Ahoy Mateys! It be “International Talk Like A Pirate Day,” September 19. If you were to tell someone that it was “Speak Like a Pirate Day” they would most likely say “Arrr”. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the pirate book Treasure Island in 1881 and the first time we know of “Arrr” being used was 1950 in the movie Treasure Island. The actor was Robert Newton – he thought it made him sound menacing and fierce.
I have always been interested in pirates. Living at the Jersey shore as young boy, I camped on an island called Treasure Island and of course we searched for treasure. We never found treasure but did find quite a few sharks teeth. Reading the book Treasure Island in my youth led me to become Pirateologist. When I got out of the U.S. Navy I started my federal firefighting career at Naval Station, Treasure Island. We dressed like pirates for events like chili cook-offs and I have a vast library and many movies on pirates and shipwrecks.
Some years ago the family was working on our ancestry when they asked me if I heard of Captain John Cook. Please don’t confuse him with James Cook the British explorer. I knew some history about him, but never connected him to my family.
John Cook started his pirate career in 1682. He got the crew of a French ship to mutiny, and he became the captain of the ship Revenge. He died in 1684, and is buried at Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica. So, I really have pirate blood in my veins, and this explains my fascination.
I’ve been very lucky this past year to go out on the dive boat Dare to the shipwreck of the Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Senora De Atocha that sank in a hurricane in 1622 off the coast Key West, Florida. A gentleman by the name of Mel Fisher dedicated his life to finding the King of Spain’s treasure ship. After looking for 15 years he found the front half of the ship and now the search goes on for the stern section, the back half for you landlubbers.
To help you sound like a pirate for the occasion, here arrr words that you can add to your vocabulary:
Jolly Roger – A pirate flag that can be plain red or black and sometimes have skulls, bones, and swords on them
Matey – Friend and is short for shipmate
Maroon – To intentionally abandon someone
Mutiny – Revolt against someone “Captain” with the purpose of taking over the “ship”
Scurvy - deadly illness caused by lack of vitamin C
Motley Crew – Described the multi-colored outfits pirates wore
Chow – chow down, to eat
Starboard – right
Port – left
Bow – front of the ship
Deck – floor
Avast – stop or give attention
Ahoy – hello
Aye – yes
Booty – treasure
Bulkhead – wall
Landlubber – person unfamiliar with the sea or sailing
Midships – middle of the ship
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