Ahoy, mateys!! I am return'd te the port o' Long Beach nigh two hour ago and am te me home now. Thot o' ye all whilst aboard the Lady Washington (Interceptor) today! A fine lot o' sailors they have aboard that ship, says I. Good lord, as I type, I seem te still be rockin' te port and starboard a bit - no wonder Jack Sparrow moves so oddly - can't be helped (and I've only been sailin' fer three hour). A fine time it were fer me, sailin' aboard the ship what Sparrow, Turner and Norrington all been aboard (sadly, me b'lov'd were ne'er aboard it, tho). Ye'd a been surpris'd by the number o' piratical types what wore their POTC shirts and caps and whatnot. Scaled back me own piratical wear a bit fer the occasion, so as not te look too geeky. But, o' course, I did wear me Aztec gold medallion - just in case the Pearl (and me dearest) be near! Ah, and friends, I can assure ye that ol' Capt. Jack Sparrow and Will Turner theirselves were thar (tho they were girls, actually... that's odd...). Thankfully, they were not sailin' aboard the Lady, or I'd have had te take revenge upon 'em fer what they done te Barbossa.
Aye, thar were four ships takin' part in the sail and we all went out te the harbor o' Long Beach (out past the Queen Mary) and spent our hours sailin' round each other, gettin' off good shots. The Lady Washington had two cannon (per'aps 4 pounders?) what they mov'd from port te starboard and back, as needed, and two swivel gun (one on each side) upon the quarter deck rails. We were instructed te plug our ears and have our mouths agape a tad when the cannon were fired, because the percussion were so strong. Ah, a fine sound they made, too, friends! Got off some good shots we did! We soundly defeated the two ships what were ag'inst us (as we were align'd with one other). A few shots brot cheers o' "Huzzah!" from the lot o' us! Had meself a good time watchin' the crew work the riggin' and the sails. Tried te match all what I been readin' with what they were doin' and sayin'. Not too bad at it I be, says I. Two o' these ships shall stop three more times at ports not far fer me te travel. Shall be bookin' meself aboard an adventure sail trainin' comin' up at month end, what should give me the chance te work the riggin' a bit. Thar were not opportunity te work the riggin' durin' the battle, as the crew were movin' quite fast and could not teach oth'rs how te do the job. Shall be aboard the Lady a few more times in the next couple o' months, says I. This be far too excitin' and int'restin' te pass up! Next time I be sailin' aboard a battle, friends, I shall bring me camera and post pict'rs fer ye, I swear it.
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life fer me! Ah, truly life aboard ship be the thing fer the lot o' us, mateys. Ye'll excuse me now, whilst I make me plans te abandon lubbin' and set te life upon the seas!
Aye, and if ye'd like te have a look at two o' the ships in the battle, check these sites, mateys:
Lady Washington (Interceptor)
Hawaiian Chieftan