much of a hassle as losing tommorow.