Mr Kus, what was it like with the Pirates?
Adventurous! Once I almost caused a collision with Somali pirates. A little later, there was a Huthi rebel combat drone over my boat. The pilot could have sunk me at the touch of a button. But I had to expect dangerous situations on the route through the Red Sea ...
Why did you sail through the Gulf of Aden in the first place?
My partner and I set off on a two-year circumnavigation in 2021 on a tight budget, but were delayed by a season due to technical problems in Tahiti. Rounding the Cape of Good Hope would not have been an option for us.
The route through the Red Sea was considered relatively safe until autumn 2023. When did you learn about the threats from Houthi rebels?
After the massacre in Israel, there were more and more reports of attacks on Western ships. At that time, I was already sailing alone on the ocean.
What went through your mind when you heard that?
At that moment I had other worries, a cat bite had become infected and my left hand almost had to be amputated.
Then they approached the Gulf of Aden ...
Yes, and I had radio contact with the international coordination centres that secure the traffic separation scheme. But until you get there, you're on your own. And on my course were two large fishing boats and four ribs - Somali pirates.
What did you do there?
I simply waved to the crews - and they waved back, puzzled. Then I greeted them by radio in Arabic to somehow find a relaxed level of communication ...
And so they let you sail on in peace?
I couldn't rely on that. But because I had heard that the German frigate "Hessen" was supposed to be cruising here in the meantime, I imitated the radio traffic with the German warship: changing voice alternately, other background noises with music on and off. I then remained unmolested on the course to Djibouti.
In April, you sailed through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the most dangerous eye of the needle?
Definitely yes. On the port side, Eritrean waters where there is a risk of being shot at. To starboard, the Yemeni coast with missiles and drones from the Huthi rebels. I stayed in the centre of the separation zone and thought I was relatively safe there because of the western naval vessels, but in the evening I had a combat drone overhead and felt defenceless at the mercy of foreign arbitrariness. I could hear the drone's acoustic targeting system aiming two missiles at me. I thought, if I'm going to die, I'm not going to die sober. So I drank a beer, thought about it, started transmitting and explained in Arabic that I was a lonely Habibi sailing home. Apparently they didn't want to waste a missile on an insignificant target, the drone took off and I almost went through ...
