Unfortunately, I just learned that a fellow cruiser, a singlehander, was recently attacked with knives aboard his boat at anchor in Suva, Fiji, about 200 miles south of where Del Viento is now (in Savusavu). Here is a link to the story and a way to donate some money to help with his medical bills: https://www.gofundme.com/jim-van-cleve-sailor-attacked
I don't know Jim Van Cleve (Kalokalo) well; we saw him around Savusavu while we were there and talked to him briefly several times, but my friend Meri (Hotspur) does know Jim well and she set up the site (5 hours ago, as I publish this) to aid him. Please donate if you're inclined.
It's the kind of news I hate hearing, especially because it feeds the misperception that stems from our 24/7, "if it bleeds, it leads" media, the misperception that the world is such a dangerous place that you're only safe parked in front of your TV watching everyone else get robbed, blown-up, assaulted, and raped. But the truth is that while I feel generally safer in the places we've spent time cruising than I generally feel in the U.S. (and my friend Behan just touched on this), crime happens everywhere, to varying degrees.
--MR
I don't know Jim Van Cleve (Kalokalo) well; we saw him around Savusavu while we were there and talked to him briefly several times, but my friend Meri (Hotspur) does know Jim well and she set up the site (5 hours ago, as I publish this) to aid him. Please donate if you're inclined.
It's the kind of news I hate hearing, especially because it feeds the misperception that stems from our 24/7, "if it bleeds, it leads" media, the misperception that the world is such a dangerous place that you're only safe parked in front of your TV watching everyone else get robbed, blown-up, assaulted, and raped. But the truth is that while I feel generally safer in the places we've spent time cruising than I generally feel in the U.S. (and my friend Behan just touched on this), crime happens everywhere, to varying degrees.
--MR
Jim Van Cleve |