Ahoy, me hearties! I went sailing through the Monterey Bay on the tall ship Lady Washington looking for pirate, but found none.  We did see dolphins and whales, and learned what it was like to live on a ship in the 1880s. I helped raise the sails from the yards (cross beams), and the crew taught me nautical words like port, starboard, tiller and quarterdeck. Then the crew sang sea shanties, songs to keep spirits up and synchronize timing. Since the Lady Washington was a trading ship, not a pirate’s ship, no one was forced to “walk the plank” or join in a sword fight.  I didn’t even get seasick from the rolling waves!

Purrs, Gulliver