Apply to Be a Pirate

Talk Like a Pirate for Days to Come

Would You Like to Talk Like a Pirate and Serve As Crew In, Dead Calm, Bone Dry?

Dead Calm, Bone DryTo apply to be a member of our crew, write a 200 word essay on why you feel you would make a swarthy pirate in the next installment of the Caribbean Chronicles series. Information on how to apply can be found at Caribbean Chronicles. Below are available positions.

Quarter Master: During times of battle the Captain holds unlimited authority, but at other times he and the rest of the crew are subject to the command of the Quartermaster. It is his (or her) duty to represent the crew’s interests. For this the Quartermaster receives an extra share of the booty when divided. (More treasure!) Above all, the Quartermaster protects the crew against each other by maintaining order, settling quarrels, and distributing food and other essentials. A jury of the crew tries serious crimes, but the Quartermaster has the authority to punish minor offenses. If the pirates are successful in their attack of a vessel, the Quartermaster decides what plunder to take from a prize. If the pirates decide to keep a captured ship, the Quartermaster will assume command until the vessel is disposed. The crew elects the Quartermaster immediately after choosing a Captain. One position available.

Sailing Master: The Sailing Master navigates and sails the ship. He or she directs the course and looks after the maps and instruments necessary for navigation. Since charts of the waters in which we sail are often inaccurate (or just don’t exists) this role requires someone with sharp eyes and a sense of the danger that lies beneath the keel. One position available.

Boatswain: The Boatswain supervises the maintenance of the vessel and its supply stores. He or she is responsible for inspecting the ship and its sails and rigging each morning, and reporting their state to the captain. The Boatswain is also in charge of all deck activities, including weighing and dropping anchor, and the handling of sails. One position available.

Carpenter: The Carpenter – also known as Surgeon – is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the hull, masts and yards. He or she works under the direction of the ship’s Master and Boatswain. The Carpenter’s duties are to check the hull regularly, placing oakum between the seams of the planks and wooden plugs on leaks to keep the vessel tight. The Carpenter may also serve as the ship’s Surgeon and perform amputations (and other operations) with the same wood working tools he or she uses to repair the ship. One position available.

Master Gunner: The Master Gunner is responsible for the ship’s guns (cannons) and ammunition. This includes sifting the powder to keep it dry, prevent it from separating, insuring the cannons and ordnance are kept free of rust, and that all weapons are in good repair. A knowledgeable Gunner is essential to the crew’s safety and effective use of their weapons. One position available.

Mermaid: Mermaid is an Old English word for sea, and maid. Mermaids sing to sailors, often distracting them from their work and causing them to walk off the deck or run their ships aground. But they also save drowning men – in some cases carrying them to their underwater kingdoms. One position available. (Sorry, females only.)

Mate: Mates serve as apprentice to the Ship’s Master, Boatswain, Carpenter & Gunner and take care of the fitting out of the vessel. Mates examine whether the ship is sufficiently provided with ropes, pulleys, sails, and all the other rigging necessary for the voyage. Mates also take care of hoisting the anchor. During a passage the crew checks the tackle once a day. If a mate observes anything amiss, he or she reports this to the ship’s Master. Arriving at a port, ship mates help repair the cables and anchors, and attend to the management of the sails, yards and mooring of the ship. Several positions available.

Wench: Wenches are young woman or female servants taken aboard ship as cargo who, through choice or force, decide to remain as crew. Though women are not generally welcome aboard, wenches serve at the pleasure of the captain and may sometimes out-perform the (mostly) male crew. They may also serve with and replace the ship’s cook, at which point they become a Galley Wench. One position available.

Grog Maid: A Grog Maid serves beverages in a pub or tavern. Grog Maids also act as the public image of the establishment, contributing to its reputation. For example, drinks like, Bloody Mary, Shirley Temple, and Margarita are named after grog maids. One position available.

Able Bodied Sailor: An Able Bodied Sailor is common sailor. He or she needs to know the rigging and the sails, plus how to steer the ship for the purposes of navigation. He or she needs to know how to read the skies, weather, winds and most importantly the moods of the captain. Several positions available.

Rigger: Sailors assigned aloft to work the running rigging and to furl and release the sails are called Riggers. Due to the risk of falling from a slippery spar high above a rolling deck this is a dangerous position. We need lots of Riggers.

Cabin Boy: A young boy who works aboard pirate ships is a servant. Many cabin boys are runaways looking to escape the dreary life of school and work. Others are taken hostage from captured vessels. One position available.

Powder Monkey: These sailors run gunpowder from below decks to the cannon crews during battle. One position available.

Swab: Although technically not a rank, a sailor who mops the decks using the swab is called a “swabbie.” The term has come to describe someone who is not held in high regard by the commanders and crew. Several positions available.

 

 

 

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One thought on “Apply to Be a Pirate

  1. I’d like to apply to be the mermaid. I can sing. I love to swim. I enjoy everything Nautical ~ even seaweed. I’ve been told I can be very distracting. That’s a plus for this position. : >

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