$ :: The Buccaneers of Bjornstad :: $
Battle Sail on the Lady Washington
12 March 2017
 
What's better than sailing on San Francisco Bay aboard a magnificent square-rigged sailing ship?  Engaging in a three hour running cannon battle with another one.  And wearing gear that suits the occasion.  Bjornstad members boarded the brig Lady Washington at Jack London Square in Oakland for three hours of maneuvering with the Hawaiian Chieftain, a gaff-rigged topsail ketch - and exchanging a lot of cannon fire.  Both ships are home-ported at Gray's Harbor Historical Seaport in Washington state.  Here's what our day looked like...
   


The Hawaiian Chieftain with the Bay Bridge behind her.  She will be our opponent for the battle to come.



The Hawaiian Chieftain and the Lady Washington.  Two proud ladies doing battle on the Bay.  On another day...

Photocredit: Eventbrite.com for SF Bay Adventures



Bidding farewell to our berth at Jack London Square



Captain James handles the Lady Washington like a fine musical instrument



Isaac, the gunner, energetically prepares us for the battle to come



Rick soaks it all in



The Port of Oakland's container cranes - from the container's viewpoint



Another fine ship - on station...



The Hawaiian Chieftain follows us onto the Bay



Our colorful crew keeps watch



Ed just might be the Dread Pirate Roberts



Fred and Dori have booked passage to the Nearly Far West




The crew goes aloft to trim the sails



She's rigged with about five miles of lines



Jack and Ed are taking this voyage seriously



A large caliber solution to a disagreement



The powder magazine is open for business



The maneuvering begins



Isaac primes the swivel gun



She'll be under our guns in short order



The Lady Washington captures the winds



Our 3 pounder is primed and ready



Fred steels himself for the exchange of broadsides...



... by singing a sea shanty: "What shall we do with a drunken sailor..."



If we take a port tack, we can bring our guns to bear on her rudder



The Lady Washington crosses the "T", exposing the Hawaiian Chieftain's stern - and her rudder



The Hawaiian Chieftain responds with a message of her own



A little flame, a little smoke and considerable noise



On this ship, you really need the right hat



Or bonnet



Sails and feathers



The cutlass: cutting edge fashion



We may have to board her...



The Hawaiian Chieftain prepares to trade broadsides



The boarding party makes ready



"Yo ho, Yo ho, a pirate's life for me..."



We colid call ourselves the San Francisco Pirates
- or maybe the Oakland Raiders



Our prize crew - if the Chieftain lowers her colors



Let's call it a draw...



She's a worthy adversary



Bjornstad on the Bay



Not a bad way to spend an afternoon



Keeping the Lady shipshape



Climbing the rigging



Sails and lines



Belaying pins



What's our next heading?



If we sail South by Southwest...



The trade winds will favor our crossing...



Make for the horizon



The Bay Bridge - West of Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island



The Bay Bridge - East of Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island



The sun shines on our endeavours



Lower the topsail



Oakland awaits



A good day on the Bay



The Hawaiian Chieftain heads for her berth



Motoring in by diesel



Jack London Square beckons to the Lady Washington



All hands ashore

  ©   For information contact Jack Garrett at info@vikingsofbjornstad.com