After three years away from the states, its still difficult to avoid our American sensibilities that we should be safe and protected when cruising on our boats. I agree with you - I think it insane to cruise areas where there are known issues with crime and theft. That area of the central American - Honduras - seems pretty iffy to us, and we would pass it by. Unfortunately - lots of areas are starting to feel that way. We had friends attacked at an anchorage in northern Ecuador last year - robbed at gunpoint. That is not stopping us from going there though.

Petty theft is a pretty common occurrence for the unguarded - even here in MX - we have taken steps to prevent intruders, having bars on the companionway and hatches, and a motion sensor hooked up in the cockpit. We set most of this security up with the idea of cruising Central America - where theft is a much bigger problem than in MX. However - lots of dingy's and outboard get stolen here for the unwary, and we lock our dingy, and lock the boat when away, in the most remote anchorages in MX. We think it is unwise to carry a gun on board - the pirates you shoot at may turn out to be the Nicaragua Navy.

Crime can find you anyplace you go - even in Canada - but we felt pretty secure spending six months up there a few years ago, and are really looking forward to seeing the east coast - for some of the reason you mention.

The guy with the shotgun in your picture is a little lightly armed for MX - you rarely see a guard without an automatic weapon.