It's been happening a lot to me recently - you start a 4 man Galleon game, it shows a full crew, and just as you load in you see everyone else disappear. Essentially you've replaced the first man out of a Galleon that's done for the day.
So I hang around - take the galleon out for a spin. At about 5 minute intervals I'm joined by 3 extra crew mates. They aren't mic'd up but are usually showing some pretty expensive custom gear. They check for Loot/Active skull forts and leave when they see none. One group started to dig the deck with spades then left.
So I parked up for 30 mins as an experiment, Anchor down, lights on, sails on full billow - right by a sloop, just out of cannon range.
Nothing attacked me.
I sailed around for another 20 mins, gliding slowly by outposts.
Still nothing.
You want to solo safely - git'y'rself a galleon.
