After the "Pass in Review" contest the Discovery returns for lunch.

 

 

Pirate lasses brought the lunches.

 

There were even some foreign pirate lasses (ok, Canada) that had traveled to the Challenge.

 

The Bounty of Trister comes back for lunch after finishing the Navigation event.

One of the crew explained that the cannon (perhaps a two pounder) on the stern is just used for ceremonial purposes. "Although, if we had 3 or 4 pizzas on board and another boat tried to take them, things could get ugly."

 

The Bounty's captain looked properly "salty."

 

Head judge (middle) David Cottrell waits with two other judges at the Wiskaw bridge, which was the half way point in the Navigation event.

As boats neared the bridge the crew would sing out with the secret phrase "Is this what team spirit smells like?" The cultural significance of this phrase is largely lost on anyone over 40 or not from Aberdeen.

 

If the phrase was correctly yelled a bucket was lowered so that the boat could turn in their navigation report, as well as any bribes for the judges. Bribing judges is a time honored way for longboat crews to increase their scores, and it is a motley crew that does not have a good supply of bribes. The bribe from this boat was a bag of trail mix. Ordinarily a bag of trail mix does not get you much, but the lunches had not been delivered yet, and the judges were starving.

It is possible that the next boat had some inside knowledge, for they quickly put several sandwiches, cookies, crackers, and fruit into the bucket when it was lowered. The judges were saved, and this was a boat that was headed for a high score. Sad to say, the boat did not hold station while this was going on, and the boat drifted upstream.

 

There was so much slack in the line that the bucket dipped into the river when it was hauled up; the food was ruined. The judges were furious, to have food so close and then for it to be snatched away. It was more than the judges could bear. They began to mutter amongst themselves about dropping a cannonball through the bottom of the boat when they went under the bridge again. "Aye, let the little blighters swim to shore." Unfortunately, none of the judges had thought to bring a cannonball, and moments later the offending boat slipped safely under the bridge and downstream.

 

Here are the eight judges. The 3 younger ones in front came from Olympia; they wanted to take part in the activies, but had no boat. "Well, we'll just make them judges then," said one of the organizers. "We can't be judges," said one, "we don't know everything. And we're not very salty," said another. "We don't even shave!" said the last one. "We would not like you to go blabbing this about, but we don't know everything either," said one judge.

And as far as being "salty" is concerned three orders of french fries from a fast food place will get your sodium level up to the point where you have to worry about high blood pressure," said another judge. "Hey, don't worry about shaving, I don't shave either" said judge Frances Cottrell.

 

The judges wander off to talk about secret judge things: price of grog, best places to get oakum, or the lack of cannonballs when you need one.

Captains and coxswains review the rowing and sailing course.

 

The teams were to row down river a few miles for the first event and then sail upriver for the second event.

 

The boats begin to leave for the rowing event. The Hewitt Jackson

 

The Elizabeth Bonaventure

The Discovery

 

The Bounty

The Townsend

 

A shot from a blunderbuss started the teams rowing.

 

 

The Bounty of Trister

 

 

 

The leaders at a mile down river.

 

Rowing against the current, the rowing event was a brutal test. First place The Bear Second place HMS Bounty Third Elizabeth Bonaventure

About two plus miles down river the boats mill about waiting for the start of the sailing event.

 

Running before the wind the boats raced up river toward Cosmopolis.

 

 

First place Hewitt Jackson Second The Bear Third Elizabeth Bonaventure

 

Man overboard drill

 

Everyone was happy to tie up to the dock.

 

The judges meet to talk things over.

 

Everyone was hungry.

 

 

 

 

Knot Tying was the first evening event.

If you could not tie the knot called for by a judge you had to run back to your team and get someone to teach you the knot.

 

The winning team gives a cheer.

 

The second place team cheers.

 

The Bojum Relay starts.

All manner of nautical knowledge was tested during this event.

 

 

The caligraphy lady wrote things out better than any of the pirates.

After breakfast everyone waited to see how things came out.

 

Tunes were played.

A pirate lass starts off some sea shanties. Pretty soon everyone else joined in.

 

Then one of the captains began to sing.

 

Carl hands out a longevity award.

 

 

 

 

This was a show of hands of those who had blisters from yesterdays Rowing Event.