Future Career Identified! Training Ground? Williamsburg Schooner Alliance!

We did it! We took our vacation to Williamsburg. And we were not disappointed. Although we crushed any dreams I might have had of taking the kids to Europe in the near future. We'll be staying closer to home, thank you very much. Some people in our traveling party - ahem, Helen - still need their naps. And some people in our traveling party - ahem, Connor - need to not come up with great ideas during dinner like launching a cherry tomato out of one's mouth "just like a cannon". Thematically appropriate? Perhaps.

But despite some difficulty, all was not lost. Connor and Helen appear to have found their calling. They plan to become pirates. Not only that, they have given the good folks at the Schooner Alliance pirate cruise the good advice that in order to more successful, they should get more cannons. In fact, they have both promised to save up their mythical allowance to purchase some larger cannons for the pirate schooner they hope to one day call their own.

Late morning on Sunday, we rushed aboard the Serenity in preparation for an adventure at sea. The cruise promised tattoos, learning pirate skills - including a battle, and certificate of completion.

Connor and Helen totally rocked this cruise, and how the people running it kept from dying laughing, I will never know. I haven't been this entertained by the little people in a long time.

The cruise started out with the kids hoisting a sail. Ed even joined in the fun! Next, the lead pirate "Captain Mayhem" taught Connor and Helen to steer the boat, while "Mad Molly", the second in command, taught them how to tie knots. Helen's response to Mad Molly? "I already know how" which surprised only one person. And it wasn't anyone in my family.

Mad Molly was totally nice to the belligerent pirate, and taught her how to tie, but did not take the opportunity to string Helen up. Thanks, Mad Molly, but really, we would've understood if you'd taken the chance.

Then, the kids got their pirate tattoos, and finally, it was time for the big attack.

There is no other word to describe this, except fantastic.

We hoisted our pirate flag, as we snuck up on an unsuspecting merchant vessel. Then, Mad Molly taught everyone how to fire a cannon, and though Connor and Helen look intimidated in the video, fear not. As soon as the cannon was fired, Helen jumped to her feet screaming for the merchant vessel to give her their treasure and then told everyone on board she was going to capture them and "poke them in the eye!". Violent little thing, eh?

As soon as our boat's cannon was fired, the merchant ship responded with an even bigger cannon. Smart money told everyone in our boat to back off. Everyone except my two pirates.

Helen stood firm that their gun was NOT bigger than ours when Molly recommended we turn around. I'm pretty sure Connor was convinced we were going to actually board the much larger ship and take their stuff. I'm shipping him off to Somalia next week.

After we steered clear, Helen and Connor discussed their battle plans for next time, and I do believe they plan to come back and get that merchant vessel. In the words of Great Big Sea, Connor and Helen were prepared to make that other boat Wish They'd Never Taken That Cruise Around the Bay!

Elaine

This is a new cruise offered in the Greater Williamsburg Area, which leaves from Yorktown. My family participated as part of a visit we took to the area sponsored by Greater Williamsburg. The cruise was donated by the owner of the ship. Call 757-639-1233 to book this cruise, or visit their website and find out more. A huge thank you. Ed and I are still laughing about how into the cruise Connor and Helen were - due in no small part to Mad Molly's enthusiasm.