Pirates Plank

Archive for January 15th, 2012

Pirates are synonymous with a lot of things – skull and crossbones, daggers between teeth, eye patches, treasure and of course rum!!  We all have an image of these seafarers brought about through books and movies.  The reality is perhaps not quite as intoxicating!!  Although they have a somewhat romantic image in reality pirates were and are outlaws – brutal thieves and sometimes murderers.

Movies especially tend to show the romantic side of them – often portraying them as lovable rogues.  These movies are often chock-a-block full of stereotypes.  Walking the plank, swinging through the air on ropes – always good looking with just a hint of swagger.

In reality pirates have been around for almost as long as ships have been around.  And of course they are still around – making a comeback in recent years off the coast of Somalia. Famous races have indulged in piracy – the Vikings are perhaps the best known.  I’m sure the towns and villages they raped and plundered did not have quite as romantic notion of them as we do in this day and age.

As in most gangs of outlaws alcohol has played a big part in providing bravado.  In the days of the Vikings it was mead and around the Caribbean it was rum.  There were plenty of hidden spots on far off islands for the pirates to hide their stolen treasure and to store their liquor.

Bands of pirates would often fight over command of liquor distribution – and occasionally this would erupt into a full scale war.  This is reminiscent of the drug wars that are going on today in Central America and Mexico.

Jamaica was a special place in pirate’s hearts.  They could flog their plunder and drink the local (high quality) rum.  The city of Port Royal was the center point where all sorts of partying went on.  On 12 separate occasions all the bars in town were burnt to the ground amidst the drunken revelry.

Life on the pirates ships was not one of comfort – or safety.  The food was an afterthought and even drinking water was in short supply.  Disease and famine were rife.  Grog usually took the place of water and this would have eventually added to the misery.  This drink had rum and lime juice in it to prevent scurvy and to make life a little more comfortable.  The fact is – the pirates life was generally short – and not so sweet.

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