YO HO HO me hearties.........

In the morning when I arrive at the beach it is pouring with rain. I have never seen so much water falling out of the sky. It runs off my face, my hair sticks to my head, my feet are soaked in their shoes. The wind howls, and the waves crash onto the shore bringing flotsam with them, debris of other lives.

To my amazement there is a pirate ship anchored in the bay. It looms through the spray of water and rain. I think that it might be a replica similar to the ship I once saw at Whitby (yorkshire) where the Jolly Rodger flew over a motorised pirate ship taking tourists round the harbour and out to sea for a half hour trip.

This ship is huge. She has an enormous anchor at which it is straining in the wind. I know I have to get on board somehow and start running along the beach hoping to find a way of getting out to her.

I suddenly hear voices shouting, and realise that I have come across the sailors. And yes, to my amazement, they appear to be genuine pirates. To my horror, one of them raises a pistol in my direction, then takes a cigarette out of his pocket and, turning out of the wind, uses the pistol to light it. I half sob, half laugh with relief.

"Come here and make yourself known to us," he shouts in my direction.

I wade through the rising tide towards him.

When I am close enough to look at the now assembled crew I see that they are a group of men and women, some younger, some not, wearing what appears to be pirates clothing. I cannot help staring and a smile crosses their faces.

"Welcome." One of the women greets me. "You have many questions I see....If you come aboard and sail with us we will attempt to answer them. We, that is ourselves and perhaps you also, are on a quest to find treasure and the wisdom of the ancients, a wisdom that might save our planet. Will you join us as we look for the key to the Dead Man's Chest?"

I nod. Dead man's chest has had bad connotations for me since performing CPR on my beloved but I am willing to relinquish that image and go and look for the key. I may not save the planet but I might save myself.

We climb into a small boat that is moored on the beach and row out to the ship. The rain has eased slightly and the tide is running fast now.

"Climb aboard my hearties," shouts a sailor high up on the deck of the ship "Tis time to set sail." He throws down a rope ladder and we start to climb.


(I have always wanted to go to sea. My late husband was in the merchant navy and always told tall sea stories, usually starring him as chief mischief maker. I hope to catch up with him whilst I am on this voyage.)