Becoming a Pirate

Since finding out that my knee is going south, I decided to become a pirate, with a peg leg n' all.  The parrot has been located, and a tri-corn hat, but the ship wasn't going well until we remembered there is a perfect one close by in the bay.  It was even for sale, though the seller just appeared out of the fog one morning.   We were both surprised at the price and snapped it up!

DH and I can afford it, happily, but it's going to be tricky getting it. We have been working diligently to get her away from the dock, preferably on a moonless night to minimize publicity.  And for good luck.

 It seems to be an ancient merchant vessel of two hundred-eighty feet.  It's in rare good shape for having been in a maritime museum for so many years.   Here is what we've found:

My new sailing ship

I even love the name, but the seller advised that we change it to something else.   He even had a handy can of paint with him to do so.  I declined his offer, as I loved the name.  Star of India.  So romantic!

I'm taking applications for crew members, but if all else fails I sail to Barbados as soon as possible and will take on crew there. I'm hoping for willing sailors.  After that, depending on how it does, I intend to "conscript" the unwilling from the dregs of bars and outlaws. 

I was hoping to find crew amongst an all women sailing club in San Diego, but oddly, they were unwilling to join us in this adventure.  They think we'll be in jail before we get out of the harbor.  I think they have no faith in human initiative.

I've have been vigorous in my efforts to teach the dog and the tortoises to swim. The dog is doing all right as long as we keep his hair shaved short, but the torts sink like stones.

Most unfortunate.