Transit from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea - March 24th

I am posting this in real time.  It is Thursday, March 24^th, at 11 a.m.  Although the Captain and crew do not make a big deal of all this, we are transiting through pirate waters sailing off the coast of Somalia.  For our safety, security measures have been in place since March 22^nd and will be enforced through March 29^th.  The ship has reduced its outdoor lighting from sunset to sunrise; the reduction will involve the top deck (11), the jogging track (deck 10), the afresco area at the back of the Panorama Buffet (deck 9) and the outside Promenade (deck 5) in addition to closing the windows and curtains along deck 5 and in the dining room.  

At this moment, we are passing inside the Bab-el-Mandeb strait.  Bab-el-Mandeb strait is a strait located between Yemen on the Arabian peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa.  It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.  It acts as a strategic link between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.  

In 2006, it is estimated that approximately 10% of the oil production worldwide transits through this strait, out of a world total of about 43 million barrels per day moved by tankers.  The distance across is about 20 miles from Ras Menheli in Yemen to Ras Siyyan in Djibouti.  The island of Perim (part of Yemen) divides the strait into two channels, of which the eastern, known as the Bab Iskender (Alexander’s Strait) is 2 miles wide and 16 fathoms deep, while the western, or Dact-el-Mayun, has a width of about 16 miles and a depth of 170 fathoms.    

Near the coast of Djibouti lies a group of smaller islands known as the “Seven Brothers.”  There is a surface current inwards in the eastern channel but a strong undercurrent outwards in the western channel. 

I was amazed to see this strait on the map because of how narrow it is.  But we are safely navigating through it.  We are seeing large vessels in the waters right now and have identified one as a car carrier, small fishing boats and oil tankers.  The other day, we saw an unidentified warship.  Anecdotally, other passengers told us they saw two small speed boats unload from the warship and head towards an unidentified smaller craft checking for either pirates or contraband.   

I'm still working on our adventures in Dubai - will post by the weekend.